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 World news and comment from the Guardian | guardian.co.ukLatest news and features from guardian.co.uk, the world's leading liberal voiceLast Build Date: Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:25:39 GMT Copyright: Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2012
Rockets rain down on Homs as Syrian violence escalates Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:37:30 GMT2012-02-09T00:48:56Z More than 200 rockets fall in space of three hours on opposition-controlled suburb of Baba Amr, according to residentsThe Assad government escalated its military onslaught on the Syrian opposition with the most intense bombardment of rebel-held areas so far, as the west and the Arab world scrambled to find a new diplomatic strategy without Russian and Chinese help.Tanks and heavy artillery were used on an unprecedented scale, according to witnesses. More than 200 rockets fell in the space of three hours on just one part of Homs, the opposition-controlled suburb of Baba Amr, residents said.One activist, Raji, speaking from a basement inside Baba Amr, said Syrian forces were now using a heavier artillery round with devastating effect. In addition to the 27 people killed , he said many people were lying dead under the rubble of their houses. There were also reports that 18 premature babies had died in hospital after power cuts caused their incubators to fail, according to the BBC. State TV denied the reports.The Guardian has been unable to independently verify eyewitness accounts or casualty figures, but similar reports came from rebel areas around the country as Bashar al-Assad – spared from a UN resolution calling for his departure by Russian and Chinese intervention on his behalf – appeared to speed up attempts to eliminate the threat to his regime.In the face of the increase in violence, western and Arab governments urgently sought a new response. The Pentagon was reported to be reviewing contingency plans for intervention in Syria, from providing humanitarian relief to direct military action. There was no sign that the Obama administration was seriously contemplating military options, but the president is under increasing pressure in an election year to respond decisively to the reports of mass killing in Syria."We are seriously dying here. It is really war," Waleed Farah told the Guardian via satellite phone from al-Khaldiyeh, another rebel-held neighbourhood in Homs.Hopes of quickly healing the global rift caused by the weekend's security council vote came to nothing. When William Hague spoke to the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, to ask Moscow to reconsider its vote and its arms sales to Damascus, Lavrov said there was no independent confirmation of the regime's use of heavy weaponry in Homs and elsewhere and insisted that the supply of Russian arms was legal, according to British officials. After visiting Damascus on Tuesday, Lavrov called for a political dialogue and a UN resolution backing the deployment of more observers in Syria, but the opposition Syrian National Council has rejected Moscow as a broker and is insisting that Assad step down in line with an Arab League peace plan.Vladimir Putin, the Russian prime minister, said: "We of course condemn all violence regardless of its source, but one cannot act like an elephant in a china shop. Help them, advise them – limit, for instance, their ability to use weapons – but do not interfere under any circumstances."China also defended its decision to veto the UN resolution and rejected Hague criticism's of the vote as "extremely irresponsible" and "totally unacceptable".With no sign of a break in the diplomatic deadlock, urgent efforts were under way aimed at building as broad an international coalition as possible to keep up the diplomatic pressure on Damascus. A "friends of Syria" conference is expected to be called in the next few days to agree joint measures, including new sanctions, anti-Assad resolutions at the UN general assembly, and diplomatic support for the opposition Syrian National Council with the aim of molding it into a credible alternative to the Assad regime. The next steps will be decided at meetings of the Gulf Co-operation Council on Saturday and the Arab League on Sunday. Most observers, however, believe Assad can weather such pressure as long as he can rely on backing from Moscow and Beijing.Turkey declared it was launching its own initiative to confront what it warned was becoming a grave political and humanitarian crisis. [...]
Greek PM pushes through cuts deal Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:46:41 GMT2012-02-09T01:46:41Z Lucas Papademos secures agreement on policies including 22% cut in minimum wage and 15,000 public sector redundanciesAt almost the twelfth hour Athens has done it again: with all eyes in Europe's major capitals focused on it, the country appeared to pull back from the brink early on Thursday morning and instead choose to adopt furiously unpopular austerity measures in return for the rescue loans that are keeping its economy afloat.In one set of marathon talks after another, the technocrat prime minister Lucas Papademos managed to rally support for the excruciatingly painful policies that will dominate Greek life for the best part of the next decade.At times this week it has looked like an impossible task. Papademos, an avuncular academic, is no aficionado of the hurly-burly of Greek politicking. The constant delays and repeated missed deadlines of negotiations that Greece's EU partners had hoped would be wrapped up on Monday, had infuriated him.The bickering among the party chiefs backing his interim coalition peaked on Wednesday night when a final round of talks – lasting seven hours – were constantly interrupted by the refusal of the leaders to endorse cuts in pensions.The issue, which remains outstanding, will not be the last.The 50-page draft agreement outlining the terms on which Greece can expect to receive rescue loans was much harsher than any of the politicians had envisaged.A cursory read shows that it contains some of the most savage cuts in modern Greek history with the minimum wage being reduced by 22%. From €750 a month it will be brought down to €585 – a drop that in turn has been quick to enrage trade unionists and is bound to elicit widespread, and possibly violent, protests in the weeks and months ahead.Supplementary pensions were to have been dropped by 15 % – on top of the barrage of tax increases, wage and pension cuts over the past two years. The government has also agreed to lay off 15,000 public sector employees by March.On Wednesday, the European statistics agency, Eurostat, announced that one in three Greeks live under the poverty line – up from one in five before the crisis.The squabbling is not going to go away. Tensions between Greece and its foreign lenders are still very raw.Entering the prime ministerial building ahead of the marathon talks, Georgios Karatzaferis, leader of the small populist Laos party, spoke of an atmosphere of "blackmail" in which politicians had been forced to make decisions under extraordinary pressure."Time is [being used] as a blackmailing factor by our creditors," he said, highlighting the mood of mistrust between Greece and foreign lenders. "And that is a problem for me."Indicative of the mistrust, debt inspectors, who have spent the past three weeks in intense talks with Papademos and the Greek finance minister Evangelos Venizelos, have insisted on seeing each one of the leaders, separately, following their endorsement of the plan.A clause specifying their strict adherence to the agreement in the months and years ahead was also inserted into the accord. Insiders said troika representatives would use the meetings to "ram home" the message that it is "agreement, 100% complying with the rules, or default"."The package was much heavier than any of the leaders thought," said one well-placed official. "I don't think intellectually or psychologically they were prepared for what they have to accept or the sort of austerity that needs to be imposed. They've lived in a fantasy world refusing to believe the figures and thinking fiscal problems could be easily solved."GreeceEuropeLucas PapademosHelena Smithguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds [...]Greek prime minister Lucas Papademos has pushed through an agreement on painful austerity measure. Photograph: Orestis Panagiotou/AFP/Getty ImagesGreek prime minister Lucas Papademos has pushed through an agreement on painful austerity measure. Ph[...]
Himalayas 'lost no ice in past 10 years' Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:10:00 GMT2012-02-08T22:23:06Z Meltwater from Asia's peaks is much less then previously estimated, but lead scientist says the loss of ice caps and glaciers around the world remains a serious concern• In pictures: the best images of the earth from spaceThe world's greatest snow-capped peaks, which run in a chain from the Himalayas to Tian Shan on the border of China and Kyrgyzstan, have lost no ice over the last decade, new research shows.The discovery has stunned scientists, who had believed that around 50bn tonnes of meltwater were being shed each year and not being replaced by new snowfall.The study is the first to survey all the world's icecaps and glaciers and was made possible by the use of satellite data. Overall, the contribution of melting ice outside the two largest caps – Greenland and Antarctica – is much less then previously estimated, with the lack of ice loss in the Himalayas and the other high peaks of Asia responsible for most of the discrepancy.Bristol University glaciologist Prof Jonathan Bamber, who was not part of the research team, said: "The very unexpected result was the negligible mass loss from high mountain Asia, which is not significantly different from zero."The melting of Himalayan glaciers caused controversy in 2009 when a report from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change mistakenly stated that they would disappear by 2035, instead of 2350. However, the scientist who led the new work is clear that while greater uncertainty has been discovered in Asia's highest mountains, the melting of ice caps and glaciers around the world remains a serious concern."Our results and those of everyone else show we are losing a huge amount of water into the oceans every year," said Prof John Wahr of the University of Colorado. "People should be just as worried about the melting of the world's ice as they were before."His team's study, published in the journal Nature, concludes that between 443-629bn tonnes of meltwater overall are added to the world's oceans each year. This is raising sea level by about 1.5mm a year, the team reports, in addition to the 2mm a year caused by expansion of the warming ocean.The scientists are careful to point out that lower-altitude glaciers in the Asian mountain ranges – sometimes dubbed the "third pole" – are definitely melting. Satellite images and reports confirm this. But over the study period from 2003-10 enough ice was added to the peaks to compensate.The impact on predictions for future sea level rise is yet to be fully studied but Bamber said: "The projections for sea level rise by 2100 will not change by much, say 5cm or so, so we are talking about a very small modification." Existing estimates range from 30cm to 1m.Wahr warned that while crucial to a better understanding of ice melting, the eight years of data is a relatively short time period and that variable monsoons mean year-to-year changes in ice mass of hundreds of billions of tonnes. "It is awfully dangerous to take an eight-year record and predict even the next eight years, let alone the next century," he said.The reason for the radical reappraisal of ice melting in Asia is the different ways in which the current and previous studies were conducted. Until now, estimates of meltwater loss for all the world's 200,000 glaciers were based on extrapolations of data from a few hundred monitored on the ground. Those glaciers at lower altitudes are much easier for scientists to get to and so were more frequently included, but they were also more prone to melting.The bias was particularly strong in Asia, said Wahr: "There extrapolation is really tough as only a handful of lower-altitude glaciers are monitored and there are thousands there very high up."The new study used a pair of satellites, called Grace, which measure tiny changes in the Earth's gravitational pull. When ice is lost, the gravitational pull weakens and is detected by the orbiting spacecraft. "They fly at 500km, so they see everything," said Wahr, including the hard-to-reach, high-altitude glaciers."I beli[...]
Falkland Islands newspaper calls Cristina Fernández de Kirchner a bitch Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:09:47 GMT2012-02-09T04:09:47Z Thousands of complaints after insult that followed Fernández accusing Britain of militarising south Atlantic islandsFalkland Islands newspaper the Penguin News has triggered uproar on Argentinian social networks by calling President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner a bitch. The newspaper's website uploaded a photo of Fernández briefly using the insult as a file name on Wednesday, a day after she accused Britain of militarising the south Atlantic islands.The word triggered an immediate avalanche of complaints and abuse from Argentinians, reflecting heightened sensitivity towards the archipelago in the run up to the 30th anniversary of the war with Britain. The Buenos Aires daily La Nacion said the word, "perra" in Spanish, was a strong "anglo-saxon term ... signifying disrespect". Within hours more than 2000 readers responded with comments, many vitriolic.The Penguin News, which is printed weekly and online updated daily, usually has a tiny readership – the islands have a population of 3,000 – but the escalating diplomatic row between London and Buenos Aires has in recent weeks attracted many readers in Argentina, which calls the islands Las Malvinas and asserts ownership. To illustrate a story about Fernández's speech on Tuesday it uploaded a photograph of the president with the offending word. Those who saved the image found that the default file name was "bitch". Challenged by an Argentinian on her Twitter feed the editor, Lisa Watson, replied: "emmm oops - not now you'll find." The word was removed. Watson referred to colleagues' "dry humour". By then however the page had been saved and posted on multiple websites, prompting online fury. The editor's Twitter feed reflected angry and often vicious hate messages. Penguin staff did not reply to emails or phone calls last night but last week, before the controversy, Watson told the Guardian she had been receiving abusive messages for weeks. "I receive threats and insults via our work email address and on Twitter. The threats I try not to take seriously, particularly as the individuals tend to sign their name and even offer 'besos' (kisses) after claiming they are coming to the Falklands and their first task will be to kill me. Mainly I am referred to as a prostitute, liar, thief and pirate, other words I really wouldn't like to mention." She did not keep such emails, she said. "I read and delete immediately because it's not something you want to keep as a souvenir, but one said 'Die you decadence whore', others say things like 'I am coming to the Malvinas so walk softly because I will find you.'" She did not take them seriously. "I assume it is simply people momentarily angry because they have read something in their newspaper about the islands – I suppose we all feel like that sometimes but threatening to kill me seems a little extreme." Watson said she was more upset about random calls to islanders. "It's intimidating to be woken in the night to someone shouting at you in Spanish." Nevertheless she said it was important to have dialogue. "I have no objection to chatting and debating with Argentines. My reason for doing so is in the hope they will see us as a people with our own culture and our own thoughts. I live in hope that they will understand we are not 'British imperialists' but a population that has struggled to develop this little country and deserve to be allowed to live in peace. "I should say that I also receive many messages of support from Argentines or messages from people who do not agree with my point of view but want to offer kind thoughts anyway."ArgentinaCristina Fernández de KirchnerNewspapersDigital mediaFalkland IslandsRory CarrollUki Goniguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds [...]Argentina's president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, has ended speculation over whether she will seek re-election. Photograph: Leo L[...]
Greece agrees on bailout terms Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:33:07 GMT2012-02-09T01:33:07Z Political leaders finally decide on a course that would avert a chaotic default for the debt-choked nationAfter three days of high drama, political posturing and brinkmanship, Greece's coalition government reached a tentative agreement on the draconian terms required to unlock €130bn (£109bn) in aid for the crisis-hit country on Wednesday night, although the marathon negotiations were set to continue into the small hours.One senior aide said that by the time the Greek finance minister, Evangelos Venizelos, boarded a plane at 7am to attend Thursday's eurogroup meeting in Brussels, he would have the "finalised text of the agreement in his hands".In the first concrete sign that Greece's feuding political leaders had decided on a course that would avert a chaotic default for the debt-choked nation, prime minister Lucas Papademos said that consensus had been achieved over all but one of the cost-cutting reforms the EU, European Central Bank and IMF are demanding in return for the rescue programme."There has been agreement on all issues except one," Papademos's office said in a statement released after seven hours of talks between the technocrat leader and the three party heads backing his interim administration. The final obstacle to the politicians signing the accord was supplementary pensions, the one area where all three party chiefs were determined to avoid further cuts prior to general elections in the spring.But with the Greek government resuming negotiations with the country's "troika" of foreign lenders at 1am, officials appeared confident that the sticking point would be resolved by the morning."The negotiations have essentially been closed," said a senior official.The 17-nation eurogroup is expected to discuss and ratify the agreement Venizelos will present to them later in the day, with analysts interpreting it as another positive sign that the bailout deal would finally be sealed. The eurogroup had originally want to seal the deal on Monday but wrangling over the austerity measures meant that the deadline was missed.Antonis Samaras, the New Democracy party leader, said the negotiations would continue "because at this time of great pain we have to think about pensioners".The centre-right politician, who had thwarted agreement by persistently raising the issue during the talks, has been a vocal opponent of the "growth through austerity" polices meted out to Greece by the EU and IMF.Throughout the talks, Papademos, a former vice-president of the ECB, repeatedly interrupted the talks to speak with Jean-Claude Juncker, the eurogroup chairman, and IMF chief Christine Lagarde.Panic hovered over the talks, widely seen as a last chance for Greece to keep bankruptcy at bay. Athens faces debt repayments amounting to €14.5bn in barely six weeks' time – money it simply does not have. Taking the discussions down to the wire had exasperated European leaders and seen markets gyrate in recent weeks.The prospect of further austerity has whipped up widespread anger among Greeks with unions vowing a ferocious "and possible uncontrollable" backlash.GreeceEuropeLucas PapademosEuropean UnionIMFEconomicsEuropean Central BankEuropean monetary unionHelena Smithguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds [...]Greek finance minister Evangelos Venizelos attended a eurogroup meeting with the ‘the agreement in his hands’, officials said. Photograph: Yiorgos Karahalis/ReutersGreek finance minister Evangelos Venizelos attended a eurogroup meeting with the ‘the agreement in his hands’, officials said. Photograph: Yiorgos Karahalis/Reuters
Maldives president: I was forced to resign at gunpoint Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:28:11 GMT2012-02-09T01:28:11Z Fighting breaks out in Male after Mohamed Nasheed's claims that transition was a coup d'etat by military and policeFighting broke out between police and protesters in the Maldives after ousted president Mohamed Nasheed claimed he had been forced to give up his office at gunpoint.His supporters clashed with officers in the capital, Male, after a protest against his removal on Tuesday, which he suggested was a coup by military and police. A mass meeting of members of his Maldivian Democratic party marched as a group to the capital's Republican Square where violence began.There were conflicting accounts of the confrontation. Some reports suggested that protesters threw petrol bombs at police, and attacked a private television station that had been critical of the deposed government. But earlier, Nasheed's party said he had been attacked and beaten when riot police fired teargas and made baton charges against hundreds of his supporters.Acting police commissioner Abdulla Fairooz said "around 40" people had been arrested, including the party's former chairwoman Mariya Ahmed Didi.Nasheed told reporters that he had been forced out of office: "There were guns all around me, and they told me they wouldn't hesitate to use them if I didn't resign." But his replacement, Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, the former vice-president, said the transfer of power had been peaceful and constitutional."Do I look like someone who will bring about a coup d'etat?" Waheed asked reporters. "There was no plan. I was not prepared at all." He called for a government of national unity.Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, said he hoped the "handover of power, which has been announced as a constitutional step to avoid further violence and instability, will lead to the peaceful resolution of the political crisis that has polarised the country".The confrontation was the culmination of weeks of protests following Nasheed's order to the military to arrest a judge, whom he accused of blocking multimillion-dollar corruption cases against members of the former government.Hours before his resignation, there had been a mutiny in police ranks which saw a few dozen officers side with protesters and then clash with soldiers in the streets. The officers took control of the state broadcaster in Male and began playing messages in support of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled for more than 30 years.According to the Minivian News, the Maldives high commissioner in the UK, Farahanaz Faizal, has resigned in protest at the new government: "My conscience wouldn't allow me to serve a government which had overthrown a democratically elected government in a coup d'etat."British, US and Australian diplomats have flown in from neighbouring Sri Lanka to provide consular assistance, if needed, to tourists holidaying in the Maldives.Mohamed NasheedMaldivesCass Jonesguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds [...]Ousted Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed is carried by his supporters in Male after claims he was forced to resign at gunpoint. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/ReutersOusted Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed is carried by supporters in Male after claims he was forced to resign at gunpoint. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters
BBC 'got it wrong on women' Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:22:13 GMT2012-02-09T01:22:13Z Mark Thompson has admitted the broadcaster does not have enough older female newsreaders and presentersThe BBC director-general, Mark Thompson, has admitted the broadcaster does not have enough older female newsreaders and presenters. He said the corporation had a "case to answer" over the lack of older women in "key news and current affairs presenting roles".He acknowledged that the landmark age-discrimination employment tribunal brought by ex-Countryfile presenter Miriam O'Reilly, 54, had been an "important wake-up" call for the BBC.In recent years, the BBC has come under criticism for perceived ageism and sexism in its handling of senior female presenters including O'Reilly, newsreader Moira Stuart and former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips.In an article for the Daily Mail, Thompson writes that there are too few women among the BBC's most senior on-air specialist journalists, particluarly those who conducted the "big political interviews".While he said there had been a "revolution" in the number of older women in leadership roles at the BBC, he said this had not been reflected at the "same rate or scale of change" on screen.Thompson said a "thoughtful critic" of the BBC might observe two failures."First, that there is an underlying problem, that – whatever the individual success stories – there are manifestly too few older women broadcasting on the BBC, especially in iconic roles and on iconic topical programmes."Second, that as the national broadcaster and one which is paid for by the public, the BBC is in a different class from everyone else, and that the public have every right to expect it to deliver to a higher standard of fairness and open-mindedness in its treatment both of its broadcasters and its audiences."In recent years, the BBC has come under criticism for perceived ageism and sexism in its handling of senior female presenters including O'Reilly, newsreader Moira Stuart and former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips.Thompson also notes that a survey, called Serving All Ages, found that a significant minority of men and women throught that older women were "invisible" on television. The report revealed that more than a third of women over 55 said there were not enough of their contemporaries on screen."That perception, and the reality behind it, is what we have to change," Thompson writes.The BBC chief said the broadcaster must "develop and cherish" its many outstanding female staff and ensure that they know "age will not be a bar to their future employment" at the corporation.BBCMark ThompsonEqualityGenderDavid Battyguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds [...]BBC director general Mark Thompson said in a Daily Mail article that the broadcaster had two few older female presenters. Photograph: Dave Thompson/PABBC director general Mark Thompson said in a Daily Mail article that the broadcaster had two few older female presenters. Photograph: Dave Thompson/PA
London 2012 sustainability watchdog urges IOC to appoint 'ethics champion' Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:15:40 GMT2012-02-09T01:15:40Z Commission defends own role in evaluating controversial £7m sponsorship agreement with Dow ChemicalThe London 2012 sustainability watchdog embroiled in a row over the sponsorship of the Olympic Stadium by Dow Chemical is to push the International Olympic Committee to appoint an "ethics champion" for future Games.The Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 has been bruised by criticism over Dow's sponsorship of the wrap that will surround the Olympic stadium, particularly since commissioner Meredith Alexander last month resigned in protest.Campaigners believe that Dow has ongoing liabilities relating to the 1984 Bhopal disaster that resulted in the deaths of an estimated 20,000 people and the serious injury of tens of thousands more. Dow, which bought the owner of the plant in 2001, insists that all liabilities have been settled in full.Commission chairman Shaun McCarthy said that its tight sustainability remit did not extend to acting as moral guardians of the Olympic movement but that it would press for such a role to be created when evaluating sponsors for future Games.In addition to sponsoring the £7m wrap that will surround the Olympic Stadium, Dow has a separate $100m sponsorship deal with the IOC that was signed in 2010."One of the things we're looking at is how you tackle some of these bigger questions in the future and how you create a framework that allows some of these bigger judgments. The whole question of corporate ethics has moved on considerably," said McCarthy."There are other serious issues such as executive pay. Nobody asks about the ratio between the highest paid or the lowest paid, or ongoing litigation. There is some bigger thinking to be done around this and there are lessons to be learned. I would hope to be able to share some of these for the IOC in future. If the IOC can set an example that would be fantastic."But McCarthy also defended the commission's role in evaluating the Dow deal, after Amnesty International wrote to London 2012 chairman Lord Coe to raise the issue."What has been lost in all of this story is that a really excellent, sustainable product has been procured. We looked at Locog's examination of Dow Chemical's current corporate responsibility policies and, again, Dow achieved the highest score in that evaluation. We verified that," said McCarthy."As far as the history is concerned and issues around Bhopal, there is no doubt Bhopal was a terrible disaster and some injustice was done to the victims. Who is responsible for that injustice is a matter for the courts and a matter for others. We have a specific remit and terms of reference that we operate under and we have operated diligently under those terms."The commission will on Thursday release its annual review. It finds that "good progress" has been made towards many of Locog's sustainability targets, but that "major challenges" remain.In particular, the commission found that there was no coherent strategy to achieve a 20% reduction in carbon emissions after an earlier scheme to use renewable energy fell through when a wind turbine on the site proved impractical."We had conversations with Locog over a year ago about this and said they had to demonstrate how they were going achieve at least 20% carbon reductions through energy conservation if they're not going to do it through renewable energy," said McCarthy. "There are some good initiatives, but quite frankly they just haven't done it."Olympic Games 2012London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Locog)Sustainable developmentBhopalLondonOwen Gibsonguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds [...]The sustainability watchdog for London's 2012 Olympics is to urge the IOC to appoint an 'ethics champion' for future Games. Photograph: Ol[...]
How much low turnout hurts Mitt Romney now – and in November | Harry J Enten Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:07:00 GMT2012-02-09T01:10:12Z Yes, Romney is failing to inspire all his supporters to get out and vote in primaries. But Obama shouldn't set too much store by itRick Santorum was the big winner in Tuesday night's contests in Colorado, Minnesota, and Missouri. One of the big losers was GOP turnout, which was down in every state, compared to four years ago. This follows a pattern that started in Iowa: turnout among self-identified Republicans has been lower in every state except for South Carolina.Mitt Romney might be somewhat worried by this lower turnout. Not only has it been lower than the average in the states in which he does well, but within a given state, Romney's faring best in the counties where turnout has dropped the most. In states where Romney won by wide margins like Florida, this trend didn't make much of a difference. But Romney almost definitely lost Iowa and perhaps Colorado because turnout in well-populated Romney strongholds was down, while turnout in counties in which Romney fared poorly was up.Looking at Iowa, specifically, two of Romney's best counties were the most populous Polk (home to Des Moines) and Story. The ratio of turnout from 2012 to 2008 in both counties were in the bottom quarter of all counties in Iowa. Had turnout in either county been at the same level relative to 2008 as the average county, Romney's less-than-100 vote loss would have been turned into a win. Will the overall low turnout trend continue? And will Romney be the candidate most hurt by it?Low turnout is mostly driven by low enthusiasm. Mitt Romney excites Republicans about as much as a plate of broccoli excites a young child. Newt Gingrich (despite what he says) turns off women with his many marriages and conservatives with his career record. And Rick Santorum is really just a "less-likeable" Tim Pawlenty, the Minnesota governor who dropped out of the race months ago. Republican enthusiasm is actually dropping, not rising, as the campaign continues. Unless one of these candidates magically transforms himself into Ronald Reagan III, enthusiasm will likely stay low. The reason turnout, however, might go up is that the other key determinant of turnout is competitiveness. Most analysts agree that, despite setbacks, Mitt Romney is almost definitely going to win the nomination – and as of Tuesday, 75% of likely GOP voters also believed Romney was going to win the nomination. Why the heck would an ordinary person give up their time to vote (especially in a caucus where it takes over an hour to do so), if they are relatively certain that a given candidate is going to win. It's no accident that when voters thought there was a genuinely competitive contest in South Carolina, they showed up in higher numbers. The problem for Romney, of course, is that voters probably turned out in South Carolina to vote against him, which matches the trend found in counties with higher turnout. But if voters, not just in an southern evangelical haven, begin to view the nomination as up for grabs, then all bets are off.Socially conservative party activists tend to dominate low turnout contests. They will show up, no matter what. These people are not Romney supporters. Romney's voters tend to be more socially moderate than his opponents'. Santorum's and Gingrich's remarks on the role of religion in public life, for instance, are likely to scare many of them. So, if moderate voters in states like Arizona, California, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio think either Santorum or Gingrich actually has a shot at the nomination, many of them who might have otherwise stayed home may have a change of heart. Polls tend to illustrate Romney's deeper untapped reservoir of support. Romney's lead this week in two national surveys of registered Republicans was 14 and 16 points over Newt Gingrich. Romney's lead dropped to 7 points in Rasmussen's[...]
French former government minister charged with corruption Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:47:24 GMT2012-02-09T00:47:24Z Eric Woerth alleged to have taken cash from L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt to fund Sarkozy's 2007 election campaignA former government minister has been charged with corruption by judges investigating whether he took envelopes stuffed with cash from France's richest woman to fund Nicolas Sarkozy's 2007 election campaign.The charge of influence-peddling against Eric Woerth, the one-time labour minister and treasurer of the president's ruling right-wing UMP party, is a blow to Sarkozy's already difficult re-election battle this spring.It is the first corruption fall-out from a long-running family feud which has torn apart the L'Oreal hairspray dynasty, headed by the elderly billionaire heiress Liliane Bettencourt. If Woerth is found to have used his position of influence to secure favours from Bettencourt's financial manager or to solicit wads of cash from 89-year-old Bettencourt – who suffers from Alzheimer's – he risks up to 10 years in prison and a heavy fine.The Bettencourt saga began four years ago as a family feud between mother and daughter in one of the richest families in France, but it has sparked a raft of judicial investigations including on tax evasion and illegal party funding. In 2007, Liliane Bettencourt's daughter began legal action claiming that a dandy Paris socialite and photographer had befriended her ageing mother and taken advantage of her frail state of mind to persuade her to give him over €1bn in artworks, insurance policies and cash.The ensuing legal battle lifted the lid on activities at the Bettencourt mansion west of Paris, including talk of politicians who came to dinner and left with brown envelopes of cash. When a disgruntled butler hid a tape-recorder in the drawing room, the spotlight turned to Woerth and Sarkozy's 2007 election campaign.Bettencourt's former accountant, Claire Thibout, testified to having been asked in 2007 to provide batches of €150,000 to Woerth, who was then Sarkozy's campaign treasurer. She described how on one occasion in January 2007, three months before Sarkozy's election battle, Bettencourt's financial manager Patrick de Maistre asked her for €150,000 which she understood would be given to Woerth for the election campaign. She said she couldn't produce that amount of cash and gave de Maistre €50,000. She understood he intended to take the rest from Swiss accounts. Under French election law, individual election campaign donations cannot exceed €4,600.The influence-peddling charge is likely to relate to Woerth's links to de Maistre, who secured a job for Woerth's wife, Florence, on the team that managed the heiress's fortune. Allegedly in return, Woerth secured him the Legion of Honour, France's highest award. On the butler's tapes, de Maistre is heard instructing the confused elderly lady to sign cheques for politicians and saying Woerth was a "friend" to whom she should give money.Woerth has not so far been charged with illegal campaign funding.Woerth, who has denied any wrongdoing or illegal cash for Sarkozy's election campaign, had to leave government in 2010 over the affair. But he is now on Sarkozy's campaign team for the president's reelection battle in April. De Maitre, who denies wrongdoing, has been charged with abusing Bettencourt's mental frailty.The case calls into question Sarkozy's election pledge to inject some "morals" into descredited French politics. The president's entourage is already under fire over allegedly trying to hush up the affair. Two close Sarkozy allies, a top prosecutor and the head of France's domestic secret services, have been charged with spying on journalists to unmask their sources for reports on the Bettencourt case.Sarkozy, who as president is immune from criminal prosecution, has denied any wrongdoing. But if he loses the election, which pollsters currently predic[...]
Obama's contraception rules under fire from Congress and religious groups Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:24:47 GMT2012-02-09T00:24:47Z Republicans claim controversial new regulation is evidence that the US president is 'hostile to people of faith'Barack Obama has come under a barrage of criticism from Congress and religious organisations over a new requirement that Catholic-run schools and hospitals provide free contraception to workers.The issue has ballooned into a political confrontation that appears to mark out one of the battle lines for the presidential election campaign. The Republicans said the new regulation is further evidence that the president is "hostile to people of faith". Democrats claimed that opposition to it is another front in the Republicans' "war on women's health".The newly announced regulation, which takes effect in 18 months, says that all health insurance plans provided by employers must offer birth control to women free of charge. It applies equally to Catholic-owned universities, medical establishments and charities.As the Catholic church loudly denounced the rule, Republican opposition focused on whether a religious organisation opposed to contraception could be forced by the government to go against its principles.Newt Gingrich, the Republican presidential candidate who is a convert to Catholicism, called the regulation an "attack on the Catholic church". Two of the other candidates, Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney, were also strongly critical.John Boehner, the Republican and Catholic speaker of the House of Representatives, called the White House move a breach of constitutional protections against government interference with religion."In recent days, Americans of every faith and political persuasion have mobilised in objection to a rule put forth by the Obama administration that constitutes an unambiguous attack on religious freedom in our country," he said. "This attack by the federal government on religious freedom in our country cannot stand, and will not stand."Republican leaders said they would push legislation to block the requirement.The Catholic archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, said that the government's attempts to force the new regulation on his church had prompted outrage from people of all faiths."The more people learn what is at stake here, the more people are speaking up. It's not just a Catholic issue. It's an issue that touches all faith based communities, all religions, all organisations that draw their inspiration from their faith. I think what's happening across the country is that the more people learn about this mandate, the more they're saying this is wrong," he said.Obama also came under criticism from some Democrats, including the former Virginia governor, Timothy Kaine, who is running for the Senate and is a close ally of the president. He said that it was a political misstep."The White House made a good decision in including a mandate for contraception coverage in the Affordable Care Act insurance policy, but I think they made a bad decision in not allowing a broad enough religious employer exemption," he said. "I have definitely expressed my grave concerns to the White House about that."The White House signalled on Wednesday that it may be prepared to reach a compromise, but there were also signs that the administration is not unhappy to fight a political battle in an election year over a social issue likely to see many independent voters, particularly women, side with the president.Some critics said that Obama may have misstepped in alienating large numbers of Catholic voters who, while many do not follow their church's teachings on contraception, object to the government forcing it to go against its beliefs. They also said that it would have a negative impact on voters from other religions and again fire up Christian evangelicals who are ambivalent about the prospect of Romney as the Republican presidential ca[...]
The Peter Paul Center route out of poverty | Kevin Powell Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:14:54 GMT2012-02-09T00:14:54Z If you want a picture of deprivation, the east end of Richmond, Virginia paints it. But look closer and you will see changeThe east end of Richmond, Virginia is a community rich in people, but depressingly poor otherwise. It's like every other inner city in America. It is strikingly similar to the impoverished section of Jersey City, where I was born and raised. Just as in the days of Jim Crow, the racial and class segregation is real, amplified these days by the gentrification masked as "redevelopment", with whites re-taking chunks of the east end abandoned since the white flight of the 1960s. Public schools here are woefully underfunded and run-down. There are multiple grammar schools but just one high school, which suggests most of these children have no real shot at college, let alone high school. Violence, crime, and bulging bags of garbage dominate this population, which has the densest concentration of public housing south of New York City.Outside of Jackson, Mississippi, Richmond's east end also has the oldest public housing stock in America, with some families in their fifth generation in public housing. The average income of those living in public housing with names like Mosby Court is just over $8,000 per year. A community tour reveals the city jail, the courts building, and the juvenile jail bunched together at one entrance to the east end. Coming into this neighborhood from the other direction, you pass a graveyard and a landfill. Brutal reminders of what the children of the east end face if there is no empowerment plan for their lives. There is only one grocery store, but an overabundance of corner stores, fast food chains, and liquor stores pushing their products. "Food desert" has been used to describe areas like Richmond's east end. Little wonder that diabetes, high blood pressure, and other diseases overpower this community, too. On a weekday afternoon, there are residents on street corners, on their stoops, many unemployed, underemployed, or unemployable save the odd low-skilled job here or there. Drugs are rampant, and other criminal activities linked to economic desperation are the norm. Only 45% of adults over the age of 25 have earned a high-school diploma or equivalent degree and the east end's unemployment rate is 40%, four times the national average.Since the civil rights era, it has often been stated that education is the great equalizer in America, the one way that poor people could advance their lives. My life is undoubtedly a testimony to that, in spite of my single mother's extreme poverty and limited educational background. Social programs had a great impact on my overcoming the worst aspects of ghetto life, of my going to college. But in Richmond's east end, only 20% of these students receive any kind of pre-school education. And on average, students in the east end make only 65% of the annual academic progress compared to their peers nationally. Finally, just 41% of students entering high school in the east end will graduate with a degree in four years.So, it is simply not enough for politicians to suggest the poor in America have an unapologetic dependency on government assistance. Most people I know who are poor, or have been poor, including my own family, actually want to work, and work hard. But when you hail from generations of poverty, are stuck in environments that breed contempt from outsiders and mayhem from those within, it takes a monumental effort to free even a few from the deeply-held belief that they have no future whatsoever.That is why I greatly admire the Peter Paul Development Center in Richmond's east end. We hear the perpetual chatter about poverty, but Peter Paul is about solutions. I recently spent two days at Peter Paul, listening to the children, the workers, the staf[...]
Prince Harry in Afghanistan: PR dream or logistical nightmare? Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:05:03 GMT2012-02-09T00:05:03Z Captain Wales has qualified as an Apache helicopter pilot, giving the MoD a headache about how, where and when to deploy himThe conclusion of Prince Harry's training as a fully qualified Apache pilot gives the army another specialist to fly an attack helicopter, and several headaches about how, where and when to deploy him.The prince, or Captain Wales as he is known in the military, has consistently made clear he wants to go back to Afghanistan, and there is every chance he will return, possibly this year.And though it is in some ways a potential PR dream for the Ministry of Defence, those tasked with ensuring he remains away from the spotlight during what will be his second tour may not see it that way.Four years ago, all of the UK's major media groups, including the Guardian, agreed not to publicise the prince's deployment to Afghanistan with the Household Cavalry regiment.The request was underpinned by fear that drawing attention to his presence would make him, and his colleagues, high priority targets for the Taliban.Ten weeks into his tour, the secret was out – in the foreign press, at least.Once details started appearing on websites, the MoD withdrew the prince immediately, with the then chief of the defence staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, arguing the "worldwide media attention … could impact on the security of those who are deployed there, as well as the risks to him as an individual soldier".This time round, it seems unlikely there will be any such brokered agreement between the MoD, Buckingham Palace and the media.The world has moved on since 2008, and most people in Whitehall accept there is no point trying to contain the uncontainable, especially with social network sites such as Twitter and Facebook to contend with.The media also found itself in an awkward position last time – there was criticism in some quarters that newspapers and broadcasters had effectively conspired to keep secrets from their readers and viewers. There is no guarantee the media would want to sign up to the same kind of agreement again.With that option neither possible or desirable, what can the MoD do?There are genuine safety issues to consider if, say, the media got hold of images of where the prince was based, or information about his day-to-day activities. The MoD always asks the media to behave responsibly when reporters are given, or stumble upon, material that compromises "Op Sec" (operational security).That advice will likely be underlined when it comes to the prince, along with the standard plea to think twice before publishing anything that might compromise British troops in the field.The MoD has always been reluctant to provide running commentaries on certain issues, and has consistently refused to discuss subjects such as Special Forces operations. It would be fanciful to think that golden rule would be broken if the prince returned to Afghanistan.After his last tour, the MoD provided the media with a pooled interview and photos when he came home.The same carrot next time might help persuade newspapers to stay in line. But there is a more over-arching consideration for the media, which was not a factor four years ago.In the current climate, with Lord Leveson conducting his hearings into journalistic ethics, Britain's newspapers and websites are on their best behaviour; this may help to restrain some "above the line" coverage, but almost certainly won't prevent rumours, pictures and gossip about the prince circulating "below the line" on the internet.The MoD will not send the prince to Afghanistan unless it has a robust extraction strategy, and the dilemma military chiefs will face is when to push that button.To make the judgment, officials will have to constantly monitor the stories pingi[...]
Apache helicopter – an army tool suited to Afghan mission Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:05:02 GMT2012-02-09T00:05:19Z US helicopter Prince Harry will fly isn't the fastest, takes 16 months of training to master, but is the attack aircraft of choiceThe army regards the Apache helicopter as the attack aircraft of choice in Afghanistan. It is not the fastest helicopter, but those who have flown it say it has plenty of power and is very robust.It also has an array of hi-tech systems: weapons, sights, sensors, radar and communications – a lot of the information from which appears in the right eye of the helmet display unit (HDU) worn by pilots and the symbols stay in their field of vision whichever way they turn.The pilots sit one behind the other. You can fly the aircraft from both seats, but on operations in Afghanistan, the mission commander tends to sit in the front seat to operate the sights, sensors and weapon systems, with the second pilot flying from the back seat, which has slightly better visibility. There are about 150 switches to control the rotor blades and some of the weapons and sights.Some of them won't be used during routine flights in the UK, but during combat operations the army believes it is essential to make pilots "seat specific" otherwise they get information overload.The Apache training takes 16 months, split between two eight-month courses.The focus of the first, the conversion to type (CTT), is learning how to fly the aircraft. The focus of the second eight months, insiders say, is "learning how to fight it".The first course covers ground school, simulator training, and day and night flying. The simulator is used to "load up" the crew with more and more demanding situations. The trainees are assessed all the time and weeded out if they are not up to the mark.Pilots say night flying is one of the most challenging skills on the Apache. Unlike most military aircraft where pilots fly on NVG (which amplifies ambient light) the Apache flies on a FLIR (forward looking infra red) which works on temperature difference.So along with all the other symbols in the right eye, pilots will have this FLIR image beamed in as well.Pilots say this is the most difficult challenge of the first eight months. Once they have mastered it, the NVG image is then overlaid on top of the FLIR image.During the second eight months, the pilots train in pairs, and are sent on an eight week exercise in the US, called Crimson Eagle. It includes a live firing phase where trainees use "all of the aircraft weapons systems within realistic tactical scenarios in an environment that is similar to Afghanistan".The Apache has three main weapons systems: a 30m cannon; rockets; and Hellfire laser-guided missiles, which are known to be extremely accurate.The army has 67 Apaches, and 55 crews of two pilots. Even experienced pilots can struggle to learn to fly the Apache because there are so many systems – weapons and otherwise – to master.Those who qualify have come to appreciate the sophistication of its "redundancy", or backup, systems.It has two of everything – hydraulics, flying controls, generators, engines etc.If something gets knocked out, there is a backup in place. One army source said: "It is designed to perform its mission and get you back home."MilitaryWeapons technologyAfghanistanNick Hopkinsguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds [...]The Apache helicopter's latest trainee Prince Harry prepares his aircraft before taking it out on a training mission in California. Photograph: Sgt Russ Nolan RLC/MoD/PAPrince Harry prepares his Apache attack helicopter before a training mission in California. Photograph: Sgt Russ Nolan RLC/MoD/PA
Prince Harry may return to Afghanistan Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:01:01 GMT2012-02-09T00:05:19Z Ministry of Defence confirms that the prince has qualified as best pilot in his class to fly Apache attack helicoptersPrince Harry could return to combat duties in Afghanistan within the year following an announcement on Thursday that he has successfully completed an intensive training course to fly the army's Apache attack helicopter.The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the prince – Captain Wales to his colleagues in the military – has qualified to fly the aircraft, which is one of the most sophisticated in the armed forces.But a return to Afghanistan will raise difficult issues for his commanders, who are likely to be accused of putting PR before common sense if he is deployed back to the conflict zone. His first tour four years ago ended in semi-farce when a worldwide media embargo was broken, albeit inadvertently, by a weekly gossip magazine in Australia. The prince was rushed back to the UK for his own safety.Since then he has made it clear he wants to return to Afghanistan to complete a mission cut short last time – and, perhaps, to finally put behind him a reputation for unedifying youthful buffoonery.Thursday's announcement may help, because the Apache course has defeated even experienced pilots, and the prince appears to have been the best in his class of 20, trumping the achievements of his older brother, William, who is currently in the Falklands flying Sea King search and rescue helicopters.The MoD said Prince Harry had been awarded a prize for being "best front seat pilot" – an accolade to "mark out the student whose overall performance during the course is assessed as the best amongst his peer group".He was told of the honour at a dinner on Wednesday night during which Colonel Neale Moss, the Apache force commander, congratulated the group for completing a 16-month course that, he said, "requires composure, dedication and hard work".In military jargon, the prince is now on "limited combat ready" status, which means he could be sent to Afghanistan with 662 Squadron, part of the 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, based at Wattisham in Suffolk. "It is true to say that he might be deployed in the next six to 12 months," said a source. "The media needs to act responsibly over this."The MoD wants to avoid endless speculation about when and where he might go in Afghanistan, and there seems to be no suggestion at this stage that he might be prevented from doing so for his own safety or that of his colleagues.Those exact concerns led the then head of the army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, to stop the prince being deployed to Iraq in 2007, saying that to send him to Basra would "expose not only him but also those around him to a degree of risk that I now deem unacceptable".A year later, however, he was in Afghanistan, where he spent 10 weeks with the Household Cavalry Squadron before being whisked back to the UK following the publication of his whereabouts in New Idea magazine.How the MoD will attempt to restrain coverage this time is unclear, particularly as it has no leverage over social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook – a factor that renders meaningless the kind of embargo agreed by all major media organisations four years ago. The MoD will devise an emergency extraction plan to get him out of Afghanistan if details of his whereabouts begin to filter out.The prince has made no secret of his desire to go back to Afghanistan, despite the risks and the likelihood that his deployment could act as a rallying call for insurgents who would regard him as a prize target.The 27-year-old appears to genuinely love military life, and wants to make the most of his time in service. "I really enjoy the army," he said in an interview. "A[...]
Man dies following dog attack Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:56:54 GMT2012-02-09T00:12:37Z (image) Leslie Trotman, 83, died from a ruptured spleen after a pitbull-type dog attacked him in his garden, Scotland Yard says An 83-year-old man has died after being attacked by a pitbull-type dog that had escaped from a neighbour's garden. A man in his 30s was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of manslaughter following the attack on Leslie Trotman in Brentford, west London. Trotman suffered bite wounds to his right leg in the attack on 23 January, and further injuries when the dog knocked him over. He was taken to hospital and released later that day, but his son found him dead in his home on 29 January. The incident was reported to police shortly after it happened, and officers spoke to Trotman following his release from West Middlesex Hospital. Scotland Yard decided to treat the matter as manslaughter after a postmortem on 2 February revealed that Trotman had died from a haemorrhage caused by a ruptured spleen. Police believe the injuries were sustained in the dog attack. The matter has now been taken on by the force's homicide and serious crime command under Detective Chief Inspector Charles King. Trotman had been in his back garden in Rowan Road when he was attacked by the dog. It is not clear how the animal managed to escape and enter Mr Trotman's property. Police arrested the suspect today before releasing him on bail, pending further inquiries. Three dogs have now been seized from an address in Rowan Road. guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Leslie Trotman died after being attacked by a pitbull-type dog that had escaped from a neighbour's garden in Brentford, west London. Photograph: Metropolitan police/PALeslie Trotman died after being attacked by a pitbull-type dog that had escaped from a neighbour's garden in Brentford, west London. Photograph: Metropolitan police/PA
Syria: Assad pledges reform as siege of Homs continues - Wednesday 8 February Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:53:00 GMT2012-02-08T23:56:08Z • Bombardment of Homs continues for a fifth day• US says it won't arm Free Syrian Army• Russia calls for an Arab solution to the crisis• Read the latest summary8.43am: (all times GMT) Welcome to Middle East Live. The focus continues to be Syria where the accounts and images emerging from the city of Homs get ever grimmer. The Syrian Army's bombardment of the city has entered its fifth day despite a fresh pledge by president Bashar al-Assad to end the violence.Here's a roundup of the latest developments:Syria• Armoured forces loyal to president Assad killed at least 47 civilians as they thrust into Homs on Wednesday, firing rockets and mortar rounds to subdue opposition districts, activists said, Reuters reports. Tanks entered the Inshaat neighbourhood and moved closer to Baba Amr district in the central Syrian city. "We counted 47 killed since midnight," activist Mohammad Hassan said by satellite phone.• The latest video footage from Homs suggests residential areas are being targeted. A clip from activists purports to show a residential tower block being hit by a missile.• Russia has put itself at the centre of efforts to resolve the deepening Syrian crisis, calling for an "Arab solution" to the uprising against the Assad regime. Foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, flew to Damascus to hear Assad pledge a referendum on a new constitution and request that Arab League monitors – withdrawn last month – return to Syria. Assad promised to "stop violence regardless of where it may come from". But the regime's actions belied this statement.• Residents inside Homs claim they are under "genocidal attack" from a Syrian regime apparently deaf to international opinion and determined to "bomb, starve and shoot" them into submission. They said Syrian army tanks had encircled opposition-held suburbs, in preparation for what they feared was a final, deadly ground assault.• Assad was advised that the "American psyche can be easily manipulated" when he was preparing for a television interview with ABC's Barbara Walters in December, according to leaked emails reported to have come from within the Syrian regime. In an insight into the contempt shown for international public opinion by those advising the Syrian leader, one of his media aides suggested "the American audience doesn't really care about reforms. They won't understand it and they are not interested to do so".• Arab and western governments scrabbling to find strategies to deal with the crisis in Syria are considering ways to strengthen opposition to the president, Bashar al-Assad, including supporting the Free Syrian Army. But western diplomats and analysts warn that sharp divisions in opposition ranks, the strength of the Assad regime and the difficulty of mounting covert operations all pose serious further problems.• Arab and Western intervention in Syria would only escalate the killing, argues Seumus Milne.If the opposition can't shoot its way to power and the regime doesn't implode, the only way out of deepening civil war is a negotiated political settlement leading to genuine elections. To stand any chance of success, that would now need to be guaranteed by the main powers in the region and beyond. The alternative of western and Gulf-dictator intervention could only lead to far greater bloodshed – and deny Syrians control of their own country.• The Obama administration has insisted it is not planning to arm opposition groups in Syria but said it is looking at how humanitarian aid could be provided to the Syrian people. Asked whether it would arm the Syrian opposition, White House spokesman Jay Carney said:We are not cons[...]
Rick Santorum triumphs in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri – live reaction Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:23:22 GMT2012-02-08T22:23:22Z Live coverage of the aftermath of Rick Santorum's big win in the latest round of voting in the GOP presidential nomination race5.15pm: That's it for today – let's end with a summary of campaign news.Rick Santorum claims to have raised $250,000 overnight, after sweeping to victory in the Colorado and Minnesota caucuses, and the Missouri "beauty contest" primary. Mitt Romney has attempted to put a brave face on his defeat, with his aides claiming that other Republican candidates, including John McCain, lost in early states.Mitt Romney's campaign has attempted to portray Santorum as part of the Washington establishment. His spokeswoman, Andrea Saul, hit on Santorum's record in securing "pork-barrel spending" in Pennsylvania when he was a senator for the state. It's likely that the Romney campaign will ratchet up the attacks on Santorum.Conservatives are gathering in Washington for CPAC, the biggest Republican conference in the political calendar. The event is expected to be buzzing with talk of Santorum's victory, and all the Republican presidential hopefuls are expected to speak – except Ron Paul, who has elected to stay on the campaign trail.Voters are caucusing this week in Maine, where the results will be announced on Saturday. Otherwise there is a lull in the voting process until February 28, when Arizona and Michigan go the polls. Ordinarily, Romney be expected to win Michigan by a large margin.4.45pm: Tomorrow marks the start of CPAC, the biggest gathering of Conservatives in the political calendar. Or, as Chris Moody of Yahoo News puts it:...the ultimate hajj for anyone who ever hung a poster of William F. Buckley in their dorm room or read Barry Goldwater's Conscience of a Conservative for fun.Apparently, the event consists of "three days of panels, strategy sessions and booze-filled after-parties". Say what you want about Republicans, they sure know how to have fun.We've assigned our DC bureau chief, Ewen MacAskill, to the conference. He should fit right in.4.11pm: More evidence of disquiet within the Obama camp over the contraception mandate. The Washington Post reports that former Virginia governor Tim Kaine has spoken out against the policy that requires some religous employers to provide insurance coverage for prescription contraceptives.Kaine, who is Obama's choice to head the Democratic National Committee, said in a radio interview:I think the White House made a good decision in including a mandate for contraception coverage in the Affordable Care Act insurance policy, but I think they made a bad decision in not allowing a broad enough religious employer exemption.This is something that's been talked about a lot today and I have definitely expressed my grave concerns to the White House about that.3.25pm: Why is Rick Santorum in Texas? There's no primary in the offing there. Answer – he's on a fundraising trip. He told reporters with him today that he has raised $400,000 in the past two days. That's still a pea in a Romney jar, but still, it's important that he can demonstrate momentum. Santorum was speaking to a group of pastors in McKinney – and said he was not running to be "pastor-in-chief" of America. I'm glad that's cleared that up.2.50pm: CNN has announced in the past hour that it has dropped one of its political contributors, Roland Martin, for homophobic tweets during the Super Bowl. Martin had been tweeting during the game, and in response to a commercial for H&M that featured a scantily clad David Beckham in underwear, he tweeted:If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham's H&M underwear ad, smack the ish out of[...]
News Corp shrugs off $87m loss on NoW closure as profits soar Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:23:00 GMT2012-02-08T22:55:02Z Murdoch firm sees 43% income decrease in publishing division – but losses offset by 65% growth for company as a wholeThe ongoing investigations that led to the closure of the News of The World cost Rupert Murdoch's News Corp $87m in the last three months of 2011, the company has announced. But the media giant shrugged off the hacking scandal as net income increased 65% for the quarter ended December 31.The loss of the paper, the most profitable in Murdoch's stable, has cost the firm a total of $104m, mostly in lawyers' fees, in the last six months of 2011, said Chase Carey, News Corp's chief operating officer. It also contributed to a 43% decrease in operating income at the media giant's publishing division, the company said releasing its latest quarterly results.News Corp's results came on the same day that the company paid more settlements to victims of the phone-hacking scandal. It also emerged that others, including the singer James Blunt, were considering bringing cases against News Corp.Publishing income fell $162m to $218m, a 43% drop from the same period a year ago. News Corp blamed lower advertising revenues at its Australian newspapers, as well as the loss of the News of the World in the UK. "Our priority on this is to make things right," said Carey. He declined to comment on how much money News Corp expected to pay in settlements or legal fees.But the losses at News Corp's newspaper division were more than offset by strong growth in the firm's cable networks and movie studio divisions and second quarter profits soared 65%. Net income rose $1.06bn for the fiscal second quarter, compared with $642m a year ago.Fox News marked its 10th consecutive year as the US's leading cable channel last year, and the cable division reported $882m in operating income for the quarter, a 20% hike compared to last year.News Corp's film division reported income of $393m for the quarter, a $204m increase over the $189m reported in the same period a year ago. The results were helped by the home release of movies including Rio, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and X-Men: First Class, plus the theatrical release of Oscar hopeful The Descendants. Revenues from digital sales via Amazon and Netflix were $200m for the last six months, said Carey.Income at Fox's television assets grew 25% to $189m helped by the success of The X Factor, comedy show New Girl, Major League Baseball and the NFL.Murdoch, News Corp's chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement: "I am particularly pleased with the success of our business strategies in spite of the uncertain economic conditions that we continue to face."News CorporationNews of the WorldUnited StatesNewspapersNewspaper closuresMedia businessDominic Rusheguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds [...]Rupert Murdoch said: 'I am particularly pleased with the success of our business strategies in spite of the uncertain economic conditions we continue to face.' Photograph: Danny Moloshok/ReutersRupert Murdoch said: 'I am particularly pleased with the success of our business strategies in spite of the uncertain economic conditions we continue to face.' Photograph: Danny Moloshok/Reuters
Why high-profile Republican endorsements have hit a bum note Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:55:29 GMT2012-02-08T21:55:29Z Tim Pawlenty backed Romney in Minnesota, Sarah Palin went for Gingrich in Florida. Both candidates flopped – so why have so many of this year's endorsements backfired?They are sought after by every campaign with a mix of private pleading and political posturing. They are then wheeled out to the American public with the maximum amount of publicity.But this year the importance of the political endorsement – where an individual or an institution declares their support for one particular candidate – has been a very mixed bag for Republican presidential hopefuls in 2012.As the race has unfolded from state to state each campaign has sought to bag the biggest names in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida and beyond.The logic behind seeking out endorsements is simple enough. It holds that local party activists might be swayed by popular names in their home states, essentially giving outside candidates a stamp of approval from a trusted source.Another advantage – especially in caucus states where organisation is important – is that local political bigwigs can bring along networks of supporters and a "party machine" that can mobilise voters.Finally, and perhaps most importantly, key endorsements are a way for a campaign to generate publicity and craft a message. Endorsements from certain figures (say, a religious conservative or a high-profile budget-cutter) can shore up a candidate's image in desired policy areas. It will also give a ready-made story to the media with a positive narrative, especially vital for smaller campaigns clamouring for attention.Which all explains why endorsements are so sought-after. However, it does not explain some of the spectacular failures of the 2012 campaign. Examples are legion and span pretty much every candidate and every stage of the campaign.Take Minnesota, for example. The endorsement of former governor Tim Pawlenty went to Mitt Romney. That should have helped him do very well in the state. Except someone clearly forgot to tell that to actual Minnesota Republican caucus-goers. On Tuesday, Romney got trounced by former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum.Not that it should have surprised anyone who had watched South Carolina governor Nikki Haley endorse Romney in her state. Haley – a darling of the Tea Party – was seen as a vital endorsement. She is popular, charismatic, has a strong local organisation and shored up Romney's support in an area of weakness: hardline conservatives. Of course, Romney promptly got whacked in South Carolina by Newt Gingrich, who won South Carolina with a stunning shock victory.But then Gingrich also knows a thing or two himself about endorsements backfiring. Hungry for more success in Florida, Gingrich quickly secured two high-profile endorsements that should have cemented him as a conservative champion. They came in the shape of former candidate Herman Cain and Tea Party icon Sarah Palin.But Gingrich then immediately collapsed to a damaging defeat in Florida from which his presidential bid has not yet recovered.There seems to be a problem of high profile endorsements. Almost every Republican candidate had sought to win the "Donald Trump Primary" and trekked to New York to meet with the billionaire celebrity. Romney won and Trump endorsed him in Nevada with a huge amount of fanfare. Romney duly won in Nevada, though that was never in doubt.But he has now lost all three of the next states in the race. Maybe Romney should have paid attention to a January poll from Pew who pointed out that more people (20%) said a Trump endorsement would [...]
Church of England reaches compromise on women bishops Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:27:23 GMT2012-02-09T00:06:27Z General Synod puts off split over ordination of female prelates by delaying legislation for fine tuning until final approval in JulyThe archbishops of Canterbury and York has avoided humiliation in the Church of England's law-making body, the General Synod, by putting off a split over the ordination of women bishops.The synod voted against measures that would have given traditionalists the legal right to ignore the leadership of women bishops. The proposal by the Manchester diocesan synod would have accepted that parishes opposed to female diocesan bishops could be ministered by male bishops.But the synod also rejected an attempt by the Southwark diocese in London to ensure bishops press on with legislation to introduce women bishops.In spite of four days of tortuous debate, the synod agreed that its bishops could instead tinker with legislation that would allow the ordination of women as bishops, before returning it to the synod for final approval in July. If that legislation is passed, women bishops could be ordained in 2014.It is still possible that either side could block the legislation this summer, setting back the process of ordaining women as bishops by at least five years.The synod accepted a call from Dr Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, who asked the synod to "leave the door open" for some "bits of fine tuning".The archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, who supported the Manchester motion, called for the synod to hold together. "The only way we can do this is by inviting the bishops to look at it. Whether it's doable I don't know, but give us another chance to see whether we can do it."A spokesman for the traditionalist group Forward in Faith told the Guardian: "It was a complete waste of time. But we're better off than we were. It is not as good as it could have been and it's not as bad as it could have been. It's up to the bishops now. They can sort this out, but do they have the balls to? If they don't, it won't get final approval."Fears that the legislation could fall in July were also voiced by the bishop of Gloucester, Michael Perham. In a passionate speech, which aroused sustained applause, he said: "Bishops do not dissent lightly from the views of their archbishops. The draft legislation represents a huge sacrifice for supporters of women bishops. It is the middle way. The worst possible outcome would be for the legislation to go down at final approval in July. There would be a haemorrhaging of women from the church."At the heart of the debate is whether there should be any accommodation in law for people opposed to women bishops. The church decided five years ago that there was no legal obstacle for women becoming bishops. Traditionalists – Anglo-Catholics and conservative evangelicals – have repeatedly asked for access to male leadership to be incorporated into legislation. Supporters of women bishops argued that such a move would create a two-tier system.What the synod agreed to appears to have appeased both sides and brought a rare moment of unity. Synod member Christina Rees said she was delighted by the outcome because it avoided the "legalisation of discrimination". But a spokeswoman for the campaign group Women and the Church was more circumspect. Sally Barnes said: "It still leaves wiggle room for the bishops to get something in that would be discriminatory."When asked if she thought the vote was a snub to the archbishops she replied: "It is Synod saying be careful, we're not going to accept what you say."However narro[...]
Republicans in Congress vow to overturn Obama's contraception policy Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:11:16 GMT2012-02-08T21:11:16Z John Boehner calls new requirement that religious schools provide free contraception 'an attack on religious freedom'Republicans in Congress have vowed to reverse President Barack Obama's new policy on birth control, lambasting the requirement that religious schools and hospitals provide employees with free contraceptives as an "unambiguous attack on religious freedom in our country."The White House pushed back in the face of a political firestorm, arguing that Obama was sensitive to the objections and looking for a way to allay the concerns. Female Democrats in Congress put up a united front in defending the administration."Women's healthcare should not depend on who the boss is," said Illinois congresswoman Jan Schakowsky.The fight over the administration mandate escalated as House speaker John Boehner accused the administration of violating first amendment rights and undermining some of the country's most vital institutions, such as Catholic charities, schools and hospitals. He demanded that Obama rescind the policy – or else, he threatened, Congress will."This attack by the federal government on religious freedom in our country cannot stand, and will not stand," Boehner, a Catholic and Ohio Republican, said in a rare floor speech.Contraception has roiled the presidential race and angered religious groups, especially Catholics, who say the requirement would force them to violate church teachings and long-held beliefs against contraception.It also has pushed social issues to the forefront in an election year that has been dominated by the economy. Abortion, contraception and any of the requirements of Obama's healthcare overhaul law have the potential to galvanise the Republicans' conservative base, critical to voter turnout in the presidential and congressional races.Clearly sensing a political opening, Republicans ramped up the criticism. Shortly after Boehner spoke, GOP senators gathered on the other side of the Capitol to hammer the administration and insist that they will push ahead with legislation to undo the requirement.Republican senator Kelly Ayotte, from New Hampshire, called the new rule "an unprecedented affront to religious liberty. This is not a women's rights issue. This is a religious liberty issue."The issue is not contraception, said Florida senator Marco Rubio, but "whether the government of the United States should have the power to go in and tell a faith-based organisation that they have to pay for something that they teach their members shouldn't be done. It's that simple. And if the answer is yes, then this government can reach all kinds of other absurd results."The White House, facing a public and political outcry, engaged in damage control, circulating letters and statements from outside groups defending its position.Administration officials had signalled on Tuesday that a compromise was possible and made clear Wednesday it was still looking for a way to deal with the issue."The president is committed, as I've tried to make clear, to ensuring that this policy is implemented so that all American women have access to the same level of healthcare coverage, and doing that in a way that hopefully allays some of the concerns that have been expressed," said White House spokesman Jay Carney.He added: "We're focused on trying to get the policy implementation done in the right way."Options could include granting leeway for a church-affiliated employer not to cover birth control, provided it referred employees to an insurer who would prov[...]
Letters: Intelligence test Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:00:05 GMT2012-02-09T00:05:41Z (image) George Monbiot's decision to hang his article on rightwing populism on a study that claims to prove "scientifically" that conservatives are less "intelligent" than liberals was, frankly, not very intelligent (Comment, 7 February). Evidently George needs to read Stephen Jay Gould's classic The Mismeasure of Man. This demonstrated that studies claiming to measure the intelligence of various groups were racist pseudoscience. Even when they're not racist, they're still pseudoscience. How will George answer the question "you accept a study that shows conservatives are less intelligent than liberals, so how can you reject studies that show that blacks, Gypsies, Native Americans etc are less intelligent than whites?" • George Monbiot would appear to confirm John Stuart Mill: "Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are Conservatives." guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Letters: Renewed push for nuclear power Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:00:04 GMT2012-02-09T00:05:41Z With one giant leap they are free! How extraordinarily convenient that, just after the nuclear power mega-disaster of Fukushima and just when it is becoming clear around the world that citizens do not want nuclear power and that no one knows how to get rid of the lethal waste, the nuclear industry and government discover we can "safely" have enough nuclear power for the next 500 years not only without creating any nuclear waste but also by consuming the nuclear waste we already have in the power creation process (Nuclear waste could fuel new breed of reactors, 3 February).With this miraculous "new" process we will make the very embarrassing 35,000 tonnes of depleted uranium and 100 tonnes of plutonium disappear – "just like that" to quote another well-known comedian. And to help the story along George Monbiot adds his "analysis" (2 February), with the totally misleading statement that we are confronted with a choice between gas and coal, or nuclear power. Renewables, dear George, renewables.Jim McCluskeyTwickenham, Middlesex• Proponents of integral fast reactors have so far failed to answer three key questions: do these reactors work, how much do they cost, and how long to build? There have been many unsuccessful attempts to build a working fast reactor. The Japanese spent four decades and $13bn trying. A UK fast reactor at Dounreay was a costly failure which we are still working out how to decommission. No one has built a fast reactor on a commercial basis. Even if these latest plans could be made to work, prism reactors do nothing to resolve the main problems with nuclear: the industry's repeated failure to build reactors on time and to budget. Even the Department of Energy and Climate Change's scientific adviser, David MacKay, says "it isn't the nuclear fuel that's the expensive bit – it's the power stations and the other facilities that go with them."We have a very small window in which to get a grip on our greenhouse gas emissions, but despite proven green technologies existing we are being asked to wait while an industry that has a track record for very costly failures researches yet another much-hyped but still theoretical new technology. You can make paper designs for anything, but that is a long way from sorting out the real world engineering and economic issues that will actually deliver affordable and low-carbon energy. That is why ideas like fast reactors work much better in the headlines than they do in fine print. Tom Burke Founding director, E3G, Dr Paul Dorfman Founding co-ordinator, Nuclear Consulting Group, John Sauven Executive director, Greenpeace UK• Oh please. Between 1955 and 1995 the UK blew more than £4bn of taxpayers' money on fast reactors with nothing to show for it but a radioactive mess at Dounreay. The problem is not the reactor. The boilers have thousands of thin metal tubes with water on one side and molten sodium on the other. Every plant of this kind ever built has had boiler leaks with potential hydrogen explosions that make the plant impossible on an electricity system. If General Electric wants to use its own money on this, fine. If it wants to use mine, as a UK taxpayer, count me out.Walt PattersonAssociate fellow, Chatham House• The Royal Society welcomes the news that the government is finally taking seriously the issue of how to deal with our country's huge plutonium stockpile. But if it is to press ahead with a new nuclear energy programme,[...]
Westminster digested Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:00:02 GMT2012-02-09T00:05:13Z Another bothersome Lib Dem out of the cabinet, the NHS one step closer to the abyss – it's been another great week for Cams and OzzyThe DPP: We are taking Chris Huhne and Vicky Pryce to court.Huhne: Mmm. I guess that half time during a World Cup game wasn't the best time to tell my wife I was having an affair and would she mind OKing my press release about our separation before the second half started.Pryce: You could have waited until the final whistle. So what will you do now?Huhne: I suppose I will have to bloody well resign from the cabinet to spend more time with my family.Cameron: Mr Huhne's resignation is a huge personal tragedy …Osborne: But a great result for us …Cameron: Too right, Ozzy. He was a pain in the arse. We didn't invite the Lib Dems into the coalition to have them throwing their weight around, did we Cleggster?Clegg: No Daddy.Osborne: Thing about Huhne is he was a closet commie. All that green shit he used to go on about. Thank God we won't have to bother about that again.Cable: Who would have thought the Lib Dems could get any weaker?Cameron: Be a good boy, Vincey, and get me a drink. I've got Theresa coming to see me.May: Sodding Europe. It's just made us let Abu Qatada out of the nick …Cameron: We can't have that. It sets a totally unacceptable precedent. I mean, if foreigners can force us to let Qatada out, what's to stop them saying we have to let Huhne out if he gets banged up?May: That would be a disaster.Cameron: Quite right. We can't afford any distractions from our task of running the country into the ground. How's it all going chaps?Lansley: On target, sir. The NHS should be toast by 2015.Cameron: Great stuff. Can you top that, Ozzy?Osborne: You bet, Cams! The public accounts committee has just reported the Treasury has accidentally written off £11bn in tax …Cameron: Was that the Vodafone deal?Osborne: Good God no. We gave away that money on purpose.Milidee: I wonder if I ought to make something of this …Milidum: Even if you did, no one would listen. You're a loser, bro.Cameron: I love my life.David CameronGeorge OsborneChris HuhneAbu QatadaJohn Craceguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds [...]
Letters: Human rights and the Abu Qatada case Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:00:02 GMT2012-02-09T00:05:41Z Simon Jenkins is right to demand restoration of freedom from detention without trial in Britain (Deport Abu Qatada: or if not, give him the law's full protection, 8 February 2012). But he seriously damages that cause by calling on the British government to disregard the Othman [Qatada] ruling of the European court of human rights. The Strasbourg court is a crucial defender of civil liberties in Britain. Its international membership and perspective help it stand free from the hothouse atmosphere of an individual country, where opportunist politicians connive with populist newspapers to sell rights down the river.If May deports Othman in defiance of the Strasbourg court, she sends a message to repressive forces across Europe: "Do what you want: human rights courts cannot stop you!". Russia can deport human rights defenders to Uzbekistan to face torture and death. Italy need not worry about the safety of migrants crossing the Mediterranean. Were the British government to defy the European court of human rights, it would forfeit the right to criticise other governments which do the same.And if a British government passed a Detention without Trial Act, the courts may be powerless to intervene. Our Human Rights Act could not be used to stop such a law. Would Jenkins want the Strasbourg court to condemn such a law? What would he do when the British government adopts his argument that Strasbourg rulings are merely "advisory"?Simon CoxCambridge• As a British-Jordanian who has worked for the Home Office, I have great sympathy for Theresa May. Her frustration at the Strasbourg court's judgment is totally justifiable. Anyone who appears to be condoning killing innocent civilians and/or engages in acts that appear to extol terrorism or exults extremism is morally and legally reprehensible – whether they are members of the EDL or Muslim extremists.Strasbourg has argued that Abu Qatada might not receive a fair trial in Jordan and/or be subjected to torture in Amman. There are however stringent monitoring and verification mechanisms that can be activated. Additionally, this does not take into account the substantial reforms that Jordan has undergone in the past year, particularly in relation to the general conduct of its security services – King Abdullah II of Jordan has courageously sacked the former head of the Jordanian security services.Nor does it take into account that Jordan has publicly tried many such extremists with full legal representation. For Jordan has sadly had its share of suicide attacks that have wiped out Jordanian families on their wedding days. Yet the perpetrators received fair trials.Dr Lu'ayy Minwer Al-RimawiPeterborough, Cambridgeshire • The one fact that has gone missing in the Qatada case is the basic tenet of innocent until proven guilty. For all the name calling, the British state has not been able to put together the evidence to bring this man before a properly constituted court of law. The idea of convicting someone on the basis of unseen intelligence in the court of public opinion is something we all must reject, otherwise today it may be a Muslim cleric, but on another occasion it could be just about anyone else the state takes a dislike to.Paul DonovanLondonAbu QatadaGlobal terrorismUK security and terrorismIslamReligionControl ordersUK criminal justiceEuropean court of human rightsHuman rightsTerrorism policyguardian.co[...]
Letters: Travellers' eviction came in well under budget Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:00:01 GMT2012-02-08T21:00:01Z Your diary column (8 February) seeks to deride the nomination of Tony Ball for the title of Council Leader of the Year and also gets the facts wrong about the final cost of the operation to clear Dale Farm last October. Tony was nominated for the leadership which he demonstrated throughout 2011 and in particular for leading the council through the difficult clearance of the illegal traveller settlement at Dale Farm.The council did not spend £18m as originally budgeted on the operation – the final cost, released last week, was just £7m. Dale Farm is now clear. A minority of its former residents are parked illegally along the road and on the legal site. As with the original clearance, the council is duty-bound to uphold the law and these people will be moved on in due course.We know that the vast majority of right-minded people, both locally and nationally, support the council's actions in this respect. Above all else Dale Farm is about treating the travellers the same as any other citizen, and that means insisting they obey both the planning and criminal laws of our country. In Basildon we are proud of Tony and wish him success when the judges make their final decision.Cllr Malcolm BuckleyCabinet member for the environment and former leader of Basildon council• In your interview with Stephen Greenhalgh (Localism hero, Society, 8 February), you assert that "To Labour, he is a tyrant for keeping council tax low at the expense of frontline services". That is not our view. I'm afraid your article fell into the trap of presenting a caricature of the left-right divide on tax and spend and one that does the local and national debates a disservice. In fact, Labour has supported all council tax cuts in Hammersmith and Fulham and promised a raft of further cuts in all council taxes, should we win control of the council in 2014.Labour's objection to the Conservatives' tax programme is that they have introduced vast hikes in a range of stealth taxes. Far from keeping taxes low, they have increased or introduced nearly 600 new stealth taxes. If you are elderly or disabled; if you're a local motorist, or even someone who uses a personal trainer in one of our local parks, you have been targeted with extra fees and new charges.And let's take a moment to unpick Hammersmith and Fulham Conservatives' rhetoric of efficiency you touched on by considering just three of the projects they waste public money on. The Conservative chair of the culture, media and sport parliamentary select committee rapped their knuckles for wasting millions of pounds on "political propaganda". They have been shown to have wasted millions more on unnecessary consultants and, last December, they voted to build £35m worth of new town hall offices, but will gift up to £70m of land to make the deal work.So maybe this flagship Tory council offers wider lessons for the country. Let's get past the easy left-right stereotypes and examine the real economic and financial choices before us. Financial management of public money matters. In Hammersmith and Fulham Labour is not standing on a tax-and-spend platform. We know where there is waste to be cut and different choices to be made. We will fight the next local elections with those issues at the forefront of our campaign.Cllr Stephen CowanLabour leader of the opposition, councillor for Hammersmith Broadway wardDale FarmLo[...]
'Nancy Brinker needs to resign' – Eve Ellis's letter on Komen Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:52:00 GMT2012-02-08T20:52:22Z Eve Ellis, an ex-board member of Komen New York City, sent a letter to friends and family calling for the Komen board to quitDear Friends and Family,As you know, Komen has been a major charity for my family and me for the last decade. I served on Komen NYC's Board for 6 years. Thanks to donations from friends and family, my spouse and I have raised over $250,000 over the last 6 years for Komen NYC. For the past 4 years, Komen NYC has given an award annually in memory of our niece, Hally. Every year, the New York Race for the Cure, the brunch we hold after the walk, and our aggressive fund-raising for Komen renew our commitment to fight this stubborn disease.We are not alone in being part of the Komen team. All across the nation, even the world, Komen has galvanized this fight and has been the dominant activist force publicizing this disease.Komen is the #1 breast cancer organization by a long shot. It has funded more breast cancer research than any other and provided more care/screening for underserved women than any other organization. Most importantly, it has been a publicity machine, creating and harnessing public involvement, attention and participation in the fight against this disease. No other organization has the infrastructure to have that reach. It would take years for any other group to ramp up to meet the many needs that Komen fills.So when I read Nancy Brinker's statement on Friday reversing Komen's decision about funding Planned Parenthood, it mattered that I felt continued disappointment. Can I trust Komen again? Many of you have asked me.Brinker's words struck me as vague and hollow--no future commitment to Planned Parenthood and no specific apology to the low-income women who would have become the collateral damage from the defunding.I also don't believe Brinker and her board when she claims that Komen's decision wasn't political.Nancy Brinker was a George W. Bush Ambassador appointee and is a Bush family friend. Is it just coincidence that the head of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards, is the daughter of that feisty progressive nemesis of the Bush family, the late Governor of Texas, Ann Richards?Take some truth serum, Nancy Brinker, I found myself thinking.If I needed further proof that this was a politically motivated action, the Washington Post reported on Saturday that Brinker told affiliates (Komen NYC, for instance, is an affiliate) that they would be getting help on crisis communications by Ari Fleischer, former White House Press secretary in the Bush Administration. How did the Komen action originate? Is women's health a political game, Nancy Brinker?But then I realized that I don't actually need Nancy Brinker to admit that the decision to defund Planned Parenthood was political in order for me to rejoin the Komen team. We need her to resign.Then I and the millions of people who have walked and talked for Komen can trust again.Komen's reversal is a step in the right direction.But there needs to be more.Komen needs to clean house.1. Again, Nancy Brinker needs to resign.2. Karen Handel needs to be terminated.3. The Board needs to be replaced.A clean house would enable Komen to carry on its much-needed, admirable work without the baggage of being the organization that had actually deliberated on and subsequently made the heartless decision to defund Planned Parenthood and[...]
Komen fundraiser calls for CEO Nancy Brinker to quit over funding row Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:50:00 GMT2012-02-08T21:59:20Z Eve Ellis says Brinker should take some 'truth serum' and urges Komen's board to resign as part of 'clean house' process• Read Eve Ellis's letter hereA major fundraiser for Susan G Komen for the Cure, the breast cancer advocacy group at the centre of a row over its funding cut to Planned Parenthood, has called for the organisation to "clean house" at the top, starting with the resignation of its founder Nancy Brinker.Eve Ellis, a former board member of affiliate group Komen New York City, said she does not believe Brinker's claims that the cuts were not politically motivated and, as a result, no longer trusts Komen as an organisation. A passionate supporter and board member of six years standing who has raised $250,000 for Komen NYC, Ellis has cut all ties to the group.She describes Komen's moves to try to restore public confidence – including a U-turn on the funding cut and the resignation of vice-president, Karen Handel, on Tuesday – as "not enough".Handel resigned after a week of fierce criticism over the decision to strip Planned Parenthood of funding but disputed she was the driving force behind it.Planned Parenthood provides a range of women's health care services including, but not limited to, abortions.Ellis is the latest in a growing number of prominent individuals associated with Komen to cut their ties with the group following the furious backlash against it.The controversy over America's largest breast cancer advocacy group – and one that is highly revered – has refused to abate, despite Komen's crisis management. At the heart of the storm is that few believe the organisation's continued insistence that the decision to defund Planned Parenthood was apolitical.In a letter sent to family and friends on Monday, before Handel's resignation, Ellis called for Handel, Brinker and all nine board members to go, so that "I and the millions of people who have walked and talked for Komen can trust again."Speaking to the Guardian on Wednesday, Ellis, a philanthropy and wealth advisor, said of Handel's leaving: "Even in her resignation, she says that is wasn't just her decision. Others have said it was. It doesn't matter. It was approved by the board. Whether it came from the CEO or the board or a certain employee, they all were complicit."Brinker, who set up the organisation as a vow to her dying sister to work to end breast cancer in the US, has apologised for the debacle and has personally insisted that the decision to end funding to Planned Parenthood was not politically motivated.In Ellis's letter [reproduced here with Ellis's permission], a response to family and friends asking her whether the organisation could be trusted, Ellis refers to her disappointment even as Brinker reversed the funding decision. "Brinker's words struck me as vague and hollow – no future commitment to Planned Parenthood and no specific apology to the low-income women who would have become the collateral damage from the defunding," Ellis wrote."I also don't believe Brinker and her board when she claims that Komen's decision wasn't political."She notes that Brinker was a former ambassador under George Bush, and Cecile Richards, the head of Planned Parenthood, is the daughter of a Bush family opponent, late Texas governor Ann Richards."Take some truth serum, Nancy Brinker, I found my[...]
Greece closes in on bailout deal after three days of brinkmanship Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:36:57 GMT2012-02-09T00:06:18Z Greek government official says the bailout agreement will be finalised because, simply, time is running outAfter three days of high drama, political posturing and brinkmanship, Greece's three-party coalition was expected on Wednesday to approve draconian terms attached to a €130bn (£109bn) rescue programme for the debt-choked country.Ending weeks of economic deadlock, Athens' bickering party chiefs were poised to agree yet more belt-tightening – the price of further aid from the EU, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund, the "troika" of creditors that have kept the country afloat.Eurogroup chairman Jean-Claude Juncker invited eurozone finance ministers to meet in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the complex €130bn rescue. Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, will also attend."All the signs are that the agreement will be finalised because time has run out," said a senior government official.Analysts said the move would come as a huge relief to European leaders, who had watched the continual delays to negotiations with a mixture of exasperation and disbelief. Eurozone finance ministers, already angered by Athens's perceived foot-dragging in implementing reforms, had hoped to have the bailout ratified on Monday.Much had rested on the high-stakes talks, with the country ultimately looking at bankruptcy and a likely exit from the euro and EU if it had failed to accept the loan agreement. Athens has less than six weeks before it will be called to repay €14.5bn in maturing debt – a sum its state coffers simply do not have.This week German chancellor Angela Merkel made it clear that the massive injection of cash would depend on enforcement of long overdue reforms, reiterating that she did not want Greece to leave the euro.Officials said it was likely the deal, which will also see the country's debt being restructured, would be put before the Greek cabinet.But while the political leaders backing prime minister Lucas Papademos's national salvation government were nearer than ever before to approving the tough conditions outlined in the accord, they signalled they would do so with a heavy heart.The 50-page draft agreement, studied for much of the day after negotiations between Papademos and visiting debt inspectors, contains some of the most savage cuts in modern Greek history, with the minimum wage being reduced by 22%.Supplementary pensions will drop by 15%, with Athens also agreeing to lay off 15,000 public sector employees by March. The measures come on top of a barrage of tax increases and wage and pension cuts over the past two years. On Tuesday, the European statistics agency, Eurostat, announced that one in three Greeks were under the poverty line – up from one in five before the crisis.Entering the prime ministerial building before the marathon talks, Georgios Karatzaferis, leader of the small populist Laos party, spoke of an atmosphere of "blackmail" in which politicians had been forced to make decisions under extraordinary pressure."Time is [being used] as a blackmailing factor by our lenders," he said, highlighting the mood of mistrust between Greece and foreign lenders. "And that is a problem for me."Debt inspectors have also insisted on seeing each one of the leaders separately [...]
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