Top US general's job at risk over Obama comments
General Stanley McChrystal, the US and NATO commander in Afghanistan and architect of Obama's war strategy, was summoned to Washington to explain his "enormous mistake" directly to the President on Wednesday, the White House said. Obama's spokesman said: "All options were on the table," but the President made clear he wanted to speak to McChrystal first. "I think it is clear that the article in which he and his team appear showed poor judgment ... but I also want to make sure I talk to him directly before I make any final decision," said Obama, speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting.(ITN)
Osborne defends 'tough but fair' budget
Osborne had unveiled an emergency package of higher taxation and spending cuts on Tuesday, amid intense concern about sky-high debt levels in Europe. The Chancellor of the Exchequer slapped a levy on banks, ramped up taxation on goods and services, froze public sector pay and cut welfare spending in an attempt to curb the public deficit. On Wednesday, the Conservative minister said the measures were "tough but fair" and argued that not dealing with the deficit would result in far worse problems for the economy.(AFP)
FTSE 100 weaker as miners weigh
At 11:59 a.m., the FTSE 100 index was 24.68 points, or 0.5 percent lower at 5,222.30, having lost 1 percent on Tuesday. Miners were the top blue chip fallers, although metal prices edged higher, with moves by Morgan Stanley to cut target prices in the sector weighing on sentiment. Xstrata stood out, down 1.5 percent, while Rio Tinto and BNP Billiton both lost 1.3 percent. "Miners as usual take the brunt of any sell-off, but volumes are very thin, and the FTSE will remain nervous until the England game is over," said Angus Campbell, head of sales at Capital Spreads. England play their final qualifying match against Slovenia in the soccer World Cup at 3 p.m., with victory necessary to ensure progress to the knock-out phase of the competition.(reuters)
Hundreds Of Soldiers To March In Tribute
The men and women from 11 Light Brigade represent the 5,100 soldiers who formed Herrick 11 in Afghanistan between October 2009 and April 2010. They lost 64 of their comrades in the tour of duty. The parade is marching in front of HRH Duchess of Cornwall before a service of thanksgiving and remembrance in Winchester Cathedral. The Bishop of Winchester will deliver a sermon and pay tribute to what the soldiers achieved in Afghanistan.(Skynews)
Britons sitting on £800m currency
Around 89% of those questioned said they do not bother to change their holiday money when they get back, despite having an average of £24 left each, according to online travel agent sunshine.co.uk. A third said they simply cannot be bothered to convert the money back to sterling, while 47% said they keep it for their next trip. But 37% of those who hold on to left-over travel money for their next holiday admitted they usually forget to take it with them.(press association)
Paedophile gets 25 years for murder
Shop worker Alan Cameron, 56, hid Heather Stacey's decomposing body at her Edinburgh flat for more than a year before scattering the parts across the north of the city. The "inhuman" crime only came to light when a dog walker found the 44-year-old's severed head in a bin bag near a popular footpath on Hogmanay 2008. Cameron was jailed for life at the High Court in Edinburgh and ordered to spend a minimum of 25 years behind bars before he can be considered for release. He was convicted, after an eight-day trial in Livingston last month, of killing the mother-of-four at her Royston Mains Place home sometime between November 29 and December 11, 2007.(press association)
General Stanley McChrystal, the US and NATO commander in Afghanistan and architect of Obama's war strategy, was summoned to Washington to explain his "enormous mistake" directly to the President on Wednesday, the White House said. Obama's spokesman said: "All options were on the table," but the President made clear he wanted to speak to McChrystal first. "I think it is clear that the article in which he and his team appear showed poor judgment ... but I also want to make sure I talk to him directly before I make any final decision," said Obama, speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting.(ITN)
Osborne defends 'tough but fair' budget
Osborne had unveiled an emergency package of higher taxation and spending cuts on Tuesday, amid intense concern about sky-high debt levels in Europe. The Chancellor of the Exchequer slapped a levy on banks, ramped up taxation on goods and services, froze public sector pay and cut welfare spending in an attempt to curb the public deficit. On Wednesday, the Conservative minister said the measures were "tough but fair" and argued that not dealing with the deficit would result in far worse problems for the economy.(AFP)
FTSE 100 weaker as miners weigh
At 11:59 a.m., the FTSE 100 index was 24.68 points, or 0.5 percent lower at 5,222.30, having lost 1 percent on Tuesday. Miners were the top blue chip fallers, although metal prices edged higher, with moves by Morgan Stanley to cut target prices in the sector weighing on sentiment. Xstrata stood out, down 1.5 percent, while Rio Tinto and BNP Billiton both lost 1.3 percent. "Miners as usual take the brunt of any sell-off, but volumes are very thin, and the FTSE will remain nervous until the England game is over," said Angus Campbell, head of sales at Capital Spreads. England play their final qualifying match against Slovenia in the soccer World Cup at 3 p.m., with victory necessary to ensure progress to the knock-out phase of the competition.(reuters)
Hundreds Of Soldiers To March In Tribute
The men and women from 11 Light Brigade represent the 5,100 soldiers who formed Herrick 11 in Afghanistan between October 2009 and April 2010. They lost 64 of their comrades in the tour of duty. The parade is marching in front of HRH Duchess of Cornwall before a service of thanksgiving and remembrance in Winchester Cathedral. The Bishop of Winchester will deliver a sermon and pay tribute to what the soldiers achieved in Afghanistan.(Skynews)
Britons sitting on £800m currency
Around 89% of those questioned said they do not bother to change their holiday money when they get back, despite having an average of £24 left each, according to online travel agent sunshine.co.uk. A third said they simply cannot be bothered to convert the money back to sterling, while 47% said they keep it for their next trip. But 37% of those who hold on to left-over travel money for their next holiday admitted they usually forget to take it with them.(press association)
Paedophile gets 25 years for murder
Shop worker Alan Cameron, 56, hid Heather Stacey's decomposing body at her Edinburgh flat for more than a year before scattering the parts across the north of the city. The "inhuman" crime only came to light when a dog walker found the 44-year-old's severed head in a bin bag near a popular footpath on Hogmanay 2008. Cameron was jailed for life at the High Court in Edinburgh and ordered to spend a minimum of 25 years behind bars before he can be considered for release. He was convicted, after an eight-day trial in Livingston last month, of killing the mother-of-four at her Royston Mains Place home sometime between November 29 and December 11, 2007.(press association)