Category: news

Hollywood actor Ewan McGregor backs a campaign to save an RAF air base in Moray from threatened closure.

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Enduring misery and uncertain futures for Pakistan flood victims

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Andy Coulson: Denies knowledge of hacking

David Cameron’s communications director, Andy Coulson, has been interviewed by the Metropolitan Police over his alleged knowledge of phone-hacking at the News of the World.

Mr Coulson, an ex-editor of the paper, voluntarily met police at a solicitor’s office to discuss the hacking.

He denies knowing anything about it.

Reports in the New York Times in September claimed the activities had been more extensive than had been previously admitted.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “Andy Coulson voluntarily attended a meeting with Metropolitan Police officers yesterday morning at a solicitor’s office in London. Mr Coulson – who first offered to meet the police two months ago – was interviewed as a witness and was not cautioned or arrested.”

In 2007, the paper’s royal editor Clive Goodman was jailed for four months for conspiracy to access phone messages which had been left for royal aides. A private investigator, Glenn Mulcaire, was jailed for six months on the charge.

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A huge security operation is in place in Mumbai, scene of terror attacks in 2008

US President Barack Obama is due to arrive in India on the first leg of an Asian tour designed to boost US exports and create jobs.

He will pay his respects to the victims of the 2008 Mumbai attacks when he flies into India’s financial centre.

Mr Obama will also meet local business leaders and American executives. US officials say they expect major contracts to be announced.

Mr Obama’s 10-day tour also takes in Indonesia, South Korea and Japan.

It comes in the wake of the Democrats’ heavy losses in the US mid-term elections, widely seen in part as punishment by for the Obama administration’s inability to drive down a stubbornly high unemployment rate.

Warship patrol

The BBC’s Sanjoy Majumder, in Mumbai, says that while residents are celebrating Diwali – the festival of light – celebrations in the city are muted by a huge security operation that has swung into action for the US president’s visit.

Thousands of Indian and US security personnel are deployed and a US naval warship is on patrol in the waters off the coast of the city, where in 2008 Islamic militants killed more than 170 people in a series of co-ordinated attacks.

But while the president will pay his respects to victims, he will also be seeking to drum up business for the United States, our correspondent says.

Before the trip, Mr Obama spoke of the need for greater US access to India markets as part of a drive to double US exports over the next five years and help revive the economy at home.

Trade between India and the US was worth about $40bn in 2008 – still significantly less than US trade with other partners like China and Europe.

‘Range of issues’

India’s Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao has said Mr Obama’s visit will expand strategic ties between the two countries leading to a more “productive” partnership.

“We are not at a stage in our relationship perhaps for another big bang but certainly there will be positive outcomes,” Ms Rao said on Wednesday.

“We will see concrete and significant steps in wide range of areas that will expand the long-term strategic framework in a way that we can create productive partnership for the mutual benefit and [will be] equally important to give substantive content and shape to the global strategic partnership,” she said.

White House officials say the administration plans 17 or 18 announcements during the trip on a range of economic, security and political issues.

Later on his trip, Mr Obama will announce a “comprehensive partnership” including economic ties in Indonesia, attend a G20 summit of global economic powers in Seoul and participate in an Asia-Pacific economic forum in Yokohama, Japan.

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Pollice on the US Mexican border have shot dead a well know drugs trafficker known locally as Tony the Tormenta or Tony the Strom.

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Williams driver Nico Hulkenberg takes pole for the Brazilian Grand Prix ahead of the four main title contenders.

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Andy Coulson: Denies knowledge of hacking

David Cameron’s communications director, Andy Coulson, has been interviewed by the Metropolitan Police over his alleged knowledge of phone-hacking at the News of the World.

Mr Coulson, an ex-editor of the paper, voluntarily met police at a solicitor’s office to discuss the hacking.

He denies knowing anything about it.

Reports in the New York Times in September claimed the activities had been more extensive than had been previously admitted.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “Andy Coulson voluntarily attended a meeting with Metropolitan Police officers yesterday morning at a solicitor’s office in London. Mr Coulson – who first offered to meet the police two months ago – was interviewed as a witness and was not cautioned or arrested.”

In 2007, the paper’s royal editor Clive Goodman was jailed for four months for conspiracy to access phone messages which had been left for royal aides. A private investigator, Glenn Mulcaire, was jailed for six months on the charge.

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

A post-mortem is carried out on the body found in the hunt for missing Ascot woman Joanna Brown.

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Park Ji-Sung scores a superb late winner to hand a below-par Manchester United victory against Wolves.

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Police are to beginning to piece together what happened moments before a concrete mixer fell from a bridge on to a train in Oxshott in Surrey on Friday afternoon.

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The BBC and NUJ’s responses to the industrial action

A strike by members of the National Union of Journalists at the BBC over proposed pension changes has entered its second day.

The union says the action, which began at midnight on Friday, has been having a “significant impact”.

Radio 4’s Today programme was cancelled on Thursday, but the BBC News at Six and Ten O’Clock went ahead in full.

The NUJ, which has 4,100 members at the BBC, rejected the BBC’s “final” offer. Broadcast union Bectu voted to accept.

A further 48-hour strike is planned for 15 and 16 November.

‘Inevitable disruption’

NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear said: “It is a clear indication that BBC journalists will stand up for a fair pension deal.

“Programmes that are going out are being run by freelance staff or managers, using pre-recorded packages.

“The strike is incredibly solid and the impact will grow over the course of the next two days.”

But BBC director general Mark Thompson said in his blog: “We believe that much of the output on the BBC will be unaffected by this action.

“However, it is inevitable that some programmes and content will be disrupted.

“This has been a difficult period for staff. However, the people who lose out most in any strike action are the very people we are here to serve – our audiences.”

NUJ members at the BBC are also set to observe an indefinite work to rule from Sunday, ensuring they take full breaks and only work their minimum prescribed hours.

The dispute stems from the BBC’s plans to reduce a £1.5bn pensions deficit by capping increases in pensionable pay at 1% from next April.

Under the BBC’s revised offer, the amount employees would have to pay into the pension scheme has been reduced from 7% to 6%.

In return, they would get a career-average benefit pension – based on the average salary over an employee’s entire career – that would be revalued by up to 4% each year. The previous offer was 2.5%.

When employees draw their pension, payments will increase automatically each year in line with inflation, by up to 4% – again up from a previous offer of 2.5%.

Bectu, which represents technical and production staff, said after last month’s ballot that the amended offer was “the best that can be achieved through negotiation”.

But it added their position could be reviewed if the pensions deficit turned out to be less than £1.5bn.

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England’s latest revival shows signs of life at Twickenham but they still slip to their ninth defeat in a row against the All Black juggernaut.

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A superb attacking display makes up for Australia’s scrummaging deficiencies as they edge Wales in an action-packed Test at the Millennium Stadium.

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The actor Gerard Kelly, a star of TV, film and pantomime, died on 28 October

The funeral of actor Gerard Kelly will be on 12 November, with his cortege passing Glasgow’s King’s Theatre.

Glasgwegian Mr Kelly, famous for his pantomime roles as well as TV and film appearances, died of a suspected brain aneurism. He was 51.

The service will be at St Aloysius’ Church in Garnethill, followed by a procession to Daldowie Crematorium.

Family spokesman Gary Barak said donations could be made towards the restoration of King’s Theatre.

“We request that no flowers are to be sent and instead we are arranging, in conjunction with the King’s Theatre, a fitting tribute to Gerard.

“We all think this is exactly what he would have wanted and as well as the tribute, funds will also go towards the restoration of King’s Threatre in Gerard’s name.”

Kelly appeared alongside George Michael and Ricky Gervais in Extras

The service will begin at 1000 GMT on Friday, with the cortege slowly passing the theatre afterwards on the way to Daldowie.

Mr Barak also confirmed a memorial service will be held at the King’s early next year.

Mr Kelly died at West Middlesex University Hospital on 28 October – it is understood he collapsed at his London home two days earlier.

He was best known for his role as Willie Melvin in the 1980s comedy City Lights, and other credits included EastEnders, Extras, Rab C Nesbitt and Scotch and Wry.

Mr Kelly had been due to star in The Rocky Horror Show at the King’s Theatre before beginning his regular pantomime run.

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