German Buy and sell By using Iran Reveals Sanctions Hit— along with Miss out on

BOB CRAWFORD

BERLINWhen a Un Basic safety Authorities penalized Iran's Sepanir Engine oil Gasoline System Corp. recently, Expedition Parka their most important Languages like german intermediary finished most of the investing rapport, a Chinese corporation saysan obvious success just for global sanctions.

But in just several months, a different intermediary experienced grabbed to the internet based business. Hansa Set AG in Duisburg, Canada Goose Trillium Parka Australia, ramped together it is industry using Iran's coal and oil sphere, the firm proclaimed, giving commercial tools right from In german providers to the completely new Iranian corporation who just didn't show up in the Ough. In. blacklist.

This weeks time, Canada Goose Jakke 1 . 5 years once the You. In. sanctions ended up being required, Hansa Collection stated Germany's export-oversight firm previously had questioned it all to prevent shipping with the Iranian corporation, simply because europe examines improvements for you to the country's Iranian blacklist. An important spokesman with the A language like german company, named BaFa, turned down to help you thoughts.

As a Oughout. Vertisements. plus WESTERN EUROPEAN search for more powerful procedures to make sure you push Tehran that will forego it is nuclear course, this increase along with crash regarding Hansa's produce small business indicates that this sanctions strategy is oftentimes commanded to be able to perform catch-up to make sure you enterprises with Iran along with in foreign countries that will immediately conform to.

The July 2010 Oughout. In. sanctions particular 15 corporations on the Islamic Groundbreaking Defend Corps, Canada Goose Jakke a military-business conglomerate which will rules Iran's power industry. The actual target was first to be able to disturb this Iranian government's chance to crank out money like abuse for one uranium-enrichment plan which the essential online community, inspite of Tehran's denials, includes completed is usually weapons-related.

When a Oughout. In. number was released along with Sepanir with it, send out BOSS encouraged to make sure you the French apparatus manufacturers they can give good results in lieu that has a fresh organization, Petro Karan Shafagh Kish, and also Petrokish, reported by correspondences concerning Iranian as well as The german language vendors noticed via the Structure Neighborhood Newspaper.

The innovative small business seemed to be authorized throughout Iran for Apr 2010, just after Canada suspended exports in order to Sepanira transfer which usually implemented a good You. Vertisements. unbiased recommendation the fact that You. In. decide to put Sepanir at it is following blacklist.

Petrokish had throughout Sepanir's roleto purchase just about all tools, products as well as solutions for any onshore component to To the Pars fuel niche, reported by Petrokish's websites. The internet site mentioned Petrokish's workforce received a long time from feel from the rolesomething that could be achievable only when that they already been discussing Sepanir.

After a sanctions was publicized within Summer 2010, Hansa begun to transfer to this company forgotten by simply Sepanir's an ancient In german intermediary, Salzgitter Mannesmann Foreign GmbH, which inturn "ended assistance the minute all of us figured out all the Iranian Innovative Protections were being concerned, inches an important Salzgitter spokesman claimed.

Hansa required around a lot of deals that were chosen concerning Salzgitter in addition to Sepanir to present typically the Iranians by means of fire-protection products along with specialized energy-industry needsfulfilling all the jobs intended for Petrokish alternatively, private records data indicate.

In its unique incarnation, these legal papers actually handed down the exact same procurement information, suggests Jones Pfisterer, that Hansa managing panel new member the cause of promotional.

Mr. Pfisterer claimed during an job interview throughout November in which Hansa have bartered having Petrokish without attention part, when on an individual basis encouraging German born businesses explore revenue during Iran. "We've utilized advertise share" by rivals, your dog proclaimed.

From July 2010 because of Nov 2011, reported by gross sales information analyzed via the Selection Avenue Magazine, Petrokish prescribed as a result of Hansa above a hundred and fifty trillion ($195 million dollars) inside systems.

Mr. Pfisterer proclaimed Hansa's specific niche market within Iran buy and sell was first any "gray patch of online business, inches though seemed to be lawful. A exports to help you Iran were being authorized by simply BaFa, reported by Hansa additionally, the manufacturers.

On The following friday, BaFa sought after Hansa to prevent many transport for you to Petrokish. That demand had been built in association with deliberations located at a great EUROPEAN assembly with 12. 1 this informally termed completely new individuals along with choices regarding sanction, Hansa explained to it's companies inside of a standard noticed via the Magazine.

A spokesman for any EUROPEAN rejected for you to inquire into all the deliberations. This EUROPEAN UNION can be supposed to formalize cutting edge sanctions within a achieving for dangerous ministers with Thinking about receiving.

A spokeswoman designed for Hansa Collection stated your ex stable will be stuck inside of a "terrible circumstances. inch Their sellers demand Hansa Number to distribution in addition to cover possessions the software bought regarding Petrokish, although the products are not transported to your Iranian supplier. Hansa Cluster is usually bargaining "vacate it's legal agreements together with the the very least , monetary hurt, inches your lady claimed.

Petrokish will not be solely dependent upon Hansa with regard to Eu operate. The firm in addition has some sort of buying and selling lover for Europe, such as, Iranian private records data indicate.

Sepanir and even Petrokish officers did not interact with asks for to make sure you opinion. This has not been transparent what amount belonging to the approved organization's source brand was basically rerouted to deliver Petrokish.

In you noticeable hyperlink regarding the a pair of vendors, around mid-2010, Petrokish CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Alimorad Ettehad likewise kept the career involving vice director regarding procurement for Sepanir, reported by correspondences and even small business credit cards. Mr. Ettehad do not interact with asks in order to review. Doable obvious in case he can be yet related to equally agencies.

Iran's chance to attain gear for their electricity enterprise by means of agencies of which tend not to turn up relating to Ough. In., You. Vertisements. or maybe EUROPEAN UNION blacklists is actually a obstacle in the bureaucracies which usually construct any sanctions.

Michael Mann, spokesman to get Western european Excessive Consultant pertaining to Forex and also Secureness Insurance policy Catherine Ashton, claimed sanctions are employed at the politics tier and a sensible point, and are generally changed seeing that required. "We complete the far better comply with all the path anytime organisations make sure to avert sanctions from evolving their particular identities, inches she or he claimed.

At a minimum of just one Iranian organization is observed evading sanctions with beauty shifts: Iran's think transporting corporation offers improved all the brands together with title registrations connected with boats which usually show up upon sanctions data, A Fence Neighborhood Diary described for Apr.

U. Vertisements. Undersecretary to get Terrorism and even Personal Cleverness Brian Cohen talked about: "If Petrokish is actually a heir to help Sepanir, subsequently its close to all of us, as well as Oughout. In., so that you can modernize this sanctions checklist. "

Mr. Cohen forwarded issues regarding just about any results to be able to sanction Petrokish to your Status Team. "We never inquire into regardless of whether we have now on-going brought on directly into special sanctions conditions, inches claimed circumstances Division standard.

"I would probably take note of, having said that, which will resulting from this U . s . States' complete embargo relating to Iran, You. Vertisements. person's as well as people really are banned with attempting to engage in any kind of orders having any sort of Iranian-based stable, inches the state added in.

Meanwhile Petrokish has brought downward it is web site articles, placing a good "under construction" communication thinking the manufacturer will be going it is "scope connected with recreation to make sure you career fields away from the power sphere. "

Several German born firms emailed by Log says that were there available things towards Salzgitter just for delivery in order to Iran prior to the Oughout. In. situation connected with Sepanir in 2009. Though following that, people proclaimed, many people used agreements along with a brand-new intermediary, Hansa.

In more then one court case, a get rid of by Sepanir in order to Petrokish made a lot of distress during Malaysia.

During some sort of 03 getting together with sorted simply by Hansa along at the French company to a fire-protection apparatus merchant, some sort of Petrokish consultant registered a fabulous memo about invitations displaying this images of your Brand-new Shield additionally, the already-sanctioned Sepanir, depending on an assessment this record.

The memo seemed to be posted for you to BaFa together with any export-permit program via the machines home owner, Minimax GmbH Corp. KG.

BaFa identified that art logos, plus sought after Minimax to help explain your place regarding Sepanir during it is gross sales towards Iran, reported Thorsten Gieseke, your Minimax mission administrator that joined all the Hansa-Petrokish achieving.

Mr. Gieseke claimed Minimax ended up being complaintant associated with Salzgitter along with Sepanir prior to when sanctions, the fact that letter head ended up being sent to all the achieving by way of Petrokish company representative, and the Minimax decided not to spot the trademarks. BaFa finally sanctioned this foreign trade. Your BaFa spokesman refused to help remark.

On This, that spokeswoman claimed Minimax is actually eliminating each of the country's enterprise utilizing Iran.

Such specials tend to be eased by potential about organizations during Malaysia so you can get underwriting. Such as, 2010 Samson AG, that makes exclusive valves utilized for gasoline job areas, possesses acquired just a few insures simply by not less than a couple of A language like german banking companies for up to 29 million dollars inside deliveries with Hansa: Deutsche Loan company AG and even state-owned A language like german banking institutions Commerzbank AG along with Landesbank Baden Wrtemberg AG, and also LBBW.

Deutsche Financial institution explained the country's assures were definitely supplied intended for residential financial transactions and they failed to understand materials could well be exported to make sure you Iran. Your budget looked into the difficulty immediately after any query because of the Magazine in addition to come to the conclusion it again previously had completed absolutely nothing unsuitable.

Commerzbank turned down to help you thoughts; LBBW proclaimed the item "exercises unique warning at the time of many of the essential consent lab tests the item performs. "

The deliveries was gradually authorized pertaining to upload simply by BaFa.

Sonja Stegemann, who seem to holders obtain digesting in Hansa, proclaimed Hansa never ever attempted to cover their home business interactions utilizing Iran, as well as bank or investment company helps ensure had been established just by Hansa's consumers.

Hans Grimm, who seem to runs exports on Samson, proclaimed he / she had been the halting of shipping and delivery inside conform together with the BaFa obtain with Monday.

Community Classes Increase within Browsing, Mathmatical

Large downtown college zones have got prepared stable development for nation's regular the school maths and additionally perusing examinations within the last few 90 years a long time however , pursue to history way under countrywide averages, Belstaff Outlet as per govt records launched Saturday.

Results within the 2011 Nationwide Appraisal regarding Training Advance present this lots around elegant zones elevated to some degree or perhaps kept ripped for the reason that assessments was survive offered inside 2009similar into the nation's general performance.

But a much more guaranteeing imagine comes forth the moment tendency traces will be extensive back in earlier 2000s. Trainees during metropolitan areas which include Chicago, il, Goose Jakke Metro atlanta together with Houston uploaded double-digit increases regarding many checks due to the fact 2002, being able to help shut down the actual chasm somewhere between their particular general performance and therefore connected with areas nationally.

The outcomes will power the particular discourse in excess of easy methods to help lowest-performing universities, Moncler Outlet several of that can be during metropolitan areas. The comprehensive data furthermore can be bought in the middle of a great accelerating challenge amongst congressional Republicans and also National government throughout how you can renovate Basically no Young child All but abandoned, any govt learning regulation the fact that several tell you propelled this analyze scores gets around middle towns, cities.

The Authorities for Terrific Town Classes, a study together with protection plan team the fact that symbolizes considerable areas, Belstaff commissioned a work the fact that discovered zones creating just about the most growth received secure control, huge educative plans with regard to trainees, superior pro enhancement with regard to coaches and also statistics research in which made it simpler for transform helping. Case study was initially financed by way of the Charge Melinda Entrance Makeup foundation.

By laws, any You. Verts. Division for Schooling shows the figures in addition to studying lab tests towards a adviser example in enrollees holdings and liabilities assert biennially.

Ten metropolitan areas own volunteered to your relative understand with math concepts for the reason that assessment was presented around 2003. Every one, except for Cleveland, uploaded statistically essential acquires, utilizing the majority surpassing any development constructed across the country.

Boston classes, including, have scored 237 due to 500 regarding fourth-grade mathematics, a good 17-point start seeing that 2003. Arizona, Ve had. J., classes came across a good 17-point bundle that will 222, together with Chicago, il a good 10-point improve that will 224.

Nationwide, the majority of cost rating amplified half a dozen areas to help 240 during the period of time. During eighth-grade mathmatical, ten within the 10 areas equaled or simply exceeded the majority of indigenous progress regarding reasoning better pointsonly Cleveland decided not to.

Still, during almost all twenty one downtown areas investigated this current year, 75% within their trainees couldn't rating "proficient" during math concepts. Experienced indicates trainees contain a sound comprehend within the stuff.

In fourth-grade browsing, 6 downtown areas experience took part in for the reason that examination was supplied with 2002 plus each individual circulated positive aspects from as a minimum 2 times typically the nation's standard in a couple of items. During 9th mark, any nationalized browsing rating has never budged given that 2002, however , trainees during Atl, Houston together with Houston uploaded increases, with regards to many other spots continued to be dependable.

Atlanta General population Classes, jolted by just a state-test cheating scandal this current year, constructed just about the most growth. Government administrators mentioned they need looked at this results plus think positive cheating do not transpire during the Oughout. Verts. assessments, writing any assessments tend to be taken and also won by means of federal government trades-people.

"The actual travesty within the cheating scandal is certainly that this plainly just didn't need to have to happen, inches says Erroll Davis Jr .., what person has become superintendent for Atl classes any time an individual's precursor resigned among a cheating probe. "As now you can see out of your details, all of our course instructors can quickly contribute remarkable importance to college students. "

The authorities analysis as well recorded which usually Detroit in addition to ClevelandRust Belt metropolitan areas giving up number together with personal economic resourcescontinue to help status towards the end.

In Detroit, all the suffering area is actually below the restrain on the state-appointed sudden currency broker for pretty much a couple of years. Roy Roberts, fitted from Republican Gov. David Snyder from Mich so that you can manage all the educational institutions, believed your dog anticipates betterment for the place balances it is teachers and even spending habits.

LaMarr Mitchell, any 9th grader during low-income Urban center Arises Serious Heart College on Baltimore, of which published a indigenous marketing discussion relating to the check rankings, owning your partner's school's being successful so that you can trainers so, who "make classes enjoyable, which means it's simple to master. inches Your dog reported as well as developed games with their language-arts style and additionally competes during higher education instructional math tourneys which will hole women vs kids.

Chorus of Presidents, Rock Stars, and Industry Titans Call for End to AIDS

Today, two lunchtime diners in downtown Washington, D.C., looked up from their burgers at the television in the corner,Moncler outlet saw rock stars Bono and Alicia Keys live on CNN speaking to each other on a stage, and wondered whether this year’s Grammy nominations were being announced. What they didn’t know is that today is World AIDS Day, and Bono and Keys were a few blocks away with President Barack Obama, the head of Coca Cola, members of Congress, chief U.S. government HIV/AIDS scientist Anthony Fauci, and other big names at an event called “The Beginning of the End of AIDS.” Former President George W. Bush and former President Bill Clinton, as well as Tanzania President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, telecom magnate Carlos Slim of Mexico, and singer/songwriter Elton John also joined the 2-hour-long talkfest via video satellite link.

Hosted by ONE and (RED), two organizations that Bono co-founded to help fight HIV/AIDS, the event at George Washington University was a call to arms of sorts. As several of the speakers noted,Moncler spaccio scientific studies in the past few years have proved the value of potentially powerful new prevention tools. Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs used to treat HIV, one trial proved, can dramatically slow the spread of the virus by reducing the infectiousness of infected people. ARVs can also thwart transmission when taken by uninfected people in what’s known as pre-exposure prophylaxis. And male circumcision can reduce a man’s risk of becoming infected by more than half. “Today is a remarkable day,” Obama said in his speech, which was also broadcast live on YouTube.

As Obama noted, past World AIDS Days mainly tried to wake people up to the devastation and discrimination caused by HIV. “Back in those early years, few could have imagined this day,”Sito moncler Obama said. “Few could have imagined that we’d be talking about the real possibility of an AIDS-free generation. But that’s what we’re talking about. That’s why we are here.”

Obama also committed the U.S. government,Moncler giubbotti which funds the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) that has provided ARVs to 4 million people in other countries, to bumping up its goals for 2013. Instead of keeping the number of people on ARVs the same, as some in Congress have advocated, PEPFAR will aim to enroll 2 million more people in ARV treatment programs over the next 2 years. The audience in the university auditorium rose to its feet and erupted in sustained applause.

Bono, the lead singer of the Irish band U2, said it was an “extraordinary moment” to hear Obama speaking about the possibility of ending the AIDS epidemic. “I’m left thinking if other presidents could make that speech and follow through on those words, we really will see the ends of AIDS,” Bono said. He also praised the U.S. government for how much it has contributed to helping deliver treatment and prevention to the rest of the world. “I’m not an American, so you have to listen to it from me,” Bono said. “Thank you, thank you, thank you to the United States of America. Thank you so much on behalf of all those people you won’t meet.”

Each of the U.S. presidents stressed that, in these difficult economic times, every country and the private sector are going to have to do more to help fund what’s been started and, ideally, to ramp it up. Obama specifically singled out China and said it should become a major donor of aid rather than a recipient. Clinton said more U.S. government aid should go directly to the countries in need rather than to the many organizations based in the United States that receive the funding to provide help overseas. “There’s a lot more money there than people know, and we could make a big difference,” he said.

Clinton also emphasized that the AIDS epidemic is coming back in the United States, particularly among black men who have sex with men, and that state spending on AIDS treatment programs here have been cut. Treatment of an infected person in the U.S. costs an average of $10,000 per year, he noted. In contrast, in developing countries, treatments can cost as little as $120 per year because the major pharmaceutical companies allow the sale of generic versions of the same drugs to help the world’s poor. In a provocative proposal, he suggested a 2-year “emergency period” during which a foundation like the one he runs could give the cheaper generic versions of ARVs to individual states until the economy rebounds. “I’m very worried that the death rate is going to go up in America simply because of the budgetary constraints on the states if we don’t do something like this,” Clinton said.

No Flash Forwarding to HTML5

I'm on the record as having never been a fan of browser plugins and proprietary "standards." And with the number of browsers I have installed on multiple platforms, the need to update any given browser's version of Flash Player pretty much every time I start up a computer is becoming an increasing nuisance.

But when you consider that Flash is installed on 98 percent of Web-browsing computers,Canada Goose Expedition and that 85 percent of the most heavily visited sites use it, it's hard to deny that, like it or not, Flash is a Web-browsing standard. Today, with Adobe withdrawing future support for mobile Flash, we saw the beginning of the end, but don't expect the technology to disappear in a flash, as it were.

Warning Signs
Even while emphasizing this 98 percent browser penetration, Adobe has been making a push for HTML5 development tools, highlighting its new tools' ability to target sites to multiple mobile devices. So perhaps it shouldn't have come as a surprise that the company would discontinue Flash support on those mobile devices. The upcoming Adobe Edge tool,Belstaff Jacket still in development, is basically a Flash-building tool that outputs HTML5 rather than actual Flash.

Edge lets Web developers create "those little gems" that have spruced up animated logos and other striking and interactive Web page elements. The widely used Dreamweaver Web development tool, too,Belstaff Jacken now can build sites using HTML5 mainstays like the <video> and <svg> tags, and supports the standard's companion page-design language CSS3.

HTML5 Still Has a Long Way to Go
I'm thrilled about the non-proprietary future of HTML5, but it will take time before the hundreds of billions of sites already out there have updated to HTML5. And people tend to forget that the standards themselves don't move as quickly as many would like.Canada Goose Anyone remember how long it's been since we've had a new HTML version? HTML4 was officially published by the W3C in 1997—that's 14 years ago!—and its successor still isn't firmly in place.

Sure, you can watch some YouTube videos in a browser that supports the right combination of HTML5 features, but video in HTML5 just isn't there yet. Features that major content providers need, such as monetization, subscriptions, content protection, and adoptive bandwidth handling just aren't there yet, though Adobe itself is attacking this problem, with HTML5 video features in its Flash Media Server 4.5.

A Gift to Apple
In the end, Adobe's withdrawal from supplying Flash for mobile devices is a great gift to the Apple ecosystem of iPads, iPhones, and iPod touches. Competing mobile platforms will lose a big advantage over these iOS devices. The irony, of course, is that this gift comes to a company that publicly slapped Adobe in the face!

In his blog post on the mobile Flash withdrawal, Adobe's vice president and general manager of Interactive Development, Danny Winokur, writes, "Our future work with Flash on mobile devices will be focused on enabling Flash developers to package native apps with Adobe AIR for all the major app stores." But sometimes I just want to view the MLB.com site, rather than having to install, optionally pay for, and launch a separate app, as I have to on Apple's iPad. Many smaller sites, like those for hotels and other travel sites, can only be viewed if you have Flash capability.

What About Android?
I use an Android tablet, and its ability to display Flash sites is one of the major attractions of the platform for me. Whenever I've used an iPad for an extensive period, I've gotten frustrated with how many sites didn't display correctly. But Adobe isn't in the dark about the kind of dominance the iPad holds in the tablet market.

One can only imagine Google's (non-public) reaction to today's Adobe news. Not only was Flash a buying point for Android mobile devices, Flash player was built into its Chrome browser—despite Google being arguable the biggest promoter of HTML5. Winokur states that Flash development will emphasize 3D hardware-accelerated gaming and premium video. But 3D hardware acceleration has already shown up in HTML5, and as I mentioned, Adobe itself is working on ways to do premium video in HTML5.

So, while today's announcement on the face of it may seem like a clean break and the end of Flash as we know it, what happens from here will be anything but instantaneous, and even Adobe's seemingly clear message leaves a good deal of ambiguity. Winokur's closing remark that "There is already amazing work being done that is pushing the newest boundaries, and we can’t wait to see what is still yet to come" gives you some idea of the company's lack of a concrete vision.

Greek Leaders Reach Deal to Form a New Government

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, left, and Antonis Samaras, the opposition leader, met with President Karolos Papoulias on Sunday.

ATHENS — Prime Minister George Papandreou and his chief rival agreed Sunday night to create a new unity government, under a new prime minister, that will move ahead with the country’s debt-relief deal with the European Union and then hold new elections. Mr. Papandreou agreed to resign once the details are completed on Monday. Canada Goose
The agreement appeared to break a political deadlock that had paralyzed Greece in the face of an acute financial crisis that threatened to infect other euro-zone nations, especially Italy. European leaders see the debt-relief deal struck with Greece on Oct. 26 as crucial to containing the crisis in Greece and insulating Italy, a much larger economy whose political leaders have also struggled to cut budgets and deal with heavy debt.Canada Goose Jakke

The agreement in Greece could not have come soon enough for its European partners, who have pressed the country hard to forge a broader political consensus behind the debt deal. But it was not clear whether the agreement would provide the certainty that skeptical investors are demanding to calm turbulent financial markets. Canada Goose Parka

The debt deal requires that the Greek Parliament pass a new round of deeply unpopular austerity measures, including layoffs of government workers, in a climate of growing social unrest. It also calls for permanent foreign monitoring in Greece to ensure that it makes good on its pledges of structural changes to revitalize its economy, a requirement that many Greeks see as an affront to national sovereignty.

With a narrow and eroding majority in Parliament, Mr. Papandreou’s Socialist government found that it could not unify to push through such measures on its own, but Antonis Samaras, the leader of the conservative New Democracy party, opposed many of the debt deal’s provisions and demanded Mr. Papandreou’s resignation and a snap election. After days of frantic political wrangling, Mr. Papandreou survived a confidence vote in Parliament on Friday, setting the stage for Sunday’s compromise.

The new unity government is widely expected to be led by a nonpolitician, and to govern for several months, long enough to implement the debt deal and pass a budget for 2011. The name of the new prime minister and the composition of the new cabinet are not expected to be announced until Monday, when the leaders will meet again, according to a statement Sunday night by the Greek president, Karolos Papoulias, who moderated the talks on Sunday.

In a statement early Monday morning, the Greek Finance Ministry said that delegations from the Socialist Party and New Democracy met on Sunday “to discuss the time frame of the actions” to implement the debt deal, and added that the two parties regarded Feb. 19 as “the most appropriate date for elections.”

In reaching the agreement, Mr. Papandreou agreed to meet Mr. Samaras’s demand that he step down as prime minister, while Mr. Samaras agreed to back the debt deal and a seven-point plan of priorities proposed by Mr. Papandreou that would essentially commit the new government to the terms of the debt deal.

Mr. Samaras is not expected to play a role in the unity government, but would be New Democracy’s candidate for prime minister in the general election.

In many ways, a new interim government for Greece buys time for European leaders to put together a stronger bailout mechanism that would protect larger economies from the risk of default, chief among them Italy. High debt, low growth and the diminishing credibility of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi have made that nation increasingly vulnerable.

“The decision is very positive, because it will appease the markets and because it shows that Greek authorities are doing what foreign leaders want them to do — to get on with implementing the conditions for the E.U. debt deal,” said Athanassios Papandropoulos, an economist and commentator for the conservative Greek newspaper Estia.

Still, he said, he saw little chance that a unity government could get Greece back on the road to economic, political and social recovery. “I don’t think it will work,” Mr. Papandropoulos said. “It will last three months, then we’ll have elections, and then we’ll have the same problems all over again.”
In an unusually direct ultimatum to Greece, the European Union commissioner for economic affairs, Olli Rehn, said Sunday that finance ministers from the 17 countries in the union that use the euro were expecting the announcement of a unity government before their meeting in Brussels on Monday. Evangelos Venizelos, the Greek finance minister and a key figure in the Socialist government, is scheduled to attend the meeting.

In his efforts to head off the fall of his government and to maneuver Mr. Samaras into backing the debt deal, Mr. Papandreou proposed last week that the debt deal be put to a popular referendum. After the plan threw financial markets into turmoil and European leaders reacted with fury, Mr. Papandreou withdrew the idea, but won a reversal from Mr. Samaras on the debt deal.

One name being mentioned as a possible leader of the new unity government is Lucas Papademos, a former governor of the Bank of Greece and a former vice president of the European Central Bank. He has been teaching at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard since 2010, when he retired from the European bank, and has also been an informal adviser to Mr. Papandreou; he turned down an offer to be finance minister last spring, preferring to remain above the partisan political fray in Greece.

The new unity government will have its work cut out for it. Among the items on the seven-point plan Mr. Papandreou presented are completing the legal and financial terms of private sector involvement in the Greek rescue, in which banks holding Greek debt agree to voluntarily forgive much of its face value, to avoid a default.

The government also faces the challenge of securing the release of a new installment of 20 billion euros ($28 billion) in foreign aid that Greece needs by the end of February to stabilize its finances.

And it must approve the austerity measures that Mr. Papandreou’s government accepted in its talks with the “troika” of foreign lenders — the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The layoffs and other cutbacks of Greece’s public sector are likely to generate more angry street demonstrations.

The new government’s success “will depend on the stance labor unions will take,” said Babis Papadimitriou, a political analyst for the daily newspaper Kathimerini and for Skai television. “This will be, maybe, one of the most interesting developments: what will be the relations between unions and the main parties.”

Double dose of F1 Americana thrills Bernie Ecclestone

The Formula One map is set for more change with the confirmation of plans to host a street-circuit race in the state of New Jersey, with the Manhattan skyline as its backdrop.

Bernie Ecclestone has been trying to break into the Big Apple since before his Beatles haircut turned white and now, with Austin, Texas, scheduled to host a race next year and New Jersey set to join the calendar in 2013, the ringmaster will have two footholds in the US.

"I'm pleased that New Jersey will play host to Formula One beginning 2013, bringing one of the world's most popular and exciting sports right to our backyard," the governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, said on Tuesday night.

"The race will be a 3.2-mile road race, run on existing roads through Port Imperial and at the top of the Palisades in Weehawken and West New York. Up to 100,000 people are expected to attend each race, starting with practice Friday, qualifying on Saturday and racing on Sunday."

Ecclestone, Formula One's commercial-rights holder, will be 81 on Monday and is not expected to be running affairs for too much longer, but changes to the calendar have been gathering pace. This week the inaugural Indian Grand Prix will take place on the outskirts of New Delhi, representing another conquering of a Bric (Brazil, Russia, India and China) economy; Brazil and China have already been gathered in, while Russia waits in the wings for 2014.

But it is the US that still carries the most allure and the sport's stakeholders, the FIA, the teams and their sponsors, have been putting pressure on Ecclestone. When Austin was still in the planning stage, Ecclestone showed interest in bringing a grand prix to New Jersey should the Texas race fall through.

Nonetheless, there are already 20 grands prix on the calendar for next year, and there will be resistance to racing any more than that the following season, with 20 the unofficial maximum. The addition of New Jersey would take that to 21, which could have implications for other grands prix if the teams do not agree to an increase to the calendar.

The future of some races is already in doubt. Turkey has dropped off next year's roster and serious doubts remain about the viability of racing in Bahrain and South Korea.

While Formula One has deserted many of its traditional homes, such as Portugal, France and South Africa, it has moved into areas where some believe it is more concerned with the advertising platform provided than the sporting landscape.

The US, though, could prove a great success, even if some fans there think IndyCar is better because the cars are faster. It is not as if Formula One has not been here before, of course. It has, but much of the experience has been airbrushed from the memory, especially since the 2005 event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, when only six cars took part after a row about tyre safety.

Tony Jardine, the Sky Sports News F1 expert and someone with vast experience of the sport in the US, says: "It was often successful over there, in places like Long Beach and Detroit. But the tracks couldn't always meet the increasing budget demands.

"But I think New York could be very good for the sport. It has already got Texas on the way, which will take interest in F1 into Latin America. And now this move could really open up a lot of opportunities in North America.

"It's not as if people over there haven't heard of Ferrari and McLaren and Lewis Hamilton, because they have. Now I think they will really take to European chic."

US racing could be, should be, a great success. But the trouble with Formula One is that it too often squeezes every last penny from "clients", before asking for a little bit more each time they go back. If F1 and Ecclestone can curb that propensity then the move to the US – both in Austin and New York – should be a spectacular triumph.

The concerns about the Indian adventure have still not been entirely dispelled, with the race only four days away. As recently as two weeks ago, Ecclestone was pessimistic over the readiness of the track to host its inaugural grand prix. That is unlikely to be the case in New Jersey on a street circuit.

"It will provide a very challenging course," the West New York, New Jersey, attorney Joe DeMarco said on Tuesday. "They compare it to Spa in Belgium but it will have the feel of Monaco."

The West New York mayor, Felix Roque, said: "It's incredible. This is going to be an economic boom for this whole region. While political and public servants talk about creating jobs, the governor has put the pedal to the metal and delivered."

Roque and the mayor of Weehawken, Richard Turner, whose district is also involved in the race project, have stressed that no taxpayers' money will be spent to host the grand prix and it will instead be dependent on private investment. The Wall Street Journal reported that talks had taken place with a consortium of investors.

But before everyone starts whooping and hollering it should be remembered that previous F1 adventures in the US have not ended well

We're losing count now, Lauren! Miss Goodger steps out in yet ANOTHER unflattering dress as she admits she's still sleeping with ex Mark Wright

She's not exactly making a name for herself as a style icon.
And last night Lauren Goodger stepped out in yet another unflattering outfit as she hit the town in London wearing an incredibly short black dress.
Lauren's night out came as she admitted during an episode of The Only Way Is Essex that she and Mark had spent the night together just a week previously.

Her admission came as something of a surprise given that relations haven't exactly been civil between the formerly engaged pair, following Lauren's revelations that she had aborted Mark's baby.
Talking to her sister Nicola, Lauren said: 'I saw Mark once and I was drunk last week.'
Refusing to actually confirm what had happened between her and Mark, a giggling Lauren added: 'I know I've got the power. I can talk to him and walk away from him. It made me feel a bit better because I know I'm the stronger one.'

Nicola replied: 'As long as there's no emotions involved that's fine.'
Lauren later recalled what had happened with Mark during a conversation with Sam Faiers.
She said: 'Something happened between us that shouldn't have happened so it's hard because we've been together for so long.'
When Sam asked: 'So you two slept together then?' Lauren replied, 'I don't want to say.'

Mark was similarly cagey about the status of his relationship with Lauren during a discussion with Sam, who he had asked out on a double date to the dry ski slopes with Lydia Bright and James 'Arg' Argent.
When he refused to answer, Sam said: 'If that's how you cope with getting over it then that's fine but I just think it's weird.'
Sam and Mark's 'date' at the ski slopes caused problems with Lauren and Sam's ex Joey during last night's episode.

After arranging to meet up with Lauren ahead of the date, Sam broke the news to her that Mark had asked her out.
A clearly baffled Lauren replied: 'It does feel weird hearing you say it but he's got to do what he's got to do. I appreciate you coming to meet me anyway.'
But when Lauren attended Joey's pool party later in the day, she told him her true feelings about the situation.

She told Joey: 'I met up with Sam earlier and she told me that she and mark had gone on a date but it wasn't a date it was just a meet.
Joey replied: 'Oh my God. What is Sam doing? Mark was with you when I was getting with Sam.
'Now Mark has split up with you and now for some reason he thinks he can get with some girl I was with.
'I didn't think Mark would do this to me. I don't know what to say - I thought he was my pal.'
And when Joey asked Lauren if she was OK, Lauren replied: 'I don't want to be with Mark, I just want to be single and enjoying myself.'
Lauren was last night joined by TOWIE pals including Joey Essex's sister Frankie, who donned a black and pink dress, and Chloe Sims at the Firetrap by Sunday Girl launch party held at 33 Portland Place.
Lauren Pope was also in attendance, looking stunning in a red lace dress, alongside other famous faces including Diana Vickers and Made In Chelsea's Cheska Hull and Chloe Green.

What’s Wrong With Rick

“I want to share one little story that happened to me,” Rick Perry says, sounding almost wistful as he recalls a favorite moment from the early, exuberant days of his presidential campaign—just seven weeks ago.

On a sunny day in late August, Perry’s campaign bus made an unscheduled stop in Gaffney, S.C., to give a ride to a local pol, state Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler, who’d been a key early supporter. “When we came around the corner to this little restaurant parking lot, there were probably a hundred-plus people there, carrying homemade signs,” Perry says. “And so I just got off and dove into the crowd.” Witnesses to the moment recall seeing Perry at his essence, the consummate political retailer—touching, listening, connecting as he worked the crowd. Perry noticed that one woman seemed particularly intent as he made his way toward her. “This is a person,” Perry thought, “who’s really excited about seeing what may be the next president of the United States.”
The woman, Shellie Wylie, is a mother of two who runs a small travel agency in Gaffney. She’d come to ask Perry one thing: could he help struggling small businesses like hers? But when her moment came, she broke down, sobbing. Perry took Wylie in his arms and assured her that she would be all right. And Wylie believed. “It was a compassionate moment, one person to another,” Wylie recalls. “That sincerity goes a long way. And he meant it.” Wylie left that day a committed Perry supporter, convinced that he was the candidate to defeat Barack Obama.

It’s understandable that Perry, in a recent conversation with Newsweek, would return to that day, which came near the high-water mark of his candidacy. Perry had been at it for only 10 days at that point; in another week, he’d built a double-digit lead over Mitt Romney in the polls. Then, just as suddenly, came the collapse. The confident, handsome Texan, who’d bounded onto the national stage with the swagger of a natural frontrunner, took his place on the debate circuit and turned into a tongue-tied tackling dummy for his competitors. Perry’s ability to work a room or rouse a crowd was legendary, but onstage with a group of antagonists whose ambitions matched his own, he seemed unable to formulate intelligible sentences, much less coherent policy arguments. It was almost comically weird, like those recurring Seinfeld gags when Jerry’s latest girlfriend is revealed to have some bizarre flaw (“She has man-hands!”), killing any hope of romance.

Perry’s camp blamed his performance on the fact that he had gotten into the race late and hadn’t yet found his groove and was keeping too rigorous a schedule. But Perry himself probably answered the question best after last week’s smackdown, when he told reporters, “Debates are not my strong suit.” It may have been the understatement of the political season.
The rationale for a Perry candidacy had been his promise as the anti-Romney; he was the longest-serving governor of that big red state where business prospered, jobs bloomed, and government got the hell out of the way. “Our most important attribute,” he says of himself, “is to have been the chief executive officer that has worked with the private sector to create more jobs than any other state in the nation during the decade of the 2000s.”

That message, the Perry camp knows, has been obscured by the candidate’s stumbling performances onstage. Asked by Newsweek how he meant to prepare for last week’s debate in New Hampshire—framed by the political press as his do-or-die moment—Perry said, “My job is to fend off the arrows, fend off the attacks, and to pivot back to what is obviously the most important issue to the America people: jobs.” His campaign team prepped him hard for the exchange and made sure he got enough rest before the event. As it happened, Perry needn’t have worried about fending off attacks—he was virtually ignored in the debate.

Right-wing disappointment in Perry was tartly expressed the next day by conservative radio commentator Mark Levin, who told his listeners: “I need somebody in a debate who’s gonna sit up straight, look Romney in the eyes, and take the guy on. Is that too much to ask?”

The polls have reflected that view, with Perry’s support falling in the Real Clear Politics compilation to the lowest point—13.7 percent—since he entered the race, trailing not only Romney but also the new star of the moment: the former bit player Herman Cain.

White House state dinner for South Korea has sparkles amid the rain

An idea for the next White House renovation: mudroom.

In an evening that progressed from muggy drizzle to thunderous downpour, guests attending Thursday’s state dinner honoring South Korean President Lee Myung-bak arrived in various states of disarray. But hey — the weather is always a great topic to bond over.
“So much for the hair salon,” sighed ABC News’s Juju Chang as she slogged past reporters.

So it was that President Obama and the first lady welcomed Lee and 224 other guests for an evening of otherwise undampened spirits. It was the administration’s fifth state dinner, and it was beautiful — once people dried off.

“I’m going to be brief because President Lee has had a very full day — and a very wet day,” Obama said in his pre-dinner toast.

The South Korean president, who Obama revealed is known by the nickname “Bulldozer,” told a story of being a young boy and longing for American blue jeans. He also spoke, through an interpreter, about the “everlasting friendship” between his country and the United States: “We are gathered here to reaffirm our friendship and to renew our common commitment towards our shared goals.”

Bless the state dinner. Approval ratings can be down, the economy can be dank, but when a president puts on a tux, he looks good. Official. Presidential! The entire evening is crafted to showcase the Diplomat in Chief engaging on the international stage, which is especially good for an administration, such as this one, whose recent claims to fame have been foreign triumphs: Osama bin Laden felled, Iranian assassination plots foiled.

And for the rest of you: pretty dresses.

Michelle Obama selected a purple, one-shouldered gown by Doo-Ri Chung, a Korean American designer known for her draping. The first lady also sported a sparkly belt, a style she so often favors.

The biggest fashion treat came from the musical entertainment: R&B singer Janelle Monae wore an incredibly chic satin tuxedo with a teeny-tiny bow tie, towering heels and her trademark pompadour. A few women wore navy or silver, but most opted for black and more black — a safe choice that also turned out to be the best hue for hiding soaked hems.

Chang wore a purple dress chosen by voters — “The crowdsourcing was right,” she said, as she joined the slow parade of guests headed to the East Room for dinner.

The guest list was short on glitz, heavy on political clout. For the fifth time in a row, House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) declined the president’s invitation for a state dinner. But an unusual number of administration officials got the nod: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Chief of Staff Bill Daley, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, national security adviser Tom Donilon, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, press secretary Jay Carney and Michelle Obama’s chief of staff, Tina Tchen. Also, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and several senators and members of Congress, including John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), Dick Lugar (R-Ind.) and Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Bikini girl Kate Beckinsale is ready for her close up as she smooches poolside with husband Len Wiseman

English actress Kate Beckinsale is fast approaching 40.
But as these pictures show, the Pearl Harbor star has the body that could make a woman half her age turn green with envy.
Kate, 38, put her stunning figure on show in a black bikini while lapping up the sunshine in Mexico with her husband Len Wiseman.
Lucky Len was treated to an impromptu poolside performance from Kate as she stood up to fix her long brunette locks into a tight bun.
And he was apparently quite enamoured by the view as he happily took snaps of his wife on his phone.
The couple, who met on the set of Underworld, then enjoyed smooching together on the sun loungers.
Kate climbed on top of Len, showering him with kisses, as he willingly reciprocated with a hands-on approach.
Beckinsale relocated to Los Angeles in 2003 with Wiseman, before marrying him the following year.
She maintains a healthy lifestyle, having quit smoking and she doesn't drink alcohol either.
Next year the screen beauty will be seen in Underworld: Awakening, the fourth film in the franchise.
She is also starring in Contraband and Total Recall - with both set for release next year too.
It will mark her comeback to the silver screen following her 2009 flick Everybody's Fine.

Man in wheelchair caught on CCTV looting during riots is jailed

A MAN in a wheelchair captured on CCTV with a stolen TV during the summer riots has been jailed for a year, Scotland Yard said yesterday.

David Knott, 18, was filmed holding a boxed flat-screen Alba.

An accomplice had looted the telly and plonked it on his pal’s lap before wheeling him away.

Knott, who is not wheelchair-bound but was -recovering from a broken leg, was sentenced to 12 months on Thursday for handling goods looted from an Argos store.

He was collared after a CCTV trawl by police working on -Operation Withern, the -investigation into August’s violence and looting.

Commander Richard Wood said: “Officers from the operation continue to arrest suspects nearly every day.

“We have plenty of footage which is being closely analysed. Officers are looking for those circulated as wanted. We will not rest until we have arrested them.”

They have notched up 2,952 arrests, 1,774 suspects charged and 317 convictions including 96 jail sentences.

Knott, of Eltham, South East London, committed the offence in nearby Woolwich and was sentenced at Inner London crown court, police said.

Let off with a $268 fine: State senator who caused crash that killed pregnant woman

A Colorado state senator who caused a fatal car crash that killed a pregnant woman escaped with only some minor traffic citations and a $268 fine.
Suzanne Williams, 65, caused the accident when she started driving on the wrong side of the highway and ended up crashing into a car and killing Brianna 'Brie' Gomez, 30, who was pregnant with her third child.
The accident happened in Channing, Texas on the day after Christmas last year when Mrs Williams was driving with her grown son Todd Williams, 41, and her two grandchildren, Tyler, 7, and Tristan, 3.
The Williams family was driving north from Dallas to Vail, Colorado, when Ms. Williams drove into the southbound lane for an unknown reason.
Mrs Williams' vehicle then crashed into the car of Eric and Brie Gomez, high school sweethearts and parents of two who were travelling with their children.
Mrs Gomez, a child therapist and counsellor, was airlifted to a nearby hospital and doctors performed an emergency C-section to save her baby, Curran. Mrs Gomez died shortly after the baby was delivered.
Also injured in the crash were all three passengers in Ms Williams' car.
Ms Williams, who is the vice-chair of the transportation committee in the Colorado State Senate and has fought actively to strengthen seatbelt laws, was the only person in her car that was wearing a seatbelt.
Her son Todd and grandson Tyler were ejected from the car and were treated after the crash, with Todd being placed in serious condition at one point.
All passengers in the Gomez car were wearing their seatbelts.
Initial reports suspected that Mrs Williams may be charged with criminally negligent homicide, a Texas jury decided not to charge Mrs Williams for the crime.
On Friday, she received citations for having an unsecured passenger under 17, having a child under the age of 8 unsecured by a safety seat system, and driving on the wrong side of a highway.
'All of the facts and circumstances were covered, and the grand jury determined no charges were brought,' Texas District Attorney David Green said.
In total, those three traffic violations demand a fine of $200. The remaining $68 came from court fees.
The crash attracted some national attention at the time because of the perceived hypocrisy that Mrs Williams was Colorado's most vocal supporter of strict seatbelt laws but failed to enforce the rule in her own car.
At the time of the crash, her son Todd was trying to get the children into their pyjamas and ready for bed.
'I cannot express the horror, sadness and grief I feel for an accident that will change forever the lives of a young family,' Mrs Williams said in a statement shortly after the crash.
'It is a burden I will carry with me for the rest of my life,' she continued. 
Most notably, Mrs Williams passed a measure in Colorado that required children under the age of 8 to be secured in booster seats, which her two grandchildren were not doing at the time of the crash.
Williams succeeded in passing a measure requiring children 8 and younger to ride in booster seats. The previous law required children 6 and younger to be secured in booster seats. The new measure went into effect in August.
When a local ABC News affiliate contacted Mrs Williams after the verdict on Friday evening, she had little to say.
'The case is over, that is not something I want to talk about,' Mrs Williams told ABC 7 Denver.
Mrs Williams is Colorado's only Native American legislator and is now in her second and final term as a Democratic State Senator.

Tiger Scores a Comeback

The moment has come for Tiger Woods to move beyond the heat rub and get back into the big time.

Two years after a sex scandal demolished the golfer's endorsement career, he has signed on with watchmaker Rolex, his first major pact since the incident.

Terms of the deal weren't disclosed. Sports marketing experts say privately held Rolex SA is likely getting Mr. Woods for much less than the millions of dollars he commanded when he was untarnished and at the top of his game.

Mr. Woods was the most powerful brand endorser on Madison Avenue before marital infidelities and other foibles landed him in the tabloid press in 2009. Amid the public-relations nightmare, Mr. Woods lost several major sponsors, including AT&T, Accenture and Gillette.
Experts are surprised that Mr. Woods was able to grab such a high-profile consumer brand, especially given that he hasn't won an event in almost two years and fell out of the top 50 golfers for the first time since 1996. Earlier this year, Mr. Woods signed with a small Japanese company to endorse a muscle-pain heat rub.

Mark Steinberg, Mr. Woods's agent, declined to comment on the specifics of the deal but said his client wasn't entering the marketplace at a significantly reduced rate. "I feel confident and bullish on his marketability," said Mr. Steinberg, who added he is in the late stages of negotiations for a bag sponsor.

Before the scandal, Mr. Woods earned roughly $90 million a year from his marketing pacts and was seen as the most powerful endorsement property in sports.

Research suggests that prior to the scandal, Mr. Woods was the 11th most effective product spokesperson—on par with Bill Cosby. As of July, Mr. Woods ranked 2,775th, putting him alongside Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, according to Davie-Brown Entertainment, an Omnicom Group Inc. unit that tracks celebrities' appeal using online consumer polls.

Rolex and Mr. Woods have a long history. Mr. Woods promoted Rolex's Tudor watch for about five years and then switched alliances to rival Tag Heuer in 2002. At the time, Tag Heuer agreed to pay about $2 million annually for three years, according to people close to the company.

When he jumped to Tag Heuer Mr. Woods said, "My tastes have changed."

Tag Heuer, owned by LVMH Mo?t Hennessy Louis Vuitton, ended its relationship with Mr. Woods several months ago—after standing by the golfer during the scandal.

Rolex said it believes Mr. Woods "has a long career ahead of him and that he has all the qualities required to continue to mark the history of golf."

The deal is a "clear indicator that mainstream corporate America is coming around," says Kevin Adler, founder of Engage Marketing, a sports-marketing firm in Chicago.

Mr. Woods is scheduled to play this week in the Frys.com Open, an opportunity to practice a new swing he has tried to develop. He didn't qualify for the Tour Championship, professional golf's late season playoff.

"Marketers and consumers love a comeback story," says Sam Sussman, senior vice president and director at Starcom, a media buying unit of ad giant Publicis Groupe SA.
—Matthew Futterman contributed to this article.

Roman's defence: Russia was like a medieval state

Be it the blacked-out Maybachs, gargantuan bodyguards or billions of pounds at stake, there was no shortage of intrigue yesterday as the 'Battle of the Oligarchs' entered its second day at London's High Court.

Perhaps the most captivating element of all in the bitter dispute between Chelsea's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich and his former friend, the wanted businessman and politician Boris Berezovsky, was its promise to shed light on the shadowy gangland world of mid-90s Russia.

That light burst into brilliant luminescence as Britain's leading barrister, Jonathan Sumption QC – rumoured to be receiving an eight-figure fee – delivered his opening arguments in defence of Mr Abramovich.

The Chelsea owner, worth an estimated ￡8.6bn, and his former mentor Mr Berezovsky, whose fortune totals a meagre ￡500m, again sat on opposite sides of the courtroom, surrounded by lawyers, as Mr Sumption – a medieval historian in his spare time – said conditions in Russia after the collapse of communism "have not been seen in this country since the 15th century".

He told Mrs Justice Gloster that it was "not easy" for lawyers to understand those "quite extraordinary conditions" but added: "Your Ladyship must have read Shakespeare."

The QC then launched into a tale of threats, favours and intimidation between a cast of Russian billionaires and Presidents, either dead, imprisoned, sat in court or in one case still in high office in the Kremlin and expected to return to the presidency.

"There was no rule of law," he said. "Police were corrupt. The courts were unpredictable at best – at worst open to manipulation by major political or economic interest groups.

"Nobody could go into business without access to political power. If you didn't have political power yourself, you needed access to a godfather who did."

Mr Abramovich is being sued by Mr Berezovsky – who alleges breach of trust and breach of contract over the oil firm Sibneft and is claiming more than ￡3.2bn in damages. On Monday Mr Berezovsky's barrister, Lawrence Rabinowitz QC, portrayed the two oligarchs as friends and equal partners in Sibneft, before Mr Abramovich intimidated him into selling his shares at a knockdown price or face their being seized by the Kremlin.

The tale told by Mr Sumption yesterday was markedly different. He said Mr Berezovsky was paid millions of pounds by businesses controlled by Mr Abramovich for his services as a "political godfather".

"Mr Berezovsky was a highly controversial figure in Russian politics in the 1990s," he said. "Boris Berezovsky was a power broker."

Mr Berezovsky's lawyers shook their heads as Mr Sumption described him as a man with no knowledge or interest in the oil business – his only significant contribution to Sibneft being securing for Mr Abramovich valuable political introductions and his influence over then President Boris Yeltsin via his daughter Tatyana Yumasheva and her husband, Mr Yeltsin's chief of staff.

"He didn't contribute a single cent to the acquiring or the building up of the business," said Mr Sumption. "Nor did he contribute to its managerial success."

Mr Abramovich's acquiring of the controlling interest in Sibneft at a relatively modest price came in return, he claimed, for support for President Yeltsin from Mr Berezovsky's television station, ORT, in the 1996 Presidential elections. Mr Abramovich in turn acknowledged the "debt of honour" he owed Mr Berezovsky, and made regular payments to him totalling millons of pounds. These payments, known as "krysha", or "roof", we might recognise as "refuge, or protection" said Mr Sumption, a service Mr Berezovsky provided along with his associate, the Georgian billionaire Badri Patarkatsishvili, who died suddenly and unexectedly at his Surrey mansion in 2008.

Mr Berezovsky "demanded more and more," Mr Sumption said. "Expenses on an exuberant scale - palaces in France, private aircraft, jewels for his girlfriends, valuable painting at Sotheby's."

After Mr Berezovksy fell out with President Putin and was forced into political exile in 2000, Mr Abramovich at made a payment of ￡1.3bn to Mr Berezovsky, which he claims was his "debt of honour", and bore no relation to Sibneft's prosperity. Mr Berezovsky claims the money represented a forced sale of his share in Sibneft at a knockdown price. In 2005, Mr Abramovich sold his share in SIbneft for ￡7.4bn, at the time the largest transaction in Russian history.

The most significant problem for Mrs Justice Gloster over the coming 12 weeks will be that there is little proper documentation to support either party's claims.

As Mr Sumption pointed out: "The agreement to sell television support to the President of Russia in return for the sale of state assets could never be recorded in writing. Of course not."

British shark attack victim was saved by two pensioners - and a seal

SHARK attack Brit Michael Cohen’s life was saved by two hero friends who pulled him from the water – and a seal.

Horrified witnesses told how the nine-foot great white was poised to strike again but got distracted when the mammal swam between it and the victim.

The seal then circled Michael and rescuers Douglas -Drysdale, 61, and Hugh Till, 66, as they dragged him to the shore with the deadly shark lurking just feet away.

They had bravely waded into the bloodied water after the beast had ripped off Michael’s right leg and badly mauled his left ankle.

The quick-thinking pair tied a makeshift -tourniquet around the accountant’s severed limb, a move doctors say saved his life.

Kyle James was on the beach near Cape Town, South Africa, when he saw the giant fish swim silently up behind Michael.

He said: “The shark lunged for the swimmer, shook him once, then let go and moved off five or 10 metres away.”
Two men pull out Mark Cohen after shark attacked him in Cape Town (Pic: Noble Draper)

Former South African surfing champion Tracy Sassen also witnessed the attack.

She said: “I saw a burst of water and thought it was a seal taking a fish.

“Then people started rushing into the sea and pulling this guy out. He was crying and pleading, ‘Please help me.’ Half of one leg was missing.”

Craig Lambinon of South Africa’s National Sea Rescue Institute spoke of the seal’s intervention. He added: “Witnesses said the seal circled the man and his rescuers as they waded ashore with the shark close by.”

Douglas and Hugh had shouted warnings at Michael from a cliff where they were sitting. But by the time they got into the water, the shark had struck. They made their tourniquet from the leg of a wetsuit and two belts. Trauma surgeon Professor Andrew Nicol, who spent four hours operating on Michael, said: “They saved his life. He is very lucky to be alive.

“We replaced his entire blood volume almost twice.”

A regular swimmer at Fish Hoek beach where he was savaged on Wednesday, Michael was in the water despite the beach being closed after three sharks were spotted. He is said to have once told friends: “If a shark takes me, then blame me, not the shark.”

Michael studied at university in South Africa but lived in London for a while. He has a British passport but lives in South Africa.

Ligue des champions : l'OM "savoure une victoire au score sévère" LEMONDE.FR avec Reuters

 "On savoure cette victoire. On n'a pas été malheureux par rapport au match livré par Dortmund. Le score est sévère pour eux", relativise Didier Deschamps. L'entra?neur marseillais a noté "une animation offensive intéressante" et pense déjà au championnat : "J'espère que cette belle victoire va nous donner davantage de confiance et de sérénité par rapport à ce qui nous attend dès dimanche." En effet, l'OM devra viser la victoire dimanche contre Brest. De quoi profiter de la victoire hier, et de l'ensemble de leurs résultats en Ligue des champions, "une merveilleuse parenthèse qui nous sourit, mais la priorité reste le championnat", a précisé l'ancien champion du monde.

"NOUS AVONS PAYé CHER NOS ERREURS"

Après avoir monopolisé assez largement le ballon, Dortmund a payé cher son manque de réalisme face au but adverse, ce qu'a reconnu son entra?neur, Jürgen Klopp : "On a eu trois occasions en début de seconde période, une autre en première. Ce sont les moments clés de la rencontre. Nous payons assez cher aussi nos erreurs", a regretté le technicien allemand. "Il nous faut beaucoup plus tirer au but par rapport à notre possession de balle. Nous jouons bien mais on prend trois buts et on n'en met aucun", a-t-il ajouté.

Lors de la prochaine journée de Ligue des champions, Marseille recevra Arsenal le 19 octobre, ce qui inspire à Didier Deschamps du respect, mais des ambitions, aussi : "On a maintenant une double confrontation avec la meilleure équipe du groupe. Il faudra être capable de prendre des points contre cette équipe-là." Le Borussia se rendra pour sa part en Grèce pour un match déjà couperet face à l'Olympiakos. "Il y a beaucoup de pression sur nos épaules. On sait ce qui nous reste à faire, on ne va pas se lamenter", a conclu l'entra?neur de Dortmund.

Ed Miliband goes after Tories on NHS, welfare and the economy

ED Miliband came out fighting yesterday by pummelling David Cameron on the NHS, welfare and the economy.

The Labour leader branded the Prime Minister a two-faced leader who stood for tax cuts for the rich while the rest of us got poorer.

And he pledged to sweep away the rotten Conservative values that encouraged a “fast-buck culture”.
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In a powerful speech which captivated the party faithful, he warned the Tories: “I’m up for the fight.”

He added: “On the 50p tax rate, on banks, on the closed circles of Britain, on welfare, on the NHS, David Cameron’s not about a new set of rules. He’s the last gasp of the old rules. The wrong values for our country and for our time.

“Only David Cameron could believe that you make ordinary families work harder by making them poorer and you make the rich work harder by making them richer. How dare they say we’re all in it together.”

His biggest cheer from the Liverpool conference came when he tore apart the Government’s NHS reforms.

Bringing delegates to their feet for a lengthy ovation, Mr Miliband said: “Let me tell David Cameron this. It’s the oldest truth in politics. He knows it and now the public know it. You can’t trust the Tories with the NHS.”

He accused the Tory leader of duping voters before the general election that the health service would be protected. “He asked for your trust. And then he got into Downing Street and within a year he’d gone back on every word he said. He betrayed your trust,” he said. “No more top-down reorganisations? He betrayed your trust. No more hospital closures? He betrayed your trust. No more long waits? He betrayed your trust. And the biggest betrayal of all? The values of the NHS. Britain’s values, the values he promised to protect, betrayed.”

Mr Miliband used the 55-minute speech to set out his vision for Britain and pointedly drew a line under the Tony Blair and Gordon Brown years, insisting: “I’m my own man.”

CHANCE

He said there was a “once in a generation chance” to write a new chapter in Britain’s history.

Under his leadership Labour would not just sweep away the Tories but the greedy bankers, rotten political systems and welfare cheats.

The speech – which suffered afive-minute live blackout for TV viewers because of an electrical problem – won plaudits from Labour -heavyweights, activists and unions.

Unison chief Dave Prentis said: “Ed’s passionate speech hit the right buttons. It showed he genuinely cares about Labour values, public services and our great NHS, values that will resonate with the people.” Former Chancellor Alistair Darling hit out at the delegates who had booed the mention of Tony Blair’s name.

But he said he liked the “economic realism” of Mr Miliband.

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper added: “Mr Miliband was talking about people across Britain who are feeling really under pressure and facing a quiet crisis because of the cost of living and the pressure on their jobs, and the worries they have for the future.”

Shadow Energy Secretary Meg Hillier yesterday warned more old people could die this winter because of the huge hike in fuel bills.

She warned the big six firms she was putting them on notice.

She said: “They may be private companies but they should deliver a public service.”

It came as Shadow Culture Minister Ivan Lewis was slapped down after suggesting a register of professional journalists should be set up.

Mr Lewis, who suffered a string of bad headlines as a Government minister for bombarding a female member of staff with suggestive texts, told delegates reporters guilty of breaking strict new press rules could be “struck off” and banned from working in the media.

But Mr Miliband’s spokesman said: “We are not in the business of regulating journalists.”

Today in Liverpool, Shadow Justice Secretary Sadiq Khan will propose a “Victim’s Law” to protect bereaved families interests during trials, while accusing the Government of “consistently letting victims of crime down”.

His announcement will come ahead of Ms Cooper’s speech, in which she is due to launch a blistering attack on the Tories’ record on crime.