Tuesday, 21 February 2012

Yemen holds presidential election with 1 candidate

Sanaa, Yemen (CNN) -- Hundreds of voters flowed into Sanaa's old town section Tuesday to cast ballots to replace Yemen's longtime ruler, Ali Abdullah Saleh.

While the election is short on candidates -- only Vice President Abdurabu Mansur Hadi, who took over when Saleh stepped down in November after months of protests, is on the ballot -- it appeared to be long on hope.

"It's the first time people in Yemen are electing somebody on their own, without being influenced by political parties," said Mohammed al-Rowdy, a voter who works with the Interior Ministry. "This is a people's election. That's why we are optimistic things will get better."

Officials in Sanaa described a successful effort Tuesday, but conditions in the southern port city of Aden were different. Four people were killed in clashes between gunmen and security forces, according to two senior security officials in the city.

Another 14 people were injured and were being treated at a hospital, security officials said.

Some gunfire was heard in several districts in Aden.

But there were no signs of such problems at a voting site in Sanaa, the At Altabari school -- one of the oldest in the capital -- as voters of all ages streamed in.

They left with ink on their fingers and thumbs, proof of their participation in a historic election that signifies the formal end of Saleh's 33-year reign.

European observers said early turnout was healthier than expected.

"I was particularly very impressed in seeing the women turning out," said Michele Cervone d'Urso, European Union ambassador to Yemen, who was observing the polling station. "The women are the key for this county, for sedating this country," he said in reference to the need to calm conditions there. "They have to be recognized as a key part of society."

Security around Sanaa and elsewhere was tight Tuesday.

Around the capital, posters of Hadi has replaced images of Saleh.

"A New President for a New Yemen," read a large banner hanging from Change Square, which had been the epicenter of the anti-government movement last year.

Some who took part in the protests said they were not particularly excited about Tuesday's vote.

"Maybe you can call them elections," Nadia Abdullah said. "But for me, elections should have more than one candidate."

Abdullah said she would stand by Hadi as long as he made good on his promises.

"If he goes through with it, we will stand hand in hand with him," she said. "If he doesn't, or if we see a lot of game-playing between him and the government, I believe the youth will remain in the squares. They would say, 'Leave,' as they did to Ali Abdullah Saleh."

Abullah al-Saidi, 27, an accountant who volunteered as an election observer, told CNN he voted against Hadi by putting an "X" next to the name instead of a check. He said he believes many people do not realize they have the option of voting against the vice president.

"He is old school -- I don't believe he will change a lot," al-Saidi said of Hadi.

D'Urso said the elections are not "simply for vice president Hadi. These are the elections for process, a different Yemen. And you can see Yemenis want to move to a different type of society, one of co-existence and tolerance. It's not going to be easy. I think transition in this country will probably take a generation, but I think we are moving forward, and we have kicked off in the right way today, at least here in Sanaa."

Human Rights Watch called on Hadi to make clear changes right away.

"Yemen's potentially historic transition will be off to shaky start unless Hadi makes an immediate break with the abuses of the past," said Letta Tayler, Yemen researcher for the organization. "Yemen's new leader needs to move decisively to usher in promised reforms that uphold human rights and the rule of law."

The 65-year-old Hadi is a British-, Egyptian- and Soviet-trained army officer, recently promoted to the rank of field marshal. He has been vice president since 1994 and is running for a two-year term as president on pledges of improving security and creating more jobs.

But he's never had much of a power base of his own, and Yemen's problems will take much longer to fix than the two-year mandate he's expected to receive. It's the poorest country in the Middle East, with a severe shortage of water and rising levels of malnutrition among its population of about 25 million.

Even before last year's upheaval, Saleh faced a separatist movement in the south, sectarian tensions in its north and the growing presence of what Western officials describe as al Qaeda's most dangerous affiliate, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

For some, particularly in the once-independent south, Hadi is too closely tied to Saleh's rule to represent any change.

"Why do people expect southerners to celebrate that Saleh is gone?" said Mohammed Mosed Okla, a prominent separatist leader in Aden. "His regime is still in control, and his family still controls all the major security factions in the country. We will not be tricked again, and southerners will not celebrate until complete change takes place in south Yemen."

Hussein al-Aqil, a professor at Aden University and another separatist leader, said Hadi watched as Saleh "oppressed us for more than two decades."

"I was imprisoned for three years because I expressed my opinion and rejected the corruption that Ali Saleh stood behind," al-Aqil said. "The old regime tortured me and made me suffer for years. Hadi is part of the old regime and will not be recognized as a southern leader."

Ahead of the vote, officials set up at least 10 new checkpoints in Aden. But only hours before polls opened, explosions rocked four separate neighborhoods late Monday. Security officials said no one was hurt.

Saleh handed over power to Hadi as part of a deal brokered by Persian Gulf states and will formally relinquish his office after Tuesday's vote. He is in the United States, officially for medical treatment for wounds suffered in a June assassination attempt at his presidential palace during street battles between government troops and tribal fighters.

The United States has been backing Yemeni efforts against al Qaeda and has periodically struck targets inside Yemen, as in the September drone strike that killed American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.

Gerald Feierstein, U.S. ambassador to Yemen, said the transition laid out in the Gulf plan as well as efforts to boost the economy and deliver basic services will be critical "in terms of our ability to defeat al Qaeda and other violent extremist organizations in the country."

"All of these elements are going to help us defeat al Qaeda and eliminate them as a threat here in Yemen, to the region and to the world," Feierstein said.

Yemeni election committee members prepare ballot boxes in Sanaa on Monday, the eve of the country's presidential election

Pakistan vows to arrest Musharraf for Bhutto assassination

Pervez Musharraf has lived in exile in London and Dubai since resigning in 2008

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani authorities vowed Tuesday to use the international police agency Interpol to arrest former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in connection with the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

"The government is moving for his (Musharraf's) red notice," Interior Minister Rehman Malik said, referring to the Interpol's international arrest warrant.

"We will get him through Interpol to Pakistan."

Malik made the announcement as part of a progress report of the four-year-long assassination probe that was presented to provincial lawmakers Tuesday in Bhutto's home province of Sindh. The briefing lasted several hours and was broadcast live on Pakistani TV.

Bhutto was assassinated in a gun-suicide attack in December 2007, shortly after she came back to Pakistan from self imposed exile to take part in the 2008 general elections.

Malik and the head of the investigation team said former Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud plotted the assassination and paid the equivalent of about $4,500 to a network of Islamist militants to carry out the killing.

Using a Power Point presentation, pictures and video to outline the evidence they had gathered, authorities said Mehsud had Bhutto killed because she supported the west's war against Islamist militants. Investigators said they collected much of their evidence from the accused plotters' cell phone records before and after the killing.

Last November a Pakistani court charged five alleged Islamist militants with aiding the suicide attacker and two senior police officers for failing to provide adequate security.

Musharraf has also been accused of failing to protect Bhutto. In February 2011 a judge issued an arrest warrant for Musharraf after he didn't show up to court for questioning.

Musharraf has been in self-imposed exile ever since he left Paksitan in 2008. Last August authorities confiscated his property in Pakistan and froze his bank account. The former military ruler has denied having anything to do with Bhutto's killing.

In Tuesday's briefing Malik and investigators said Musharraf rejected Bhutto's request to use a western private security contractor for protection when she returned to Pakistan. They suggested Musharraf intentionally left Bhutto vulnerable because he felt politically threatened by her return.

"It was the duty of the government to provide the prime minister with protection," Malik yelled at one point. "Why did you not give security? What was the problem?"

Strauss-Kahn questioned over alleged prostitution ring

Paris (CNN) -- Police in France on Tuesday were questioning former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn as they investigated an alleged prostitution ring that may have operated out of two French hotels.

Strauss-Kahn has been urging authorities since September to question him over his alleged involvement in the ring, saying it would help clear his name.

His attorneys released a statement in November saying Strauss-Kahn wanted to address the so-called "media lynching" that he says falsely links him to sex parties with prostitutes in Europe and the United States.

The attorneys' statement called the allegations against Strauss-Kahn "unhealthy, sensationalist and not without a political agenda."

Strauss-Kahn attorney Henri Le Clerc acknowledged in an interview with radio station Europe1 in December that his client attended such sex parties, but said Strauss-Kahn was unaware the women in attendance were prostitutes.

"I challenge you to distinguish a naked prostitute from a 'woman of the world' who is naked," he told the station.

Another lawyer, Frederique Beaulieu, accompanied Strauss-Kahn to the police station in Lille Tuesday, but did not make any comment, a police spokesman in the northern French city said.

The questioning was going on behind closed doors, and was extended Tuesday night for another 24 hours by the magistrate police.

His lawyers in Paris could not be reached for comment Tuesday because they had traveled to Lille.

Strauss-Kahn has been linked with a number of sex scandals in the past year -- one of which torpedoed his expected plan to run for the French presidency this year -- but he has not been convicted of any crime.

He stepped down from the top job at the IMF after a New York hotel maid accused him of sexual assault and attempted rape in May.

The case ultimately fell apart after the alleged victim posed significant credibility issues for prosecutors, despite forensic evidence that showed a sexual encounter had occurred.

The prostitution probe, nicknamed the "Carlton Affair" by the French press, kicked off in October.

It centers around the city of Lille, where investigators began looking into claims that luxury hotels, including the Carlton, served as a base for a high-profile prostitution network.

While prostitution is not illegal in France, profiting from profiting from the prostitution of another person is against the law, according to the French Penal Code. Authorities are also investigating whether corporate funds were used to pay for the prostitutes. In the December Europe1 interview, Le Clerc said there is no evidence that such funds were misappropriated.

DSK accuser describes media frenzy in book

A hotel manager and four other men were arrested late last year in connection with the investigation.

Strauss-Kahn has not been arrested or charged in connection with the Carlton Affair, but the incident continues a string of sexual allegations against him.

He also faced allegations of attempted rape from a young French writer. Tristane Banon filed a complaint, alleging a 2003 attack, though it could not be pursued because of a statute of limitations.

Strauss-Kahn denied the allegations and has since filed a countersuit in France, alleging slander.

Chavez says he will undergo surgery after doctors detect lesion

Venezulan President Hugo Chavez said he was speaking out earlier than he'd planned because of the increasing speculation

(CNN) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Tuesday that he will undergo surgery to remove a lesion from the same area where doctors removed a cancerous tumor from his body last year.

Doctors in Cuba detected the lesion during a follow-up exam Saturday, Chavez said. He did not specify where the lesion was found but said it was roughly 2 centimeters in diameter.

"There will be a new operation to remove it and examine it to see if it is malignant or not," Chavez said, speaking on state television from a tractor factory in Venezuela's Barinas state.

The 57-year-old Venezuelan leader said there were no signs cancer had metastasized in his body.

"I am in good physical condition to face this battle," Chavez said.

The revelation came as speculation surged over the his health.

Rumors swirled on social media Monday after journalist Nelson Bocaranda, without naming sources, wrote that Chavez was in serious condition and doctors were treating him in Cuba.

The report drew ire from Venezuelan officials.

"Regarding the rumors, dirty war of swine," Information Minister Andres Izarra wrote in a Twitter post.

Diosdado Cabello, the president of Venezuela's National Assembly, sharply criticized the journalist Monday.

"Bocaranda is sick in his soul, does he want the Commander to die, or is someone paying him to write his lies?" he posted on Twitter.

On Tuesday, Chavez said he was speaking out a day earlier than he'd planned because of the increasing speculation.

"Since the rumors have been growing. ... I felt obligated to advance the information," he said.

"I totally deny what is circulating, that I have metastasis in the liver and I don't know where else, that the cancer has spread throughout my body, and that I am dying. No, no," Chavez added. "In contrast, and this is good news, the rigorous tests performed in Havana indicate that I have no metastasis anywhere."

Officials have not decided where or when the surgery to remove the lesion will take place, Chavez said.

"We have a few possibilities. What is certain is that it must be in the coming days," Chavez said.

In June, Chavez said doctors in Cuba had removed a cancerous tumor but did not specify what type of cancer it was.

Throughout his illness, the Venezuelan government has released few details about his health.

Officials initially said doctors had performed emergency surgery to treat a pelvic abscess and repeatedly denied media reports that Chavez had cancer.

More than two weeks later, Chavez announced on national television that doctors had removed a cancerous tumor.

He announced in October that treatment had cured him of cancer.

Official: Burned Islamic religious material had 'extremist inscriptions'

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Religious materials -- including Qurans that were burned at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, sparking Afghan protests -- were removed from the library of a detainee center "because of extremist inscriptions" on them, a military official said Tuesday.

There was "an appearance that these documents were being used to facilitate extremist communications," a military official said.

"Additionally, some of the documents were extremist in and of themselves, apparently originating from outside of Afghanistan," the official said.

The official said the material was burned, but authorities are attempting to determine how much.

The uproar prompted Gen. John Allen, commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force, to issue a directive "that all coalition forces in Afghanistan will complete training in the proper handling of religious materials no later than March 3," the NATO-led force said..

The training will include "the identification of religious materials, their significance, correct handling and storage," according to the statement from coalition forces.

Troops burn Qurans in Afghanistan

White House apologizes for Quran burning

Quran burning spurs protests

Earlier Tuesday, Allen said the materials were gathered for disposal from the airfield's Parwan detention facility and inadvertently given to troops for burning.

"This was not a decision that was made because they were religious materials," he said. "It was not a decision that was made with respect to the faith of Islam. It was a mistake. It was an error. The moment we found out about it, we immediately stopped and we intervened."

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the airfield Tuesday, furious over reports of the burning.

Lt. Lauren Rago, a spokeswoman for the coalition forces, told CNN in an e-mail earlier Tuesday that an investigation was under way to determine whether any material was burned before the mistake was discovered and, if so, how much.

"We are deeply concerned about the report of Qurans or religious materials being damaged, and will get to the bottom of what actually happened," she said.

But a coalition official acknowledged the materials were improperly burned.

Allen said he immediately launched an investigation.

"Something like this just cannot happen again," Allen said.

Muslims regard the Quran as the absolute word of God. It is so highly revered that many Muslims will not pick up the holy book without ablution, a ritual washing of the hands.

Desecrating the book, such as burning it, is therefore seen as an unforgivable affront -- as an act of intolerance and bigotry.

Authorities are looking into the reasons why the material was gathered and why the decision was made "to dispose of them in this manner," Allen said.

Some troops have been questioned, but there have been no arrests or detentions, according to a coalition official. Afghan officials have been invited to join the investigation.

Allen said he has offered "sincere apologies" to Afghan officials, including President Hamid Karzai. Allen also offered apologies to the Afghan government and "the noble people of Afghanistan."

"This was unintentional," he said. "There was no intention by any member of ISAF to defame the faith of Islam or to desecrate the precious religious materials of this faith."

"The materials recovered will be properly handled by appropriate religious authorities," Allen said earlier.

Local citizens who work at the base discovered the material that had been put into a burn pit by NATO personnel and alerted officials.

Soon after, demonstrators massed outside the base, chanting "Death to America! Death to the Afghan government! Long live Islam!"

As a NATO helicopter circled overhead and black smoke billowed from the ground, men shook their fists in anger. Several men launched slingshots in the direction of the base.

"The desecration of religious articles is not in keeping with the standards of American tolerance, human rights practices and freedom of religion," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Tuesday.

"The concern is that some around the world will think that this represents an affirmative statement by the United States, and it does not represent our values or our view of how the Quran ought to be treated," she said.

Allen said, "This is not who we are. These are very, very isolated incidents. We've been here a long time. We've been shoulder to shoulder with the Afghans for a long time. We've been dying alongside the Afghans for a long time because we believe in them. We believe in their country. We want to have every opportunity to give them a bright future."

But "these kinds of incidents, when they do occur, we will move quickly to correct them," he said. "We will move quickly to hold people accountable."

Photographs surfaced purporting to show the damaged Qurans. A photographer for Agence France-Presse said Afghans who work inside the airfield told him they obtained the Qurans there.

But the U.S. military said that was unlikely.

"When it became known that it was religious materials that were brought to the incinerator, the materials were secured by the military authorities in consultation with the local Afghan religious authorities, so it would be highly unlikely that the demonstrators would have any of the material from this incident," said Col. Gary Kolb, a spokesman for the NATO-led force.

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul warned on its Twitter feed that protests were possible throughout Afghanistan in the coming days and noted, "Past demonstrations in Afghanistan have escalated into violent attacks on Western targets of opportunity."

Last year, when controversial Florida pastor Terry Jones presided over what he called a trial of the Quran and burned a copy, Afghans took to the streets by the thousands. In the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif, demonstrators stormed a U.N. office and killed 12 people. In Kandahar, three people were killed in one demonstration, and nine in another when police and stone-throwing demonstrators clashed.

American officials vociferously condemned the pastor's act.

"It was intolerant and it was extremely disrespectful and again, we condemn it in the strongest manner possible," said Gen. David Petraeus, who headed the U.S.-led international forces in Afghanistan at the time.

In 2010, Afghans protested outside the Forward Operating Base Mirwais in response to an alleged Quran burning inside the base. But coalition forces said the suspected burning was a routine burn-pit session in which military documents are destroyed.

Thursday, 9 February 2012

'I FELT LIKE HAVING SEX' SAYS 13-YEAR-OLD WHO HAD CONTRACEPTIVE IMPLANT

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A 13-YEAR-OLD girl who had a contraceptive implant fitted at school without her parent’s knowledge said she did it because she 'felt like having sex.' with her boyfriend.

The statement, from a child under the age of consent for legal sexual intercourse, sparked widespread condemnation of the Government’s teenage pregnancy strategy.

There were also calls for the police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the girl’s well-being and that of her boyfriend if he too is underage.

And without any sense of irony, her mother insisted she was 'proud' of her young daughter although she accused the school of being ‘morally wrong‘ to carry out the procedure without parental consent.

MP Nadine Dorries said: “It’s a sad indictment of our society today that a mother is more concerned about a school not informing her that a 'minor surgical procedure' had been carried out on her daughter without her knowledge, than the fact that her daughter is having under age illegal sex at the age of 13.

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It’s a sad indictment of our society today
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MP Nadine Dorries


“Sex under the age of sixteen is illegal and it is time the police begin to put in place a law which was made in order to protect children, because that's what 13-year-olds are, children.”

The teenager is one of 33 schoolgirls who have been fitted with the device in Southampton, Hants, as part of a controversial government initiative to drive down teenage pregnancies.

Now she has broken her silence to defend her actions, saying she believes she acted responsibly by taking measures to stop herself getting pregnant.

The girl said: "The implant works really well and I think it is a good service.

THE QUEEN'S TOUR DETAILS REVEALED

THE Queen is to tour Britain by land, sea and air on a Diamond Jubilee tour of 51 destinations.

She will travel the country by car, royal train, planes and on a luxury £50 million superyacht in the five months between March and July to mark her 60 years on the throne.

Sir Donald Gosling, the former National Car Parks millionaire tycoon, has loaned her for free his 246ft superyacht  Leander, which is available for private charter at £440,000 per week.

”I  wouldn’t expect a fee for something that is on behalf of the nation,” he said when he revealed his gesture of support a few months ago.

***THE QUEEN'S DIAMOND JUBILEE IN PICTURES***

Buckingham Palace announced the Queen’s tour destinations yesterday and said the monarch wanted to thank as many people as possible for their support and loyalty.

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Her Majesty is visiting as many counties as possible during her UK tour
î

Buckingham Palace spokesman


“Her Majesty is visiting as many counties as possible during her UK tour,” a spokeswoman said. “It is hoped as many people as possible will be able to travel a short distance to see Her Majesty, should they wish to, during 2012.”

Here is the list of the Queen’s visits: Leicester March 8; Manchester and Salford March 23; Redbridge, Walthamstow and Harrow March 29; Cardiff, Margam, Merthyr Tydfil, Aberfan, Ebbw Vale, Glanusk Park. April 26-27; Sherborne, Salisbury, Crewkerne, Yeovil, Exeter May 1-2; Bromley, Merton, Richmond May 15; Burnley, Accrington, Warrington, Chester, Liverpool May 16-17; Nottingham, Burghley, Corby, Stevenage, Hatfield May 13-14; Henley-on-Thames June 25; Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, Perth. July 2-6; Hereford, Worcester, Birmingham, Shropshire July 11-12; Sunderland, South Tyneside, North Tyneside, Gateshead, Durham City , Stockton-on- Tees, Leeds July 18-19; Cowes, Isle of Wight, New Forest, Hampshire July 25.

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Sir Donald, 82, has given the Queen the use of Leander in the absence of an official replacement for the Royal Yacht Britannia, which was decommissioned in 1997.  “It’s a great shame we no longer have a Royal Yacht and, while I wouldn’t put Leander in the same class as Britannia, she is a good ship capable of helping out in the celebrations,” he told a Sunday newspaper.

.The 1,930 tonne yacht has two master bedrooms, eight en suite guest cabins , a swimming pool, a sauna, Jacuzzi, grand piano, and a helipad.

Sir Donald, who has become a good friend of the Queen and was a guest at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding last year, has loaned his yacht to the Royal Family before. Prince Charles and Camilla borrowed the vessel to tour the Caribbean on an official visit in 2008.

NAOMI WATTS CAST TO PLAY PRINCESS DIANA IN NEW FILM

HOLLYWOOD actress Naomi Watts has been cast to play Princess Diana in the latest biopic of her life.

Watts, 43, will play the late Princess in Caught in Flight - a film focusing on the final two year's of Diana's life.

The role was thought to have going to The Help actress Jessica Chastain but it was confirmed that Watrts would take the role todcay.

She said: "It is such an honour to be able to play this iconic role – Princess Diana was loved across the world, and I look forward to rising to the challenge of playing her on-screen.”

Dicretor Oliver Hirschbiegel added: "I am delighted to have such a truly exceptional actress who embodies the warmth, humanity and empathy of such a global icon as Princess Diana."

DAME JUDI DENCH PUCKERS UP TO SAVE A FISH

DAME Judi Dench has revealed she once saved a dying fairground fish by giving it "the breath of life".

The actress, who said she could not say a "single word" about the plot of the new Bond film, told Graham Norton she had not even seen two of her three most recent roles.

Speaking on BBC1's Graham Norton Show, she said she would watch My Week with Marilyn and J Edgar when she was "a bit removed" from them.

The star, who co-owns a racehorse, said she did not like watching it race because she was too "nervous".

She said: "I once gave the breath of life to a fish that was dying.

"I blew in his mouth which I knew I shouldn't because he had gills but nevertheless he's now called Lazarus and is double the size."

Dame Judi, who made her name on stage and in television before her film career took off, said it was "thrilling" to make it in Hollywood after her Oscar nominated role in the 1997 film Mrs Brown.

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I blew in his mouth which I knew I shouldn't because he had gills but nevertheless
î

Dame Judi Dench


She said: "It came late. It came with Mrs Brown and suddenly I got a movie career and I went back to America after 38 years.

"I went back and everyone in America said, 'So apart from Mrs Brown and M in the Bond film, what other work have you done?' and I thought, 'Well, that would be the whole of Shakespeare and Chekhov'. But, it was wonderful."

See the full interview on The Graham Norton Show on BBC1 at 10.35pm on Friday.

FABIO CAPELLO QUITS HIS £6M JOB OVER TERRY BUST-UP

Terry faces a trial for alleged racist abuse.

Harry Redknapp is now the odds-on favourite to become the next England manager.

Capello, 65, resigned during a meeting with FA chairman David Bernstein and general secretary Alex Horne at Wembley Stadium.

He was asked to explain why he had committed a serious breach of FA protocol during an explosive Italian television interview on Sunday in which he said he still wanted Terry as England skipper.

During the hour-long talks, it is understood the fiery Italian did not back down and showed no remorse for his comments. FA chairman David Bernstein, however, was furious and had expected Capello to show some contrition before agreeing to issue a joint statement that would have enabled both the FA and the England manager to move forward with a degree of unity.

It is understood Mr Bernstein expected Mr Capello to first inform the FA of any comments he intended to make. Instead, the interview to Italian TV was in the absence of FA media minders.

Mr Bernstein and the FA directors decided to take the captaincy off Terry while he awaits trial and Capello was openly furious.

Asked by the TV interviewer whether he was in agreement with the decision to strip Terry of the captaincy, Capello replied: “No, absolutely not. I spoke with the chairman (David Bernstein) and I told him that I don’t think someone can be punished until it becomes official.”

Bernstein spent Tuesday preparing the ground for the summit, although there will be no going back on the decision to take the armband off Terry, 31.

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The FA consider it inappropriate for the Chelsea captain to lead the national team at this summer’s European Championship when his trial does not start until July 9.

But in the FA statement released late last night the chairman praised Capello for his “professional manner” as manager.

Mr Bernstein said: “I would like to stress that during today’s meeting and throughout his time as England Manager, Fabio has conducted himself in an extremely professional manner.

“We have accepted Fabio’s resignation, agreeing this is the right decision. We would like to thank Fabio for his work with the England team and wish him every success in the future.”

Capello’s son Pierfilippo who acts as the football manager’s agent said: “I have spoken with dad and he is fine.

“For the time being we are not going to say anything because that is the agreement we have with the FA, we shall see how things go and then maybe we will speak. It is too early to say what he will do.”

However, Capello launched a blistering attack on the FA and accused them of insulting him.The clearly furious Italian said: “They really insulted me and damaged my authority.

“What really hit me and forced me to take this decision was the fact the much-vaunted Anglo-Saxon sense of justice, as they are the first to claim that everyone is innocent until proven guilty.”

Last night England players and football pundits expressed their surprise at Capello’s dramatic resignation.

Former England player and Everton captain Phil Neville said: “I still believe Capello is a great manager. His record backs that – it just didn’t quite work out with England for many reasons not all his.”

Redknapp is quoted at 8/15 to take the England manager’s job with West Bromwich Albion coach Roy Hodgson next in line.

8 INCHES OF SNOW IN NEXT 24 HOURS

FROZEN Britain is braced for up to eight inches of snow today as temperatures fall to -15C (5F).

 

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A police spokesman said: “At temperatures of around -5C, or in heavy snow, salt will not prevent roads icing. So even if roads have been gritted, do not assume they are free from ice and frost.”


Snow covered fields near Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham

Severe weather warnings are in place, with the North, the Midlands, East Anglia, central and south-east England on alert for heavy snow today, while harsh “penetrating” frosts and ice could turn roads into ice rinks. Airports are also on alert for freezing rain – the most dangerous weather threat to aircraft.

Bank of England pumps another £50bn into UK economy

The Bank of England is to extend its quantitative easing programme and inject another £50 billion into the UK economy in a further bid to prevent another recession.


Despite business surveys last week suggesting a fresh fall into recession could be averted, the Bank's monetary policy committee (MPC) voted to print more cash, increasing QE from £275 billion to £325 billion.

The committee justified its actions by arguing that the UK recovery slowed during 2011 and said a slowing in the pace of expansion in the United Kingdom's main export markets - namely the eurozone - meant there were concerns about the 'indebtedness and competitiveness of some euro-area countries'.

The MPC also left interest rates at record lows of 0.5 per cent.

Worries have been expressed over risks posed to the country's inflation rate by further QE - a scheme launched during the recession in 2009 - but business leaders said the extra stimulus would 'support confidence' and welcomed the decision.

David Kern, chief economist at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: 'Although the benefits are not immediately obvious to the business community, quantitative easing plays a key role in strengthening the financial system and stabilising the wider economy.'

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber described the increase in QE as 'the right thing to do' but said due care had to be given to ensure the cash is distributed in an effective way.

'More needs to be done to ensure that this latest injection of cash actually reaches the businesses that need it, rather than just gathering dust on banks' balance sheets,' he said.

'The failure of banks to increase net lending to businesses, despite £275bn of quantitative easing, is holding back growth in the real economy.'



EuroMillions couple: We had a hunch we would win £45m jackpot

A young couple from Nottingham have admitted to feeling it was their 'lucky day' when they bought a winning EuroMillions ticket worth £45 million

The winning couple were revealed as Cassey Carrington and Matt Topham, both 22, from Stapleford, at a press conference today.

They are the second couple from Nottinghamshire to win more than £40 million on the EuroMillions draw in less than a month after Gareth and Catherine Bull won £40,627,241 with a Lucky Dip ticket on January 20.

Ms Carrington said she bought a ticket online on Friday after the Iceland store she works in won a £10,000 bonus for meeting sales targets.

'We had been presented with £10,000 which was shared between staff,' she said. 'After that I just felt like it was my lucky day and decided to get a EuroMillions ticket.'

With a £5 minimum spend Ms Carrington bought a ticket for the Friday draw and a Lotto ticket for Saturday. When neither came up with her numbers she bought another ticket for Tuesday's EuroMillions draw.

The ticket was forgotten on Tuesday however after Mr Topham's computer and washing machine broke down in quick succession.

But as they sat in bed on Tuesday night working out how to afford replacements they checked the draw and realised they had won after matching five numbers and two Lucky Stars.

The couple, who had been planning their wedding, said they now hoped to share the money around their families and buy a house for themselves.

Mr Topham, who works for a painting and decorating business run by his father, said: 'I have often painted these huge houses and wondered what it would be like to live in one, now I can find out.'

Matt Topham, Cassey Carrington, EuroMillions Cassey Carrington and Matt Topham had been discussing how to afford buying a replacement washing matching when they discovered they had won the jackpot (Picture: PA)

Ms Carrington said: 'I've always just wanted that family house. Having that opportunity to be where I want to be now rather than in seven or eight years is mind-blowing

'It hasn't sunk in for us yet.'

She added that she had told colleagues at her Iceland store that she no longer wanted her share of the sales bonus and that it could be divided up among other workers.

Commenting on the massive jackpot wins for Nottinghamshire in recent weeks meanwhile, a Camelot spokesperson said: 'It is fantastic news to have another UK winner so soon after Gareth and Catherine Bull from Mansfield won £40 million.

'These big draws help raise the £30 million the National Lottery generates for Good Causes every week.'

Neither jackpot, however, compares to the £161 million won by Colin and Chris Weir, from Largs, Scotland, last year.



Heather Mills denies Piers Morgan voicemail claim at Leveson inquiry

Ms Mills told the Leveson Inquiry into press standards and ethics that she had neither played Mr Morgan, now a TV host in the US, the message nor authorised anyone else to access it.

Mr Morgan appeared at the Leveson Inquiry via videolink in December when he admitted hearing the message but refused to disclose who played it to him.

At the inquiry on Thursday Ms Mills said: 'I couldn't quite believe that he would even try to insinuate, a man that has written nothing but awful things about me for years, would relish in telling the court if I had played a voicemail message to him.'

She told the inquiry in early 2001 she and Sir Paul had argued about a trip she was planning to Gujurat and while she stayed with friends in Middlesex he left a series of messages on her voicemail, including a 'little ditty of one of his songs'.

Ms Mills said she did not record any of the messages and deleted them straight away.

But later she received a phonecall from a Trinity Mirror employee - who the inquiry heard was neither a Daily Mirror journalist nor working for Mr Morgan - who said they had heard the messages.

Heather Mills, Sir Paul McCartney, Leveson Inquiry Heather Mills said she 'never, ever' authorised anyone to listen to her voicemails (Picture: Reuters)

'I said, "there's no way that you could know that unless you have been listening to my messages". And he laughed,' Ms Mills said.

The story was never published after Ms Mills threatened to take action.

The voicemails only came to light after Mr Morgan mentioned listening to them in an article in the Daily Mail in 2006.

At the inquiry last December he said he was 'not going to discuss where I heard it or who played it to me'.

'I don't think it's right,' Mr Morgan said. 'In fact the inquiry has already stated to me you don't expect me to identify sources.'

At the time Lord Justice Leveson clarified that only Ms Mills would be lawfully allowed to listen to the message, or somebody authorised on her behalf.

Ms Mills also showed an abridged version of what she said was 64 hours of home video footage of harassment by paparazzi photographers.

At one point in the video the inquiry saw a photographer looking through a fence outside Ms Mills home suggesting that 'someone should just bring a hand-drill down and put a hole through'.



Ice rain chaos on UK roads as drivers warned it's too cold for grit to work

A 'perfect storm' of frozen roads and icy rain is leading to treacherous travel conditions in much of the UK as travel experts warn it is too cold for grit to work.


Read more: 

Travel chaos is being predicted after the Met Office issued severe weather warnings for snow and ice for much of England.

Temperatures as low as -12C (10.4F) were recorded in Church Fenton, North Yorkshire on Tuesday, way below the -5C (23F) threshold at which grit stops being effective protection against ice.

'Our advice to drivers is that, even when a road has been gritted, do not expect it to be ice-free,' Paul Watters, head of roads policy at the AA, said.

The problem of rain freezing on the ground is being compounded by grit and salt being washed away before the ice has cleared, and the situation shows no sign of abating with a Met Office level-three severe cold weather alert in place until Saturday.

Amber warnings for ice are in place for the north-west, north-east and Yorkshire and Humber meanwhile.

In Cumbria alone there have been 97 road accidents since 5am on Thursday due to the icy conditions.

'Rainfall overnight and into this morning has caused thick ice on the county's roads,' said a spokeswoman for Cumbria constabulary.

'Police are urging drivers to slow down, drive with extreme care and, if possible, delay journeys.'

Professor John Ashton, NHS Cumbria's director of public health, added: 'We are seeing some of the worst icy conditions in Cumbria for many years.

'Older people are particularly vulnerable to slips and falls and I would strongly encourage that they stay indoors until conditions improve. It is not worth taking the risk and ending up in hospital.'

A multiple-vehicle crash in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, meanwhile left several people trapped in their cars, although there were no reports of serious injuries.



Tiny passenger plane seconds from disaster after being 'attacked' by Tornado jets and Black Hawk helicopters in mock war game Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2098380/Tiny-passenger-plane-seconds-disaster-attacked-Tornado-jets-Black-Hawk-helicopters-mock-war-game.html#ixzz1lvZ0n2tt

As he prepared for a routine landing at a tiny island airport, a warning that there were a couple of tornadoes on the way was possibly the last thing he expected.

But moments later, the pilot of the domestic passenger service to Stornoway was forced to take evasive action as two Tornado GR4 warplanes screamed past.

Then, as the confused airman came around for another landing attempt, he spotted a pair of Black Hawk helicopters that air traffic control had not even seen.



//ww/news/article-2098354/Public-schoolboys-rugby-tour-rules-email-goes-viral-We-boast-rich-are.html#ixzz1lvYgd42o

  • The group of young friends, who call themselves G4, drew up the list ahead of their trip to the Dubai Sevens rugby tournament
  • Rules say they must boast about their parents' wealth, while phoning their girlfriends is outlawed

By Nichola Jones

Last updated at 4:41 PM on 9th February 2012

  •  Comments (509)

 

It started out as a tongue-in-cheek checklist for a group of City bankers going on a rugby tour to Dubai.

But the set of rules – which say cheating is allowed and bragging about wealth is compulsory – has left the four ex-public schoolboys open to global ridicule.

The group of young friends, who call themselves G4, drew up the list ahead of their trip to the Dubai Sevens rugby tournament.

It was meant to be a private joke among the participants, but the emailed list has now gone ‘viral’ and been seen around the world.