Job losses predicted
Up to 350,000 people will lose their jobs by next April as the economy slows,
business leaders said yesterday (Gráinne Gilmore writes).
Companies also expect their profits to dip by an average of 1.3 per cent this
financial year, taking £900 million off their accounts, a survey of 120
business leaders by the Centre for Economic and Business Research and the
Hay Group, a management consultancy, found.
Larger companies, with more than 100 employees, expect to be harder hit,
predicting a 2.2 per cent drop in profits, while financial services
companies are expecting an 8.4 per cent decline.
Companies said they were ready to cut worker numbers by an average of 1.1 per
cent, equal to 350,000 jobs. Financial services will axe 2 per cent of
workers, or 110,000 jobs.
Workers can expect pay increases of about 3.9 per cent, less than the retail
price index, currently at 4.3 per cent.
MRSA 'part of a cycle'
Overstretched hospitals trigger a “vicious cycle” as inadequate patient
facilities, low bed numbers and reduced nursing staff encourage the spread
of MRSA. That in turn places more pressure on staff and resources. Drives to
cut costs and make hospitals “more efficient” are at the root of the
problem, says an Australian team writing in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
Henpecking study
Millions of henpecked free-range hens should find life more comfortable after
research aimed at making the birds better neighbours. The study, costing
about £850,000, which has been and provided by the Tubney Charitable Trust,
will try to understand the causes of pecking and give advice to farmers.
Pecking can lead to cannibalism in egg-laying hens.
3,000 officers for border protection
Britain’s chief constables have drawn up proposals for a border police force
of 3,000 officers to combat terrorism and serious crime, the Government
disclosed (Richard Ford writes).
The proposals are a response to the annual report from Lord Carlile of
Berriew, QC, the independent reviewer of anti-terrorism laws, in which he
highlighted anxiety about the potential use of light aircraft as “vehicle
bombs” and concern about a shortage of Customs officers. Senior police
officers support the proposal, which is due to be published by the Home
Office in the next two weeks, because of the growth in freight and passenger
traffic to Britain. The border police would patrol ports and airports.
Station killer jailed
A Muslim schoolboy was killed by a drunken white teenager who had only been
released from custody three days earlier, Leeds Crown Court was told. Ahmed
Hassan, 17, was waiting with friends to catch a train at Dewsbury station
when he was stabbed by Michael Brook, 18, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, who
had started an argument with the group. Last night Brook began a life
sentence for murder.
Girl suffers loss of legs
A schoolgirl has had both legs amputated after being injured in an accident
while playing with her friends on a swing bridge. The 15-year-old, who has
not been named, had her feet hanging over the side of a heavy steel bridge
on the Ashton Canal at Droylsden, in Manchester, when it swung back against
a post and she was trapped by the ankles. It was not clear why the bridge
had been left unlocked.
Carla Lane sells up
Carla Lane, the writer behind Bread and The Liver Birds but now
better known for animal rights work than TV sitcoms, is putting Broadhurst
Manor, her 30-bedroom home in West Sussex, where she runs an animal
sanctuary, up for sale. She said that she can no longer afford the upkeep of
the mansion and will be taking 1,000 animals with her. She is hoping to sell
the property for £4 million.
Baby crocodiles 'talk'
Baby crocodiles talk to each other while still in the egg to synchronise
hatching, scientists found. The noises, described as “umph! umph! umph!”,
double up as calls to their mother, urging her to dig them out of the dirt.
The tests, reported in the journal Current Biology, established that the
noises made by Nile crocodiles were not random squeaks. By playing back
sounds to eggs, scientists were able to show that those hearing the noises
of other unborn crocodiles synchronised their hatching to within ten minutes
of each other.
Tory MEPs face expenses threat
Conservative politicians who refuse to be open about expenses could be thrown
out of the party, David Cameron said. MPs must submit receipts to claim
expenses, but Members of the European Parliament do not have to. The Tory
leader wants similar disclosures. The Conservative leader is currently
engaged in a stand-off with his MEPs over the “tricky” issue of how they
should declare their £4,000 monthly allowance, The Times has learnt.
The Tory leader wants similar levels of disclosure on MPs' and MEPs' expenses,
but while MPs must submit receipts to claim, MEPs do not have to. Tory
sources suggested that a resolution should come shortly.
Yesterday Mr Cameron used his toughest language to date to warn his MEPs to
act transparently. Asked whether he would prevent MEPs who refused to obey
his instructions to make more declarations standing as Tory candidates at
the next elections, he said: “Theoretically, yes.
“I think that people who travel under a Tory banner, we've got to be clear
that we are happy about the way they are behaving and the standards they are
upholding.
“We've got to sort out this issue of MEPs' expenses and allowances and have
greater transparency and we need everyone to row in the same direction.”
Teacher scheme to be doubled
A scheme to recruit top graduates to teach in inner city schools is to have
twice as many places by 2013. Teach First is so popular that 5per cent of
all Oxford graduates applied. The 380 places were at least four times
oversubscribed.
Olympics could squeeze London
Overspending on the London Olympics may cost the city its sizeable share of
public money, Standard & Poor's says. A public backlash would put
pressure on the Government to redirect funds to the rest of the UK, the
credit firm says.
Death crash drink driver jailed
A six-year-old girl was killed when she was hit by a speeding drunken driver
in Huyton, Merseyside. Ross Robinson, 24, ran off leaving Demi Leigh Royle
lying fatally injured, Liverpool Crown Court was told. He was jailed for
nine years and banned from driving for ten after admitting causing death by
dangerous driving.
Fatal diesel raid on farm
A woman died after seeing a man trying to steal diesel from her farm. Rosemary
Dove, 68, collapsed after calling 999 while her husband and son chased the
thief from the farm at Bishop Middleham, Co Durham, on Sunday. Her son,
James, was hurt as he tried to stop the thief's truck.
