Guide to Online Reputation Management
Building a business’s reputation doesn’t take place overnight: You must dedicate time and effort into earning and keeping your customers’ respect. However, in the era of social networking, all that hard work can come crashing down with a few keystrokes from a dissatisfied customer, client or employee. There are steps you can take to protect your brand by using online reputation management. Learn more about how to insulate your business’s brand from lasting harm.
Monday 30 August 2010
A series of calls to a crackdown the most prominent Shia figures in Al-Khobar
A series of calls to a crackdown the most prominent Shia figures in Al-Khobar
 Abdullah Al-Muhanna and Sayed Mohammad Baqer Al-Nasser |
Saturday 28 August 2010
Make My Own Business Website
Make My Own Business Website
PDF | 58pages | English | 2.8M
PDF | 58pages | English | 2.8M
Ship Simulator Extremes-SKIDROW [Full ISO/Simulation/2010]
Ship Simulator Extremes-SKIDROW [Full ISO/Simulation/2010]
![Ship Simulator Extremes-SKIDROW [Full ISO/Simulation/2010]](http://i37.tinypic.com/2qm13fc.jpg "Ship Simulator Extremes-SKIDROW [Full ISO/Simulation/2010]")
Test could predict which mothers will need Caesareans
Test could predict which mothers will need Caesareans
A test which could stop women labouring for hours in the hope of a "normal" birth only to end up with a Caesarean section has been developed in Sweden.
Chile mine rescuers work on 'Plan B'
Chile mine rescuers work on 'Plan B'
Drilling equipment has been brought from Australia to help with the rescue
Beginning SharePoint with Excel: From Novice to Professional
Beginning SharePoint with Excel: From Novice to Professional
Beginning SharePoint with Excel: From Novice to Professional
![Murder, She Wrote [FINAL]](http://i33.tinypic.com/288z49e.jpg "Murder, She Wrote [FINAL]")
Efficient Diary 1.95 Build 92
Efficient Diary 1.95 Build 92
Efficient Diary 1.95 Build 92 | 5.13 Mb
With its unique and powerful flash full-text search technique, you can simply enter a word in the diary to quickly find the corresponding entries! The product has a strong edit function similar to that of Microsoft Word. You can insert various items such as tables, pictures, emotions, URLs or even attachments. You can set the background color, background picture of each diary entry separately so your diary can be rich and colorful. The login password is encrypted by the irreversible algorithm of SHA; besides, the content of the file itself is encrypted so that your private information is fully protected. Except for managing diary entries by date, you can also manage it by hierarchical grouping. There is a Recycle Bin in the software so you do not need to worry that you may delete a diary entry by mistake. It also provides various unique features such as you can specify a weather icon and an emotion icon for each diary entry, can specify importance for diary entries, and can copy and paste diary entries, etc.
Efficient Diary 1.95 Build 92 | 5.13 Mb
With its unique and powerful flash full-text search technique, you can simply enter a word in the diary to quickly find the corresponding entries! The product has a strong edit function similar to that of Microsoft Word. You can insert various items such as tables, pictures, emotions, URLs or even attachments. You can set the background color, background picture of each diary entry separately so your diary can be rich and colorful. The login password is encrypted by the irreversible algorithm of SHA; besides, the content of the file itself is encrypted so that your private information is fully protected. Except for managing diary entries by date, you can also manage it by hierarchical grouping. There is a Recycle Bin in the software so you do not need to worry that you may delete a diary entry by mistake. It also provides various unique features such as you can specify a weather icon and an emotion icon for each diary entry, can specify importance for diary entries, and can copy and paste diary entries, etc.
Time marches on, while with Efficient Diary, we can record our perceptions and experiences along the way. Spend some time with Efficient Diary each day - looking into today's feelings, recalling the memories of the past, and expecting the happiness in the future. A happy life can't be without Efficient Diary!
Why Choose Efficient Diary?
Multiple Interface Styles
8 interface styles are provided to meet your individual needs! They have various tones of color like blue, green or metallic, and have Vista standard and XP standard windows appearances separately.
Easy to Search
Efficient Diary has powerful search capabilities so you can quickly find your information.
Powerful Document Editor
Efficient Diary has embedded a powerful document editor similar to MS-Word, which can be used to write your diary. You can insert pictures, emotions, tables and etc. to make your diary more colorful and vivid.
Information Safety Safeguards
There is a Recycle Bin in this software, you do not need to be worried that you may delete some important information by mistake. The functions of Backup and Restore can help you conveniently save and migrate data.
Efficient Diary 1.95 Release Date : 2010-08-27
Bug fix: the software sometimes can not minimize to the system tray in Windows 7.
Added languages: Korean and French (Canadian).
Other improvements are made and bugs are fixed.
Why Choose Efficient Diary?
Multiple Interface Styles
8 interface styles are provided to meet your individual needs! They have various tones of color like blue, green or metallic, and have Vista standard and XP standard windows appearances separately.
Easy to Search
Efficient Diary has powerful search capabilities so you can quickly find your information.
Powerful Document Editor
Efficient Diary has embedded a powerful document editor similar to MS-Word, which can be used to write your diary. You can insert pictures, emotions, tables and etc. to make your diary more colorful and vivid.
Information Safety Safeguards
There is a Recycle Bin in this software, you do not need to be worried that you may delete some important information by mistake. The functions of Backup and Restore can help you conveniently save and migrate data.
Efficient Diary 1.95 Release Date : 2010-08-27
Bug fix: the software sometimes can not minimize to the system tray in Windows 7.
Added languages: Korean and French (Canadian).
Other improvements are made and bugs are fixed.
Efficient Diary 1.95 Build 92 Fast Download
Multiloading USB Reanimator From EdCop v1.0 x86 & x64 (2010/ENG)
Multiloading USB Reanimator From EdCop v1.0 x86 & x64 (2010/ENG)
Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended Final Includes New Training Video Course To Create Creative Effects 2010
Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended Final Includes New Training Video Course To Create Creative Effects 2010
Friday 27 August 2010
Sony obtains Australia ban on PS3 hack chip
Sony obtains Australia ban on PS3 hack chip
Sony has won a temporary ban to prevent Australian distributors selling a hardware hack for the PlayStation 3 (PS3).
Boeing delays delivery of 787 aircraft until next year
Boeing delays delivery of 787 aircraft until next year
Fed's Ben Bernanke ready to take action on economy
Fed's Ben Bernanke ready to take action on economy
Mr Bernanke said all of the possible policy options contained risks
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke has laid out four "unconventional" policy options to boost the US economy.
Wednesday 18 August 2010
Backgrounds wine
Backgrounds wine
EPS
4 files
12.53 Mb
http://letitbit.net/download/4587.4ffb672b6ae9784cfa3ef0588a05065c/Backgrounds_wine.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/63028383/d77f26b/Backgrounds_wine.rar.html
http://www.10xdownloads.com/index.asp?PID=fdad5e15-08c6-486e-b2b0-1c2c8dcf2105&q=Backgrounds wine
http://downtr.net/a1/Backgrounds%20wine/
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X5 15.1.0.588 DVD With Extras MULTiLANGUAGE
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X5 15.1.0.588 DVD With Extras MULTiLANGUAGE
Wednesday 11 August 2010
Bank of England forecasts a 'choppy' economic recovery
Bank of England forecasts a 'choppy' economic recovery
Mervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England, has warned that the UK economy faces a "choppy recovery" over the next two years.
Mervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England, has warned that the UK economy faces a "choppy recovery" over the next two years.
Chinese industrial growth slows again
Chinese industrial growth slows again
Chinese industrial growth slowed again in July, adding to data suggesting that the country's economy is cooling.
Chinese industrial growth slowed again in July, adding to data suggesting that the country's economy is cooling.
Fresh rains threaten China landslide rescue effort
Fresh rains threaten China landslide rescue effort
More torrential rain is sweeping towards the region of north-west China hit by a massive landslide, forecasters warn.
More torrential rain is sweeping towards the region of north-west China hit by a massive landslide, forecasters warn.
Tuesday 10 August 2010
Common noun
Common noun
Definition: A common noun is a word that names people, places, things, or ideas. They are not the names of a single person, place or thing. A common noun begins with a lowercase letter unless it is at the beginning of a sentence.
Definition: A common noun is a word that names people, places, things, or ideas. They are not the names of a single person, place or thing. A common noun begins with a lowercase letter unless it is at the beginning of a sentence.
Complex preposition
Definition: Complex (or compound ) prepositions consist of two or more words together having the function of a preposition.
Defining Relative Clause
Defining Relative Clause
Definition: A defining relative clause (also called identifying relative clauses or restrictive relative clauses) gives essential information about the noun or noun phrase it modifies, the purpose of a defining relative clause is to clearly define who or what we are talking about. Without this information, it would be difficult to know who or what is meant.
Definition: A defining relative clause (also called identifying relative clauses or restrictive relative clauses) gives essential information about the noun or noun phrase it modifies, the purpose of a defining relative clause is to clearly define who or what we are talking about. Without this information, it would be difficult to know who or what is meant.
Definite article
Definite article
Definition: A member of the class of "determiners" that restricts or particularizes a noun, it is used to restrict the meaning of a noun to make it refer to something that is known by both the speaker or writer and the listener or reader. Articles in English are invariable. That is, they do not change according to the gender or number of the noun they refer to. "The" is the definite article is English.
Definition: A member of the class of "determiners" that restricts or particularizes a noun, it is used to restrict the meaning of a noun to make it refer to something that is known by both the speaker or writer and the listener or reader. Articles in English are invariable. That is, they do not change according to the gender or number of the noun they refer to. "The" is the definite article is English.
Demonstrative pronoun
Demonstrative pronoun
Definition: Demonstrative pronouns are pronouns that point to specific things. "This, that, these, those, none and neither" are Demonstrative Pronouns that substitute nouns when the nouns they replace can be understood from the context.
Definition: Demonstrative pronouns are pronouns that point to specific things. "This, that, these, those, none and neither" are Demonstrative Pronouns that substitute nouns when the nouns they replace can be understood from the context.
Denominal Adjective
Denominal Adjective
Definition: Denominal adjectives are adjectives derived from nouns.
Definition: Denominal adjectives are adjectives derived from nouns.
Dynamic Verb
Dynamic Verb
Definition: A dynamic verb is one that can be used in the progressive (continuous) aspect, indicating an unfinished action. Dynamic verbs have duration, that is, they occur over time. This time may or may not have a defined endpoint, and may or may not yet have occurred.
Definition: A dynamic verb is one that can be used in the progressive (continuous) aspect, indicating an unfinished action. Dynamic verbs have duration, that is, they occur over time. This time may or may not have a defined endpoint, and may or may not yet have occurred.
Exclamative Sentence
Exclamative Sentence
Definition: Exclamative sentences are used to make exclamations. These are also referred to as exclamative sentences or exclamatives. These are used to express strong feelings, strong emphasis or emotion.
Definition: Exclamative sentences are used to make exclamations. These are also referred to as exclamative sentences or exclamatives. These are used to express strong feelings, strong emphasis or emotion.
Reported Speech
Reported Speech
Definition: Reported Speech (also called Indirect Speech) is used to communicate what someone else said, think or believe, but without using the exact words. A few changes are necessary; often a pronoun has to be changed and the verb is usually moved back a tense, where possible.
Definition: Reported Speech (also called Indirect Speech) is used to communicate what someone else said, think or believe, but without using the exact words. A few changes are necessary; often a pronoun has to be changed and the verb is usually moved back a tense, where possible.
Reciprocal pronoun
Reciprocal pronoun
Definition: We use the reciprocal pronouns to indicate that two people can carry out an action and get the consequences of that action at the same time. There are two reciprocal pronouns:
Definition: We use the reciprocal pronouns to indicate that two people can carry out an action and get the consequences of that action at the same time. There are two reciprocal pronouns:
Preposition
Preposition
Definition: Prepositions are a class of words that indicate relationships between nouns, pronouns and other words in a sentence. Most often they come before a noun. They never change their form, regardless of the case, gender etc. of the word they are referring to.
Predicative Adjective
Predicative Adjective
Definition: A predicative adjective is not part of the noun phrase headed by the noun it modifies; rather, it is the complement of a copulative function that links it to the noun. A predicative adjective comes after a copula verb (linking verb) and not before a noun.
Definition: A predicative adjective is not part of the noun phrase headed by the noun it modifies; rather, it is the complement of a copulative function that links it to the noun. A predicative adjective comes after a copula verb (linking verb) and not before a noun.
Possessive Adjective
Possessive Adjective
Definition: Possesive adjectives are used to show ownership or possession. The possessive adjectives are:
Definition: Possesive adjectives are used to show ownership or possession. The possessive adjectives are:
Gender - grammar
Definition: A grammatical category in which a noun, pronoun, article and adjective is masculine, feminine or neuter. Genders in English are extremely simple, and in any case the gender of a noun only affects its pronoun and possessive adjective.
Non-Defining Relative Clause
Non-Defining Relative Clause
Definition: A non-defining relative clause (also called non-identifying relative clauses or non-restrictive relative clauses) provide interesting ADDITIONAL information which is not essential to understanding the meaning of the sentence. It tells us more about someone or something, but do not define it.
Definition: A non-defining relative clause (also called non-identifying relative clauses or non-restrictive relative clauses) provide interesting ADDITIONAL information which is not essential to understanding the meaning of the sentence. It tells us more about someone or something, but do not define it.
Final Storm 2010 movei
Final Storm 2010 movei
Final.Storm.2009 DVDRip-X264 MKV
hotfile
http://wwenews.us/317804
http://wwenews.us/317805
2shared
http://wwenews.us/317806
http://wwenews.us/317807
amonshare
http://wwenews.us/317808
http://wwenews.us/317809
ifile
http://wwenews.us/317814
http://wwenews.us/317815
jumbofiles
http://wwenews.us/317816
http://wwenews.us/317817
loombo
http://wwenews.us/317818
http://wwenews.us/317819
mediafire
http://wwenews.us/317820
http://wwenews.us/317821
MegaShare
http://wwenews.us/317822
http://wwenews.us/317823
megaupload
http://wwenews.us/317824
http://wwenews.us/317825
quickupload
http://wwenews.us/317826
http://wwenews.us/317827
sendspace
http://wwenews.us/317828
http://wwenews.us/317829
sharedup
http://wwenews.us/317830
http://wwenews.us/317831
uloz
http://wwenews.us/317832
http://wwenews.us/317833
usershare
http://wwenews.us/317834
http://wwenews.us/317835
zshare
http://wwenews.us/317836
http://wwenews.us/317837
extabit
http://wwenews.us/317810
http://wwenews.us/317811
filefactory
http://wwenews.us/317812
http://wwenews.us/317813
Single Link
No RARs
hotfile
http://wwenews.us/317838
extabit
http://wwenews.us/317839
ifile
http://wwenews.us/317840
loombo
http://wwenews.us/317841
quickupload
http://wwenews.us/317842
uloz
http://wwenews.us/317843
2shared
http://wwenews.us/317844
filefactory
http://wwenews.us/317845
fileserve
http://wwenews.us/317846
filestab
http://wwenews.us/317847
MegaShare
http://wwenews.us/317848
megaupload
http://wwenews.us/317849
sendspace
http://wwenews.us/317850
zshare
http://wwenews.us/317851
x7
http://wwenews.us/317852
Final.Storm.2009 DVDRip-X264 MKV
hotfile
http://wwenews.us/317804
http://wwenews.us/317805
2shared
http://wwenews.us/317806
http://wwenews.us/317807
amonshare
http://wwenews.us/317808
http://wwenews.us/317809
ifile
http://wwenews.us/317814
http://wwenews.us/317815
jumbofiles
http://wwenews.us/317816
http://wwenews.us/317817
loombo
http://wwenews.us/317818
http://wwenews.us/317819
mediafire
http://wwenews.us/317820
http://wwenews.us/317821
MegaShare
http://wwenews.us/317822
http://wwenews.us/317823
megaupload
http://wwenews.us/317824
http://wwenews.us/317825
quickupload
http://wwenews.us/317826
http://wwenews.us/317827
sendspace
http://wwenews.us/317828
http://wwenews.us/317829
sharedup
http://wwenews.us/317830
http://wwenews.us/317831
uloz
http://wwenews.us/317832
http://wwenews.us/317833
usershare
http://wwenews.us/317834
http://wwenews.us/317835
zshare
http://wwenews.us/317836
http://wwenews.us/317837
extabit
http://wwenews.us/317810
http://wwenews.us/317811
filefactory
http://wwenews.us/317812
http://wwenews.us/317813
Single Link
No RARs
hotfile
http://wwenews.us/317838
extabit
http://wwenews.us/317839
ifile
http://wwenews.us/317840
loombo
http://wwenews.us/317841
quickupload
http://wwenews.us/317842
uloz
http://wwenews.us/317843
2shared
http://wwenews.us/317844
filefactory
http://wwenews.us/317845
fileserve
http://wwenews.us/317846
filestab
http://wwenews.us/317847
MegaShare
http://wwenews.us/317848
megaupload
http://wwenews.us/317849
sendspace
http://wwenews.us/317850
zshare
http://wwenews.us/317851
x7
http://wwenews.us/317852
Your Google stories: the right answer in the nick of time
Your Google stories: the right answer in the nick of time
This is the first in a series of stories from people who have shared how Google has helped them in their lives. Check back the rest of this week for more. -Ed.
This is the first in a series of stories from people who have shared how Google has helped them in their lives. Check back the rest of this week for more. -Ed.
International Power and GDF Suez agree tie-up
International Power and GDF Suez agree tie-up
International Power has agreed a tie-up with French utility GDF Suez, bringing to an end months of negotiations between the two parties.
International Power has agreed a tie-up with French utility GDF Suez, bringing to an end months of negotiations between the two parties.
Frantic search for China landslide survivors in Gansu
Frantic search for China landslide survivors in Gansu
Rescuers in north-west China are continuing a frantic search for more than 1,100 people missing after a huge landslide that has claimed 337 lives.
Rescuers in north-west China are continuing a frantic search for more than 1,100 people missing after a huge landslide that has claimed 337 lives.
Afghan civilian toll rises due to insurgent attacks: UN
Afghan civilian toll rises due to insurgent attacks: UN
The number of civilians killed or injured in Afghanistan has jumped 31%, despite a fall in the number of casualties caused by Nato-led forces.
The number of civilians killed or injured in Afghanistan has jumped 31%, despite a fall in the number of casualties caused by Nato-led forces.
Monday 9 August 2010
Six Shiite residents from Al-Ahsa are still in detention under the pretext of suspending Ashura banners!
Six Shiite residents from Al-Ahsa are still in detention under the pretext of suspending Ashura banners!
According to human right sources in Al-Ahsa, the Saudi authorities are still holding six Shi'ite residents for the sixth month in the row under the pretext of suspending Ashura banners last December during the ceremonies of Ashura.
Sunday 8 August 2010
Fresh downpours hamper Pakistan flood relief
Fresh downpours hamper Pakistan flood relief
More heavy rain in Pakistan is frustrating efforts to help about 14 million people affected by severe flooding in much of the country.
More heavy rain in Pakistan is frustrating efforts to help about 14 million people affected by severe flooding in much of the country.
Saturday 7 August 2010
Astronauts begin key space station repairs
Astronauts begin key space station repairs
Two astronauts are undertaking a crucial spacewalk to make urgent repairs to a cooling system on the International Space Station.
Two astronauts are undertaking a crucial spacewalk to make urgent repairs to a cooling system on the International Space Station.
Foreign medical workers among 10 killed in Afghanistan
Foreign medical workers among 10 killed in Afghanistan
Eight foreigners and two Afghans have been found shot dead next to abandoned vehicles in the north-eastern Afghan province of Badakhshan, officials say.
Eight foreigners and two Afghans have been found shot dead next to abandoned vehicles in the north-eastern Afghan province of Badakhshan, officials say.
Non-Defining Relative Clause
Non-Defining Relative Clause
Definition: A non-defining relative clause (also called non-identifying relative clauses or non-restrictive relative clauses) provide interesting ADDITIONAL information which is not essential to understanding the meaning of the sentence. It tells us more about someone or something, but do not define it.
Definition: A non-defining relative clause (also called non-identifying relative clauses or non-restrictive relative clauses) provide interesting ADDITIONAL information which is not essential to understanding the meaning of the sentence. It tells us more about someone or something, but do not define it.
Interrogative Sentence
Interrogative Sentence
Definition: An interrogative sentence is a type of sentence which usually asks a question and use a question mark (?). They may ask for information or for confirmation or denial of a statement. They typically begin with a question word such as what, who, or how, or an auxiliary verb such as do/does, can or would.
Definition: An interrogative sentence is a type of sentence which usually asks a question and use a question mark (?). They may ask for information or for confirmation or denial of a statement. They typically begin with a question word such as what, who, or how, or an auxiliary verb such as do/does, can or would.
Interrogative Pronoun
Interrogative Pronoun
Definition: An interrogative pronoun is a pronoun used in order to ask a question. Some of them refer only to people, like "who" and others refer to people and objects, etc like "what". They do not distinguish between singular and plural, so they only have one form. Interrogative pronouns produce information questions that require more than a "yes" or "no" answer.
Definition: An interrogative pronoun is a pronoun used in order to ask a question. Some of them refer only to people, like "who" and others refer to people and objects, etc like "what". They do not distinguish between singular and plural, so they only have one form. Interrogative pronouns produce information questions that require more than a "yes" or "no" answer.
Indefinite article
Indefinite article
Definition: The indefinite article is just the opposite of the definite article. In English, the indefinite articles are "a, an, some, any." They are "indefinite" because they do not refer to a particular thing as "the" does, but simply refer to an object or person in a non-specific way, that is, we do not specify exactly to which person or object we are referring to.
Definition: The indefinite article is just the opposite of the definite article. In English, the indefinite articles are "a, an, some, any." They are "indefinite" because they do not refer to a particular thing as "the" does, but simply refer to an object or person in a non-specific way, that is, we do not specify exactly to which person or object we are referring to.
Abstract Noun
Definition: An abstract noun refers to states, events, concepts, feelings, qualities, etc., that have no physical existence.
Examples:
Examples:
- Friendship; peace; romance; humor are all abstract nouns that have no physical existence.
Pakistan issues flooding 'red alert' for Sindh province
Pakistan issues flooding 'red alert' for Sindh province
Friday 6 August 2010
Thursday 5 August 2010
Ramadan demand boosts Vimto maker's H1 profits
Ramadan demand boosts Vimto maker's H1 profits
Soft drinks group Nichols, the makers of purple fruit drink Vimto, said on Thursday it had posted a 39 percent rise in profits on the back of a surge of pre-Ramadan shipments to the Middle East.The fizzy drink, which has been distributed in the region since 1928 by Saudi’s Aujan Industries, has a near monopoly during the Holy Month, when it is used by Muslims as a quick energy boost after fasting.In an eight-week period, including pre- and post-Ramadan sales, Gulf Muslims drink eight months’ worth of Vimto sales, Aujan has said.
Soft drinks group Nichols, the makers of purple fruit drink Vimto, said on Thursday it had posted a 39 percent rise in profits on the back of a surge of pre-Ramadan shipments to the Middle East.The fizzy drink, which has been distributed in the region since 1928 by Saudi’s Aujan Industries, has a near monopoly during the Holy Month, when it is used by Muslims as a quick energy boost after fasting.In an eight-week period, including pre- and post-Ramadan sales, Gulf Muslims drink eight months’ worth of Vimto sales, Aujan has said.
Etihad to launch economy only flights
Etihad to launch economy only flights
Etihad Airways said on Thursday it was ready to position itself as a rival to budget carrier flydubai by launching economy only class flights to selected destinations.James Hogan, the Abu Dhabi carrier's CEO, told Arabian Business that it would launch two economy class only aircraft from October.Two Airbus A320 planes will be reconfigured to carry a total of 162 passengers, an increase of 42 economy seats on the normal configuration.
Etihad Airways said on Thursday it was ready to position itself as a rival to budget carrier flydubai by launching economy only class flights to selected destinations.James Hogan, the Abu Dhabi carrier's CEO, told Arabian Business that it would launch two economy class only aircraft from October.Two Airbus A320 planes will be reconfigured to carry a total of 162 passengers, an increase of 42 economy seats on the normal configuration.
Cicero Blogger template
Cicero Blogger template
Cicero Blogger template is a great and profsional template with Featured Posts.Cicero Blogger template Features: 2 columns , left sidebar, Header Ad Banner, premium Blogger template, menu links, , Read More, Search box.Instructions Page: instructions page here.
Demo Download
Cicero Blogger template is a great and profsional template with Featured Posts.Cicero Blogger template Features: 2 columns , left sidebar, Header Ad Banner, premium Blogger template, menu links, , Read More, Search box.Instructions Page: instructions page here.
Demo Download
Games Review Blogger Template
Games Review Blogger Template
Games Review Blogger Template is a nice blogspot template with 3 columns for games blogs.Games Review Blogger template Features: 3 columns, right and left sidebars, custom fonts, fully widget, easy font and colors customization.Source And Designer : deluxe templates.
Demo Download
Games Review Blogger Template is a nice blogspot template with 3 columns for games blogs.Games Review Blogger template Features: 3 columns, right and left sidebars, custom fonts, fully widget, easy font and colors customization.Source And Designer : deluxe templates.
Demo Download
Remote Blogger Template
Remote Blogger Template
Remote Blogger Template is our new free blogspot template with a fantastic look.Features: 2 columns blogger templates, right sidebar, yellow color, search box, social media icons, nice navigation bar.Designer : blogger templates 4you.
Demo Download
Falcon Blogspot Template
Falcon Blogspot Template
Falcon blogspot Template is a free premium blogger template with two navigation menu, and cool design. Falcon Template Features: 2 columns, right sidebar, 4 columns at footer, search box, Free premium Blogger template.Instructions Page: instructions page here
Key cholesterol genes finding 'may help treatment'
Key cholesterol genes finding 'may help treatment'
Ninety-five different genes which affect cholesterol levels in the blood have been identified by an international group of experts.
The research, published in the journal Nature, examined genetic information from over 100,000 people who took part in 46 previous studies.
It is known that high levels of harmful cholesterol in the blood can lead to heart disease.
Experts said the finding could help develop new treatments.
The genetic variants pinpointed by the studies - produced by experts from the US, Europe and Asia - include some linked to cholesterol metabolism and known targets of cholesterol-lowering drugs.
They appear relevant to European and non-European populations, the researchers said.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
A great deal more research is needed to understand precisely what these genes do and how they interact”End Quote Prof Peter Weissberg British Heart Foundation
One of the studies used to do the research was the joint British Heart Foundation and Medical Research Council family heart study, which involved 2,000 UK families affected by premature heart disease.
Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "The findings in this study, that as many as 95 different genes seem to be involved in regulating cholesterol levels in the blood, illustrate just how complicated the biology is.
"A great deal more research is needed to understand precisely what these genes do and how they interact.
"Although this is just a first step down a long road, the good news is that the more we understand about cholesterol regulation, the more likely it is that new drugs will be developed to prevent heart disease," he said.
Ninety-five different genes which affect cholesterol levels in the blood have been identified by an international group of experts.
The research, published in the journal Nature, examined genetic information from over 100,000 people who took part in 46 previous studies.
It is known that high levels of harmful cholesterol in the blood can lead to heart disease.
Experts said the finding could help develop new treatments.
The genetic variants pinpointed by the studies - produced by experts from the US, Europe and Asia - include some linked to cholesterol metabolism and known targets of cholesterol-lowering drugs.
They appear relevant to European and non-European populations, the researchers said.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
A great deal more research is needed to understand precisely what these genes do and how they interact”End Quote Prof Peter Weissberg British Heart Foundation
One of the studies used to do the research was the joint British Heart Foundation and Medical Research Council family heart study, which involved 2,000 UK families affected by premature heart disease.
Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "The findings in this study, that as many as 95 different genes seem to be involved in regulating cholesterol levels in the blood, illustrate just how complicated the biology is.
"A great deal more research is needed to understand precisely what these genes do and how they interact.
"Although this is just a first step down a long road, the good news is that the more we understand about cholesterol regulation, the more likely it is that new drugs will be developed to prevent heart disease," he said.
Barclays profits hit £3.95bn on investment banking
Barclays profits hit £3.95bn on investment banking
UK banking giant Barclays has reported pre-tax profits of £3.95bn for the first half of 2010 - up 44% on the same period last year.
The vast majority of the profits came from the bank's investment banking arm, Barclays Capital, which made £3.4bn.
Barclays also said it lent £18bn to UK households and businesses over the six month period.
Earlier this week rival HSBC reported first-half profits of £7bn, while Lloyds made £1.6bn.
Royal Bank of Scotland will announce its results on Friday.'Social responsibility'
Barclays chief executive John Varley said his bank had performed well in difficult market conditions.
"Against the backdrop of of subdued economic and market activity and the sovereign debt storm of the second quarter, we have delivered good growth in income and profits," he said.
Mr Varley was keen to stress the efforts the bank had gone to in lending to people and businesses.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
There's no evidence that Barclays is providing a significantly better or worse service to the British economy than its peers”End Quote
Robert Peston Business editor, BBC News
Read Robert Peston's blog
"We recognise our wider social responsibility as an enabler of economic growth and prosperity, and our actions are - and will continue to be - informed by this duty," he added.
Before the major banks began reporting this week, Chancellor George Osborne sought to put pressure on banks to lend more and support the economic recovery.
Gross new lending totalled £18bn, Barclays said, including about £10bn advanced to households and small businesses.
A further £7bn of lending was taken on with the acquisition of Standard Life Bank at the beginning of the year.
Barclays could not provide a figure for net lending, however. The BBC's business editor Robert Peston said there was "no evidence" to suggest that Barclays was doing more to help the economy than other major banks.
"Stripping out the impact of the takeover of Standard Life Bank and of Barclays' increased market share of mortgage lending, loans to retail banking customers - which include small business customers - were broadly flat over the past six months," he said.
"And in corporate banking, which serves medium-size companies, loans and advances to customers in the UK and Ireland fell over the same period... because of what the bank describes as 'lower customer demand'."Bad debts
Barclays was heavily reliant on investment banking in the first six months of the year, with Barclays Capital's £3.4bn accounting for more than 80% of overall profits.
BARCLAYSLast Updated at 05 Aug 2010, 11:55 GMT *Chart shows local time
price
change
%
327.40 p
- -12.45
- -3.66 More data on this share price
The profit figure for Barclays Capital included a one-off £851m gain on the value of its own credit. Stripping this out, profits at the investment banking arm came in at £2.55bn.
Retail banking profits came in at £901m, up from £845m on last year. Meanwhile profits at Barclaycard fell 15% to £317m.
Losses on bad debts fell 32% to just over £3bn, though the bank said impairment charges in Spain - which indicate a reduction in the value of its assets - had increased.
Robert Peston said the fall in impairments would have had a significant impact on profits.
"With substantial profits of £3.9bn it's very difficult to argue that Barclays is doing badly," he said.
"But if you strip out the fall in the charge for bad debts, it's difficult to see that in underlying operational terms there's much growth.
"But we are living in a world of low growth and, in pure income terms, this bank is not doing much better than the wider British economy."
Investors were similarly downbeat over the results, with Barclays shares falling 3% in morning trade.
"The reliance on the investment banking operation, where progress has slowed, continues to cast something of a shadow over the shares," said Richard Hunter, head of UK equities at the stockbrokers Hargreaves Lansdown.
"After a 31% rise over the last month, the shares have succumbed in early trade to some profit taking [but] the general market view remains that the shares are a buy."
UK banking giant Barclays has reported pre-tax profits of £3.95bn for the first half of 2010 - up 44% on the same period last year.
The vast majority of the profits came from the bank's investment banking arm, Barclays Capital, which made £3.4bn.
Barclays also said it lent £18bn to UK households and businesses over the six month period.
Earlier this week rival HSBC reported first-half profits of £7bn, while Lloyds made £1.6bn.
Royal Bank of Scotland will announce its results on Friday.'Social responsibility'
Barclays chief executive John Varley said his bank had performed well in difficult market conditions.
"Against the backdrop of of subdued economic and market activity and the sovereign debt storm of the second quarter, we have delivered good growth in income and profits," he said.
Mr Varley was keen to stress the efforts the bank had gone to in lending to people and businesses.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
There's no evidence that Barclays is providing a significantly better or worse service to the British economy than its peers”End Quote
Robert Peston Business editor, BBC News
Read Robert Peston's blog
"We recognise our wider social responsibility as an enabler of economic growth and prosperity, and our actions are - and will continue to be - informed by this duty," he added.
Before the major banks began reporting this week, Chancellor George Osborne sought to put pressure on banks to lend more and support the economic recovery.
Gross new lending totalled £18bn, Barclays said, including about £10bn advanced to households and small businesses.
A further £7bn of lending was taken on with the acquisition of Standard Life Bank at the beginning of the year.
Barclays could not provide a figure for net lending, however. The BBC's business editor Robert Peston said there was "no evidence" to suggest that Barclays was doing more to help the economy than other major banks.
"Stripping out the impact of the takeover of Standard Life Bank and of Barclays' increased market share of mortgage lending, loans to retail banking customers - which include small business customers - were broadly flat over the past six months," he said.
"And in corporate banking, which serves medium-size companies, loans and advances to customers in the UK and Ireland fell over the same period... because of what the bank describes as 'lower customer demand'."Bad debts
Barclays was heavily reliant on investment banking in the first six months of the year, with Barclays Capital's £3.4bn accounting for more than 80% of overall profits.
BARCLAYSLast Updated at 05 Aug 2010, 11:55 GMT *Chart shows local time
price
change
%
327.40 p
- -12.45
- -3.66 More data on this share price
The profit figure for Barclays Capital included a one-off £851m gain on the value of its own credit. Stripping this out, profits at the investment banking arm came in at £2.55bn.
Retail banking profits came in at £901m, up from £845m on last year. Meanwhile profits at Barclaycard fell 15% to £317m.
Losses on bad debts fell 32% to just over £3bn, though the bank said impairment charges in Spain - which indicate a reduction in the value of its assets - had increased.
Robert Peston said the fall in impairments would have had a significant impact on profits.
"With substantial profits of £3.9bn it's very difficult to argue that Barclays is doing badly," he said.
"But if you strip out the fall in the charge for bad debts, it's difficult to see that in underlying operational terms there's much growth.
"But we are living in a world of low growth and, in pure income terms, this bank is not doing much better than the wider British economy."
Investors were similarly downbeat over the results, with Barclays shares falling 3% in morning trade.
"The reliance on the investment banking operation, where progress has slowed, continues to cast something of a shadow over the shares," said Richard Hunter, head of UK equities at the stockbrokers Hargreaves Lansdown.
"After a 31% rise over the last month, the shares have succumbed in early trade to some profit taking [but] the general market view remains that the shares are a buy."
Pakistan flooding spreads in Punjab and Sindh
Pakistan flooding spreads in Punjab and Sindh
"People here are saying they are not getting help from the army or the government"
Surging flood waters in Pakistan that have killed more than 1,500 people in the past week have spread to swathes of the centre and south of the country.
The UN says four million people have now been affected by the country's worst floods in nearly a century.
Ongoing monsoon rains and the swollen Indus river have caused thousands more to flee homes in its most populous province, Punjab.
In neighbouring Sindh province 350,000 people have been moved, officials say.
The number of affected districts in Punjab has reached seven, and flood warnings have been issued in five districts of Sindh to the south, the United Nations said.
AnalysisContinue reading the main story
Adam Mynott BBC News, Nowshera
In this town in north-west Pakistan, the situation for thousands affected by the floods is grim. Nowshera took the full force of the flood waters as they came surging down the River Kabul, which runs through the centre of the town.
Dozens of people were killed and tens of thousands made homeless. Shock has turned to desperation as little or no government aid has reached the town.
Some food, clean water and medical supplies have been provided by local people, but nothing from the local or state authorities. About 10,000 homeless people have gathered on an open area of ground in front of a technical college in the town.
They are living in tents donated by an Islamic organisation, but in conditions of overwhelming squalor and filth. Things are getting worse every day.
Doctors, helping out under a tarpaulin to give them some protection from the fierce sun, say growing numbers of people, particularly children, are suffering from diarrhoea, skin diseases and malnutrition. Everyday that passes, the situation gets worse.
The human exodus continued on Thursday as yet more torrential rain fell.
In the worst affected areas, houses, shops, petrol pumps and small villages have been submerged.
Fleeing villagers have waded barefoot through water up to their necks and chests, carrying belongings on their heads.
In Punjab, known as Pakistan's "breadbasket" for its rich agriculture, more than 1,300 villages have been affected and at least 25,000 houses destroyed, said disaster relief officials in the province.
In large tracts of Kot Addu and nearby Layyah, water levels were so high only treetops were visible.
In Sindh province, many people were reportedly reluctant to heed official warnings to abandon their homes, even though dozens of villages have been submerged.
At a refugee camp in Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly North West Frontier) province, Tahir Shah, a doctor, said: "Most patients coming to us are suffering from three or four waterborne diseases."
He said these were stomach problems, chest infections and skin problems, caused mainly by dirty flood water.
Meanwhile, weather forecasters warned of further downpours.
"The flood water is increasing at different points and we are expecting more rain in next 24 hours," Hazrat Mir, chief meteorologist for Punjab, told AFP.President scorned
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said about 100,000 people have been rescued.
The army has used boats and helicopters to evacuate stranded villagers to higher ground.
But government and civilian agencies have been struggling to get supplies to the worst affected areas.
Victims have bitterly accused the authorities of failing to come to their rescue and provide sufficient relief.
Particular scorn has been poured on President Asif Ali Zardari because he pressed ahead with a visit to Europe.
Mr Zardari is due to launch his son's political career on Saturday in the British city of Birmingham.
The disaster has piled yet more pressure on a cash-strapped administration struggling to contain Taliban violence and an economic crisis.
Meanwhile, local Islamic charities with unconfirmed links to militant groups have reportedly been stepping into the breach to help flood victims.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has sent a special envoy, Jean-Maurice Ripert, to Pakistan to help mobilise international support and aid flood victims.
"People here are saying they are not getting help from the army or the government"
Surging flood waters in Pakistan that have killed more than 1,500 people in the past week have spread to swathes of the centre and south of the country.
The UN says four million people have now been affected by the country's worst floods in nearly a century.
Ongoing monsoon rains and the swollen Indus river have caused thousands more to flee homes in its most populous province, Punjab.
In neighbouring Sindh province 350,000 people have been moved, officials say.
The number of affected districts in Punjab has reached seven, and flood warnings have been issued in five districts of Sindh to the south, the United Nations said.
AnalysisContinue reading the main story
Adam Mynott BBC News, Nowshera
In this town in north-west Pakistan, the situation for thousands affected by the floods is grim. Nowshera took the full force of the flood waters as they came surging down the River Kabul, which runs through the centre of the town.
Dozens of people were killed and tens of thousands made homeless. Shock has turned to desperation as little or no government aid has reached the town.
Some food, clean water and medical supplies have been provided by local people, but nothing from the local or state authorities. About 10,000 homeless people have gathered on an open area of ground in front of a technical college in the town.
They are living in tents donated by an Islamic organisation, but in conditions of overwhelming squalor and filth. Things are getting worse every day.
Doctors, helping out under a tarpaulin to give them some protection from the fierce sun, say growing numbers of people, particularly children, are suffering from diarrhoea, skin diseases and malnutrition. Everyday that passes, the situation gets worse.
The human exodus continued on Thursday as yet more torrential rain fell.
In the worst affected areas, houses, shops, petrol pumps and small villages have been submerged.
Fleeing villagers have waded barefoot through water up to their necks and chests, carrying belongings on their heads.
In Punjab, known as Pakistan's "breadbasket" for its rich agriculture, more than 1,300 villages have been affected and at least 25,000 houses destroyed, said disaster relief officials in the province.
In large tracts of Kot Addu and nearby Layyah, water levels were so high only treetops were visible.
In Sindh province, many people were reportedly reluctant to heed official warnings to abandon their homes, even though dozens of villages have been submerged.
At a refugee camp in Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly North West Frontier) province, Tahir Shah, a doctor, said: "Most patients coming to us are suffering from three or four waterborne diseases."
He said these were stomach problems, chest infections and skin problems, caused mainly by dirty flood water.
Meanwhile, weather forecasters warned of further downpours.
"The flood water is increasing at different points and we are expecting more rain in next 24 hours," Hazrat Mir, chief meteorologist for Punjab, told AFP.President scorned
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said about 100,000 people have been rescued.
The army has used boats and helicopters to evacuate stranded villagers to higher ground.
But government and civilian agencies have been struggling to get supplies to the worst affected areas.
Victims have bitterly accused the authorities of failing to come to their rescue and provide sufficient relief.
Particular scorn has been poured on President Asif Ali Zardari because he pressed ahead with a visit to Europe.
Mr Zardari is due to launch his son's political career on Saturday in the British city of Birmingham.
The disaster has piled yet more pressure on a cash-strapped administration struggling to contain Taliban violence and an economic crisis.
Meanwhile, local Islamic charities with unconfirmed links to militant groups have reportedly been stepping into the breach to help flood victims.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has sent a special envoy, Jean-Maurice Ripert, to Pakistan to help mobilise international support and aid flood victims.
Naomi Campbell tells Taylor trial of 'dirty stones'
Naomi Campbell tells Taylor trial of 'dirty stones'
Campbell was given a few 'dirty-looking stones' in a pouch
Model Naomi Campbell says she was given "dirty-looking" stones after a dinner attended by ex-Liberian leader Charles Taylor which she was later told were likely to be diamonds.
She was testifying at Mr Taylor's war crimes trial about allegations he gave her "blood diamonds" as a gift in 1997.
Charles Taylor
Model, actress, presidents
Q&A: Trying Charles Taylor
Preacher, warlord, president
The charges against Taylor
Prosecutors had said her evidence could help link Mr Taylor to the stones, which he is accused of using to fund civil war in Sierra Leone.
Mr Taylor denies the charges.
He says he never sold or traded diamonds for weapons.Celebrity dinner
Ms Campbell, who was late appearing in the courtroom, swore on a Bible before beginning her testimony.
Ms Campbell said she was given two or three unprocessed stones after a celebrity dinner in South Africa, hosted by former South African President Nelson Mandela and attended by US actress Mia Farrow and others, including Mr Taylor.
Before meeting him, she had not heard of Mr Taylor or of Liberia.
She said she was sleeping in her room that night when there was a knock at the door.
"Two men were there and gave me a pouch and said: 'A gift for you'," she said.
AnalysisContinue reading the main story
Martin Plaut Africa analyst, BBC News
Wearing a demure cream dress, Naomi Campbell was cool and confident as she gave her evidence, but her evidence is very different from the clear testimony the prosecution wanted from their star witness.
It is critical for their case that they link Charles Taylor to the diamonds - the jewels that fuelled Sierra Leone's brutal civil war.
The men did not introduce themselves. She said she put the pouch next to her bed without looking inside it, and went back to sleep.
"I opened the pouch the next morning when I woke up... I saw a few stones in there, they were very small dirty-looking stones," she told the court. There was no explanation and no note, she said.
"The next morning at breakfast I told Ms Farrow and [her former agent Carole White] what had happened and one of the two said 'That's obviously Charles Taylor', and I said 'I guess that was'."
She said that at the time, she was not aware of any laws on unprocessed diamonds.
She gave the stones to Jeremy Ratcliffe of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund because she wanted them to go to charity, and said when she spoke to Mr Ratcliffe on the telephone in 2009, he said he still had them.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
I didn't really want to be here. I was made to be here... This is a big inconvenience for me”End Quote Naomi Campbell
Extracts: Campbell in court
In a letter presented in court by the defence, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund said it had "never received a diamond or diamonds from Ms Campbell or from anyone else. It would have been improper and illegal to have done so."
Ms Campbell told the defence lawyer, Courtenay Griffiths, she did not sit next to Mr Taylor at the dinner party, contrary to a statement given by her former agent Carole White.
In her statement to the court, Ms White said Miss Campbell and Mr Taylor were mildly flirtatious with each other throughout the dinner.
Mr Griffiths said: "The witness (Ms White) heard Mr Taylor tell Miss Campbell that he was going to send her diamonds. Taylor and his people were staying some distance away, so it was arranged that he would send some men back with the gift. Is that true or false?"
"That's not true at all," Ms Campbell said.
Mr Griffiths said that Ms White said Ms Campbell was excited by the idea of getting diamonds from Mr Taylor, but Ms Campbell denied this.
Ms White and Ms Campbell are involved in a legal dispute, Mr Griffiths said. "This is a woman who has a power motive to lie about you?" he asked. "Correct," Ms Campbell answered.Subpoena
The prosecutor said Ms Campbell was answering questions before they were finished, and asked her if she was nervous.
"No, well, I didn't really want to be here. I was made to be here," she answered.
"So obviously I'm just like wanting to get this over with and get on with my life. This is a big inconvenience for me."
She said she had previously denied having the stones as she feared for her family because Mr Taylor was "someone I read on the internet has killed thousands of people, supposedly".
Supermodel Naomi CampbellContinue reading the main story
Born in London, UK, in 1970 of Caribbean and Chinese descent
Became one of the world's highest-paid models after being discovered as a schoolgirl
Appeared on the cover of Elle magazine aged 15
Has promoted top fashion brands and launched her own perfume line
In 2008, she was sentenced to 200 hours community service in the UK for assaulting two police officers on a plane at Heathrow Airport
In 2009, she settled a legal case with a former maid who accused the supermodel of assaulting her. Ms Campbell denied the claims.
Allegations that the rough, uncut gemstones were given to Ms Campbell emerged in a statement by Mia Farrow.
So-called blood diamonds are stones mined in areas controlled by rebel armies, and used to fund their violence.
Ms Campbell was a reluctant witness and was subpoenaed to appear by prosecutors or risk contempt of court charges.
In April, she told ABC news in the US that she "never received a diamond" from Mr Taylor and did not want want to talk about it. Later, she told US talk show host Oprah Winfrey that she did not want to be involved in Mr Taylor's case and feared for her safety if she were.
Her management company later released a statement confirming she would attend "to help clarify events in 1997".
Ms Campbell has obtained a court order banning the media from showing images of her within the confines of the court building, although the proceedings were televised.War crimes
Mr Taylor, 62, is suspected of selling diamonds to buy weapons for Sierra Leone's RUF rebels, who were notorious for hacking off the hands and legs of civilians during the 1991-2001 civil war.
The trial is in the defence phase, with only a few witnesses remaining to testify. The prosecution rested in February 2009 after calling 91 witnesses, but obtained special permission to re-open their case to present new evidence.
Cannot play media.You do not have the correct version of the flash player. Download the correct version
$render("advert-post-script-load");
Naomi Campbell arriving at the court in The Hague and swearing oath
Prosecutors say that from his seat of power in Liberia, Mr Taylor also trained and commanded the rebels.
He was arrested in 2006 and his trial at The Hague opened in 2007.
Mr Taylor has pleaded not guilty to 11 charges, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, at the UN-backed tribunal.
Tens of thousands of people died in the interlinked conflicts in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Campbell was given a few 'dirty-looking stones' in a pouch
Model Naomi Campbell says she was given "dirty-looking" stones after a dinner attended by ex-Liberian leader Charles Taylor which she was later told were likely to be diamonds.
She was testifying at Mr Taylor's war crimes trial about allegations he gave her "blood diamonds" as a gift in 1997.
Charles Taylor
Model, actress, presidents
Q&A: Trying Charles Taylor
Preacher, warlord, president
The charges against Taylor
Prosecutors had said her evidence could help link Mr Taylor to the stones, which he is accused of using to fund civil war in Sierra Leone.
Mr Taylor denies the charges.
He says he never sold or traded diamonds for weapons.Celebrity dinner
Ms Campbell, who was late appearing in the courtroom, swore on a Bible before beginning her testimony.
Ms Campbell said she was given two or three unprocessed stones after a celebrity dinner in South Africa, hosted by former South African President Nelson Mandela and attended by US actress Mia Farrow and others, including Mr Taylor.
Before meeting him, she had not heard of Mr Taylor or of Liberia.
She said she was sleeping in her room that night when there was a knock at the door.
"Two men were there and gave me a pouch and said: 'A gift for you'," she said.
AnalysisContinue reading the main story
Martin Plaut Africa analyst, BBC News
Wearing a demure cream dress, Naomi Campbell was cool and confident as she gave her evidence, but her evidence is very different from the clear testimony the prosecution wanted from their star witness.
It is critical for their case that they link Charles Taylor to the diamonds - the jewels that fuelled Sierra Leone's brutal civil war.
The men did not introduce themselves. She said she put the pouch next to her bed without looking inside it, and went back to sleep.
"I opened the pouch the next morning when I woke up... I saw a few stones in there, they were very small dirty-looking stones," she told the court. There was no explanation and no note, she said.
"The next morning at breakfast I told Ms Farrow and [her former agent Carole White] what had happened and one of the two said 'That's obviously Charles Taylor', and I said 'I guess that was'."
She said that at the time, she was not aware of any laws on unprocessed diamonds.
She gave the stones to Jeremy Ratcliffe of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund because she wanted them to go to charity, and said when she spoke to Mr Ratcliffe on the telephone in 2009, he said he still had them.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
I didn't really want to be here. I was made to be here... This is a big inconvenience for me”End Quote Naomi Campbell
Extracts: Campbell in court
In a letter presented in court by the defence, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund said it had "never received a diamond or diamonds from Ms Campbell or from anyone else. It would have been improper and illegal to have done so."
Ms Campbell told the defence lawyer, Courtenay Griffiths, she did not sit next to Mr Taylor at the dinner party, contrary to a statement given by her former agent Carole White.
In her statement to the court, Ms White said Miss Campbell and Mr Taylor were mildly flirtatious with each other throughout the dinner.
Mr Griffiths said: "The witness (Ms White) heard Mr Taylor tell Miss Campbell that he was going to send her diamonds. Taylor and his people were staying some distance away, so it was arranged that he would send some men back with the gift. Is that true or false?"
"That's not true at all," Ms Campbell said.
Mr Griffiths said that Ms White said Ms Campbell was excited by the idea of getting diamonds from Mr Taylor, but Ms Campbell denied this.
Ms White and Ms Campbell are involved in a legal dispute, Mr Griffiths said. "This is a woman who has a power motive to lie about you?" he asked. "Correct," Ms Campbell answered.Subpoena
The prosecutor said Ms Campbell was answering questions before they were finished, and asked her if she was nervous.
"No, well, I didn't really want to be here. I was made to be here," she answered.
"So obviously I'm just like wanting to get this over with and get on with my life. This is a big inconvenience for me."
She said she had previously denied having the stones as she feared for her family because Mr Taylor was "someone I read on the internet has killed thousands of people, supposedly".
Supermodel Naomi CampbellContinue reading the main story
Born in London, UK, in 1970 of Caribbean and Chinese descent
Became one of the world's highest-paid models after being discovered as a schoolgirl
Appeared on the cover of Elle magazine aged 15
Has promoted top fashion brands and launched her own perfume line
In 2008, she was sentenced to 200 hours community service in the UK for assaulting two police officers on a plane at Heathrow Airport
In 2009, she settled a legal case with a former maid who accused the supermodel of assaulting her. Ms Campbell denied the claims.
Allegations that the rough, uncut gemstones were given to Ms Campbell emerged in a statement by Mia Farrow.
So-called blood diamonds are stones mined in areas controlled by rebel armies, and used to fund their violence.
Ms Campbell was a reluctant witness and was subpoenaed to appear by prosecutors or risk contempt of court charges.
In April, she told ABC news in the US that she "never received a diamond" from Mr Taylor and did not want want to talk about it. Later, she told US talk show host Oprah Winfrey that she did not want to be involved in Mr Taylor's case and feared for her safety if she were.
Her management company later released a statement confirming she would attend "to help clarify events in 1997".
Ms Campbell has obtained a court order banning the media from showing images of her within the confines of the court building, although the proceedings were televised.War crimes
Mr Taylor, 62, is suspected of selling diamonds to buy weapons for Sierra Leone's RUF rebels, who were notorious for hacking off the hands and legs of civilians during the 1991-2001 civil war.
The trial is in the defence phase, with only a few witnesses remaining to testify. The prosecution rested in February 2009 after calling 91 witnesses, but obtained special permission to re-open their case to present new evidence.
Cannot play media.You do not have the correct version of the flash player. Download the correct version
$render("advert-post-script-load");
Naomi Campbell arriving at the court in The Hague and swearing oath
Prosecutors say that from his seat of power in Liberia, Mr Taylor also trained and commanded the rebels.
He was arrested in 2006 and his trial at The Hague opened in 2007.
Mr Taylor has pleaded not guilty to 11 charges, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, at the UN-backed tribunal.
Tens of thousands of people died in the interlinked conflicts in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Wednesday 4 August 2010
UK music industry 'bucked downward trend'
UK music industry 'bucked downward trend'
The UK music industry grew by 5% in 2009 thanks to an upturn in revenue from concerts, according to a report.
Live music events raked in an estimated £1.5bn last year - an increase of more than 9% on 2008 - the Performing Rights Society (PRS) for Music said.
UK Music sales "stabilised" against a global slide in CD revenues, it added, outperforming DVDs and computer games.
"2009 was simply not a bad year," the report said, given the poor state of the global economy.
It acknowledged that huge record sales by Susan Boyle and Michael Jackson may have bucked the downward trend, along with major live events including Take That's Circus tour.
PRS for Music's findings also revealed that live music revenues continue to be concentrated in London, but the city's share is diminishing.
The UK continued to be one of only three countries in the world whose music exports financially outweigh imported music, the others being the US and Sweden, it added.
Meanwhile, British live music overseas generated an extra £4m during 2009 to make a total of £18m.
Earlier this year, the British Phonographic Institute (BPI) reported that the music industry had registered its first growth in sales for six years
The UK music industry grew by 5% in 2009 thanks to an upturn in revenue from concerts, according to a report.
Live music events raked in an estimated £1.5bn last year - an increase of more than 9% on 2008 - the Performing Rights Society (PRS) for Music said.
UK Music sales "stabilised" against a global slide in CD revenues, it added, outperforming DVDs and computer games.
"2009 was simply not a bad year," the report said, given the poor state of the global economy.
It acknowledged that huge record sales by Susan Boyle and Michael Jackson may have bucked the downward trend, along with major live events including Take That's Circus tour.
PRS for Music's findings also revealed that live music revenues continue to be concentrated in London, but the city's share is diminishing.
The UK continued to be one of only three countries in the world whose music exports financially outweigh imported music, the others being the US and Sweden, it added.
Meanwhile, British live music overseas generated an extra £4m during 2009 to make a total of £18m.
Earlier this year, the British Phonographic Institute (BPI) reported that the music industry had registered its first growth in sales for six years
Chipmaker Intel settles FTC antitrust lawsuit
Chipmaker Intel settles FTC antitrust lawsuit
US chipmaker Intel has settled an antitrust lawsuit filed against it by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Charges that Intel had "illegally stifled competition" have been resolved, the FTC said.
Intel had been accused of "a systematic campaign to shut out rivals's competing microchips by cutting off their access to the marketplace".
Intel is the world's largest chipmaker, making 80% of the microprocessors for the world's personal computers.
There were no details on any money changing hands as a result of the settlement.'Renewed competition'
Intel had been accused of bullying computer makers into avoiding rivals' chips. The practice was said to be harmful to consumers.
It had also been alleged the chip giant had sabotaged rivals' attempts to get their chips to work with Intel's, in what the FTC had said was a deliberate move to "hamstring" competitors.
Announcing the resolution of its action, the FTC said: "Intel has agreed to provisions that will open the door to renewed competition and prevent Intel from suppressing competition in the future."
The FTC said its settlement applied to central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs) and chipsets.
The resolution also prohibits Intel from "using threats, bundled prices, or other offers to exclude or hamper competition or otherwise unreasonably inhibit the sale of competitive CPUs or GPUs".
In addition, the settlement "prohibits Intel from deceiving computer manufacturers about the performance of non-Intel CPUs or GPUs".
At the time when the action was launched, in December 2009, Intel said the FTC's case was "misguided". Other actions
In November 2009 Intel settled a dispute with US rival Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).
Intel paid AMD $1.25bn (£m787m) as part of a deal to settle all outstanding legal disputes between the two companies.
The two firms said the settlement covered all anti-trust litigation and patent disputes.
In December the New York attorney general also launched a lawsuit against Intel.
In that case, New York attorney general Andrew Cuomo accused Intel of using "illegal threats" to dominate microchip sales.
Intel is also still fighting a record $1.45bn antitrust fine in Europe and a separate cases in South Korea.
In July Intel announced net profit of $2.9bn for the three months to 26 June, against a loss of $398m a year before.
And revenue for the period was $10.8bn, as a result of what the company called "strong corporate demand".
US chipmaker Intel has settled an antitrust lawsuit filed against it by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Charges that Intel had "illegally stifled competition" have been resolved, the FTC said.
Intel had been accused of "a systematic campaign to shut out rivals's competing microchips by cutting off their access to the marketplace".
Intel is the world's largest chipmaker, making 80% of the microprocessors for the world's personal computers.
There were no details on any money changing hands as a result of the settlement.'Renewed competition'
Intel had been accused of bullying computer makers into avoiding rivals' chips. The practice was said to be harmful to consumers.
It had also been alleged the chip giant had sabotaged rivals' attempts to get their chips to work with Intel's, in what the FTC had said was a deliberate move to "hamstring" competitors.
Announcing the resolution of its action, the FTC said: "Intel has agreed to provisions that will open the door to renewed competition and prevent Intel from suppressing competition in the future."
The FTC said its settlement applied to central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs) and chipsets.
The resolution also prohibits Intel from "using threats, bundled prices, or other offers to exclude or hamper competition or otherwise unreasonably inhibit the sale of competitive CPUs or GPUs".
In addition, the settlement "prohibits Intel from deceiving computer manufacturers about the performance of non-Intel CPUs or GPUs".
At the time when the action was launched, in December 2009, Intel said the FTC's case was "misguided". Other actions
In November 2009 Intel settled a dispute with US rival Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).
Intel paid AMD $1.25bn (£m787m) as part of a deal to settle all outstanding legal disputes between the two companies.
The two firms said the settlement covered all anti-trust litigation and patent disputes.
In December the New York attorney general also launched a lawsuit against Intel.
In that case, New York attorney general Andrew Cuomo accused Intel of using "illegal threats" to dominate microchip sales.
Intel is also still fighting a record $1.45bn antitrust fine in Europe and a separate cases in South Korea.
In July Intel announced net profit of $2.9bn for the three months to 26 June, against a loss of $398m a year before.
And revenue for the period was $10.8bn, as a result of what the company called "strong corporate demand".
Majority of BP spill 'dealt with'
Majority of BP spill 'dealt with'
Almost three-quarters of the oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico has been cleaned up or broken down by natural forces, the US government says.
White House energy adviser Carol Browner said only a quarter of the leaked oil posed any further danger to the environment.
The majority had been captured, burned off or evaporated, she said.
She was speaking after BP announced its "static kill" procedure was working. Barack Obama welcomed the news.
US Oil Spill
Biggest ever, but how bad?
Timeline: BP oil spill
Controlling a robot claw
Oil dispersant 'not more toxic'
"So, the long battle to stop the leak and contain the oil is finally close to coming to an end. And we are very pleased with that.
"Our recovery efforts, though, will continue. We have to reverse the damage that's been done," he said.A 'big step'
Speaking on the ABC television network, Ms Browner said: "The scientists are telling us about 25% was not captured or evaporated or taken care of by mother nature."
She said the inter-agency report was "encouraging", but added that more cleanup was necessary.
"This is an initial assessment by our scientists in the government and outside the government. We think it's important to make this available to the public. That's what we'll be doing today," she said.
The New York Times said the report from the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration indicated it was unlikely beaches along the Gulf of Mexico would be covered by surfacing oil in the future.
And although the report may claim residents along the Gulf will not see their beaches coated with oil, Ms Browner warns we may continue to see effects from the disaster.
"Mother nature will continue to break it down. But some of it may come onshore, as weathered tar balls. And those will be cleaned up. They can be cleaned up. And we will make sure they are cleaned up," she said.
Meanwhile, BP says the "static kill" of its ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well has worked, a big step towards sealing it.
On Tuesday, the oil giant began pumping a drilling fluid known as mud into the well from vessels on the surface.
Experts believe the mud will force the oil back down.
Workers stopped their static kill procedure after eight hours to monitor the well and make sure it remained stable.
BP said well pressure was being controlled by the pressure of the mud, which was "the desired outcome".
A 18,000ft (5486m) relief well is also currently being drilled, which BP will use later this month to perform a "bottom kill" procedure.
Retired Coast Guard Adm Thad Allen said mud and cement would be injected into the bottom of the damaged well as the last step in the process to permanently stop the leaking oil.
DocumentContinue reading the main story
PDF download Inter-agency report on oil spill[88KB]
Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader
Download the reader here
"There should be no ambiguity about that. I'm the national incident commander, and this is how this will be handled," Adm Allen said
Efforts to kill the well are becoming increasingly important as hurricane season approaches in the Gulf.
Oil began flowing into the Gulf after an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in April. Eleven workers were killed in the blast.
The leaking oil was stopped on 15 July when BP closed a new cap it placed on the leaking well.
An estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil leaked into the waters of the Gulf during 87 days, with only 800,000 barrels being captured.
How the spill affected you and your community? Has your business been affected? Were you part of the clean-up operation? Send us your comments using the form below
Almost three-quarters of the oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico has been cleaned up or broken down by natural forces, the US government says.
White House energy adviser Carol Browner said only a quarter of the leaked oil posed any further danger to the environment.
The majority had been captured, burned off or evaporated, she said.
She was speaking after BP announced its "static kill" procedure was working. Barack Obama welcomed the news.
US Oil Spill
Biggest ever, but how bad?
Timeline: BP oil spill
Controlling a robot claw
Oil dispersant 'not more toxic'
"So, the long battle to stop the leak and contain the oil is finally close to coming to an end. And we are very pleased with that.
"Our recovery efforts, though, will continue. We have to reverse the damage that's been done," he said.A 'big step'
Speaking on the ABC television network, Ms Browner said: "The scientists are telling us about 25% was not captured or evaporated or taken care of by mother nature."
She said the inter-agency report was "encouraging", but added that more cleanup was necessary.
"This is an initial assessment by our scientists in the government and outside the government. We think it's important to make this available to the public. That's what we'll be doing today," she said.
The New York Times said the report from the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration indicated it was unlikely beaches along the Gulf of Mexico would be covered by surfacing oil in the future.
And although the report may claim residents along the Gulf will not see their beaches coated with oil, Ms Browner warns we may continue to see effects from the disaster.
"Mother nature will continue to break it down. But some of it may come onshore, as weathered tar balls. And those will be cleaned up. They can be cleaned up. And we will make sure they are cleaned up," she said.
Meanwhile, BP says the "static kill" of its ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well has worked, a big step towards sealing it.
On Tuesday, the oil giant began pumping a drilling fluid known as mud into the well from vessels on the surface.
Experts believe the mud will force the oil back down.
Workers stopped their static kill procedure after eight hours to monitor the well and make sure it remained stable.
BP said well pressure was being controlled by the pressure of the mud, which was "the desired outcome".
A 18,000ft (5486m) relief well is also currently being drilled, which BP will use later this month to perform a "bottom kill" procedure.
Retired Coast Guard Adm Thad Allen said mud and cement would be injected into the bottom of the damaged well as the last step in the process to permanently stop the leaking oil.
DocumentContinue reading the main story
PDF download Inter-agency report on oil spill[88KB]
Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader
Download the reader here
"There should be no ambiguity about that. I'm the national incident commander, and this is how this will be handled," Adm Allen said
Efforts to kill the well are becoming increasingly important as hurricane season approaches in the Gulf.
Oil began flowing into the Gulf after an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in April. Eleven workers were killed in the blast.
The leaking oil was stopped on 15 July when BP closed a new cap it placed on the leaking well.
An estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil leaked into the waters of the Gulf during 87 days, with only 800,000 barrels being captured.
How the spill affected you and your community? Has your business been affected? Were you part of the clean-up operation? Send us your comments using the form below
Monday 2 August 2010
How to use the present perfect tenses in English
How to use the present perfect tenses in English
When do you use the Past Simple ("I did") and the Present Perfect ("I have done")?The tense you choose depends on how you consider the event. Is it finished, or is there still a connection to the present?
If you use the Past Simple ("I did"), you consider the event or events as finished and in the past. This tense is often used with a time reference: last year, last week, in 1991, this morning (if it's now the afternoon) and so on.
With the Present Perfect ("I have done"), there is a connection to the present.
For example, "I have lived here for five years." (I still live here.)
Uses of the Present Perfect
When the past affects the present
"I've lost my wallet."This means that you have lost your wallet (sometime in the past, but we don't know when), but what is really important is that you don't have it now, at the time of speaking.
If instead, you say "I lost my wallet", people understand that you lost it, but not that it affects the present. They expect you to tell them about the time that you lost the wallet.
We use the Present Perfect tense to show that something has a result or a connection to now. This means that it's used to give news.
"The Euro slips!"(headline)
"The Euro has slipped against the pound again."(news report)
"My sister has had a baby." (announcing news)
Experiences
Your experiences make you the person you are now. We don't use dates and times to give information on what makes you this person.
"I've been to New Zealand." (I know something about New Zealand.)
We often ask questions about people's experiences with ever. For example, "Have you ever been white-water rafting?"
States or activities that started in the past, which have continued up to now and will probably continue into the future.
"I have worked here for five years."
"I have lived here since 1994."
Use since to give the date that an activity or state started and use for to give the period of time the activity or state has lasted.
Recent past
"Have you finished yet?"
"I've already written the report." (Here it is.)
In these type of examples, we often use yet, already still, just and recently.
Note: American English uses the Past Simple instead of the Present Perfect in these examples. For instance, "Did you eat yet?"
Using both tenses in a conversation
"Have you travelled much?"
"Yes, I've been to the USA."
"Oh really? When did you go?"
The first question and the reply concern a person's experience, so they use the Present Perfect. But the second question asks for more information about the experience. Because it refers to a past time (when the person went to the USA), the Past Simple is used.
The conversation could continue:
"Oh really? When did you go?"
"Two years ago. I visited a friend in California, but I only stayed a week."
"Did you like it?"
"Yes, it was a fantastic trip."
How to use the Present Perfect Continuous.
Temporary situations
Like the Present Continuous and Past Continuous, the Present Perfect Continuous is used to talk about activities or states that are temporary, rather than permanent.
Compare:
"I have been the Marketing Manager for five years." (This is my job.)
"I've been working on a new customer database." (This is a temporary project.)
Unfinished situations
"I've been writing letters all morning." (I still haven't finished them.)
"This morning I've written three letters." (They are all finished.)
Repeated and continuous actions
"No wonder you're not hungry. You've been eating sweets for the last hour." (One sweet after another.)
When do you use the Past Simple ("I did") and the Present Perfect ("I have done")?The tense you choose depends on how you consider the event. Is it finished, or is there still a connection to the present?
If you use the Past Simple ("I did"), you consider the event or events as finished and in the past. This tense is often used with a time reference: last year, last week, in 1991, this morning (if it's now the afternoon) and so on.
With the Present Perfect ("I have done"), there is a connection to the present.
For example, "I have lived here for five years." (I still live here.)
Uses of the Present Perfect
When the past affects the present
"I've lost my wallet."This means that you have lost your wallet (sometime in the past, but we don't know when), but what is really important is that you don't have it now, at the time of speaking.
If instead, you say "I lost my wallet", people understand that you lost it, but not that it affects the present. They expect you to tell them about the time that you lost the wallet.
We use the Present Perfect tense to show that something has a result or a connection to now. This means that it's used to give news.
"The Euro slips!"(headline)
"The Euro has slipped against the pound again."(news report)
"My sister has had a baby." (announcing news)
Experiences
Your experiences make you the person you are now. We don't use dates and times to give information on what makes you this person.
"I've been to New Zealand." (I know something about New Zealand.)
We often ask questions about people's experiences with ever. For example, "Have you ever been white-water rafting?"
States or activities that started in the past, which have continued up to now and will probably continue into the future.
"I have worked here for five years."
"I have lived here since 1994."
Use since to give the date that an activity or state started and use for to give the period of time the activity or state has lasted.
Recent past
"Have you finished yet?"
"I've already written the report." (Here it is.)
In these type of examples, we often use yet, already still, just and recently.
Note: American English uses the Past Simple instead of the Present Perfect in these examples. For instance, "Did you eat yet?"
Using both tenses in a conversation
"Have you travelled much?"
"Yes, I've been to the USA."
"Oh really? When did you go?"
The first question and the reply concern a person's experience, so they use the Present Perfect. But the second question asks for more information about the experience. Because it refers to a past time (when the person went to the USA), the Past Simple is used.
The conversation could continue:
"Oh really? When did you go?"
"Two years ago. I visited a friend in California, but I only stayed a week."
"Did you like it?"
"Yes, it was a fantastic trip."
How to use the Present Perfect Continuous.
Temporary situations
Like the Present Continuous and Past Continuous, the Present Perfect Continuous is used to talk about activities or states that are temporary, rather than permanent.
Compare:
"I have been the Marketing Manager for five years." (This is my job.)
"I've been working on a new customer database." (This is a temporary project.)
Unfinished situations
"I've been writing letters all morning." (I still haven't finished them.)
"This morning I've written three letters." (They are all finished.)
Repeated and continuous actions
"No wonder you're not hungry. You've been eating sweets for the last hour." (One sweet after another.)
Learn English Prepositions and Verbs
Learn English Prepositions and Verbs
apologise for something"She apologised for being late."
ask someone to do something"She asked him to do the shopping for her."
ask someone for something"She asked her boss for a day off."
believe in"I believe in hard work."
belong to"This pen belongs to me."
blame someone for doing something"He blamed her for driving too fast."
blame something on someone"He blamed the accident on her."
borrow something from someone"He borrowed some money from the bank."
care about something"I don't care about money."
care for someone"She really cares for her grandmother."
take care of something / someone"Please take care of yourself on holiday."
complain to someone (about something)"He complained to her about the food."
concentrate on something"The student concentrated on her homework."
congratulate someone on doing something"He congratulated her on passing her exam."
consist of something"The department consists of five people."
depend on someone"She depended on her friends for support."
apologise for something"She apologised for being late."
ask someone to do something"She asked him to do the shopping for her."
ask someone for something"She asked her boss for a day off."
believe in"I believe in hard work."
belong to"This pen belongs to me."
blame someone for doing something"He blamed her for driving too fast."
blame something on someone"He blamed the accident on her."
borrow something from someone"He borrowed some money from the bank."
care about something"I don't care about money."
care for someone"She really cares for her grandmother."
take care of something / someone"Please take care of yourself on holiday."
complain to someone (about something)"He complained to her about the food."
concentrate on something"The student concentrated on her homework."
congratulate someone on doing something"He congratulated her on passing her exam."
consist of something"The department consists of five people."
depend on someone"She depended on her friends for support."
Pronouns - personal pronouns
Pronouns - personal pronouns
Pronouns
are words we use in the place of a full noun.
We have both subject and object pronouns:
Subject
Object
Iyouhesheitweyouthey
meyouhimheritusyouthem
We use he/him to refer to men, and she/her to refer to women. When we are not sure if we are talking about a man or a woman we use they/them.
This is Jack. He’s my brother. I don’t think you have met him.This is Angela. She’s my sister. Have you met her before?Talk to a friend. Ask them to help you.You could go to a doctor. They might help you.
Subject pronouns
We use subject pronouns as subject of the verb:
I like your dress.You are late.He is my friendIt is rainingShe is on holidayWe live in England.They come from London.
Warning
Remember: English clauses always have a subject:
His father has just retired. Was a teacher. > He was a teacher.I’m waiting for my wife. Is late. > She is late.
If there is no other subject we use it or there. We call this a dummy subject.
Object pronouns
We use object pronouns:
• as the object of the verb:
Can you help me please?I can see you.She doesn’t like him.I saw her in town today.We saw them in town yesterday, but they didn’t see us.
• after prepositions:
She is waiting for me.I’ll get it for you.Give it to him.Why are you looking at her?Don’t take it from us.I’ll speak to them.
Pronouns
are words we use in the place of a full noun.
We have both subject and object pronouns:
Subject
Object
Iyouhesheitweyouthey
meyouhimheritusyouthem
We use he/him to refer to men, and she/her to refer to women. When we are not sure if we are talking about a man or a woman we use they/them.
This is Jack. He’s my brother. I don’t think you have met him.This is Angela. She’s my sister. Have you met her before?Talk to a friend. Ask them to help you.You could go to a doctor. They might help you.
Subject pronouns
We use subject pronouns as subject of the verb:
I like your dress.You are late.He is my friendIt is rainingShe is on holidayWe live in England.They come from London.
Warning
Remember: English clauses always have a subject:
His father has just retired. Was a teacher. > He was a teacher.I’m waiting for my wife. Is late. > She is late.
If there is no other subject we use it or there. We call this a dummy subject.
Object pronouns
We use object pronouns:
• as the object of the verb:
Can you help me please?I can see you.She doesn’t like him.I saw her in town today.We saw them in town yesterday, but they didn’t see us.
• after prepositions:
She is waiting for me.I’ll get it for you.Give it to him.Why are you looking at her?Don’t take it from us.I’ll speak to them.
Microsoft to releases security patch for shortcut bug
Microsoft to releases security patch for shortcut bug
Microsoft is issuing an urgent security update to fix a flaw in the way Windows handles shortcuts.
The bug means that attackers can craft booby-trapped shortcuts that allow them to take over a target computer.
Many users set up shortcuts to get to programs and places in Windows that they use regularly.
Microsoft said it was releasing the patch because it had seen an increase in the number of attacks on the vulnerability.
The patch will be released on 2 August at 1800 BST (1000 PDT). The fix will be sent out to those that automatically update their machines. It will also be available via the Windows Update site.
Related stories
Hackers target XP support system
Microsoft debuts 'fix it' program
The flaw was found in mid-July and allows malicious hackers to embed commands in shortcuts that are executed when that quick link is used or viewed. Every version of Windows is vulnerable to the flaw.
The first exploits of the flaw were seeded via infected USB drives and network connections. While exploitation of the flaw was limited initially, the tempo of attacks via the bug has escalated since it was discovered and publicised.
Early attacks using the bug were aimed at the software control systems for critical infrastructure such as power stations.
Microsoft is signalling the severity of the problem by releasing an update outside its usual patch cycle. Security fixes are usually issued on the second Tuesday of every month.
Christopher Budd, senior security response manager at Microsoft, wrote on the company's security blog: "We're able to confirm that, in the past few days, we've seen an increase in attempts to exploit the vulnerability".
Microsoft is issuing an urgent security update to fix a flaw in the way Windows handles shortcuts.
The bug means that attackers can craft booby-trapped shortcuts that allow them to take over a target computer.
Many users set up shortcuts to get to programs and places in Windows that they use regularly.
Microsoft said it was releasing the patch because it had seen an increase in the number of attacks on the vulnerability.
The patch will be released on 2 August at 1800 BST (1000 PDT). The fix will be sent out to those that automatically update their machines. It will also be available via the Windows Update site.
Related stories
Hackers target XP support system
Microsoft debuts 'fix it' program
The flaw was found in mid-July and allows malicious hackers to embed commands in shortcuts that are executed when that quick link is used or viewed. Every version of Windows is vulnerable to the flaw.
The first exploits of the flaw were seeded via infected USB drives and network connections. While exploitation of the flaw was limited initially, the tempo of attacks via the bug has escalated since it was discovered and publicised.
Early attacks using the bug were aimed at the software control systems for critical infrastructure such as power stations.
Microsoft is signalling the severity of the problem by releasing an update outside its usual patch cycle. Security fixes are usually issued on the second Tuesday of every month.
Christopher Budd, senior security response manager at Microsoft, wrote on the company's security blog: "We're able to confirm that, in the past few days, we've seen an increase in attempts to exploit the vulnerability".
'One killed' after rockets strike Jordan and Israel
'One killed' after rockets strike Jordan and Israel
Local police visit the site of a rocket attack in the Eilat area
One man has been killed and three other people injured when a rocket landed in the Jordanian port city of Aqaba, reports say.
According to Israeli police, the rocket was targeted at the nearby Israeli resort of Eilat and was one of at least five fired from Egypt's Sinai desert.
Egypt has denied that its territory was used to launch the apparent attack.
Rocket attacks on Israel usually come from Gaza and it is rare for such an attack to come from the Sinai desert.
AnalysisContinue reading the main story
Wyre Davies BBC News, Jerusalem
Although militant activity against Eilat and other "targets" in southern Israel is less frequent than elsewhere, the area is Israel's vulnerable, soft underbelly.
Despite devastating bombing campaigns against Israelis and foreigners a few years ago, the region remains popular.
Earlier this year, intelligence reports that Islamic militants in the Sinai were planning to abduct tourists brought a warning from Israel that its nationals should avoid travelling there. While many ignored that advice, thousands are holidaying in Eilat.
Given the geography of the region - with the borders of Israel, Egypt and Jordan converging at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba - Eilat is nonetheless vulnerable to attack from militants operating in the Sinai.
Israel believes there is a growing problem in the area, with increased militant activity, weapons smuggling and illegal immigration. Hence, Israel is building a huge fence along its border with Egypt and has urged the Egyptian authorities to deal with militant groups operating from its territory.
Jordan's Interior Minister Nayef Qadai earlier told the AFP news agency: "A Grad rocket fell in the street in Aqaba, near to the Intercontinental hotel, destroying two cars and injuring four people, one of them seriously."
But later a security official said a 51-year-old taxi driver had died as a result of his injuries.
Israeli media and police reported that some of the rockets fell into the Red Sea and others in open spaces near Eilat. There were no casualties there as a result of the apparent attack.
Eilat, which is a popular tourist resort, has largely been spared from rocket and other attacks.
In April, rockets were fired toward Eilat and Aqaba from Egypt's Sinai peninsula, an area from which Islamist militants have operated in the past. No-one was injured in that attack and the source of the firing was never established.
Eilat was hit in January 2007 by a suicide bomber, killing three people.
Israel has recently warned of increased militant activity in the Sinai peninsula and has advised its citizens against travelling there, says the BBC's Wyre Davies in Jerusalem.Hamas home hit
An Egyptian official said his country had a heavy security presence in the Sinai peninsula, particularly close to the border, and that no suspicious activity had been reported anywhere in the area.
However, the Egyptian denial will be viewed sceptically by those who know the area, our correspondent says.
The government is in dispute, and sometimes conflict, with the Bedouin who live there. The Bedouin use their local knowledge to engage in widespread smuggling and are suspected of having helped those who carried out previous attacks in the area, he says.
Earlier on Monday, a large explosion at the Gaza home of a senior Hamas commander injured more than 20 people. Israel has denied any involvement.
Hamas sources told the BBC the blast hit the home of Alaa al-Danaf. He reportedly survived the blast unharmed, but his brother Abed was injured.
The explosion destroyed the house and badly damaged several nearby houses.
On Friday and Saturday night, Israeli planes launched air strikes against Hamas positions in Gaza, killing one person.
Israeli said this was in retaliation for an earlier attack from within the Palestinian territory when a rocket landed in the Israeli city of Ashkelon, without causing serious casualties.
Local police visit the site of a rocket attack in the Eilat area
One man has been killed and three other people injured when a rocket landed in the Jordanian port city of Aqaba, reports say.
According to Israeli police, the rocket was targeted at the nearby Israeli resort of Eilat and was one of at least five fired from Egypt's Sinai desert.
Egypt has denied that its territory was used to launch the apparent attack.
Rocket attacks on Israel usually come from Gaza and it is rare for such an attack to come from the Sinai desert.
AnalysisContinue reading the main story
Wyre Davies BBC News, Jerusalem
Although militant activity against Eilat and other "targets" in southern Israel is less frequent than elsewhere, the area is Israel's vulnerable, soft underbelly.
Despite devastating bombing campaigns against Israelis and foreigners a few years ago, the region remains popular.
Earlier this year, intelligence reports that Islamic militants in the Sinai were planning to abduct tourists brought a warning from Israel that its nationals should avoid travelling there. While many ignored that advice, thousands are holidaying in Eilat.
Given the geography of the region - with the borders of Israel, Egypt and Jordan converging at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba - Eilat is nonetheless vulnerable to attack from militants operating in the Sinai.
Israel believes there is a growing problem in the area, with increased militant activity, weapons smuggling and illegal immigration. Hence, Israel is building a huge fence along its border with Egypt and has urged the Egyptian authorities to deal with militant groups operating from its territory.
Jordan's Interior Minister Nayef Qadai earlier told the AFP news agency: "A Grad rocket fell in the street in Aqaba, near to the Intercontinental hotel, destroying two cars and injuring four people, one of them seriously."
But later a security official said a 51-year-old taxi driver had died as a result of his injuries.
Israeli media and police reported that some of the rockets fell into the Red Sea and others in open spaces near Eilat. There were no casualties there as a result of the apparent attack.
Eilat, which is a popular tourist resort, has largely been spared from rocket and other attacks.
In April, rockets were fired toward Eilat and Aqaba from Egypt's Sinai peninsula, an area from which Islamist militants have operated in the past. No-one was injured in that attack and the source of the firing was never established.
Eilat was hit in January 2007 by a suicide bomber, killing three people.
Israel has recently warned of increased militant activity in the Sinai peninsula and has advised its citizens against travelling there, says the BBC's Wyre Davies in Jerusalem.Hamas home hit
An Egyptian official said his country had a heavy security presence in the Sinai peninsula, particularly close to the border, and that no suspicious activity had been reported anywhere in the area.
However, the Egyptian denial will be viewed sceptically by those who know the area, our correspondent says.
The government is in dispute, and sometimes conflict, with the Bedouin who live there. The Bedouin use their local knowledge to engage in widespread smuggling and are suspected of having helped those who carried out previous attacks in the area, he says.
Earlier on Monday, a large explosion at the Gaza home of a senior Hamas commander injured more than 20 people. Israel has denied any involvement.
Hamas sources told the BBC the blast hit the home of Alaa al-Danaf. He reportedly survived the blast unharmed, but his brother Abed was injured.
The explosion destroyed the house and badly damaged several nearby houses.
On Friday and Saturday night, Israeli planes launched air strikes against Hamas positions in Gaza, killing one person.
Israeli said this was in retaliation for an earlier attack from within the Palestinian territory when a rocket landed in the Israeli city of Ashkelon, without causing serious casualties.
Russia declares state of emergency over wildfires
Russia declares state of emergency over wildfires
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has declared a state of emergency in seven Russian regions because of wildfires fuelled by a heatwave.
The death toll from the fires has risen to 40, the ministry of health said.
The Russian emergencies ministry said 500 new blazes had been discovered over a 24-hour period, but most had been extinguished.
Homes have been burnt in 14 regions of Russia, the worst-hit being Nizhny Novgorod, Voronezh and Ryazan.
Nineteen of the 40 deaths recorded were in Nizhny Novgorod, the health ministry said.
The state of emergency was announced in a decree that also restricted public access to the regions affected.
Moscow is again shrouded in smoke from peat and forest fires outside the city.
Related stories
Russian fires: Your pictures
The dangers of Moscow's heatwave
The fires, caused by record temperatures and a drought, have affected cereal harvests, driving wheat prices up.Heatwave grinds on
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin saw some of the fire damage for himself in Nizhny Novgorod region last week. On Monday, he held meetings with regional leaders in Moscow to discuss further help for affected communities.
Russians are bracing themselves for another week of high temperatures, with forecasts of up to 40C (104F) for central and southern regions.
Officials also expect stronger winds in some regions, which will fan the flames.
By Sunday night, wildfires were still raging across some 128,000 ha (316,000 acres).
Thousands of people have lost their homes and nearly a quarter of a million emergency workers have been deployed to fight the flames.
Moscow doctors say the elderly and toddlers should wear gauze masks outdoors.
The city of Kazan, on the Volga river east of Moscow, was also blanketed in smog on Monday, an eyewitness told the BBC.
Marek Zaremba-Pike said Kazan's air "smells of burnt wood and tastes of dust".
"Usually we can see the Kazan Kremlin very clearly, but visibility is poor. You can't see it at all, just the river bank."
More famous for its bitterly cold winters, the giant country's European part normally enjoys short, warm summers.
However, July was the hottest month on record. In Moscow, which sees an average high of 23C in the summer months, recorded 37.8C last Thursday.
Emergency officials say the heat and drought are the main causes of the fires, but they also blame human carelessness, and urged people to use extreme caution when walking or driving in the woods or countryside.
"Any source of fire, including a cigarette thrown from a car window, will ignite the dried grass," the emergencies ministry said.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has declared a state of emergency in seven Russian regions because of wildfires fuelled by a heatwave.
The death toll from the fires has risen to 40, the ministry of health said.
The Russian emergencies ministry said 500 new blazes had been discovered over a 24-hour period, but most had been extinguished.
Homes have been burnt in 14 regions of Russia, the worst-hit being Nizhny Novgorod, Voronezh and Ryazan.
Nineteen of the 40 deaths recorded were in Nizhny Novgorod, the health ministry said.
The state of emergency was announced in a decree that also restricted public access to the regions affected.
Moscow is again shrouded in smoke from peat and forest fires outside the city.
Related stories
Russian fires: Your pictures
The dangers of Moscow's heatwave
The fires, caused by record temperatures and a drought, have affected cereal harvests, driving wheat prices up.Heatwave grinds on
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin saw some of the fire damage for himself in Nizhny Novgorod region last week. On Monday, he held meetings with regional leaders in Moscow to discuss further help for affected communities.
Russians are bracing themselves for another week of high temperatures, with forecasts of up to 40C (104F) for central and southern regions.
Officials also expect stronger winds in some regions, which will fan the flames.
By Sunday night, wildfires were still raging across some 128,000 ha (316,000 acres).
Thousands of people have lost their homes and nearly a quarter of a million emergency workers have been deployed to fight the flames.
Moscow doctors say the elderly and toddlers should wear gauze masks outdoors.
The city of Kazan, on the Volga river east of Moscow, was also blanketed in smog on Monday, an eyewitness told the BBC.
Marek Zaremba-Pike said Kazan's air "smells of burnt wood and tastes of dust".
"Usually we can see the Kazan Kremlin very clearly, but visibility is poor. You can't see it at all, just the river bank."
More famous for its bitterly cold winters, the giant country's European part normally enjoys short, warm summers.
However, July was the hottest month on record. In Moscow, which sees an average high of 23C in the summer months, recorded 37.8C last Thursday.
Emergency officials say the heat and drought are the main causes of the fires, but they also blame human carelessness, and urged people to use extreme caution when walking or driving in the woods or countryside.
"Any source of fire, including a cigarette thrown from a car window, will ignite the dried grass," the emergencies ministry said.
Israel to co-operate with UN probe into Gaza flotilla
Israel to co-operate with UN probe into Gaza flotilla
Israel has announced it will co-operate with a UN investigation into its raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in May.
"Israel has nothing to hide, the opposite is true," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
The four-member panel, announced by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, will include an Israeli and a Turkish member.
The commando raid on the six-ship convoy killed nine Turkish activists and caused an international outcry.
Israel and the Palestinians
Q&A: Israeli aid flotilla raid
Guide: Eased Gaza blockade
Israel set to deport migrants
Talks: Tough sell to Palestinians
The panel, which will be led by former New Zealand PM Geoffrey Palmer and outgoing Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, will begin work on 10 August, Mr Ban said.
Mr Ban said the panel was an "unprecedented development".
Until now Israel had declined to take part in the inquiry and had set up its own investigation into the raid.
But Mr Netanyahu's office issued a statement saying: "It is in the national interest of the state of Israel to ensure that the factual truth of the overall flotilla events comes to light throughout the world and this is exactly the principle that we are advancing."
There are reports that the decision to co-operate has been welcomed in Turkey.
"This committee is an important step in remedying the injustice Turkey has encountered in the raid," a government source told AFP news agency.Overpowered
The announcement by the panel follows months of negotiations by the UN, Mr Ban said.
AnalysisContinue reading the main story
Wyre Davies BBC News, Jerusalem
Israel has a track record of not co-operating with, or giving limited co-operation to, UN inquiries.
One thinks of the Goldstone inquiry over its actions against Gaza more than a year ago in which more than 1,300 Palestinians were killed.
Israel did not co-operate with that inquiry at all and it ended up being very critical of Israel.
There is a feeling in Israel that perhaps by not co-operating, Israel did not do itself any favours.
There will be two extra representatives on the UN panel - one from Israel and one from Turkey - so perhaps Israel's involvement will go quite deep and perhaps this will be a genuine change of approach from Israel to the UN.
There had been last-minute talks with the leaders of both Israel and Turkey, he added.
"I also hope that today's agreement will impact positively on the relationship between Turkey and Israel as well as the overall situation in the Middle East," he said.
The flotilla was made up of six ships, crewed by activists from a coalition of pro-Palestinian groups trying to break an embargo on ships entering Gaza.
Hundreds of Turkish activists were on board one of the vessels, the MV Mavi Marmara, when it was raided by Israeli commandos in international waters.
The activists said the commandos opened fire when they boarded the ship, but the Israelis say their troops were attacked by the activists.
Israel has blockaded the Palestinian territory since the Islamist militant group Hamas took control of it in 2007.
The Israelis, who recently loosened the blockade, say it is intended to stop militants in Gaza from obtaining rockets to fire at Israel.
Despite the blockade, rockets are sometimes fired from Gaza into Israel. There have also been rare occasions of rockets fired at Israel from Egypt's Sinai desert.
On Monday, one man was killed and three injured in the Jordanian port city of Aqaba. Israeli police said the rocket was targeted at the nearby Israeli resort of Eilat and was one of at least five fired from the Sinai.
Egypt has denied that its territory was used to launch the apparent attack.
Israel has announced it will co-operate with a UN investigation into its raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in May.
"Israel has nothing to hide, the opposite is true," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
The four-member panel, announced by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, will include an Israeli and a Turkish member.
The commando raid on the six-ship convoy killed nine Turkish activists and caused an international outcry.
Israel and the Palestinians
Q&A: Israeli aid flotilla raid
Guide: Eased Gaza blockade
Israel set to deport migrants
Talks: Tough sell to Palestinians
The panel, which will be led by former New Zealand PM Geoffrey Palmer and outgoing Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, will begin work on 10 August, Mr Ban said.
Mr Ban said the panel was an "unprecedented development".
Until now Israel had declined to take part in the inquiry and had set up its own investigation into the raid.
But Mr Netanyahu's office issued a statement saying: "It is in the national interest of the state of Israel to ensure that the factual truth of the overall flotilla events comes to light throughout the world and this is exactly the principle that we are advancing."
There are reports that the decision to co-operate has been welcomed in Turkey.
"This committee is an important step in remedying the injustice Turkey has encountered in the raid," a government source told AFP news agency.Overpowered
The announcement by the panel follows months of negotiations by the UN, Mr Ban said.
AnalysisContinue reading the main story
Wyre Davies BBC News, Jerusalem
Israel has a track record of not co-operating with, or giving limited co-operation to, UN inquiries.
One thinks of the Goldstone inquiry over its actions against Gaza more than a year ago in which more than 1,300 Palestinians were killed.
Israel did not co-operate with that inquiry at all and it ended up being very critical of Israel.
There is a feeling in Israel that perhaps by not co-operating, Israel did not do itself any favours.
There will be two extra representatives on the UN panel - one from Israel and one from Turkey - so perhaps Israel's involvement will go quite deep and perhaps this will be a genuine change of approach from Israel to the UN.
There had been last-minute talks with the leaders of both Israel and Turkey, he added.
"I also hope that today's agreement will impact positively on the relationship between Turkey and Israel as well as the overall situation in the Middle East," he said.
The flotilla was made up of six ships, crewed by activists from a coalition of pro-Palestinian groups trying to break an embargo on ships entering Gaza.
Hundreds of Turkish activists were on board one of the vessels, the MV Mavi Marmara, when it was raided by Israeli commandos in international waters.
The activists said the commandos opened fire when they boarded the ship, but the Israelis say their troops were attacked by the activists.
Israel has blockaded the Palestinian territory since the Islamist militant group Hamas took control of it in 2007.
The Israelis, who recently loosened the blockade, say it is intended to stop militants in Gaza from obtaining rockets to fire at Israel.
Despite the blockade, rockets are sometimes fired from Gaza into Israel. There have also been rare occasions of rockets fired at Israel from Egypt's Sinai desert.
On Monday, one man was killed and three injured in the Jordanian port city of Aqaba. Israeli police said the rocket was targeted at the nearby Israeli resort of Eilat and was one of at least five fired from the Sinai.
Egypt has denied that its territory was used to launch the apparent attack.
'2.5m people affected' by Pakistan floods officials say
'2.5m people affected' by Pakistan floods officials say
The US government has been dropping food parcels by air
Up to two-and-a-half million people have been affected by devastating floods in north-west Pakistan, the International Red Cross has said.
Related stories
In pictures: Rescue efforts
South Asia's deadliest threat?
Rescuers are struggling to reach 27,000 people still cut off by the floods, which are the worst in 80 years.
At least 1,100 people have died and thousands have lost everything.
"In the worst-affected areas, entire villages were washed away without warning by walls of flood water," the Red Cross said in a statement.
There are fears diarrhoea and cholera will spread among the homeless. Food is scarce and water supplies have been contaminated by the floods.
At the sceneContinue reading the main story
Orla Guerin BBC News, on army helicopter in the Swat Valley
From the air we've had a clear view of the destructive force of the monsoon rains.
Muddy brown waters have submerged fields, bridges and roads, destroying crops and devastating communities.
In some areas we've seen people wading, chest-deep, through the floods. In others, only the tops of trees have been visible.
We went to the city of Nowshera, one of the worst affected areas, where we saw several lakes - including one which covered the polo ground. Mud and rubble lined the streets.
We met people at a temporary camp who said they were being helped by the army, but they were worried about the future.
Mian Iftikhar Hussain, the Information Minister of Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa (formerly North West Frontier Province), one of the worst-hit regions, said rescue teams were trying to reach 27,000 stranded people, including 1,500 tourists in the Swat Valley, the scene of a major military offensive against the Taliban last year.
"We are also getting confirmation of reports about an outbreak of cholera in some areas of Swat," he added.
The Pakistani military says it has committed 30,000 troops and dozens of helicopters to the relief effort, but winching individuals to safety is a slow process.
The army - which says it has rescued 28,000 people in recent days - predicts the initial search and rescue operation will take up to 10 days, says the BBC's Orla Guerin, who has been on board a military helicopter over the Swat Valley.
But the army says rebuilding the damaged areas could take six months or more.
A spokesman for the UK-based charity Save the Children told the BBC that the infrastructure damage in Swat may be worse than in the earthquake which devastated the region in 2005.
"We fear that in places that have not been accessed as yet there are people that were trapped, and there is a possibility of more deaths taking place," the spokesman said.Full picture
As well as the more 1,000 deaths in Pakistan, at least 60 people have died across the border in Afghanistan, where floods have affected four provinces.
There have been complaints that emergency shelters have been inadequate or even non-existent
The BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Islamabad says the biggest challenge for the emergency services is access, as so many areas had their transport and communication links destroyed and are now isolated.
Officials in Islamabad fear that once access to affected areas improves, the full picture will show that the situation is much worse than is so far known, our correspondent adds.
Floodwaters receded in some areas as weather conditions improved on Monday, but more rain is now forecast.
Part of the main north-south motorway into the region was re-opened on Sunday, before reportedly closing again. The brief opening allowed some aid supplies into the flooded area while also permitting people to flee.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
There is a desperate need for temporary shelter, clean drinking water and toilets to avert a public health catastrophe”End Quote Jane Cocking Oxfam
In pictures: Flood rescue efforts
Pakistan floods: Your stories
Your photos of the destruction
The rain may have stopped but huge swathes of north-west Pakistan remain submerged, with many of those affected still stranded and waiting for help.
There have been complaints from some survivors that the government response has been slow and inadequate.
Several hundred people took part in a protest in the north-western city of Peshawar, where homeless survivors have crammed into temporary shelters.
"The government is not helping us," said 53-year-old labourer Ejaz Khan, whose house on the city's outskirts was swept away by the floods.
"The school building where I sheltered is packed with people, with no adequate arrangement for food and medicine," he told AFP news agency.
Shariyar Khan Bangash, the regional programme manager for the aid organisation World Vision, based in Peshawar, said survivors of the worst-affected areas were desperate for drinking water.
"All the wells which are providing water for them are full of mud," he told the BBC. "Among the children the diarrhoea has started already, and cholera."
Cannot play media.You do not have the correct version of the flash player. Download the correct version
$render("advert-post-script-load");
BBC Weather: Yet more rain is forecast
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was "deeply saddened by the significant loss of lives, livelihoods and infrastructure in Pakistan", and offered an extra $10m (£6.5m) in aid for the relief effort.
The UK government's Department for International Development has said it is providing £10m for the Pakistan relief effort.
International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said: "I know many British people are deeply concerned by the terrible suffering caused by the ongoing monsoon floods in Pakistan. The government of Pakistan is leading the relief efforts and the UK is ready to help in any way we can."
Earlier, the US also promised the government $10m in aid.
The US embassy in Islamabad said Washington would also be providing 12 temporary bridges to replace some of those destroyed by the floods.
The US government has been dropping food parcels by air
Up to two-and-a-half million people have been affected by devastating floods in north-west Pakistan, the International Red Cross has said.
Related stories
In pictures: Rescue efforts
South Asia's deadliest threat?
Rescuers are struggling to reach 27,000 people still cut off by the floods, which are the worst in 80 years.
At least 1,100 people have died and thousands have lost everything.
"In the worst-affected areas, entire villages were washed away without warning by walls of flood water," the Red Cross said in a statement.
There are fears diarrhoea and cholera will spread among the homeless. Food is scarce and water supplies have been contaminated by the floods.
At the sceneContinue reading the main story
Orla Guerin BBC News, on army helicopter in the Swat Valley
From the air we've had a clear view of the destructive force of the monsoon rains.
Muddy brown waters have submerged fields, bridges and roads, destroying crops and devastating communities.
In some areas we've seen people wading, chest-deep, through the floods. In others, only the tops of trees have been visible.
We went to the city of Nowshera, one of the worst affected areas, where we saw several lakes - including one which covered the polo ground. Mud and rubble lined the streets.
We met people at a temporary camp who said they were being helped by the army, but they were worried about the future.
Mian Iftikhar Hussain, the Information Minister of Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa (formerly North West Frontier Province), one of the worst-hit regions, said rescue teams were trying to reach 27,000 stranded people, including 1,500 tourists in the Swat Valley, the scene of a major military offensive against the Taliban last year.
"We are also getting confirmation of reports about an outbreak of cholera in some areas of Swat," he added.
The Pakistani military says it has committed 30,000 troops and dozens of helicopters to the relief effort, but winching individuals to safety is a slow process.
The army - which says it has rescued 28,000 people in recent days - predicts the initial search and rescue operation will take up to 10 days, says the BBC's Orla Guerin, who has been on board a military helicopter over the Swat Valley.
But the army says rebuilding the damaged areas could take six months or more.
A spokesman for the UK-based charity Save the Children told the BBC that the infrastructure damage in Swat may be worse than in the earthquake which devastated the region in 2005.
"We fear that in places that have not been accessed as yet there are people that were trapped, and there is a possibility of more deaths taking place," the spokesman said.Full picture
As well as the more 1,000 deaths in Pakistan, at least 60 people have died across the border in Afghanistan, where floods have affected four provinces.
There have been complaints that emergency shelters have been inadequate or even non-existent
The BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Islamabad says the biggest challenge for the emergency services is access, as so many areas had their transport and communication links destroyed and are now isolated.
Officials in Islamabad fear that once access to affected areas improves, the full picture will show that the situation is much worse than is so far known, our correspondent adds.
Floodwaters receded in some areas as weather conditions improved on Monday, but more rain is now forecast.
Part of the main north-south motorway into the region was re-opened on Sunday, before reportedly closing again. The brief opening allowed some aid supplies into the flooded area while also permitting people to flee.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
There is a desperate need for temporary shelter, clean drinking water and toilets to avert a public health catastrophe”End Quote Jane Cocking Oxfam
In pictures: Flood rescue efforts
Pakistan floods: Your stories
Your photos of the destruction
The rain may have stopped but huge swathes of north-west Pakistan remain submerged, with many of those affected still stranded and waiting for help.
There have been complaints from some survivors that the government response has been slow and inadequate.
Several hundred people took part in a protest in the north-western city of Peshawar, where homeless survivors have crammed into temporary shelters.
"The government is not helping us," said 53-year-old labourer Ejaz Khan, whose house on the city's outskirts was swept away by the floods.
"The school building where I sheltered is packed with people, with no adequate arrangement for food and medicine," he told AFP news agency.
Shariyar Khan Bangash, the regional programme manager for the aid organisation World Vision, based in Peshawar, said survivors of the worst-affected areas were desperate for drinking water.
"All the wells which are providing water for them are full of mud," he told the BBC. "Among the children the diarrhoea has started already, and cholera."
Cannot play media.You do not have the correct version of the flash player. Download the correct version
$render("advert-post-script-load");
BBC Weather: Yet more rain is forecast
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was "deeply saddened by the significant loss of lives, livelihoods and infrastructure in Pakistan", and offered an extra $10m (£6.5m) in aid for the relief effort.
The UK government's Department for International Development has said it is providing £10m for the Pakistan relief effort.
International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said: "I know many British people are deeply concerned by the terrible suffering caused by the ongoing monsoon floods in Pakistan. The government of Pakistan is leading the relief efforts and the UK is ready to help in any way we can."
Earlier, the US also promised the government $10m in aid.
The US embassy in Islamabad said Washington would also be providing 12 temporary bridges to replace some of those destroyed by the floods.
World stock markets lifted by banking shares
World stock markets lifted by banking shares
World stock markets have been trading higher, lifted by banking shares after HSBC and BNP Paribas both reported profits ahead of expectations.
The UK's biggest bank HSBC saw first-half profits more than double to $11.1bn (£7bn), while second-quarter profits at France's BNP rose 31%.
In London, the FTSE 100 was up 2.65% to 5,397. Shares in HSBC, Lloyds and RBS were ahead by 5.26%, 3.88% and 4.28%.
France's Cac 40 was up 2.99%, while the Dow Jones was up 1.77% in midday trade.
FTSE 100 INDEXLast Updated at 02 Aug 2010, 15:36 GMT *Chart shows local time
value
change
%
5397.11
+ +139.09
+ +2.65 More data on this stock index
BNP was among the top gainers in Paris, up by 5.27%. On Wall Street, Bank of America was among the biggest risers, up 2.85%.
Germany's Dax index was also up 2.34%.Rising oil price
Manufacturing data also helped boost sentiment.
The Markit Eurozone Manufacturing PMI rose to a three-month high in July.
The stock market rally also gave crude traders optimism, with oil rising above $80 a barrel.
Benchmark crude was up $2.44 to $81.39 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
In London, Brent crude was up $2.78 to $80.96.
World stock markets have been trading higher, lifted by banking shares after HSBC and BNP Paribas both reported profits ahead of expectations.
The UK's biggest bank HSBC saw first-half profits more than double to $11.1bn (£7bn), while second-quarter profits at France's BNP rose 31%.
In London, the FTSE 100 was up 2.65% to 5,397. Shares in HSBC, Lloyds and RBS were ahead by 5.26%, 3.88% and 4.28%.
France's Cac 40 was up 2.99%, while the Dow Jones was up 1.77% in midday trade.
FTSE 100 INDEXLast Updated at 02 Aug 2010, 15:36 GMT *Chart shows local time
value
change
%
5397.11
+ +139.09
+ +2.65 More data on this stock index
BNP was among the top gainers in Paris, up by 5.27%. On Wall Street, Bank of America was among the biggest risers, up 2.85%.
Germany's Dax index was also up 2.34%.Rising oil price
Manufacturing data also helped boost sentiment.
The Markit Eurozone Manufacturing PMI rose to a three-month high in July.
The stock market rally also gave crude traders optimism, with oil rising above $80 a barrel.
Benchmark crude was up $2.44 to $81.39 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
In London, Brent crude was up $2.78 to $80.96.
HSBC sees profits double to $11bn
HSBC sees profits double to $11bn
The UK's biggest bank HSBC has reported pre-tax profits of $11.1bn (£7bn) for the first six months of 2010 - more than double its profits for the same time last year.
The bank said it was profitable in every region, except for North America where it saw losses of $80m.
In the UK, profits totalled $2.1bn - a rise of 26%.
The UK's other major banks Lloyds, Barclays and RBS are due to report their results later this week.
In a sign of the improving conditions in the banking sector, it said the amount of money set aside to cover bad loans had fallen to $7.5bn - the lowest level since the financial crisis began in 2008. Business lending
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
We have a full order book of over £1 million and we could employ an extra 10-12 engineers tomorrow if we had access to more cash”End Quote David Cummaford Abcoma, Greater Manchester
Small businesses on bank lending
Unlike Lloyds and RBS, HSBC survived the financial crisis without receiving direct government support.
But the Chancellor George Osborne yesterday added to calls for banks to lend more to businesses in order to sustain the economic recovery.
HSBC chief executive Michael Geoghegan said his bank had seen the appetite for credit grow steadily over the first half of the year, especially among business customers.
"This is now feeding through into lending growth, a trend we expect to continue," he said.
Globally, the bank said it increased lending by 4% compared with the second half of 2009, with Asia seeing a 15% growth in lending.
In the UK, mortgage lending totalled £5.1bn for the first half of the year, HSBC said, while the bank added about £1.4bn in new loans to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).
However on a net basis, which takes into account existing loans being paid back and is considered a more significant measure, HSBC's lending to small businesses in the UK fell by 2%.
Angela Knight, chief executive of the British Bankers' Association (BBA), defended UK banks' record on business lending.
"85% to 90% of requests for loans are being granted [and] the numbers show that borrowing is increasing," she told BBC News, referring to the situation across the industry.
But she added that "not everyone who wants credit will get it because there are people who should not be borrowing".
Stephen Alambritis from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said SMEs had seen a continual decline in lending from the UK's "big four" banks.
Lending, he said, was now at the rate of £500m a month - down from the £900m a month seen in 2008. Investors optimistic
HSBC's Tier 1 ratio - which shows how much cash the bank is keeping in reserve and is an indication of its financial stability - was also up to 11.5%, well above its target range.
Investment banking delivered just over half the $11.1bn profits.
HSBC HOLDINGSLast Updated at 02 Aug 2010, 15:30 GMT *Chart shows local time
price
change
%
680.00 p
+ +34.00
+ +5.26 More data on this share price
Banking analysts broadly welcomed the results, however, with the headline profit figure ahead of most expectations.
But some warned that the recovery in the US business would still depend on the continued recovery in the US housing market.
"The headline numbers look good, with a doubling of profits, but that's because last year was just a terrible year for everyone," said Francis Lun, from Fulbright Securities in Hong Kong.
"The numbers are not even back to 2008 or even 2005 levels yet."
In a conference call with investors, chief executive Michael Geoghegan stressed that emerging markets were the focus for the bank, which stations many of its senior staff in Hong Kong.
China and India were particularly important markets for the future growth of the bank, Mr Geoghegan said.
Hong Kong and the Asia-Pacific region accounted for 53% of HSBC's profits in the first half of the year.
In London, investors reacted positively to the results with HSBC shares closing up by more than 5%.
Other banking stocks also benefited, with Barclays up nearly 3%, and Lloyds and RBS up by 3.88% and 4.28% respectively.
The UK's biggest bank HSBC has reported pre-tax profits of $11.1bn (£7bn) for the first six months of 2010 - more than double its profits for the same time last year.
The bank said it was profitable in every region, except for North America where it saw losses of $80m.
In the UK, profits totalled $2.1bn - a rise of 26%.
The UK's other major banks Lloyds, Barclays and RBS are due to report their results later this week.
In a sign of the improving conditions in the banking sector, it said the amount of money set aside to cover bad loans had fallen to $7.5bn - the lowest level since the financial crisis began in 2008. Business lending
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
We have a full order book of over £1 million and we could employ an extra 10-12 engineers tomorrow if we had access to more cash”End Quote David Cummaford Abcoma, Greater Manchester
Small businesses on bank lending
Unlike Lloyds and RBS, HSBC survived the financial crisis without receiving direct government support.
But the Chancellor George Osborne yesterday added to calls for banks to lend more to businesses in order to sustain the economic recovery.
HSBC chief executive Michael Geoghegan said his bank had seen the appetite for credit grow steadily over the first half of the year, especially among business customers.
"This is now feeding through into lending growth, a trend we expect to continue," he said.
Globally, the bank said it increased lending by 4% compared with the second half of 2009, with Asia seeing a 15% growth in lending.
In the UK, mortgage lending totalled £5.1bn for the first half of the year, HSBC said, while the bank added about £1.4bn in new loans to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).
However on a net basis, which takes into account existing loans being paid back and is considered a more significant measure, HSBC's lending to small businesses in the UK fell by 2%.
Angela Knight, chief executive of the British Bankers' Association (BBA), defended UK banks' record on business lending.
"85% to 90% of requests for loans are being granted [and] the numbers show that borrowing is increasing," she told BBC News, referring to the situation across the industry.
But she added that "not everyone who wants credit will get it because there are people who should not be borrowing".
Stephen Alambritis from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said SMEs had seen a continual decline in lending from the UK's "big four" banks.
Lending, he said, was now at the rate of £500m a month - down from the £900m a month seen in 2008. Investors optimistic
HSBC's Tier 1 ratio - which shows how much cash the bank is keeping in reserve and is an indication of its financial stability - was also up to 11.5%, well above its target range.
Investment banking delivered just over half the $11.1bn profits.
HSBC HOLDINGSLast Updated at 02 Aug 2010, 15:30 GMT *Chart shows local time
price
change
%
680.00 p
+ +34.00
+ +5.26 More data on this share price
Banking analysts broadly welcomed the results, however, with the headline profit figure ahead of most expectations.
But some warned that the recovery in the US business would still depend on the continued recovery in the US housing market.
"The headline numbers look good, with a doubling of profits, but that's because last year was just a terrible year for everyone," said Francis Lun, from Fulbright Securities in Hong Kong.
"The numbers are not even back to 2008 or even 2005 levels yet."
In a conference call with investors, chief executive Michael Geoghegan stressed that emerging markets were the focus for the bank, which stations many of its senior staff in Hong Kong.
China and India were particularly important markets for the future growth of the bank, Mr Geoghegan said.
Hong Kong and the Asia-Pacific region accounted for 53% of HSBC's profits in the first half of the year.
In London, investors reacted positively to the results with HSBC shares closing up by more than 5%.
Other banking stocks also benefited, with Barclays up nearly 3%, and Lloyds and RBS up by 3.88% and 4.28% respectively.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)