Bribes firm cash funds Iraq projects

Iraqi children playing footballThe fund will be used for humanitarian projects in Iraq and Afghanistan
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Cash confiscated from one of Scotland’s largest companies after it admitted breaching UN sanctions in Iraq is being sent back to the country.

The Scottish government said £1.5m taken from the Glasgow-based Weir Group would go to fund humanitarian projects.

A £13.9m confiscation order was made against the engineering firm after it admitting paying kickbacks to Saddam Hussein’s regime for contracts.

The remaining £12.4m will be used to fund community projects in Scotland.

The £13.9m was seized from Weir Group under the Proceeds of Crime Act for breaching the Oil for Food programme between 2000 and 2002.

The programme was introduced by the UN to enable exports of Iraqi oil to take place, provided the cash was used for food, medicine and other humanitarian needs.

Scotland’s Culture and External Affairs Minister Fiona Hyslop said the confiscated money would be spent on various projects including human rights work, water development, and bringing the country’s youth orchestra to the Edinburgh Festival.

The minister said a donation of £100,000 was also being made to the Linda Norgrove Foundation in Afghanistan to support women and children rural areas.

Ms Hyslop said: “The confiscation of cash from the Weir Group sent the clear message that illegal activity by Scottish firms will not be tolerated here or abroad.

“It is entirely appropriate that some of those funds are now channelled back to help improve the lives of Iraqi people.”

Mark Chadwick, of Edinburgh-based Mercy Corps (part of the UK NGO Iraq Advocacy Group), said the money was particularly welcome as the humanitarian needs of Iraqis seemed to be slipping off the international agenda.

He added: “We know from our work on the ground that the people of Iraq still need a great deal of help and there’s a lot yet to be done to improve their government’s ability to deliver essential public services in an efficient and transparent way.

“This decision from the Scottish government will help to address these needs through building the capacity of local people to tackle the many challenges they face.”

Since its creation following the death of the aid worker, the Linda Norgrove Foundation has raised £270,000.

Ms Norgrove’s parents John and Lorna Norgrove said the money would be used to help the people of Afghanistan, now considered among the poorest in the world.

They added: “We are determined to put this money to good use and to ensure that our costs are kept to a bare minimum so that funds get through to the people on the ground.”

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Colin Firth in line for Bafta ‘double’

Colin FirthFirth’s performance in The King’s Speech has won him a slew of awards

Colin Firth will learn if he has won a second consecutive best actor Bafta when this year’s awards are held later.

The 50-year-old won the prize for his role in A Single Man last year and is in the running again for playing George VI in The King’s Speech.

The late Rod Steiger was the last actor to achieve this feat, winning back-to-back Baftas for The Pawnbroker in 1967 and In the Heat of the Night in 1968.

Firth’s drama is up for 14 awards in all, including best film and director.

The Pride and Prejudice star has already won a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild award for his performance, for which he has also received an Oscar nomination.

The actor was recognised again on Thursday at the London Film Critics’ Circle awards.

Ballet thriller Black Swan has 12 Bafta nominations, including one for its lead actress Natalie Portman.

Science-fiction blockbuster Inception is up for nine awards, while Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours and Coen brothers western True Grit have eight nominations each.

Rod Steiger, pictured in 1993Steiger, pictured in 1993, was the last actor to win consecutive Baftas

Jonathan Ross will host this year’s ceremony, to be held at London’s Royal Opera House.

The event will be shown on BBC One from 2100 GMT, with red carpet coverage preceding it on BBC Three.

King’s Speech writer David Seidler told the BBC on Thursday it felt like “a dream” to be nominated for so many awards.

“I keep on looking over my shoulder to see the guy who really wrote it and waiting for the alarm clock to ring,” said the British-American playwright.

“There’s a lot of expectation and pressure but you never know – these things are unpredictable,” he continued.

A host of stars are expected at Sunday’s ceremony, which comes two weeks before the Academy Awards on 27 February.

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Donor ‘influenced by guru centre’

Richard CurtisMr Curtis had been a follower of the centre’s guru

A former RAF officer persuaded to give his home to a spiritual healing centre has spoken out for the first time.

Richard Curtis, 53, won his house back last month after bringing a court case for undue influence against the Self-Realization Meditation Healing Centre.

The Somerset-based centre, a registered charity, is appealing against the ruling.

Mr Curtis, from Brecon, told the BBC’s Inside Out West programme he wants the law on charity donations to be changed.

He said: “I am fighting a battle not just for myself but for all the other people that have given all to god and guru and been left with nothing.”

Mr Curtis had been a follower of the centre’s guru, Rena Denton, who goes by the name Mata Yogananda Mahasaya Dharma.

A statement issued by the centre, which is run by a group of members called the Alpha-Omega family, said: “The court found only that the failure by Mr Curtis to seek independent legal advice meant that the presumption of influence could not be rebutted.

“This is a far cry from the allegations of brainwashing and cultism which Mr Curtis, and now the media, sought to portray.

Self-Realization Meditation Healing CentreA number of similar complaints about the centre have been uncovered

“Since (2004) the centre has introduced a requirement that anyone wishing to donate to the centre must first seek independent legal advice.”

The centre, based in Queen Camel, near Yeovil, has lodged an appeal against the High Court judgement that its “undue influence” had been present when Mr Curtis signed a declaration of trust gifting the family home in Edwinsford near Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, in 2004.

“We didn’t seek legal advice, because we were enraptured,” said Mr Curtis.

“We had a guru working with us and for us who had a direct link to god. What she said was good enough at the time.”

An investigation by Inside Out West has uncovered a number of similar complaints made against the centre by former members.

Lizzie Davies, from Bath, was given an out-of-court settlement for £690,000 by the centre in 1996 after she claimed she had handed over her savings to the centre while under undue influence.

It accepted no liability in agreeing the settlement.

She said of her decision to leave the centre in 1993: “I had nothing. I had absolutely nothing and I found the courage to leave.”

Lizzie DaviesLizzie Davies was given an out-of-court settlement for £690,000 by the centre in 1996

A spokeswoman for the Charity Commission said: “(In 1995/6), we identified areas of significant concern with the apparent lack of management control by the entire trustee body over the charity’s affairs.

“We advised that the trustees must ensure they have direct controls over all funds…and that the charity’s book-keeping be improved.”

The centre also has associated but independent organisations in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

In 2003, Helen Williams left the centre in Christchurch with NZ$330 and a few personal belongings after agreeing to donate her property and savings to the centre.

She said: “I can only speak for the Christchurch centre but anyone throughout New Zealand who joined had to bring everything they owned.”

Alistair Mclean, of the Fundraising Standards Board, said: “The use of undue influence in soliciting donations from beneficiaries is quite simply unacceptable.”

The full story features on Inside Out West on BBC One in the west of England and on X-Ray on BBC1 Wales at 1930 GMT on Monday.

The programme will also be available in the UK on the BBC’s iPlayer for seven days.

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Nigeria rally stampede kills 11

Aftermath of the rally in Nigeria

The aftermath of the rally saw chaotic rescue scenes

Eleven people have died in a stampede at an election rally in Nigeria.

The rally in the southern city of Port Harcourt was part of President Goodluck Jonathan’s election campaign ahead of a poll due in April.

At least 29 others are said to have been injured at the rally, which was held in a crowded sports stadium.

President Jonathan has ordered an investigation and said the incident was “sad, unfortunate and regrettable,” adding: “I mourn with those who mourn.”

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan in Lafia, 7 February 2011The president launched his election campaign earlier this week

The crowd panicked after a policeman fired in the air to try to disperse crowds at the gates as people left the rally, according to witnesses.

“There was a huge crowd, the place was completely full,” Ken Saro-Wiwa, President Jonathan’s special assistant on international affairs, told Reuters news agency.

“It is a sad end to what had been a great day,” said Mr Saro-Wiwa.

President Jonathan, whose People’s Democratic Party have won every presidential vote since the return to civilian rule in 1999, is favourite to win April’s election.

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Ron Paul wins CPAC summit poll

Ron Paul

Ron Paul tells CPAC: “We want to protect our civil liberties as well as our economic liberties.”

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Texas Congressman Ron Paul has won the straw poll at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington DC.

Mr Paul, who won last year, came ahead of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who finished second.

The Texas lawmaker received 30% of votes cast by those attending, compared to Mr Romney’s 23%. Others were grouped far behind.

CPAC is the Republican party’s biggest annual convention.

The summit is an opportunity for possible candidates in the 2012 presidential election to test the waters and attract funding and support.

Although it is less than a year before the first voting in primaries for the 2012 race, no Republican has formally announced his or her candidacy. Correspondents say it is an unusually slow start to the campaign.

Mr Paul, a libertarian with a loyal following, ran in GOP primaries in 2008.

As the results were announced in the hotel ballroom, cheers and boos broke out simultaneously, Reuters news agency reported.

The next highest contenders were former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who both received 6%, while former House Speaker Newt Gingrich won 5%.

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin finished a distant 9th place, garnering only 3% of the vote.

Ms Palin did not attend the summit, citing a scheduling conflict.

Straw polls are an indicator of the political temperature of those at the conference, but do not always match the outcome of presidential primaries.

Earlier in the conference, celebrity mogul Donald Trump told the gathering he would decide by June if he was running for president.

In the 2010 straw poll, Mr Paul won 31%, Mr Romney 22% and Ms Palin came third with 7%.

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Man charged over Nikitta murder

Nikitta GrenderNikitta Grender was found dead a week ago

A 26-year-old man has been charged with the murder of pregnant teenager Nikitta Grender, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.

Carl Whant will also face a charge of child destruction and will appear at Caerphilly Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Ms Grender, 19, was found dead in her burning flat in Broadmead Park, Liswerry, Newport on 5 February.

She was heavily pregnant with a girl, named Kelsey-May by her family.

Ms Grender, who was two weeks away from giving birth, was stabbed twice and her flat set on fire.

Gwent Police arrested the 26-year-old from Newport on Wednesday.

He is the second cousin of the victim’s boyfriend Ryan Mayes, 18, who is the father of her baby.

Stacey Turner, district crown prosecutor for CPS Gwent, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has been working closely alongside Gwent police as the investigation into Nikitta Grender’s murder progressed.

“We can now confirm that, having carefully examined a file of evidence provided by Gwent police, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence to charge Carl Whant with the murder of Nikitta Grender and that it is in the public interest to do so. Accordingly, we have advised Gwent police to charge him.

“This remains a very difficult time for Nikitta’s family. They have been informed of our decision by the police and we hope to be able to meet with them soon to explain the trial process and answer any questions they may have.”

Det Sup Geoff Ronayne said: “Following the discovery of Nikitta Grender’s body at her address last Saturday morning in Broadmead Park, Gwent Police began an investigation into her murder and a 26-year-old man from the Newport area was arrested.

“A file of evidence has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service. Our thoughts and condolences remain with Nikitta and Kelsey-May’s family at this time and we will continue to provide them with support for the foreseeable future.”

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Six killed in Mexico bar attack

Police and forensic workers stand near a covered-up body outside a nightclub in GuadalajaraA recent increase in violence has shocked people in Guadalajara
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An attack on a crowded night club in the Mexican city of Guadalajara has left six people dead, police say.

Unidentified gunmen sprayed the city centre bar with bullets and threw a hand grenade before driving away.

Police said the attackers were customers who returned to exact revenge after a late-night dispute with other drinkers.

Guadalajara – Mexico’s second city – has seen a sharp rise in drug-related violence in recent months.

The Butter Club, in a wealthy neighbourhood near the centre of Guadalajara, was packed with customers when the attack happened in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Among the dead are a Colombian and a Venezuelan citizen.

At least 20 people were wounded in the shooting and grenade explosion, and some are reported to be in a serious condition.

Guadalajara, in the western state of Jalisco, had for a long time been spared the worst of the drug-related violence afflicting some other states.

But killings have escalated over the past year, as rival cartels fight for supremacy.

Earlier this month gunmen with automatic weapons blocked main roads in the city with burning vehicles in a replica of scenes that have become frequent in some cities in northern Mexico.

On 3 February the US consulate in Guadalajara warned of a “marked escalation of criminal activity” and banned US officials from travelling on the main road to the airport after dark.

The increase in violence comes as Guadalajara prepares to host the Pan American Games in October.

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Balls warns of ‘dangerous game’

Ed BallsMr Balls accused the coalition’s leadership of being out of touch with ordinary voters
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The shadow chancellor Ed Balls has said the government is playing a “dangerous game” with its spending cuts.

He accused David Cameron of taking Britain back to the era of “nasty confrontation” which marked Margaret Thatcher’s years as PM.

Mr Balls told the BBC Politics Show North West, the government was mounting a “real assault” on public services.

It follows Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke’s warning that Middle England did not grasp the scale of the cuts.

In an interview to be broadcast on Sunday, Mr Balls said the coalition’s leadership was out of touch with the realities of life facing ordinary voters.

He said: “I think David Cameron is playing a really dangerous game here.

“People remember the 1980s – deep cuts, trouble in the streets and Margaret Thatcher goading confrontation, blaming local councils,” he said.

“David Cameron is taking us back to those days. I think people up and down the country are saying ‘Look, we’ve moved beyond that, we don’t want that nasty confrontation’. I think he is making a really, really unwise choice here.”

Mr Balls referred to a letter to The Times signed by more than 90 Liberal Democrat councillors – including the leaders of 18 local authorities – criticising the scale and pace of government cuts.

His comments following a warning by Mr Clarke that middle class people were unaware of the scale of government spending cuts that would hit them this year.

Mr Clarke said the coalition should be prepared for political difficulty when Middle England felt the full impact.

He told the Telegraph: “One reason we’re going to get some political difficulty is that [while] the public knows we’ve got to do something about it, I don’t think Middle England has quite taken on board the scale of the problem.

“That will emerge as the cuts start coming home this year. We’ve got to get on with it [but] it’s going to be very difficult.

“If someone says it’s not as bad as all that, I say [they] just don’t realise the calamitous position we’re in.”

Meanehile, a new opinion poll has suggested 63% of people believe the impact of the spending cuts would be felt more by poorer households than the better off – up from 57% in December.

The ComRes poll for The Independent on Sunday and Sunday Mirror suggested almost as many, 57%, thought the government was cutting too far and too fast in its efforts to tackle the deficit – again up from 54% previously.

The company interviewed 2,009 adults in Great Britain online on 9 and 10 February for the poll.

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Elizabeth Taylor in LA hospital

Dame Elizabeth Taylor file picture, 2008Dame Elizabeth had heart surgery in 2009
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Actress Dame Elizabeth Taylor has been admitted to a Los Angeles hospital to treat symptoms of congestive heart failure, her spokesperson said.

The 78-year-old was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for the “ongoing health problem”, spokesperson Sally Morrison said.

It is not clear how long she will be in hospital, Ms Morrison added.

Dame Elizabeth has a long history of medical problems and underwent heart surgery in 2009.

“Her family and close friends are appreciative of the warm support and interest of her loyal fans but have asked that people respect her privacy and allow her medical team the time and space to focus on restoring her back to health,” a statement issued on Friday said.

The actress had been scheduled to attend an award at a benefit gala for HIV/Aids charity amfAR on Wednesday in New York, but missed the event.

An award given in recognition of her support to HIV/Aids work was accepted by Sir Elton John on her behalf.

Dame Elizabeth won best actress Oscars for Butterfield 8 in 1961 and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in 1967.

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Italy moves on Tunisia migration

Migrants from Tunisia on the Italian island of Lampedusa - 11 February 2011The Italian island of Lampedusa has been swamped by the migrants
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The Italian government has declared a humanitarian emergency after nearly 3,000 migrants have arrived in the country in the last few days.

Officials say most of the migrants are from Tunisia, which has seen continued turmoil since the 14 January overthrow of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

The declaration frees up funds and personnel to deal with the influx.

Most of the migrants have been trying to reach Italy in small boats and have been intercepted by the coast guard.

Italian officials said nearly 3,000 migrants had arrived on the island of Lampedusa in the last three days, swamping facilities there. The island is closer to North Africa than the mainland of Italy.

Ferries and planes have been pressed into service to transport the migrants to detention centres in Sicily and elsewhere in southern Italy so their identities can be checked.

On Friday, Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said it was possible that terrorists and al-Qaeda supporters as well as common criminals could be using the confusion of the exodus to enter Europe.

Also on Friday, Mr Maroni and Foreign Minister Franco Frattini requested “the immediate deployment of a Frontex mission for patrolling and interception off the Tunisian coast”.

Frontex is the EU’s border security agency.

The UN’s refugee agency says some of the migrants are seeking asylum from the political upheaval in Tunisia while others are fleeing poverty.

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Algeria, Yemen protests dispersed

Algerian riot police push back anti-government protesters in Algiers - 12 February 2011A heavy security presence contained the protest in Algiers then broke it up
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Anti-government rallies in the capitals of Algeria and Yemen, inspired by events in Egypt, have been broken up.

Riot police in Algiers dispersed thousands of people who had defied a government ban to demand that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika step down.

A similar march in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, calling for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to leave office was attacked by government supporters.

Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak stepped down on Friday after 18 days of mass protests.

Both Yemen and Algeria, like other countries in the region, have recently witnessed demonstrations for greater freedoms and improved living standards.

Protesters in Algiers evaded thousands of police who were deployed in and around the capital city ahead of the demonstration.

Public demonstrations are banned in Algeria under a state of emergency in place since 1992.

Protesters on the streets of Yemen

Anti-government protesters took to the streets of Yemen

The protesters gathered at Algiers’ 1 May Square on Saturday morning.

They chanted “Bouteflika out!” – in reference to the country’s president, who came to power in 1999.

The heavy police presence prevented them from marching to Martyrs Square, about 5km (3 miles) away. Rights groups said hundreds of people were arrested.

By late in the afternoon only a few hundred people were left in 1 May Square.

But the protest’s organisers hailed it as a success.

“We’ve broken the wall of fear, this is only a beginning,” said Fodil Boumala, one of the founders of the National Co-ordination for Change and Democracy.

“The Algerians have won back their capital.”

In Yemen, it was supporters of President Saleh, who has been in power since 1978, who forced anti-government protesters from the centre of Sanaa.

Several thousand protesters had gathered chanting: “After Mubarak, it’s Ali’s turn.”

Supporters of the president, armed with traditional Yemeni knives and sticks, turned up and forced the protesters, many of them students, to flee.

It came after protesters celebrating the toppling of Egypt’s President Mubarak on Friday night were driven out from Sanaa’s Tahrir Square by armed men.

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Deadly Kandahar raid hits police

breaking news

A Taliban raid on the southern Afghan city of Kandahar has left 15 policemen dead, officials say.

Militants armed with suicide bombs, guns and rocket-propelled grenades struck the police headquarters in the city centre around noon.

Explosions shook the area as police and Afghan soldiers fought the attackers for several hours.

Dozens of people were reported injured in the attack on the city, which is the birthplace of the Taliban.

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