Ljs

ljmontilla

? Chris Huhne urges 'progressive majority' to vote yes for AV
? Energy secretary says 'Unite to avoid Thatcher excesses'

Tensions inside the coalition government are at new heights after a Liberal Democrat cabinet minister called on voters to form an anti-Tory alliance in Thursday's referendum on electoral reform in order to deprive the Conservatives of power.

In an extraordinary intervention, Chris Huhne, the energy secretary, has shattered any remaining semblance of cabinet unity by insisting that the referendum is an opportunity for the country's "progressive majority" to back change and avoid a repeat of the "worst excesses of the Thatcher government".

In a joint article in the Observer, signed by Labour's shadow business secretary, John Denham, and the leader of the Green party, Caroline Lucas, Huhne and the others argue that the Conservatives were able to monopolise power for much of the 20th century because of an "unfair" first-past-the-post system.

"Britain consistently votes as a centre-left country, and yet the Conservatives have dominated our politics for two-thirds of the time since 1900," the three say. "On only two occasions in that long century ? 1900 and 1931 ? have the Tories won a majority of the votes. No wonder David Cameron says the current system has 'served us well'."

They add: "For those who weren't well served by the Tory 20th century, fair votes matter. They matter for the millions of voters who suffered the worst excesses of the Thatcher government despite more than 54% repeatedly voting against her."

The remarks from Huhne amount to a declaration of war by one of Nick Clegg's most senior ministers on the Tories' record in government under Margaret Thatcher ? but also an attack on a political philosophy the trio suggest still drives Cameron's party.

They will provoke fury in Conservative ranks, particularly among rightwing Tories who already resent the Lib Dems' presence in the coalition and their influence over policy.

On Thursday, after a campaign that has turned increasingly bitter as the Lib Dem hopes of a yes vote have faded, people will be asked whether they want to ditch the current first-past-the-post system ? under which the candidate with most votes wins ? in favour of the alternative vote (AV).

Under AV, if no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes, the one with the least votes is eliminated and their second preferences are distributed among the rest. This process continues until one candidate has a clear majority.

Cameron opposes change while the Lib Dems strongly back it, arguing that under AV any MP would have to have the support of at least half of the voters to be elected.

The referendum was a central Lib Dem demand in coalition negotiations with the Tories following last year's general election. Recent polls suggest, however, that the no campaign is ahead, although pollsters admit the result is difficult to call because turnout is expected to be low and many people remain undecided.

In an interview with the Observer's chief political commentator, Andrew Rawnsley, Clegg accuses the no campaign, backed by Cameron, of spreading "ludicrous bilge" about AV with the deliberate intention of misleading the public.

Blaming the prime minister and the chancellor, George Osborne, Clegg says that both men "became very worried that the right of the Conservative party would react very badly if AV wasn't defeated and they basically decided to throw the kitchen sink at the referendum".

As comedian Eddie Izzard begins a three-day national tour to promote AV, the Labour leader, Ed Miliband, will also renew his call to voters to back AV. "I urge people who are making up their minds to vote for a system which will make for a more accountable House of Commons, fairer votes and a change in our political culture."

Miliband will argue that the Tories, having failed to gain a Commons majority last May, lack an "electoral mandate" for savage spending cuts and radical plans for the NHS, and will urge voters to reject them in Thursday's council elections and polls for the devolved assemblies. "This week people are being given a chance to deliver a verdict on a year of a Conservative-led government and the willing participation of the Liberal Democrats within it," the Labour leader will say in a speech on Monday.

"Labour has changed as a party since the last election. There is further to go, but we are a party people are coming towards, not turning away from. Thursday is a chance for people to vote for what they value by electing Labour councillors, MSPs and Welsh assembly members."

The Yes to AV campaign will reveal figures on Sunday showing that MPs who enjoy jobs for life in "safe seats" delivered under first-past-the-post earn almost twice as much in outside earnings as those in more marginal seats.

Huhne, Denham and Lucas also lump the Tories together with the British National party as opponents of AV.

Toby Helm

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/apr/30/cabinet-war-liberal-democrat-pact

Adventure travel Nick Barmby BBC International criminal court Health & wellbeing Television

ljmontilla

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office issues travel warnings and advice for British citizens. See the snapshot they paint of the world today
? Get the data

The world is a scary place right now; what with the Japan disaster and the Arab and Middle East unrest. Where's safe to go to? Well, for British citizens, the safety of foreign countries is ranked by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office - the FCO.

The FCO regularly issues travel advice for British citizens, telling them where is safe to go. It's obviously not the only foreign office in the world to do this - the US State Department does too, for instance.

But the criteria are very different. The US issues 34 warnings for its citizens of places where

the US Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff.

So, as well as dangerous places like Iraq, it includes countries like North Korea or Iran, which have no US embassy.

The UK's definition is broader. It covers 53 countries where either no travel at all or essential travel only - to the whole country or part of it - is recommended. It's all about safety. The definition means there are no restrictions on travelling to North Korea for instance - it just doesn't take account of whether or not you'll actually be able to get there.

We thought it would be interesting to take a snapshot of those ratings - reflecting the turmoil in the world today. You can see the result above using Google Fusion tables - you may be able to do better (we had problems mapping Gaza and the West Bank, for instance).

It's a fascinating picture - not only of the UK's world view - but also of conflict, disaster and terror in the world today.

There are a load of caveats. Many of the warnings are against travel to specific regions - a distinction you won't see on the map above. That includes countries like Russia, for instance - where the FCO advises against travel to regions caught up in violence, such as Chechnya or North Ossetia. The FCO also combines Israel and the Palestinian Occupied territories into one travel bulletin.

You can download the full data below. What can you do with it?

Data summary

Download the data

? DATA: download the full spreadsheet from Google Fusion tables

More data

Data journalism and data visualisations from the Guardian

World government data

? Search the world's government data with our gateway

Development and aid data

? Search the world's global development data with our gateway

Can you do something with this data?

? Flickr Please post your visualisations and mash-ups on our Flickr group
?�Contact us at data@guardian.co.uk

? Get the A-Z of data
? More at the Datastore directory
? Follow us on Twitter
? Like us on Facebook

Simon Rogers

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/mar/23/fco-travel-advice-map

Lisa Allardice Obama administration Paul Myners Alliance & Leicester Social care Egypt

ljmontilla

Police appeal for help in identifying others involved in violent disorder surrounding Tesco opening in Stokes Croft area

Two people have been charged following a second round of violent protests against the opening of a Tesco shop in Bristol.

Stephen Carroll, 32, was charged with assaulting a police officer and criminal damage. A 17-year-old, who cannot be named, is accused of violent disorder and theft. The two were among 30 people detained after violence in the Stokes Croft area of the city saw officers and protesters injured early on Friday.

A further 13 men and two women remain in custody, while 12 men have been released on bail pending further inquiries, police said.

The violence, which saw stones, bottles and other missiles thrown, came a week after high-profile demonstrations followed the shop's opening. CCTV images of more than 80 people were issued by police following the first eruption, which came after officers raided a flat in search of petrol bombs they believed were about to be thrown at the shop.

"I am appealing to the community, to residents, and traders and other people whose lives have been severely disrupted, whose property may have been damaged and whose personal safety may have been put at risk by the violence," said assistant chief constable Rod Hansen. "I urge people to study the photographs, and if you think you know any of these people and where they might be, please contact us."

Police said Thursday night's demonstration began as a "good-spirited event" attended by eight neighbourhood beat officers. But the crowd grew from about 250 to more than 400.

Jamie Doward

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/may/01/tesco-protesters-charged-violence-bristol

Democrats Italy Petrol prices West Bromwich Albion Manchester City Milan Baros

ljmontilla

'In the early years I tried leaving many times, but my husband would threaten to kill me and I was demoralised enough to believe him'

When my husband John died from double pneumonia at the age of 54, I was relieved. It felt like a paving slab had been lifted from my head. We'd been married for 30 years, and for the last 10 of those, I hadn't been outside our five-bedroom house in Northampton.

I left school at 15, which most people did in those days, and got a job as a waitress, which I loved. The cafe was next door to a cinema where John worked as a projectionist. I knew from the moment we met he was terribly insecure. He had ginger hair, walked with a limp and had been badly bullied as a child. But I hoped my love would change him. We got married when I was 19, and a year later I gave birth to our first baby. By 28, I was a mother of six.

John was always a heavy drinker, but once we were married, he became violent and controlling. Whenever we went out, he would insist on holding my hand. If I so much as glanced at another man, he would beat me when we got home. We were barred from our doctor's surgery when John punched my GP for asking me to reach down and touch my toes.

In the early years I tried leaving many times, but he would threaten to kill me and I was demoralised enough to believe him. Gradually, it just seemed easier to go out less.

Then one day, as I was walking back from dropping the kids at school, a man tried to attack me. I was crying and shaking when I got home, but John refused to call the police. He thought it was my fault for giving the stranger the eye. I started to experience panic attacks. Some days I'd only be able to take the children half way to school, then it was a quarter of the way. Before long, just putting my hand on the front door knob would set me off. I began to rely on the elder kids to do the school run and my oldest daughter took over the weekly shop.

In some ways, my life as "her indoors" was easier. I no longer had to suffer John's temper if a man cast his eye over me. He wasn't bothered about me staying in and would take my eldest son to the pub for company instead. My days were filled with doing the housework and preparing meals for the kids, who didn't question why I no longer left the house ? they were scared of John, too. Television became my way of keeping in touch with the world, running up and down the stairs was all the exercise I needed. My family had long stopped visiting because of John's behaviour towards them, so I spoke to them by phone.

I was very unhappy. There was a bus stop just outside our house and every day I'd sit in the living room and watch people boarding and alighting, wishing I could do the same. Many times I considered suicide, but the thought of the kids stopped me.

Then John died and a lot of the fear I had been harbouring went with him. A few days after his death, I decided to go to the local shop. I drank a couple of glasses of sherry to calm my nerves and stepped out of the door for the first time in a decade. There was an old bike in the shed and I took that with me ? having something to hold on to made me feel reassured. I dashed in and out of there as fast as I could, not speaking or making eye contact with anyone, but when I got home, I felt elated.

Gradually, I was able to go out without the bike or a drink inside me and I relearned the art of making conversation with strangers. But the years of abuse still affected me, so I started group bereavement counselling. On that first session, I sat trembling until a friendly looking man came over to ask my name.

Bernie was on his own after losing his wife a year before John had died. I instinctively knew that I could trust him. He was shocked when I told him about my decade indoors and was determined to help me make up for lost time.

We have now been married for 16 years and had holidays in Austria, Germany and Cyprus, where we renewed our wedding vows. When people meet me, they struggle to believe I spent 10 years indoors. I have only to think of my first husband to remember how that happened. Sometimes I hover at the threshold of our house and recall how I wasn't able to cross it. The one small step I take from there is all I need to appreciate everything I now have.

? As told to Danielle Wrate.

Do you have an experience to share? Email experience@guardian.co.uk

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/apr/30/i-didnt-leave-my-house-for-a-decade

Peter Beagrie Local politics Tesco Peter Atherton Stock markets Christmas and New Year

ljmontilla

The push for equality stopped years ago. Women need to wake up to what has really happened

A year into the Tory coup, it is no great surprise that Cameron has the confidence to say in public what he really thinks. His "calm down, dear" remark to Angela Eagle clearly gave Gideon a cheap thrill. "Reactionary men think reactionary things," is not a shock. What is, though, is the view taken at face value that this is funny. It reveals the sense of humour of a 70-year-old guy trapped in the body of a 40-something. Icky! We look forward to some cutting-edge Benny Hill quips.

Nick Clegg winced during this discussion. He has his own problem with women. He can't get enough of them. If there there were an election now, on current polling there would be no female Lib Dem MPs, according to the Fabian Society. The men have all the safe seats. A party concerned with any kind of progressive politics has to be embarrassed about this. A party pushing for AV on the grounds we will end up with a more representative way of doing politics looks just daft if it cannot represent half of us.

As I keep saying, we are going backwards. The last election sidelined women as wives. As the Tories secure their position, there is an increasingly public anti-women rhetoric in situ. The mantra of conservative culture that "feminism has gone too far" is ringing in our ears.

Feminism acts as a convenient bogeywoman. It can even be blamed for the wrath of the gods of the free market. So it can blamed for everything from unemployment (Willets) to busting up families (Duncan Smith). We are a busy lot, as this is apparently a full-time operation. But in destroying what Tories hold dear, I want them to point to our great "gains", for when you look at the actual figures on the representation of women in public life for example, these gains are tiny.

The notion of even "the token woman" (PC gone mad!) seems to have evaporated recently. The AV campaigns have been pitiful. Newsnight excelled itself with a film about AV, which featured women doing pottery, whose husbands were going to explain it to them. Sweet. This was then followed by a discussion in which three squashed-up grey men argued with another three squashed-up grey men about fairer voting systems. In Scotland this was topped off by more argument about the constitution, which featured 16 men and not a single woman.

As in politics, so too in business. Given cover by the establishment, it is now perfectly OK to talk about the terrible "risk" of appointing women to the boardroom. The risk, of course, being that they might get pregnant. Some women can be intelligent, but don't worry yourselves about that. Simon Murray, chairman of Glencore, the largest commodities trader, floated at $60bn, offers us the benefit of his wisdom on women: "They have a tendency not to be so involved quite often, and they are not so ambitious in business as men because they've got better things to do." Such as? "Bringing up children and all sorts of things."

It must be our interest in all sorts of other things (Macrame? Meringues? Matriarchy?) that prevents half of the FTSE 250 companies having a single woman in the boardroom? Murray echoes Alan Sugar's remarks on the "problem" of employing women, which are seen by many as simply "realism".

Vince Cable then described Murray's comments as "unbelievably primitive" and talked tough, saying Murray had single-handedly made "the case for tough action to ensure that there are more women on boards and to ensure women's rights in the workplace are properly entrenched". Tough action? Oh Lib Dems, heal thyselves. Tough action means quotas, and you cannot sort out quotas in your own party because its structure means decisions cannot be imposed on local parties. Instead, the most under-representative party of them all has created a namby-pamby "leadership programme".

Quotas, women-only shortlists and any form of positive discrimination are often disliked equally by men and women, but they work. The alternative is waiting for the great promised land of meritocracy to start. I'd give it time. We are in fact still operating in the realms of hundreds of years of male-only shortlists and men giving people that remind them of themselves (other men) promotions. Rwanda has a bigger proportion of women in its parliament then we do. At the current rate of success the Fawcett Society estimates it will take Labour 20 years to get to 50% female candidates, the Lib Dems 40 years and the Tories 400.

The business community is also terrified of quotas, though Norway and Spain use them, and France is on the way. The great fear is that jobs will be given to less talented women, simply to make things look good. What is needed, all agree, are more enlightened attitudes. But quite where these enlightened attitudes are to come from is something of a mystery. Surely they come about by a change in culture, whereby men and women work alongside each other?

The idea that low-"calibre" women (Duncan Smith on Labour's women?only shortlists) will push out presumably high-calibre men is everywhere. We certainly wouldn't want a bunch of low-calibre guys running stuff, would we? I mean, look at the amazing results the high-calibre guys in the banking system have achieved.

This is not about women being inherently better. To say that we remain under-represented in politics, business, law, the academe and most of public life is simply a fact. Many see that this fact needs changing, but also resist the methods by which such change might come about.

Feminism is, in the end, about choices for women. Those choices are not expanding any more. It's not all about being a high-flying executive. Indeed, many younger women, having seen their mothers' generation over-stretched, may well opt out of the having-it-all means doing-it-all scenario. Nonetheless, young women cannot assume that the rights won by their mothers' generation are extended to them. Especially in the field of employment. The push for equality stopped years ago. We have stalled. Women need to wake up to what has really happened.

Listen to Sheryl Sandberg addressing a conference at TED. Sandberg is Facebook's chief operations officer, and talking about the situation in the US, but it applies here too: "My generation, really sadly, is not going to change the numbers at the top. They are just not moving. We are 50% of the population, but in my generation there will not be 50% of women at the top of any industry." This is from a woman in her early 40s who is hugely successful.

This is the context in which we celebrate the marriage of a woman who works part-time to be available for her man. This is the context in which we are voting for a more representative voting system. This is the context in which equality has not been achieved, yet a regressive, conservative establishment is bearing down on women's rights. This is the context in which Cameron tells a woman to 'calm down'.

I say, do the opposite. Dears.

Suzanne Moore

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://feeds.guardian.co.uk/~r/theguardian/commentisfree/rss/~3/k9pvLkr8JyQ/suzanne-moore-david-cameron-feminism

Adventure travel Nick Barmby BBC International criminal court Health & wellbeing Television

ljmontilla

Easter and the royal wedding bank holiday mean an 11-day holiday is possible with just three days off work. From Cornwall to the Caribbean, we pick great ways to make the most of it

Thanks to a late Easter, the extra royal wedding bank holiday on 29 April and May Day all falling in neat succession, many Brits can take an 11-day break ? from Good Friday (22 April) to Monday 2 May ? by only taking three days off work. So how best to use them? We've shopped around for cheap flights and late deals so you can make the most of the bank holiday bonanza. And we've thrown in some shorter breaks and trips in the school holidays too.

INDEPENDENT TRIPS

Food and fun, Marseille

Marseille is perhaps the least French of French cities, with its North African culture and cuisine mixing with the traditional. By day you can explore art galleries, the food markets and the old port, then take a boat trip out to the beaches of the Iles du Frioul. Le Souk (98 quai du Port) does tajines well, or to experience modern Marseille's foodie scene, try Le Moment on place Sadi Carnot (+33 4 9152 4749, lemoment-marseille.com), and don't miss the 1950s-style Le Crystal bar on the Vieux Port.

The New Hotel of Marseille (+33 4 9131 5315, new-hotel.com) is a funky design hotel with rooms available over Easter from ?135 a night. Fly from Gatwick on Sunday 24 April for �72, returning Saturday 30 April for �68 (�140 total) with Easyjet (easyjet.com).

Family beach boutique, Algarve

Sagres in the Algarve is a lively town with excellent fish restaurants, near several pretty beaches, some of which (Praia do Tonel) are good for surfing. Lovely hotel Memmo Baleeira (+351 282 624212, memmohotels.com) still has availability. Here minimalism meets pop art, and there are fantastic sea views. There's a pool too, and a spa. A seven-night stay in its duplex suite from 19-26 April costs �1,120 B&B (�280 per person) based on four sharing through i-escape.com.

Fly to Faro with Ryanair (ryanair.com) or Easyjet (easyjet.com) from Stansted from about �124pp, or from Glasgow, Bournemouth, East Midlands or Gatwick for the same or less.

Clubbing and kayaking, Estonia

If you're looking for an unusual adventure that won't cost the earth, try Estonia. Fly to Tallinn for a day or two exploring the pretty turreted Old Town, interesting nightlife and perhaps stay in Olevi Residence (+372 6 277650, olevi.ee), in a 14th-century building in the Old Town, which offers three nights for around ?165 for two people. Then drive out to Soomaa national park, known as the "Land of Bogs" (it's a far more magical place than the name would suggest). There you can hire a traditional dugout canoe to explore, or go horse-riding, cycling or hiking. Eight nights' half-board at P�nka Puhketalu (+372 52 26 909, ponkaland.com), an Estonian farmhouse close to the park, costs from �204pp.

Ryanair (ryanair.com) flights to Tallinn from Luton, departing on 22 April and returning on 1 May, currently cost about �160.

Beachside bliss, Brazil

Now that the carnival is over, Brazil is all about blissed-out relaxation, and nowhere offers it like Bahia, on the north-eastern coast, land of beaches and bars. Hotel Anima is a simple but stylish retreat on the island of Tinhar�, right by a palm-fringed beach, with pool and sundeck. A nine-night stay with breakfast from 22 April?2 May costs �426pp, based on two sharing through i-escape.com.

Fly with TAP (flytap.com) from Heathrow to Salvador, currently around �900 return. Then from Salvador port it's a two-hour boat trip to Morro de Sao Paulo on Tinhar�.

Orthodox Easter, Rhodes

This year Greek Orthodox Easter coincides with "western" Easter, on 24 April. At this time there will be many ceremonies and events: the locals will eat tsoureki ? sweet braided bread, and spit-roasted lamb, and there will be parties and boiled egg-fight games.

There are lots of characterful hotels in Rhodes Town, or head slightly out of town to the K Boutique Hotel (+30 22 410 96980, kboutiquehotel.com), which has a candlelit pool, outdoor pool and spa, and still has availability, with doubles from ?810 for eight nights.

Fly on Ryanair's (ryanair.com) new route from London to Rhodes, currently �77pp one way departing Thursday 21 or Saturday 23 April, returning for �67pp on Thursday 28 or Saturday 30 April, (�144 total). Flights from Liverpool (on Mondays and Thursdays only) cost about �112 return.

Culture and adventure, Bulgaria

There's a lot more to Bulgaria than low prices. The capital city, Sofia, has a fascinating history as an arts and crafts centre. Invading Ottomans filled it with stunning mosques, fountains and hammams, and there is plenty to entertain a city-breaker on a budget. After seeing the churches and museums, take a day trip to the Iskar Gorge for a picnic before clambering over rocks and into caves; another day hike Vitosha mountain, then look around Bankya, a small city below Lyulin mountain, famous for its natural spa. The luxurious Kempinski Hotel Zografski (kempinski.com) has four restaurants and a spa, and rooms from ?55 a night during the Easter period.

Fly from London with Easyjet (easyjet.com) on Saturday 23 April for �87 one way (or Sunday 24 for �64) and return on 1 May for �148 (or �116 on Thursday 28 April) so �235pp return. Or from Manchester on Saturday 23 April for �61, returning on Saturday 30 April for �146, so �207 return.

Costa del Sol, Spain

The south of Spain may be a popular choice, but there are still flights available for Easter. From Malaga you can play it by ear and set off by bus or car to explore the coastal towns such as playboy central Puerto Banus and windsurfers' favourite Tarifa, then perhaps get the ferry over to Tangier, Morocco, from there.

Easyjet (easyjet.com) flies from Glasgow to Malaga, departing Friday 22 April for �104pp and returning on Sunday 1 May for �100 (total �204pp return). Or fly from Luton on Friday 22 April for �98 and return on Monday 2 May for �121 (total �218pp return).

PACKAGES

Simple life, Zakynthos, Greece

Limni Keri on the Ionian island of Zakynthos is a small seaside village surrounded by olive groves and vineyards (fact: not all Greek wine is rough!), near a beach and a harbour, where you can arrange boat trips to sea caves and other islands. Here Sunvil Holidays (020-8568 4499, sunvil.co.uk) has a special deal to the Markella Apartments, set in gardens with a swimming pool, so a 10-night stay departing 21 April costs from �733pp (based on four sharing), including self-catering accommodation, return flights (from Gatwick with Easyjet) and transfers.

Bargain beaches, Mallorca

A 10-night self-catering trip to Alcudia in Mallorca, with Jet2 Holidays (0800 408 5599, jet2holidays.com), costs �367pp departing from Leeds Bradford on 22 April, and staying in an apartment at the three-star BelleVue Club, with eight pools to choose from. The BelleVue Club is 10 minutes from the historic town centre, with its ruins and markets. The long sandy beach is 800m away. Boat trips can be arranged to Formentor for snorkelling and great views.

Family camping, Tuscany

Contrary to what you might think, it is possible to do Tuscany on a budget. Venue Holidays (01233 629950, venueholidays.co.uk), a camping and mobile home operator, is offering 10 nights for the price of seven in a fully equipped tent, at San Vincenzo on the coast just south of Pisa, for �215 for two adults, two children, arriving on 22 April. Staying in a three-bedroom mobile home with decking and air-con for the same dates costs �383 per family. Flights to Pisa from Stansted currently cost around �225 return with Ryanair (ryanair.com) flying out on 22 April, and returning on 2 May.

Beach retreat, Zanzibar

A trip to Zanzibar will prove one of the most exotic of your life. The island has loads of chilled-out beach bars and gorgeous stretches of sand. The Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort in Nungwi in the north-west of the island is a stylish rustic resort with a thatched bar on stilts overlooking a stretch of beach. It has four pools, and offers dhow cruises, snorkelling and kayaking. Somak (020-8423 3000, somak.co.uk) has a nine-night all-inclusive trip there departing on 22 April from �1,395pp, including flights from Heathrow.

Chocolate and processions, Sicily

Sicily goes all out at Easter, and in the southern town of Modica, Holy Week is celebrated with the Madonna Vasa Vasa (kiss kiss) procession, a parade of statues that are carried around the crowded hilly streets full of baroque buildings. Modica is also famous for its Aztec-inspired, milk-free chocolate which comes in wacky flavours, including chilli.

Real Holidays (020-7359 3938, realholidays.co.uk) has a trip to the nearby Relais Torre Marabino, part of a winery and organic farming estate, with a pool and a restaurant. A week departing 23 April costs �612pp, including flights with BA, car hire and B&B in a double room.

Glacier skiing, Austria

Head to a resort with a glacier, where there is year-round snow cover, such as the Stubai valley in Austria, and you may be lucky enough to ski some end-of-season snow. The Stubai valley is scattered with villages such as Sch�nberg, which make a good base. Glacier access is from Mutterberg, and you can ski the Schlick 2000 area above the village of Fulpmes.

A four-night stay at the Four-Star Hotel Bergjuwel this Easter, commencing 21 April, costs �530pp (based on two adults and two children under 11 sharing). The price includes flights (Gatwick to Innsbruck) and transfers, four-nights' half-board accommodation and unlimited use of three wellness centres in the resort (facilities include swimming pool, Finnish sauna, steam room, bio-sauna and relaxation area). Zenith Holidays (zenithholidays.co.uk).

Culture and wilderness, Oman

Oman hasn't really been affected by the Middle East uprisings, and is a sunny and fascinating escape at this time of year. From Muscat you can take boat trips to see hundreds of dolphins leaping out of the sea just a few minutes out of the harbour, explore the mosques and souks, and drive into the desert to see forts and wadis. Trailfinders (0845 050 5892, trailfinders.com) has seven nights at the Grand Hyatt Muscat B&B, including Gulf Air flights from Heathrow, from �1,099pp, departing on 21 April.

InterRailing Europe

Make use of the InterRail Global Pass, which allows five days of rail travel within a 10-day period, across 30 countries. It costs �230 per adult (or �150 for those aged 12-25) with Rail Europe (0844 848 4064, raileurope.co.uk). London-Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam-Berlin-Paris-London could be a rather fun route. You'll need reservations for high-speed and overnight trains.

Single parent family trip, Sweden

A great new company, The Kids And Me (01892 530193, thekidsandme.co.uk) specialises in helping out single-parent dads ? though single mums are welcome too ? who aren't sure where to take their children on holiday. Group trips (of 10-15) mean you meet other parents in the same position, and get an itinerary of activities to entertain you all. Kids must be at least 10 years old for most of the holidays.

At Easter, there's a wilderness adventure to the Arctic Circle area of Sweden with dogsledding, huskies, cross-country skiing to a frozen lake, fishing and igloo-building. You will also learn how to track wild animals. Accommodation is in a rustic cabin, with one night in the ice hotel at Jukkasj�rvi. The holiday costs �725 for the adult, plus �595 per child, all-inclusive except flights, and departs on 10-17 April and 18-25 April. Flights to Kiruna with SAS (flysas.com) cost around �829 return for one child under 12 and one adult.

UK BREAKS

Family fun, Wales

Cottages4you (cottages4you.co.uk) has 10 properties for under �10pp per night over the Easter period, for seven days starting from 16 April. For example, Llanfair House (property W8844), in Lampeter, in Wales's Teifi Valley, sleeps eight to 10 people and costs �584 for seven nights. The area is great for sea trout fishing, and for spotting kites, buzzards and otters. It lies between the Brecon Beacons and New Quay on Cardigan Bay.

Fine foods, Cornwall

In the new edition of the Lonely Planet guide, author Oliver Berry claims that innovative cooking plus organic, locally sourced and ethically produced food put the south-west well ahead of anywhere else in the UK, including London. Get yourself a top table before the summer rush on a culinary tour of Cornwall, including perhaps Nathan Outlaw's restaurant in Rock (nathan-outlaw.com), Jude Kereama's Pacific rim fusion at Kota (kotarestaurant.co.uk) in Porthleven and those in Port Isaac and Padstow.

Three miles from Port Isaac is Trewane Mill, a former flour mill with high vaulted ceilings, a large veranda, an Aga and a surrounding orchard, which sleeps six and is available for 10 nights from 23 April for �799 (�133pp) with Classic Cottages (classic.co.uk).

Road trip, Scotland

With 11 days, you could explore a large chunk of Scotland. Loops could include Edinburgh-Perth-St Andrews-Scone Palace, hiking into the Perthshire countryside. You could also do Aviemore and the Cairngorms. Or you could start from Inverness, taking in Loch Ness, then the Kyle of Lochalsh and the bridge over to Skye. Pack a tent and you can wild camp wherever you like, or find last-minute hotels and guesthouses on visitscotland.com. For example, the luxury Highland Apartments (highlandapartments.co.uk) overlooking the River Ness in Inverness cost from �110 a night, sleeping two. On Skye, the Gairloch View B&B or Apartments (gairlochview.co.uk) can host four people for five nights for �1,075 (�268pp).

? This article was amended on 14 March 2011. The original said that this year Greek Orthodox Easter coincides with Christian Easter. This has been corrected.

Gemma Bowes

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/mar/12/easter-bank-holiday-spring-break

Environmental sustainability United Nations Highlands Wales Rob Brydon Chalkboards

ljmontilla

Helicopter carrying royal newlyweds leaves Buckingham Palace for an undisclosed destination after black-tie celebration

Married life dawned for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as a helicopter carrying the newlyweds left Buckingham Palace for an undisclosed destination.

After spending Friday evening celebrating at the palace with close family and friends, William and Kate are expected to travel abroad for their honeymoon in the next two weeks.

The destination has been shrouded in secrecy ? the duke reportedly has not even told his bride where they are going ? but speculation is rife over possible choices.

The duke, who has taken a fortnight's leave from his job as an RAF search and rescue pilot, is known to have a deep affection for Africa and would probably be on safe romantic territory if he chose to take his wife to Kenya, where he proposed to her last year.

The couple, who have said they want the media to respect their privacy during their honeymoon, were photographed walking to a helipad and stopping to shake hands with members of staff.

Friday night's black-tie celebration, which started with dinner in the palace's lavish ballroom, ended with dancing into the small hours while Prince Harry gave his best man's speech.

He is reported to have joked about the relative heights of his brother's new bride and the Duke of Edinburgh, his grandfather, whom she was said to have towered over in three-inch heels.

Some of the prominent guests returned to their rooms at the Goring hotel at about 3am as the party at the palace wound down. Prince Harry had announced plans to make an early morning fry-up for anyone with the constitution to stay awake through the night.

Normal service was resuming around the UK as royalists and party-lovers nursed hangovers and republicans breathed sighs of relief.

A family friend of the Middletons, Tony Ainsworth, said outside the Goring hotel: "It has been an historic occasion. After the concerns of getting to the church on time, it all went smoothly. We had a party at the hotel last night that went on well into the evening, so we're feeling a little jaded this morning."

He said the bride's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, made an appearance at the hotel party. "I went to bed around 1am but I heard guests stumbling around at 5am, coming back from the palace, which woke me up."

Other tired but happy revellers included the bride's friends who rushed back to Bucklebury, the Berkshire village where she grew up, to celebrate into the night.

John Haley, owner of the Old Boot Inn in nearby Stanford Dingley, was one of several residents from the village to have attended the wedding and afterwards he threw an invitation-only party for 350 guests in his pub, which is thought to be the duchess's favourite.

He and his partner, Pam Brown, got back to Berkshire to find the party well under way with the beer garden and pub filled with local residents. He said it had been a wonderful day. "It was fabulous, it was out of this world. Words can't describe it." .

Ben Quinn

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/apr/30/royal-wedding-william-kate-leave-palace

The far right War crimes Australia Weir Executive pay and bonuses Entertainment

ljmontilla

Child-assassin drama Hanna may be the movie Red Riding Hood only wishes it were, writes John Patterson, but for director Joe Wright it's just a palate cleanser

The trailers I saw before Hanna this weekend suggested, before his new movie had even began, that Joe Wright is on a different track, to put it mildly. Given that they are deliberately selected to appeal to the audience gathered for the main feature, what other Wright movies can one think of ? Atonement? Pride and Prejudice? ? that might be presaged by trailers for Vin Diesel and The Rock in Fast Five (I guess Furious Five was taken), and the apparently super-homoerotic ultimate-fighting flick Warrior (estranged brothers face off in a mixed martial-arts tournament).

Hanna's not really like that: the story of a purpose-raised teenage assassin (Saoirse Ronan), it's a chop-socky Brothers Grimm tale with big, bad wolves and wicked stepmothers ? Pathfinder meets The Company Of Wolves under the sign of The Bourne Identity, all of it with the occasionally risible feel of a good-bad Luc Besson flick. It's the movie Catherine Hardwicke's anaemic Red Riding Hood dreamed of being, and at first it seems like an odd place to find a poetic populist like Wright.

But one of the movie's many pleasures comes in watching Wright ? who always thinks cinematically ? adapt himself to a comic book-inspired piece of intelligent action trash, and he somehow maintains his grip until about 15 minutes before wrap time, when the cliches of the genre finally encircle and unhorse him. There are some splendid action sequences, but Wright also lets his poetic eye wander on occasion (five minutes of flamenco serve no other purpose than to please the eye and ear), something no director of Euro trash franchises like Underworld or Priest would ever stoop to.

But what initially feels like directorial miscasting ends up proving that Wright isn't just Little Miss Austen/McEwan, that he can throw down with the action-men and deliver a 70%, B-minus kind of thriller with the best of them. I suspect his experience on his first true American movie, The Soloist (a neat entry in that sub-genre of British directors putting their first impressions of America on film), may have soured him on Hollywood for now, or at least made him homesick for more hardscrabble film-making methods. Hanna has more heart and soul and brains than its nearest US equivalent (say, Sucker Punch), but you can hear the impatient ticking of its European producer's watch ? and Wright probably prefers it that way.

If Wim Wenders's 1982 road movie The State Of Things is the classic example of a Euro director returning home after a (perhaps unhappy) spell in Hollywood, then Hanna is in the tradition, but somewhere along the middle of the scale. It shows a Joe Wright in transition, determined to evolve, and Hanna, which is rather hollow at its centre, seems largely a palate-cleaning exercise before he figures out what kind of director he wants to be next.

John Patterson

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/apr/30/joe-wright-director-hanna-film

Executive pay and bonuses Entertainment Laws of football Andy Flower House prices Birmingham City

ljmontilla

Benidorm, one of Spain's most maligned resorts, is reinventing itself with a five-star boutique hotel, Balinese chill-out lounges and swanky gin bars

First of all, I have to admit to a guilty secret: I quite like Benidorm. This is not something one tends to shout from the rooftops, especially polite, chattering-class rooftops, but there you have it.

The experiences you have in a place shape your opinions to such an extent that it's impossible to be objective. For me, Benidorm was the town where, as a young man, I started working in journalism, for an expat newspaper. I would busily scribble down stories by day while exploring the world of flamenco and getting caught up in a passionate and doomed love affair with a married woman by night.

So the 1960s tower blocks with their rusting balcony rails, chip shops, dance halls and pubs are all lodged in a colourful, thrilling part of my memory next to images of stomping feet and breathless midnight trysts.

Which was where I had left them. Despite now living a couple of hours' drive north of Benidorm, in Valencia, I hadn't been back in over 15 years.

And times have changed. Spain's Costas have been going through a hard time lately. Changing attitudes and continuing recession mean that the once-packed resorts like Torremolinos, Tossa de Mar and Marbella are struggling as tourist numbers dwindle.

Is this a mere dip in fortunes or a sign of more terminal decline? Can the Spanish Mediterranean ever return to the late-20th-century boom years?

It was in the early 1950s that Mayor Pedro Zaragoza revolutionised this former fishing village by famously hopping on his Vespa and riding 300 miles to Madrid to get Generalissimo Franco's permission for female tourists to wear their revealing bathing costumes on his beaches. The archbishops were outraged, but Franco acquiesced, and a legend was born as Benidorm became the first seaside town in Spain to allow bikinis.

That aside, Benidorm's success was built largely on two main attractions ? long stretches of near-white sand and a microclimate that guarantees almost 3,000 hours of sunshine a year. These things were pretty much the same as the last time I was here. It was as sunny as ever when I arrived, and crystal-clear waters lapped the beaches as sunbathers ? mostly elderly Spaniards ? lay on loungers beneath the palm trees.

And the tower blocks are still there. Some taller ones have been added ? somewhat sturdier and cleaner-looking than their older siblings. Nothing, it appeared, was very different. The recession was no doubt taking its toll, as a handful of boarded up shops and bars confirmed.

But then ... what's this? A new hotel, the Villa Venecia, with five stars above its door. It is a boutique spa hotel, to boot, with spectacular views out to sea and to the wedge-shaped island that punctuates the Benidorm horizon ? La Isla de los Periodistas.

"We opened a year and a half ago," said employee Tito as he took me to the chill-out terrace, gym, massage room and Jacuzzi. "We get a lot of couples wanting to recharge their batteries." The head chef, Victor Conus Cervantes, from Barcelona, is aiming to get a Michelin star within the next couple of years. "That's the way Benidorm is going," said Tito.

As if by way of confirmation, later that day I had lunch with an old friend, Jorge, at Taita (Calle Primavera 8, +34 965 852 148), one of a new generation of high-class restaurants in the town. Others include El Mes�n (Calle Gerona 5, +34 965 858 521), and Rias Baixas (Plaza del Torre� 3, +34 965 855 022), known for its excellent seafood.

As we sat on the terrace eating crispy grilled duck breast with dauphinoise potatoes, Jorge told me Benidorm really was changing. "Take this place," he said. "Was there anything like this restaurant when you were last here?"

There wasn't. Nor were there Balinese chill-out lounges, designer boutiques or swanky gin bars like the one I'd seen as I crossed town.

Perhaps even more surprising than the town attempting to clamber upmarket is the assertion that it could become a model for sustainable, mass-market tourism.

"Ah, yes, the Benidorm model ? everyone's talking about it," Jorge said. "By building vertically rather than horizontally you get more people in, but you cause less damage to the landscape. Imagine if you had to fit all the millions who come here into low-rise accommodation. It would be a disaster."

I had my doubts. Many would say that Benidorm is already a disaster. But a number of respected architects, including Luis Fern�ndez-Galiano of Madrid's Universidad Polit�cnica, are claiming that the resort is an example of sustainable urban development. Alfonso Vegara, the former president of the International Society of City and Regional Planners, says Benidorm and Manhattan are both sustainable "intelligent terrains".

Perceptions of Benidorm are changing, and much of the impulse behind this appears to be coming from the town authorities themselves. While the resort still caters principally for families and the elderly, the new administration is keen to attract sophisticated and independent travellers. To this end they're targeting students and the gay market, as well as people interested in adventure and sport (the scuba diving is among the best along the coastline).

As part of this programme, last July saw the first Low Cost Festival (21-23 July 2011, festivallowcost.com), a three-day music event with more than 40 acts, including bands such as Placebo and Editors. A sister techno festival, Electrobeach (24-27 August 2011, electrobeachfestival.com), is held in August.

"Benidorm is adapting to survive," a Town Hall spokesman assured me. "In five years' time we will still be the Med's number-one resort."

? Hotel Villa Venecia (+34 902 165 454, hotelvillavenecia.com) charges from ?192 for a room half-board or ?155 B&B. Budget airlines fly to Alicante from several UK airports. Further information from benidorm.org

Jason Webster is the author of four travel books on Spain, and a detective novel set in Valencia (jasonwebster.net)

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/apr/02/benidorm-spain-holiday-new-alicante

Lloyds Banking Group Floyd Mayweather Savings Food & drink Cheryl Cole WikiLeaks

ljmontilla

Movement in the row of false acacia along the field margin catches my eye. I've been aware of the drumming for several days, have puzzled at its unfamiliarity ? a little too long, something of a dying fall rather than an abrupt ending. Is this the source of it? Even at a hundred yards with the naked eye I can see what it isn't ? too dark for a greater spotted woodpecker, though the right size, and no red. A clear white stripe runs the length of its back, wings appear flecked rather than distinctly barred. I'm puzzled, focus my glass.

In the standard field guide only one bird fits ? and its description fits exactly. But there's a problem. On the distribution maps for three-toed woodpeckers, the population of this very sedentary species ends perhaps 200 miles to the east. I find myself wishing fellow diarist and naturalist Mark Cocker were here to confirm and advise, for a certain stigma attaches to uncorroborated and anomalous sightings. Instead, my bird having flown ? in familiar spread-winged dipping woodpecker-style ? I walk over to the acacias. Small patches stripped of bark indicate activity, and a stream of ants up and down the trunk explains attraction.

I'm assailed by insecurity. Perhaps I'm mistaken in what I saw? But the distinguishing features in the good view I had were perfectly clear. I suspect all bird lovers have felt this trepidation at times ? some rushing into assertion, others remaining in a state of perplexity, as I am. What was it doing here? I know something of this region ? have had other experiences like this: a pine grosbeak two years running on the telephone wire, of which I had the longest, clearest view. About that, too, I feel the need to be reticent ? it's a bird of the northern pine forests, not the Pyrenean foothills. Strange pastime, birding! I take stuff to the hamlet's recycling depot. As I arrive, a hoopoe flounces down to the field alongside and, crest outspread, studiously feasts on worms.

Jim Perrin

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/apr/30/country-diary-ariege-woodpecker-birds

Discrimination at work Music TV Children Caribbean World Cup 2022 Ukraine

ljmontilla

The Scottish NHS is not just avoiding Lansley's free-market formula ? it is being boldly taken in the opposite direction

As the infamous "sick man of Europe" that continually tops obesity charts and comes bottom of life expectancy tables, Scotland clearly has unenviable health problems that stubbornly refuse to heal. Thankfully, however, what it doesn't have to deal with is a battle for the very heart and soul of the NHS.

Over recent weeks the future of the NHS in England has rarely been out of the headlines as Andrew Lansley's plans for GP consortiums and the extension of free-market economics in healthcare evoke the wrath of nurses, doctors, patients, charities, professional bodies and even his coalition colleagues. Discussion threads on the Guardian and elsewhere heave with anger and a sense of betrayal.

Many people living in Scotland observe this tussle with a mixture of relief and sympathy. Relief that devolution means Lansley's plans won't apply to them, and sympathy for family and friends down south who will take the brunt of them. Probe a little further and you may even find feelings of guilt.

The provision of free personal care, prescriptions, dental check-ups and eye-tests for all in Scotland has been part of the devolution debate for some time, and you'll often hear English folk only half-joking with Scots about moving north. What they may not be aware of, however, is the SNP minority government's strategic decision to move the NHS in the opposite direction to Tory proposals for England.

It will come as no surprise to prospective voters in next week's Holyrood election that neither Scottish Labour nor the SNP have plans to contract swaths of vital services out to the lowest bidder. But if the SNP is returned to govern Scotland next month, Lansley's Scottish counterpart Nicola Sturgeon will continue spending money on public health and eradicating any remnants of privatisation left behind by previous administrations. This work is already well under way.

Glasgow's Southern General hospital, a neurology and neurosurgery centre of excellence that takes patients from all over Scotland, is currently being rebuilt at a cost of �840m, every penny of which ? if Sturgeon has her way ? will come from the public purse. The SNP was one of the first mainstream political parties to air serious concerns about the long-term value-for-money of private finance initiatives (PFIs), the short-term fix where private companies build schools, hospitals, roads and government buildings, while the taxpayer is locked in to hugely expensive long-term lease agreements.

Obviously, �840m is a lot of money. But there aren't many Scottish taxpayers who would moan about their hard-earned cash going directly to build and equip a state-of-the-art hospital. Only this week, a patients' watchdog in Kent pointed out that the new �225m Pembury hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, will cost taxpayers �20m annually for the next 32 years.

You could argue that it was Labour who started this strategic shift in Scotland, despite an often confused stance on free-market healthcare policy nationally (for the record, Scotland also managed to dodge foundation hospitals). In 2002, the Golden Jubilee National hospital in Clydebank, near Glasgow, was bought for the NHS after it failed to attract patients in its previous incarnation as a private facility. It has since become a hugely successful specialist surgery centre, and the SNP hope to repeat this formula with Stracathro hospital in Angus, which has just been brought back into the public fold following a stint as a public-private venture.

On the ground, Scotland's public-public approach does appear to be bearing fruit. According to NHS statistics, in March 2008 there were over 2,000 Scots waiting more than 15 weeks for inpatient treatment; by November 2010 the figure had fallen to 58. Meanwhile, a new 31-day cancer waiting target set by the SNP government has been substantially met a year ahead of schedule, and a million more sweet-toothed Scots are now registered with a dentist.

Of course, there is far more to good healthcare than targets and waiting lists, and Scotland has its fair share of individual horror stories just like anywhere else in the UK. But perhaps these figures show that sticking with the seemingly old-fashioned idea that the government should run the health service can lead to improvements.

Appearing on a recent edition of Question Time, filmed in Liverpool, Alex Salmond wiped the floor with his three political rivals on the future of the NHS in England and urged English voters not to let the coalition or Labour "destroy your NHS". This may have been electioneering by a savvy nationalist looking to trounce the unionist opposition, but it could just as easily have been the voice of the English patient. For perhaps the first time in England, Salmond got the biggest cheer of the night.

Marianne Taylor

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://feeds.guardian.co.uk/~r/theguardian/commentisfree/rss/~3/nD_hDnSVmp4/scotland-nhs-snp-lansley

Post-traumatic stress disorder Soap opera Comedy Doctor Who Kevin Campbell Christina Aguilera

ljmontilla

The question of whether a digital download counts as a straight sale or a licence threatens to cost Universal Music millions

Last year, global revenues from recorded music fell by 8.4%. A Universal Music Group insider recently told me that its owner, French media group Vivendi, has ordered the label to cut costs by $100m this year, meaning we're likely to see more redundancies. No wonder the label is trying to downplay the implications of a recent US supreme court decision to turn down its appeal of a verdict stating that Eminem and the producers who helped him achieve success should get 50% of all revenue from iTunes downloads ? around three times more than what the label has paid them so far.

The manager of FBT Productions, who first signed Eminem and continues to collect royalties on his music, told the New York Times that this means Universal owes the company $17-20m in back-payments. Considering that downloads of music Eminem (who was not party of the suit but stands to earn millions from it) keep selling, it could cost the label an extra $40-50m in the next five to 10 years. But it doesn't look like Universal's headache will end there. The estate of the late funkster Rick James has already filed a federal class action against the label, inviting other artists to join in, claiming that it should also have been paid 50% of all sales of digital downloads and ringtones.

At the centre of these lawsuits is the question of whether a download is a licence or a sale. A normal record deal today would usually give an artist 12-20% of revenue from sales depending on how successful they are at the point of signing (only the bigger artists get anything close to 20%). But if a song is licensed to be played in, say, a TV show or a film, they receive 50% of revenue. Buying a download on iTunes may make you feel like you own it, but the fact is that you've just bought the rights to play it. And so the court agreed with FBT that the Eminem downloads counted as licences.

Universal argues that it was simply the wording of Eminem's specific contract that resulted in them losing the case, and it's true that standard contracts have changed since the advent of iTunes and now clearly state that download sales count as sales. But thousands of artists signed their deals way before iTunes. If they did so before 1980, chances are they're on a sales royalty rate that is lower than 10% ? some artists from the 60s and 70s were on 4%, minus packaging deductions ? which means they can up their digital royalty rate more than tenfold. It's common that bigger artists, who are still signed to the same label, renegotiate their deals throughout their careers. Those artists will most likely have a clause about digital downloads in their contracts.

FBT is not the first to take a major label to court over digital royalties but, as far as I know, this is the first case not to be settled out of court with the claimants signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to prevent them talking about it. In 2006, the Allman Brothers Band and Cheap Trick filed a lawsuit against Sony BMG arguing that their download royalty rates were insufficient. According to this suit the bands were at the time only being paid 4.5 cents per 99-cent sale. The parties settled. When asked about the details of the settlement a member of Cheap Trick, according to a source, said: "I'm not allowed to say anything about it, but I'm smiling."

Part of Pink Floyd's recent lawsuit against EMI had to do with the royalty rate of downloads. While it was widely reported that the band won the case against the label not having the right to unbundle individual tracks and sell them, EMI insisted the court hearing about royalties be held in private, citing commercial confidentiality requirements. More likely, they wished to avoid setting a precedent for other EMI artists who may have been thinking of taking the label to court.

Some haven't even had to go to court. One artist, who had worldwide hits in the 80s, had a look at his old record contract and discovered that any of his music distributed through "wireless telephony" was considered a licence and so would command a 50% royalty rate. He approached the major label he'd been signed to during his heyday and they didn't even contest it. They paid him ? and made him sign an NDA.

The advice I get from the managers I've spoken to is for artists to check their contracts. Taking a label to court is a costly endeavour, however. In the UK we don't have class actions like the one Rick James's estate is filing and artists with different contracts would have to be considered separately in court, but some UK managers are talking about pulling together to foot the bill for a court action. A series of successful claims could spell a much bigger problem for Universal than cutting $100m out of their budget: it could feasibly bankrupt every record label.

Helienne Lindvall

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2011/apr/29/eminem-download-licence-universal-music

Premier League Tobin tax Lloyds Banking Group Floyd Mayweather Savings Food & drink

ljmontilla

French oil company is to buy 60% of SunPower Corporation, the second biggest solar panel manufacturer in America

Total, one of the world's largest oil companies, is to make a $1.38bn (�800m) investment in solar power reversing a trend that has seen Shell and BP cut back their involvement in green energy.

France's biggest company is to purchase 60% of SunPower Corporation, the second biggest solar panel manufacturer in America, and use it as a new springboard into a renewable sector struggling for competitive edge.

Shares in SunPower surged 40% after it revealed a "friendly tender offer" from an oil company that had been expected to put major new investment into nuclear rather than solar or wind, at least until the Japanese earthquake raised new questions about the safety of atomic power.

"The world future energy balance will be the result of a long-term transition in which renewable energies will take their place alongside conventional resources," said Philippe Boisseau, president of Total's gas and power division.

Total has been raking in enormous profits from oil at $120 a barrel ? but is said to see renewables energy as a useful hedge. High crude prices make alternative power sources more attractive but the solar industry has also been hit in places such as Britain, Germany and Spain which have started to cut their public subsidies as part of wider plans to reduce debt levels.

Total is not an entire newcomer to renewables. It has held a half share in two solar firms since the early 1980's ? Photovoltech and Tenesol. In November Total unveiled plans to build a solar panel manufacturing plant in the Moselle region of France with annual capacity of 220,000 solar panels a year. The oil company will now inject $1bn into SunPower over the next five years allowing the US solar business to "accelerate our power plant and development business," according to its chief executive Tom Werner. SunPower has been hit by mounting competition from lower cost Chinese panel makers but still claims to design, manufacture and deliver the highest efficiency solar products in the industry.

BP and Shell made major forays into renewables but have backed off in recent years. BP shut down its stand alone Alternative Energy head office while Shell sold off a major part of its photovoltaic module production to SolarWorld of Germany in 2006 and then disposed of its solar rural business in the developing world.

Total had been investing in nuclear having acquired an 8.33% interest, in the consortium commissioned to develop the European pressurized reactor project in Penly, France, with EDF and GDF Suez.

The Fukushima plant accident ? coupled with the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident ? has spread a pall of negativity over nuclear energy business.

Terry Macalister

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/apr/29/total-solar-power-renewables

St Lucia Royal Bank of Scotland Wolverhampton Wanderers Jonny Wilkinson Nuclear power Gabriel Agbonlahor

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Data summary

More data

World government data

Development and aid data

Can you do something with this data?

Food and fun, Marseille

Family beach boutique, Algarve

Clubbing and kayaking, Estonia

Beachside bliss, Brazil

Orthodox Easter, Rhodes

Culture and adventure, Bulgaria

Costa del Sol, Spain

Simple life, Zakynthos, Greece

Bargain beaches, Mallorca

Family camping, Tuscany

Beach retreat, Zanzibar

Chocolate and processions, Sicily

Glacier skiing, Austria

Culture and wilderness, Oman

InterRailing Europe

Single parent family trip, Sweden

Family fun, Wales

Fine foods, Cornwall

Road trip, Scotland

Friday, April 29, 2011

Followers

Blog Archive

About Me