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Hinkley Point Nuclear Plant Given Go-Ahead

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 19 Maret 2013 | 23.17

The building of a new nuclear plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset has moved a step closer after Energy Secretary Ed Davey granted the scheme planning permission.

The proposed development of Hinkley Point C by French energy company EDF is a boost for the nuclear industry following a series of setbacks in plans to construct a new fleet of reactors in the UK, which ministers say are needed to cut carbon and keep the lights on.

The deal is expected to be rubber-stamped within weeks when EDF and the Government secure agreement on decommissioning the price the company will be paid for the electricity it generates.

Mr Davey told Sky News there would be no public subsidy and the cost would be "affordable for consumers and businesses" but he refused to go into further detail as the commercially-sensitive negotiations continued.

Once up and running it is anticipated that the plant's two reactors will generate enough electricity to provide 7% of the country's needs, or power five million homes.

The minister told the Commons that affordable new nuclear would play a "crucial role" in ensuring secure, diverse supplies of energy in the UK and decarbonising the electricity sector and the economy.

He also confirmed that EDF had now secured the majority of consents it needed to build and operate the plant and that he expected to announce shortly a deal on the so-called 'strike' price.

Under electricity market reforms, low-carbon power such as nuclear reactors and offshore wind farms will have long-term contracts with a guaranteed price for their electricity, to give investors certainty to invest in projects with high capital costs.

It has been reported that the costs of the new power station would run to around £14bn and the development would create up to 25,000 jobs during construction and 900 permanent positions once in operation.

But environmental groups reacted angrily to the news and raised questions about dealing with the waste.

Greenpeace executive director John Sauven claimed Hinkley Point C failed the test on economic, consumer, environmental and arguably even legal grounds.

He said: "It will lock a generation of consumers into higher energy bills, via a strike price that's expected to be double the current price of electricity, and it will distort energy policy by displacing newer, cleaner, cheaper technologies.

"Giving it the green light when there is no credible plan for dealing with the waste could also be in breach of the law," he warned.


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Joss Stone Trial: Star Had No Home Security

Singer Joss Stone has described how her front door was rarely locked at a time when two men were allegedly plotting to rob and kill her.

She was speaking at the trial of Junior Bradshaw and Kevin Liverpool who deny they planned to murder the star and dump her in a river in June 2011.

The 25-year-old told Exeter Crown Court she became aware of the plot only when she was visited by the police at her mid-Devon home.

She said: "Apart from someone (police) coming around to say someone is trying to kill me, it was a really nice day."

Speaking about the lack of security at her home, she said: "I've lived in Devon for a long time and nobody really shuts their door."

On Monday the jury was told a metre-long samurai sword, knives, hammers, black bags and gaffer tape were discovered in the defendants' Fiat Punto when they were arrested.

A crossbow and BB gun were found at their home in the Longsight area of Manchester.

Handwritten notes that were also discovered talked of Stone's presence at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and referred to the singer and the Queen as "she devils".

Joss Stone The pair deny the charges against them

Describing the security arrangements at her home at the time of the alleged plot, Stone - who was referred to in court by her real name, Jocelyn Stoker - said: "I had an alarm but I did not really turn it on very much.

"I didn't really have a lock on my door ... But I do now."

She also agreed that the property in Ashill, accessed by narrow lanes, was an "open house" for family, friends and her then-boyfriend.

Wearing a white blouse and a black skirt, the singer said: "At the time I had a gate. To get in, they (visitors) would just open the gate, drive in with their car, get up to another (wooden) gate, shut the gate hopefully so the dogs don't get out, then say hello."

Stone's tour diary, charting dates when she was in and out of the country including at the time of the alleged plot, was shown in court.

The record showed the singer was "home" from June 9-20.

The trial continues.


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Boris Admits: 'I'd Love A Crack At PM'

Boris Johnson has admitted that he would like to be prime minister but insisted "it's not going to happen".

The Mayor of London, considered a future rival to David Cameron, said he would love to "have a crack" at the job.

But he likened the idea to the prospect of him being a renowned painter or composer - or the lead singer of a top band.

He was asked whether he harboured ambitions for the top job in British politics in a forthcoming documentary.

Michael Cockerell, who made the programme for BBC2, told the Radio Times Mr Johnson said: "I would like to be the lead singer of an international rock group. That was my aim, or a good guitarist.

"I would love to have been a world-famous painter or a composer. There are many things that I would like to have been able to do."

When the documentary-maker pressed him again, he replied: "I think it's a very tough job being prime minister.

"Obviously, if the ball came loose from the back of a scrum - which it won't - it would be a great, great thing to have a crack at. But it's not going to happen."

Boris Johnson and David Cameron at the Olympics Boris Johnson with David Cameron at the Olympics

Mr Johnson, 48, is seen by some Tories as the party's best hope for the future if Mr Cameron loses the next general election in 2015.

He enjoys huge popular support and veteran MP Sir Peter Tapsell, 83, is said to have offered to vacate his seat for him.

But the flamboyant politician has pledged to stay on as Mayor of London until 2016 and last week urged Tories to "put a sock in it and back the Prime Minister".

Mr Johnson and Mr Cameron, who is two years younger, both studied together at Eton and then Oxford University.

According to Cockerell, Mr Johnson painted a self-portrait when he was 12 which saw him resemble a Grecian demi-God.

His sister Rachel confirms that he always set his sights high as a child. "As Boris was growing up whenever anyone asked him what he wanted to be, he would answer: 'World King'," she said.

She added that he and Mr Cameron are "rather sweet" together because the Prime Minister "even though he's taller looks at Boris as if he's still head boy at Eton.

"Remember, Cameron was two years younger - the young pup."

London Mayor Boris Johnson cycling Boris has pledged to stay as London Mayor until 2016

Asked whether Mr Johnson was now resentful as Mr Cameron had become Prime Minister, she said: "No, it gives Boris a sense of continuing superiority because he was Captain of the School."

Mr Johnson said that he vaguely remembered Mr Cameron at Eton, where the younger pupil was known as "Cameron minor" because his older brother was also at the exclusive school.

"I do remember Dave," he said. "Someone said to me once, 'That's Cameron mi' and there was this tiny chap, I dimly remember."

He also revealed his embarrassment about being a member of the notorious Bullingdon Club, a dining group for ex-public schoolboys at Oxford, whose members also included Mr Cameron.

"This is a truly shameful vignette of almost superhuman undergraduate arrogance, toffishness and twittishness," he said.

"But at the time you felt it was wonderful to be going round swanking it up. Or was it? Actually I remember the dinners being incredibly drunken."

Asked about the club's reputation for smashing up restaurants, he admitted: "Yes. And the abiding memory is of deep, deep self-loathing."


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Juan Manuel Fangio's 1954 Car Up For Auction

A Formula One car that was "forgotten about" in a warehouse for almost 30 years is expected to fetch around £5m at auction.

Juan Manuel Fangio 1954 Mercedes Fangio in action in the Mercedes

The 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 was driven by five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio.

The German-made car contains many features which were innovative at the time, including a fuel-injected engine, lightweight chassis and improved brakes.

Juan Manuel Fangio 1954 Mercedes The car has not been fully restored

Racing historian Doug Nye said: "The first time I saw this car I needed oxygen. It's landmark technology and it was driven by a landmark driver."

The car, unveiled by auction house Bonhams at its New Bond Street sale room, will be sold in its current condition with noticeable blemishes and dirt.

"What's so special about it is that it has this wonderful, untouched patina," Mr Nye said.

Juan Manuel Fangio 1954 Mercedes The are still specks of dirt left on the bodywork

"Some people think it looks grotty - that's not the point - the really rare cars today are the unrestored ones.

"Every car that's restored has lost a part of its history because it's been obliterated by repainting or by rebuilding. Nothing's been obliterated on this, it's just a beautiful survivor."

Bonhams chairman Robert Brooks said: "This is my fifth decade in the business and it was the most exciting discovery that I've made."

Juan Manuel Fangio 1954 Mercedes The car will be sold at Goodwood Festival Of Speed

Mr Brooks would not comment on where the car was found, but said he hoped the highest bidder would take it back to Germany to enable it to be driven again.

"It's been stored in a warehouse and largely forgotten about for nearly 30 years," he said.

"Before it went into storage it had been recently run and run well."

The car will be sold by Bonhams at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.


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Michael Owen: Ex-England Star To Retire

Michael Owen Factfile

Updated: 1:08pm UK, Tuesday 19 March 2013

The key dates in the player's career.

1979: Born December 14, Chester.

1995: Beats the goalscoring record of Kevin Gallen and Nick Barmby for England Under-15s.

1996: Helps Liverpool win the FA Youth Cup in May. Signs professional terms with Liverpool on 17th birthday after previously joining them as a schoolboy.

1997: May 6 - Scores on his first-team debut against Wimbledon.

November 18 - Nets his first senior hat-trick against Grimsby in the League Cup.

1998: February 11 - Becomes youngest England international of the 20th century when he starts against Chile.

February 14 - Scores his first Premier League hat-trick against Sheffield Wednesday. Finishes season joint-top scorer in the Premier League with 18 goals.

May 31 - Named in England's World Cup squad of 22.

June 22 - Scores after coming on as substitute against Romania but England lose 2-1.

June 30 - Scores a sensational goal against Argentina before England bow out of France '98 on penalties.

December 13 - Named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, one day before his 19th birthday.

2001: May - Scores twice in the last seven minutes as Liverpool come back to beat Arsenal 2-1 in the FA Cup final at the Millennium Stadium.

September 1 - Scores hat-trick in 5-1 win over Germany in a World Cup qualifier in Munich.

September 26 - Signs new four-year deal with Liverpool.

December 17 - Named European Footballer of the Year.

2002: June - Scores goals against Denmark and Brazil during England's run to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Japan.

2003: April 26 - Scores his 100th Premier League goal, the second of four in a 6-0 rout of West Brom.

June 11 - Captains England in the absence of David Beckham and nets twice in 2-1 Euro 2004 qualifying defeat of Slovakia.

2004: June - Scores one goal for England in Euro 2004, in the quarter-final defeat to Portugal.

August 12 - Sources close to Real Madrid reveal the Spanish club have agreed a deal to sign Owen.

2005: May 23 - Scores 16 goals in his debut season in Spain.

August 30 - Signs four-year deal with Newcastle, sealing £17m permanent transfer.

December 31 - Breaks metatarsal bone in defeat at Tottenham and is ruled out for "several months".

2006: June 20 - Regains fitness to take his place at the World Cup but injures his knee in first minute of group game against Sweden in Cologne. Ruled out for at least nine months.

2007: April 30 - Makes first competitive start in over 10 months, playing the full 90 minutes as Newcastle lose 1-0 to Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

2008: January 19 - Appointed Newcastle captain by new manager Kevin Keegan.

2009: May - Finishes the season with 10 goals as Newcastle are relegated from the Premier League on the final day.

June 22 - Confirms he will not be renewing his contract with Newcastle.

July 3 - Reports link Owen with free transfer to Manchester United and he later signs a two-year contract with the champions after passing medical tests.

September 22 - Claims a dramatic winner in the sixth minute of injury time to seal a 4-3 win over Manchester City.

2010: March 5 - Ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

2011: May - Makes enough league appearances to claim a title winner's medal but is an unused substitute in United's Champions League Final defeat to Barcelona at Wembley.

November 2 - Substituted early in Champions League group stage match against Otelul Galati and misses the rest of the season.

2012: May 17 - Reveals on Twitter that Manchester United would not be offering him a new deal after three years with the club.

September 4 - Now a free agent, signs for Stoke on a one-year contract.

September 15 - Makes Potters debut as an 89th-minute substitute against Manchester City.

2013: March 19 - Announces he will retire from professional football at the end of the season.


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Budget: Extra £2.5bn Boost For Spending

George Osborne has ordered government departments to slash their budgets by another £2.5bn to fund extra capital spending.

The Chancellor and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander told ministers that they can afford to trim another 1% a year until 2015.

Mr Osborne said at Cabinet that it was possible because departments have under-spent their budgets this year by more than the average.

Chancellor George Osborne in Downing Street George Osborne in Downing Street

The extra cuts will not hit the departments protected by ring-fences - the NHS, international aid and schools. HMRC is also protected, as is the police budget for the first year.

There is no detail yet on how the extra cash will be spent, but it will help Mr Osborne satisfy critics that he is not doing enough to boost growth.

The announcement comes on the eve of his Budget, in which he is under intense pressure to inject some life into an economy teetering on the brink of a triple-dip recession.

The Ministry of Defence will be allowed to roll over unspent money to compensate for the cuts being demanded from the department.

This flexibility is worth £1.6bn to the department over the next two years - more than the total value of the extra 1% in cuts for 2013/14 and 2014/15.

But others including environment, energy, transport and justice will have to find the 1% annual savings to day-to-day resource budgets in full.

The cuts will also be reflected in the central Government funding arrangements for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Total annual underspends across Whitehall departments have averaged around £6bn since 2007.

Number 10 said the forecasts for 2012/13, which will be announced by the Office for Budget Responsibility alongside the Budget, are expected to be "somewhat higher".

Cabinet ministers including Philip Hammond have recently gone public with concerns at the level of cuts their departments are likely to face in June's Spending Review.

But the PM's spokesman said Mr Osborne's announcement was greeted with"unanimous agreement around the Cabinet table that it was the right thing to do".

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "With the economy stagnating, the pressure is on the Chancellor to deliver a pro-growth Budget.

"But spending just £2.5bn a year more on infrastructure projects will boost growth by a measly 0.06%. Worse still, funding it through departmental spending cuts will mean further reductions in public services.

"With interest rates negative in real terms, the Chancellor has the perfect opportunity to invest in Britain's future, rather than raiding departmental budgets to cover his failed economic strategy."


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Weather: No Sign Of Spring Amid More Snow

Snow has covered the north of the UK overnight as persistently cold weather keeps an unusual grip on March.

Heavy snow - up to 10cm across lowlands and 25cm on higher ground - has fallen across Scotland, with temperatures hovering around a bitter three degrees.

The Met Office has issued amber alerts for many parts of Scotland, while gale force winds are also forecast.

Driving conditions have been made difficult and more than 100 schools have closed. Aberdeenshire and the Borders are among the worst hit areas.

Sky News Weather Presenter Isobel Lang warned people to prepare for disruption.

Snow in Scotland Several inches of snow have fallen in Scotland

She said: "Heavy snow and strong winds will bring travel disruption today with the worst of the conditions likely to be across central and eastern Scotland, northeast England and Northern Ireland.

"Bitter east winds will blow the snow around causing drifting and blizzard conditions."

The outlook for the rest of the UK also looks typically unseasonal.

Lang said: "Heavy showers in other parts of Britain could also bring hail, sleet or snow, especially later today and tonight."

Meanwhile, the whole country should be braced for further snow storms and cold wet weather throughout the week - and beyond.

Spring weather March 19th

"Tomorrow may start with some snow in the morning, perhaps disruptive in places, but it should turn drier during the day.

"Concerns increase again, though, later in the week as wet and windy weather, preceded by snow, moves in across the southwest and spreads north across the country.

"Although rainfall totals may be enough to cause some problems across the south and southwest, it is likely to be snow that is most disruptive, especially across central and northern parts," Lang said.

The latest snowy spell continues a cold month across the UK which has brought an unwelcome delay to springtime weather.

Forecasters said that while snow was not uncommon in March, the persistent dumpings and low temperatures were unusual.

It is too early to predict if it will be a white Easter or not, but Lang warned that the run-up looked "unsettled and unspring-like".

Spring weather March 19th

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Fire Deaths: Accused 'Can't Rule Out Husband'

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

A woman accused of killing her six children in a fire at the family home in Derby says she does not know if her husband was responsible and she could not rule anyone out.

Speaking at Nottingham Crown Court, Mairead Philpott, 31, said: "I don't know if he is capable of it. I don't know if he has done it or not."

She was asked under cross-examination whether it was possible that Mick Philpott, 56, got up in the night and set the fire without her knowledge.

She told the court: "I don't know, I was asleep. I can't rule out anybody."

Richard Latham QC for the prosecution said to her: "Are you saying there is a possibility your husband set this fire behind your back?"

"I honestly, don't know," she replied.

She was asked about covert police recordings made after the blaze.

In one passage of the recordings Mick Philpott is heard to say: "Don't say nothing now, don't say nothing."

The six children from the Philpott family who died in the fire The fire claimed the lives of six siblings

In another section he said: "Don't worry we will walk through it, I promise you. Unless you want me to blab about it."

The prosecution allege that they were talking about a plot to start the fire.

Mairead Philpott claims it was about not revealing details of their unconventional sex life, which they feared would get into the press.

Mr Latham said: "This is not about sex. It's about the allegation of killing your children." This was denied by Mrs Philpott.

Jade Philpott, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, perished in the fire last May.

Duwayne, 13, died in Birmingham Children's Hospital days later.

On Monday, Mairead Philpott denied starting the fire at her home in Victory Road and said there was no plan to start one with Mick and co-accused Paul Mosley, 46.

The Philpotts and Mosley are on trial for the manslaughter of the Philpotts' six children. All three deny the charges.


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Danny Boyle: Knighthood Is 'Just Not Me'

Danny Boyle, the mastermind behind London's Olympic opening ceremony, says he turned down a knighthood because "it's just not me".

The Oscar-winning director was set to be recognised in the New Year Honours List but has said he did not feel right accepting because the ceremony was the work of thousands of people.

Boyle, 56, was widely praised for his work as creative director after turning the Olympic stadium in Stratford into a vision of the English countryside and convincing the Queen to appear in the opening film.

But speaking of the proposed knighthood in a Radio Times interview, he said: "It's just not me. I also thought it was wrong, actually.

"You can make these speeches about 'this is everybody's work, blah blah blah'. And you've got to mean it, and I did mean it, and it is true, and it's the only way you can carry on something like that: through the efforts of all the people.

"I don't know whether I'll ever get invited back to the Palace," he added.

Ten thousand volunteers were involved in the opening ceremony last July, attending several rehearsals and helping act out some of the highlights of Britain's cultural and industrial past.

Queen jumps out of helicopter The Queen's pretend parachute jump was one of the ceremony's highlights

Boyle has also admitted he nearly walked away from the high-profile job.

In a new authorised biography, Danny Boyle: Creating Wonder, he says the decision to put missiles on the roofs of nearby flats made him reconsider his position.

The Lancashire-born director, who won an Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009, is now preparing for the release of his new film Trance, out later this month.

The thriller, starring James McAvoy, sees a fine art dealer team up with a hypnotherapist to recover a lost painting.

He has also recently confirmed he is working on a follow-up to Trainspotting, one of the movies which made his name and an iconic UK film of the 1990s.

"This has been a long time coming. There's always been this long-term plan for Trainspotting 2," Boyle told cinema site The Playlist.

"If John (Hodge) can produce a decent enough script, I don't think there will be any barriers to Ewan or any of the cast coming back."

It is thought the film could start shooting in 2016.


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Bill Roache: Soap Star Sorry Over Remarks

Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has said he is "very sorry for any offence caused" after he seemingly claimed victims of sexual abuse are being punished for their behaviour in "previous lives".

The star, who has played Ken Barlow in the ITV soap for more than 50 years, was criticised for the controversial remarks he made to a New Zealand television station.

Speaking to TVNZ, he said: "If you accept that you are pure love ... and therefore live that pure love, these things won't happen to you."

He was then pressed by reporter Garth Bray, who asked: "To some people that sounds perhaps like you're saying victims bring things on themselves. Is that what you're saying?"

The 80-year-old replied: "No, not quite, but then yes I am. Everything that happens to us is the result of what we have been in previous lives."

The comments echo those of Glenn Hoddle who was sacked as England's football manager in 1999 after he was quoted as appearing to suggest disabled people were paying for sins committed in previous lives.

pg world cup glenn hoddle Glenn Hoddle appeared to say disabled people were paying for previous sins

Roache was later asked by Sky News correspondent Becky Johnson: "You appear to have suggested some victims may be paying for things they did in a past life. Is that how you feel?"

The star replied: "No I would not go along and say things like that. I'm not saying that. In this situation where we can only talk about the law. I'm not going to talk about victims or life.

"Life is what we make it. We do come into life to learn from certain experiences and broadly some of the major experiences we have we have asked to go through. This is my understanding of life."

He added: "If you're going to pin me down and start saying 'all victims deserve what they're getting'. No I am not saying that at all."

Roache then issued his apology in a statement, saying: "I would like to say that I am very sorry for any offence that has been caused as a result of my comments.

"I would never say that victims of sexual offences are in any way responsible for the abuse they have suffered and I offer my deepest apologies if anything I have said has been misunderstood in this way.

"I had no intention of causing any kind of distress as a result of my interview and I offer my utmost sympathies to anyone affected by sexual offences and paedophilia."

His original remarks to TVNZ were condemned by the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), which said his comments were an insult to abuse victims.

Michael Le Vell Michael Le Vell pictured arriving at court

Dr Jon Bird, from NAPAC, condemned Roache's "hippy-dippy" spiritualist beliefs, saying child sex abuse left people with horrific physical and mental scars.

Roache's co-star of 30 years, Michael Le Vell, has been suspended from the ITV soap after he was charged with 19 child sex offences.

Le Vell, whose real name is Michael Turner, appeared in court last month and was bailed until his next appearance in the dock at Manchester Crown Court. Le Vell has denied any wrongdoing.

During his interview with TVNZ, Roache said: "Everyone's innocent until they're proven guilty."

He described paedophilia as "absolutely horrendous" but added: "There's a fringe here ... particularly pop stars who have these groupies, these girls, who are sexually active and sexually mature.

"They don't ask for their birth certificate and they don't know what age they may be. They're certainly not grooming them and exploiting them but they can be caught in this trap."

He added: "These people are instantly stigmatised. Some will be innocent and some will not, but until such time as (any offence) is proven, there should be anonymity for both.

"If someone has done something wrong, the law should take its course. But whether they're proven guilty or not, we should never be judgemental about anyone. We shouldn't go round condemning. We should be forgiving about everything."

Speaking to Sky News, Roache said: "I'm not blaming anybody for anything but things were different back in the 1970s. People were more tactile.

"I think it's probably unfair to judge too harshly today on things that were done 20 or 30 years ago. There should be a greater understanding that things were different in those days."

He added: "I'm not excusing inappropriate and insensitive behaviour to women. I think women are wonderful and they should be treated with respect."


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