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Students elect Burns as president

Liam BurnsLiam Burns is currently president of the NUS in Scotland

The National Union of Students has voted for Liam Burns as its new president.

Describing himself as a centre-left candidate, Mr Burns defeated the more radical Mark Bergfeld, and further education vice president, Shane Chowen.

Mr Burns, currently president of the NUS in Scotland, called for further peaceful direct action protests.

He accused the government of “desperately scrambling” with its tuition fees policy in England.

The election, which used the alternative vote system, saw two moderate candidates heading the field.

In his manifesto, Mr Burns said: “I support direct action, but will never accept the use of violence.”

Speaking after his election he said there would be more local protests and “civil disobedience”, in the form of sit-ins, occupations and demonstrations.

But he emphasised the need to bring along the majority of students and to maintain public support.

The previous year has seen a level of student activism not seen for decades, as students opposed the raising of tuition fees and cuts in university budgets.

Universities are now announcing their plans for higher fees, but Mr Burns rejects the suggestion that the battles have now been lost.

“It’s not lost, when there’s never been a policy when the sums added up so badly,” said Mr Burns.

“It’s a regressive policy that hasn’t even saved them any money.”

In terms of the year ahead, he said there would be joint campaigns between students and other unions.

He also said he wanted to link the NUS with “disenfranchised Liberal Democrats”.

And he highlighted concerns over student finance and threats to cut places as issues that are likely to be important in the forthcoming year.

He warned the government in England against “cutting numbers to fill the hole in their maths”.

The second-placed candidate, Shane Chowen, would have been the first non-graduate to have become NUS president and Mr Burns highlighted the importance of the loss of the education maintenance allowance for teenagers.

The outgoing president, Aaron Porter, who had headed the NUS through such a high-profile and tumultuous year, had addressed the conference on Tuesday.

He attacked the Liberal Democrats, who had gone back on an election pledge to students to vote against any fee increase, as the “real villains”.

And he accused the coalition government of a “gigantic misjudgement” over its higher education reforms.

“The public cost of higher education may actually be higher by 2015 than it was last year, even though students are also paying up to three times as much.

“It is the worst imaginable outcome and we warned them it would happen again and again,” said Mr Porter.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Bmibaby pulls out of two airports

BMI Baby planeBmibaby operates a fleet of 14 Boeing 737 aircraft
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Low-cost airline Bmibaby has announced it will cease flying from Cardiff and Manchester airports from the end of this summer.

The airline said it needed to focus on its more established routes during the current economic climate.

As a result, four Bmibaby planes will be redeployed to Belfast, East Midlands and Birmingham airports.

Bmibaby’s parent British Midland International (BMI) has recently been taken over by Germany’s Lufthansa.

The airline said most of its staff at the two airports would be redeployed.

Sixty-nine positions at Cardiff would hopefully move to new locations, while 64 of the 97 positions at Manchester would be redeployed, the company said.

The airline currently operates 40 flights a week out of Manchester and 30 a week from Cardiff to European destinations.

It added that BMI would maintain a “significant presence” at Manchester airport.

Bmibaby also said it was introducing seven new routes from Belfast, and two new routes from East Midlands airport.

The airline operates 14 Boeing 737s.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Rival Yemen forces clash in Sanaa

Yemeni soldiers in Taiz, 12 AprilYemen’s unrest began in February, inspired by uprisings that toppled rulers in Tunisia and Egypt
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Rival Yemeni forces have clashed in the capital Sanaa, killing two soldiers, as protests continued across the country.

Troops loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh clashed with those supporting Gen Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, who has defected to the opposition.

In the southern city of Aden, soldiers opened fire as protesters threw stones and set up roadblocks to stop troops patrolling the streets.

One person was killed and several others wounded, reports say.

Tens of thousands of people are marching in cities across the country, as protesters keep up weeks of pressure aimed at forcing President Saleh out of power after 32 years in office.

The clash in Sanaa between rival security forces happened early on Wednesday morning at a checkpoint run by the first army division, which supports the opposition.

The rival sides exchanged fire with machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades after the pro-opposition soldiers stopped a car carrying pro-government security personnel, who reportedly refused to be searched.

This is a particularly worrying incident as Yemen’s capital is guarded by two rival military units, and any confrontation between them could be very difficult to contain, says a BBC correspondent in Sanaa.

More than 100 people have been killed since the start of the protests on 11 February, which were inspired by the popular uprisings that toppled long-time rulers in Tunisia and Egypt.

In addition to democratic and economic reforms, the protesters want to see legal action against Mr Saleh and his sons, who occupy key security and political posts.

On Monday, opposition groups rejected outright a proposal by Gulf Arab countries for Mr Saleh to transfer power to his deputy in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

They now say they will hold talks with Gulf ambassadors to see if a timetable can be agreed and other details ironed out.

Even before the mass protests, Mr Saleh was struggling to quell a separatist rebellion in the south and a Shia Muslim insurgency in the north.

Analysts fear the violence could give the Arabian Peninsula branch of al-Qaeda more room to operate.

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This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

School meningitis case boy dies

Emmanuel College Pupils at the college have been offered antibiotics as a precaution
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A teenager from Gateshead who was taken to hospital with suspected meningitis has died, it has been confirmed.

Two year 10 pupils at Emmanuel College were taken ill over the weekend.

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust confirmed a 15-year-old boy had died. The condition of the other boy is said to be slowly improving.

Pupils at the school were offered antibiotics and letters were sent to parents of all the students giving them advice and information.

Health experts said the meningococcal bacteria, which causes meningitis, does not spread easily.

Speaking when the cases were first confirmed, Dr Tricia Cresswell, of the Health Protection Agency, said: “Only people who have had prolonged, close contact with the students are at a slightly increased risk of becoming unwell.

“The germ which causes the illness lives naturally in the back of the nose and throat and many people carry it without ever becoming unwell.

“However, it can cause meningitis or blood poisoning in some people.

“Because there is a possibility that the two cases may be linked, and strictly as a precautionary measure, all students in Year 10 have been offered antibiotics.”

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Brookside star on murder charge

Brian ReganBrian Regan is due to appear before Liverpool magistrates later

A former Brookside actor has been charged with murder after a man was shot dead outside a Liverpool pub.

Brian Regan, 53, of St Mary’s Road, Garston, who played Terry Sullivan in the soap, has also been charged with perverting the course of justice.

Bahman Faraji, 44, was killed in Aigburth on 24 February.

Two other men, Lee Dodson, 42, of Logfield Drive, Garston, and Edward Heffey, 40, of Beloe Street, Dingle, have also been charged with murder.

Mr Regan and Mr Dodson are due at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court later.

Mr Heffey appeared before magistrates earlier this month.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

NI jobless total rises to 59,000

job centre office generic
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One in five young people aged between 18 and 24 who are looking for work are now on the dole, according to the latest unemployment figures.

The number of people claiming unemployment benefit last month reached 59,000 – a rise of 100 on the previous month.

That means unemployment has reached its highest rate in 13 years.

One senior economist has warned the jobless total will rise again before it begins to fall.

Over the past year, the jobless total has risen by 3,300, an increase of almost 6%, making the annual increase in Northern Ireland the largest in the UK.

The number of young people on the dole is also rising. According to the Labour Force Survey, the unemployment rate for 18 to 24-year-olds in the labour force is over 20% – this means one in five young people eligible for work are now signing on.

Ulster Bank chief economist, Richard Ramsey, said: “Northern Ireland’s labour market continues to show resilience in the face of challenging economic conditions.

“Interest rates have been at record lows since March 2009 and this has protected consumer spending and corporate balance sheets to a certain degree.

“Unfortunately interest rates will rise and this, alongside higher taxes and public expenditure cuts, will lead to a resumption in the trend of rising unemployment in the months ahead.”

He added: “It will be 2012 at the earliest before we can say whether Northern Ireland’s unemployment rate and levels have peaked.”

Responding to the latest figures Northern Bank chief economist Angela McGowan said that the jobless figures were unlikely to improve until demand increased and companies started to hire again.

“With hundreds of university students and further education graduates about to pile into the labour market in just over two months, we clearly require the introduction of further active labour market policies to stem any outward flow of local talent,” Ms McGowan said.

“The facilitation of graduate work placements with local SMEs (small and medium enterprises)would be an enormous benefit to both students and our business sector.”

According to a survey of the labour force, another definition of measuring unemployment, the latest overall Northern Ireland rate was lower than the equivalent UK rate (7.8%) for the same period.

It was also below the European Union (9.5%) and Republic of Ireland (13.5%) rates for December 2010.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

UK jobless total falls to 2.48m

Employment Minister Chris Grayling

Employment Minister Chris Grayling: “The fall is a small step in the right direction”

UK unemployment fell by 17,000 in the three months to the end of February to 2.48 million, the first drop since last autumn, official figures show.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the rate of unemployment in the UK had fallen to 7.8%.

Unemployment among 16 to 24-year-olds stood at 963,000, with the jobless rate for young people remaining above 20%.

The number of people claiming jobseeker’s allowance rose by 700 in March to 1.45 million, the ONS said.

While the number of unemployed men fell by 31,000 in the three months to the end of February, the number of jobless women rose by 14,000.

Although the number of unemployed 16 to 24 years olds rose by 12,000 over the quarter to 963,000, there had been fears the number could breach the one million mark.

The rate of unemployment among 50-64 year olds was unchanged at 4.8%, while the rate for those over 65 fell to 1.9% from 2.5%.

The ONS also said that the number people in employment rose by 143,000 to 29.23 million, compared with a pre-recession peak of 29.56 million recorded for the three months to the end of May 2008.

“We retain the view that unemployment is headed up over the coming months”

Howard Archer IHS Global Insight

“These figures are another step in the right direct direction,” said Employment Minister Chris Grayling.

“It’s good news to see a rise in the number of full-time jobs in the private sector and the fall in unemployment is welcome.

“However, there are challenges ahead and our priority is to continue to support the economy, by reducing the deficit and putting in place measures to encourage growth in the private sector.”

Total pay rose by 2% and regular pay, which excludes bonuses, grew by 2.2% compared with a year earlier, both well below the rate of inflation, as measured by the CPI index, which stands at 4%.

Analysts said this provided further evidence of the squeeze consumers were feeling in their spending power.

Despite the fall in the number of unemployed, analysts warned that the jobless number was likely to rise again.

“We retain the view that unemployment is headed up over the coming months,” said Howard Archer at IHS Global Insight.

“We suspect that likely below-trend growth will mean that the private sector will be unable to fully compensate for the increasing job losses in the public sector that will result from the fiscal squeeze that is now really kicking in.”

The government is starting to introduce spending cuts designed to bring down the budget deficit.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Soap giants in price-fixing fine

Unilever logoUnilever and Procter & Gamble were both fined for fixing soap powder prices
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The consumer products giants Unilever and Procter & Gamble (P&G) have been fined 315m euros (£280m, $456m) for fixing washing powder prices in eight European countries.

It follows a three-year investigation by the European Commission following a tip-off by the German company, Henkel.

Unilever sells Omo and Surf, P&G makes Tide, and Henkel sells Persil in certain European countries.

The fines were discounted by 10% after the two admitted running a cartel.

Unilever was fined 104m euros and P&G was fined 211.2m euros.

Henkel was not fined in return for providing the tip-off.

The Commission called the investigation “Purity”.

The EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said in a statement: “By acknowledging their participation in the cartel, the companies enabled the Commission to swiftly conclude its investigation.”

The cartel operated in Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands between 2002 to 2005, the regulator said.

P&G, the world’s largest consumer products group, owns the Tide, Gain and Era brands of washing powder while the Anglo-Dutch group Unilever makes detergent products under the brand names Omo and Surf.

Henkel owns the Persil brand in most of Europe, while Unilever owns it in Britain, Ireland and France.

The EU watchdog raided the three companies in June 2008 on suspicion of price fixing, and also sought information from the US-based household products firm Sara Lee.

Unilever has already set aside an undisclosed sum to cover any fine.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Nurses vote ‘no confidence’ in Lansley

Andrew LansleyMr Lansley is said to be there to “listen and reflect” rather than lecture
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Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has been given a vote of no confidence by nurses.

Delegates at the Royal College of Nursing conference overwhelmingly backed a motion questioning his handling of the reforms in England.

It comes ahead of a visit by Mr Lansley to the event in Liverpool later on Wednesday.

But instead of addressing the whole conference he will meet a group of 50 nurses separately.

The decision has prompted some to question his nerve.

During the debate on the overhaul of the NHS, nurses said they were angry over the reforms and the way the government is running its new “listening exercise”.

David Dawes, a nurse from Manchester, said the RCN had tried to engage with government in the past, adding he did not believe the it was interested in changing its plans so now was time “to oppose”.

Zeba Arif, a mental health nurse from London, said: “Reform means making it better. Is this making it better? No it is not.”

And Bethann Siviter, a nurse who now works in Birmingham after moving to England from the US, added: “If this goes forward the NHS is dying. I come from a country with private health care. Don’t go there.”

Under the shake-up, GPs are to be given control of much of the NHS budget, while greater competition with the private sector will be encouraged.

But critics, including the Royal College of Nursing, have warned the changes could undermine the NHS.

“I think it’s a shame Andrew Lansley does not have the guts to come up and face congress as a whole”

Julian Newell A&E nurse

After months of attacks, the government said last week it would run another consultation, even though the bill underpinning the changes has already started progressing through Parliament.

Wednesday marks the first significant step in that process – and will also see Labour leader Ed Miliband make a speech about the NHS.

In the morning, Mr Lansley is meeting voluntary sector chiefs in Downing Street to discuss how they can get involved in delivering services.

He will then travel to Liverpool to meet nurses. But instead of addressing the entire conference – as public health minister Anne Milton did on Tuesday – he will meet a group of 50 nurses representing all parts of the UK.

The decision to attend the smaller meeting has caused anger among delegates at the conference.

Julian Newell, an A&E nurse from Sheffield, said: “I think it’s a shame Andrew Lansley does not have the guts to come up and face congress as a whole.”

RCN general secretary Peter Carter also questioned the decision. “It’s his judgment call, he feels it’s better but he is going to get stick from congress. Congress is going to interpret it as him not having the courage to speak to them.”

But a Department of Health spokeswoman defended the decision. She said Ms Milton, as a former nurse, was the right person to address delegates, allowing the health secretary to come and “listen and reflect” rather than lecture.

She added: “Nurses are the backbone of our NHS. As a demonstration of our support, two government ministers are attending congress.”

But Labour leader Ed Miliband said the government needed to fundamentally change their plans, warning they would put hospitals at risk and lead to staff losing the power to do what they believed was best for patients.

He added: “The more people understand and hear about these proposals, the less they like them.

“It’s not a problem of public relations, it’s a problem of principle.”

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Lib Dems say Wales can do better

Kirsty WilliamsKirsty Williams says the election should be a “proper conversation”

The Welsh Liberal Democrats will say Wales can “do better” when they publish their assembly election manifesto.

Party leader Kirsty Williams will promise a “radical” manifesto with “positive” ideas.

She will say the poll on 5 May is voters’ last chance to set Wales’ direction until the next assembly election in 2016.

The Lib Dems have held six seats at each of the first three assembly elections.

Opinion polls suggest support for the party has slipped since the last election in 2007.

The Welsh Lib Dems have said they will fight the election on the economy.

They face attacks from Labour and Plaid Cymru over the actions of the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition UK government.

But Ms Williams will say voters deserve a “proper conversation” about the way forward for Wales when she unveils the manifesto on Wednesday.

“No more excuses. The Welsh Liberal Democrats believe that Wales can do better”

Kirsty Williams Welsh Lib Dem leader

At the launch in Aberaeron, Ceredigion, Ms Williams will say: “This election is the chance for the people of Wales to set the direction of the Welsh government until 2016.

“My children are at primary school. By the time we next debate these issues at a Welsh election, by the time we next decide the direction of schooling in Wales, they will be approaching their GCSEs.

“For them and for thousands of other children, this will be their chance.”

She added: “This election is too important to allow the Labour Party to ignore Welsh issues.

“Labour and Plaid have left us with a weak economy, underfunded schools and an NHS that costs more but delivers less.

“The Welsh people deserve a proper conversation about how we in Wales address these issues.

“No more excuses. The Welsh Liberal Democrats believe that Wales can do better.”

Lib Dem pledges include the offer of grants worth £2,000 for businesses to train staff if they provide jobs to unemployed young people.

The party says it would tackle a “spending gap” between schools in England and Wales, targeting money at the 80,000 pupils who need it the most.

It says it would improve healthcare by cutting waste from the NHS.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

EU eases curbs on Burma ministers

A labourer at a building site in Naypyidaw (image from 2010)The Burmese opposition says sanctions primarily affect Burma’s rulers, not the general public

The EU has relaxed some of its sanctions against members of Burma’s government, signalling a more flexible approach by the West.

Travel and financial restrictions have been suspended on four ministers – including the foreign minister – and 18 vice-ministers in the new government.

It is the first easing of curbs since they were imposed in 1996 in response to abuses by the military junta.

It follows the swearing-in last month of a new nominally civilian government.

Following Burma’s first elections in 20 years, it was the final stage in a long road to what the country’s military leaders have called a “disciplined democracy”.

However, critics have labelled the new so-called civilian administration a sham, since it is made up of former generals, some serving military officers and a handful of technocrats.

The EU decision to relax its measures against Burma was taken at a meeting of foreign ministers from 27 states late on Tuesday.

“We will judge the new government by its actions”

David Lipman EU ambassador to Burma

The EU Council said in a statement that the application of a visa ban and asset freeze for “certain civilian members of the government” would be lifted for a year, especially for Burma’s foreign minister “as an essential interlocutor” with the West.

“We recognised that there have been changes in the government and we will judge the new government by its actions,” said David Lipman, the EU’s ambassador to Burma.

All those who have had their restrictions suspended have never served in the military – or, as in the case of Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin, left the army more than a decade ago.

The Council also said a ban on high-level EU visits to Burma would be lifted.

However, restrictions against the rest of the country’s ministers will be maintained, and trade and financial sanctions will remain in place for at least another year, the statement said.

Analysts say the argument for or against economic sanctions in Burma is a controversial subject both inside and outside the country.

Those wanting sanctions lifted, who have gained a stronger voice after Aung San Suu Kyi’s release, say they hurt everyone, rather than just the leaders they target; or that they have little impact, as foreign trade with countries like Thailand and China goes on anyway.

Those in favour of sanctions say they do hurt Burma’s leaders and help pressure for an end to human rights violations.

The banned party of Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi, the National League for Democracy (NLD), has said it wants international talks on “modifying” sanctions.

The NLD said sanctions primarily affect Burma’s rulers, not the general public – but it has not said whether it wants them dropped or strengthened.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Fresh start

Jorn MadslienBy Jorn Madslien

The MG6 rolls off the production line at Longbridge

Lisa Poynter drives the first MG off the Longbridge production line

The Chinese automotive company SAIC’s decision to resume MG production in the UK will keep some 400 people in employment.

That is welcome news, though in the greater scheme of things it is of little significance to the British motor industry.

SAIC’s investment into the UK is in no way enormous – the set-up merely assembles the engine and gearbox and part of the body shell from parts made in China.

And as it is mainly an assembly operation, rather than a fully fledged manufacturing plant, the benefits in terms of skills and for local suppliers will be limited.

“Some 300 [designers and] engineers have been spending five years designing and developing a new range of MG products”

Guy Jones MG UK’s sales and marketing directorMG resumes UK productionA welcome return to Longbridge

Moreover, the initiative could do little to revive the MG brand in the market place, where it will be challenging car makers such as Volkswagen, Vauxhall and Ford.

At this stage, these established motoring giants hardly see MG – with its planned output of between 2,000 and 3,000 cars in year one – as a credible rival.

This is partly because China’s car makers have been too busy serving their booming home market to pay much attention to crowded and slow-growing markets in the US and Europe.

Eventually, however, the Chinese manufacturers will be focusing on global expansion.

When that happens, having a well-known brand such as MG with a long history of being produced in the UK – as well as in China – might help SAIC steal a march on its Chinese rivals.

“It’s an iconic brand that’s been around for 87 years,” says Guy Jones, MG UK’s sales and marketing director.

In turn, this could well result in fresh investment from SAIC – not least in design, technology and testing facilities – as it will be important for the Chinese company to have a local presence that enables it to tailor its cars to European and other international markets.

MG6The MG6 is the first of several models designed and assembled in the UK

This process, although still relatively small by automotive industry standards, has already started at Longbridge.

The company recently opened a £5m design studio and technical centre at Longbridge.

“Some 300 [designers and] engineers have been spending five years designing and developing a new range of MG products,” says Mr Jones.

“These products are designed for world markets to meet the toughest legislation in Europe and other parts of the globe,” he said, insisting the new MG6 “is as British as any other vehicle on the road, perhaps more so than many, in that we designed this from a clean sheet of paper with a British team here in the UK”.

SAIC, which is already one of the 10 largest car makers in the world, could also want to invest in the UK to take advantage of the skills on offer, Mr Jones says.

“We have this real powerhouse of engineering expertise in the automotive industry in this part of the country,” he says.

“It’s important for our parent company SAIC to draw on that experience.”

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.