London Latest News July 2008

Consent key to healing divisions 

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams

The Archbishop of Canterbury said he aimed to heal divisions among the 77 million-strong Anglican Communion through "consent, not coercion" as he sought to gain unity. Dr Rowan Williams insisted that there had to be protocols and conventions by which they recognised one another as churches, but that no one had the authority to impose rules.  He faces a difficult battle to unify following the Church of England's decision earlier this month to press ahead with the consecration of women bishops but without safeguards demanded by traditionalists. Speaking to journalists at the once-in-a-decade Lambeth Conference, Dr Williams said: "I'm looking for consent, not coercion, but unless we do have something about which we consent, which we trust to resolve some of our differences, we shall be flying further apart. "It's not as if we have co-existed without any impact on one another as local churches. There have to be protocols and conventions by which we recognise one another as churches, by which we understand and manage the exchange between ourselves. "The difficulties we presently face have a lot to do with that recognition. No-one has the authority to impose. We have to do it by ourselves. That also means some may consent and some won't, and that in itself has implications." Dr Williams was speaking as the Lambeth Conference started to reach the end of its first week at the University of Kent in Canterbury, attended by 670 bishops from around the world. He said that despite the divisions facing the church, he had gained wide support. "In the conversations that I have had with a wide variety of people among our ecumenical friends, the same message has come through - your issues, they say, are everyone's issues. "It's not as if the Anglican Communion alone has problems about authority, problems with scriptures, problems about ethics, we all have these problems. You happen to be dealing with them in a pretty acute way. That's something that has come through and has been helpful and encouraging for some of us to hear."

PAY EVERY TIME YOUR DUSTBIN IS EMPTIED

The days of free rubbish collections are over, the Government warned last night.

London, Friday July 25,2008. Despite widespread public opposition to the move, she claimed bin taxes could have “a very significant impact on levels of waste and recycling”. Ms Ruddock vowed: “We need to test this, and test it rigorously.” But her uncompromising remarks were a huge embarrassment for Gordon Brown, demolishing claims from his aides that Labour had ditched the rubbish tax scheme. And the plans were already turning into chaos last night as it emerged that not a single council has volunteered to take part in a series of pilot schemes scheduled for next year. " The only thing bin taxes will do is a surge in fly tipping and increase backyard burning as people try to dodge paying another Gordon Brown stealth tax", commented shadow Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles. Tories accused the Government of being in disarray. Shadow Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles said: “First we have an astonishing admission from Labour that bin taxes will push up the cost of living for families already battling with the credit crunch. Then Joan Ruddock admits no one wants them. “The only thing bin taxes will do is fuel a surge in fly tipping and increase backyard burning as people try to dodge paying another Gordon Brown stealth tax.”  Matthew Elliott, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “If people recycle then councils save money by cutting landfill – that money should be given back to people as an incentive.” Downing Street aides signalled earlier this year that the bin tax idea had been dropped, even though more than £7.5million of taxpayers’ money had been spent setting up the experiment.  The hint came ahead of last May’s council elections, when Labour faced a drubbing from voters and bin taxes were a key issue in many areas. Mr Brown has been made acutely aware that charging for household waste collection – until now free by law – is deeply unpopular. But the Climate Change Bill, currently going through Parliament, will change the law and allow town halls to impose charges.

Drama as dwarf found in hand luggage

                                                                                                                                                                Airline rules state dwarves must be taken on carry on luggage

Thursday, July 24, 2008, Swedish airport staff were not amused when a team from a TV comedy show tried to check in a suitcase with a dwarf inside. Employees at Bromma airport called police when the dwarf hopped out of the suitcase at the check-in counter. Police soon found that it was a stunt being filmed by a hidden camera for a program on private TV network Kanal 5. Police spokesman Mats Eriksson says airport staff decided against filing charges even though they were "shocked and humiliated" by Wednesday's stunt. Kanal 5 spokesman Dan Panas told Swedish news agency TT that the show was meant to be "provocative and entertaining." He said the stunt was not meant to make fun of little people, but to make entertainment out of "extreme situations."

Canoe wife is guilty

Guilty....Anne Darwin and husband John Darwin

Fraud couple John and Anne Darwin, who even conned their own sons Mark, 32, and Anthony, 29, have been jailed today for staging a death in a canoe accident to swindle £250,000 from insurance and pension companies. The 56-year-old wife was convicted by a jury at Teesside Crown Court of six counts of fraud and nine of money laundering today, while the husband admitted fraud at an earlier hearing. Anne Darwin received six and a half years in jail. Her husband got six years and three months. Standing together in the dock it was the first time they had been together in months. Mr Darwin looked down and Mrs Darwin simply stared straight ahead. Mr Justice Wilkie said: "The duration of the offending, its multi-faceted nature and in particular the grief inflicted over the years to those who in truth were the real victims, your own sons, whose lives you crushed, make this a case which merits a particularly severe sentence." The Darwins concocted a plan to enable them to spend the rest of their lives in Panama. The Darwin's hideaway in Panama was threatened as Mr Darwin could not get a visa for his false personality John Jones. In order to remain he needed a visa in his real name. So the pair decided Mr Darwin would head back to England claiming he had lost his memory while she remained in Panama. According to the plan, mapped out on his computer, he would go to a police station, claiming amnesia, and eventually get his identity back. Then he could head back to Panama to be with his supposedly delighted wife who had been mourning all these years. But the plan was blown out of the water by a picture showing them at a real estate agent's in Panama in 2006. Andy Greenwood, chief investigating officer, said even more information could come to light. "I don't think we've got to the bottom of this - there will be more stories coming to light. "For my mind Anne Darwin has been a compulsive liar." Mr Greenwood said the Darwins worked as a team from the moment they realised they were going bankrupt. "John was the maths teacher behind the equation and Anne was the English teacher and they worked as a team." It's believed the reason Mrs Darwin didn't plead guilty was the hope that she would be able to get off and sell the story and not lose her money. But now police are determined to strip the Darwins of all their ill-gotten gains and prevent them from selling their story. Mr Greenwood said the way the Darwins had treated their sons Mark and Anthony was "absolutely disgusting". He revealed the sons were initially under suspicion. "The general belief was how can the sons not know? But the more we investigated the more we realised they didn't know a thing." Neither of the couple's sons showed emotion at the verdict. Further information came out about Mr Darwin's false identity, John Jones. Jones was a five-week-old baby who died in 1950, and Mr Darwin was able to find the birth certificate and apply for a passport. The family of baby Jones attended the trial and were said to be very upset.

Doctors to face regular tests of competence

A patient has his blood pressure taken in this undated file photo  

LONDON, Britain's 150,000 doctors will have to show they are fit to practice once every five years in the nation's biggest change to medical regulation for 150 years. Doctors falling below standard risk being struck off the medical register unless they improve, under plans published by Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson on Wednesday. The government outlined the proposals last year as part of measures to help restore public trust in the profession after the case of the serial killing family doctor Harold Shipman. At present doctors can only be debarred if complaints about their conduct or medical practice are upheld by regulators at the General Medical Council. Last year the GMC struck off a total of 60 doctors. Most doctors already undergo annual peer performance reviews, looking at factors such as prescribing habits and how up to date they are on the latest medical advice and research. Under the new scheme these reviews will be standardised and patients will also be asked for their views on issues such as doctors' communication skills and ability to involve the patient in treatment decisions. The new appraisals will begin in pilots in late 2009. Doctors will need to be recertified as competent every five years.

From mph to mpg: Motor induy displays its eco credentials

British International Motor Show shocks petrolheads with a green 'village' showcasing latest vehicles

London, with its muscular sports cars presented by curvaceous models, the British International Motor Show has always been a shrine to the power of the internal combustion engine. But petrolheads will be shocked by the sacrilegious centrepiece of this year's show: a green "village" crowded with dinky electric cars, electric bicycles, and even a Lotus Eco Elise partly made out of hemp. Mph and bhp are out. Mpg and grams of CO2 per km are the statistics every manufacturer is shouting about. On pedestals where gull-winged V8s used to revolve, now stand hydrogen and hybrid machines with dashboard components made from cork; the manufacturer's boast is that it is the only wood that can be harvested without killing the tree. Faced with rising fuel prices, a growing consciousness of carbon tyreprints, and lower revenues (car sales fell by 6.1% last month compared with June 2007), does this motor show mark the end of our passion for the petrol engine? "The new technology is exciting people as much as the supercars this time, and that's really good to see," said Nikki Rooke of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Lotus's Eco Elise features solar power for its electrics, hemp body panels, seats upholstered in wool, sisal carpets, and water-based paint. The design of Citroen's C-Cactus uses 60% fewer parts for its interior. Cadillac's Provoq uses a hydrogen fuel cell. Mercedes are showcasing the electric Smart car. Every manufacturer, regardless of its carbon emissions, is getting in on the act. In front of photos of trees, Land Rover is displaying a fleet of Range Rovers (turbo diesel, V8, 294g/CO2 per km; the car industry's modest target is a new-vehicle average below 140g per km by 2020). For its wealthy customers, it claims it is "working hard to protect the richness of the world we live in". Even Hummer, its stand tucked away behind General Motors' lavish "fuel for thought" stand promoting hydrogen power, has a green offering: the Hummer HX. It features a 3.6 litre V6 "highly economical, lightweight aluminium engine," said Simon Prior, product manager for Hummer, Cadillac and Corvette, with a straight face. He denied its parent, General Motors, is embarrassed by this symbol of gas-guzzling excess: "Hummer has been very successful for us. It's a very iconic brand. Taking that forward with more fuel-efficient engines and diesel engines in Europe is a very positive view." Every large cloud of oil-based emission, it seems, has a green lining. During a presentation, the man from Morgan, the classic sports car manufacturer, claims a Cardiff University study found its vehicles to be a more environmentally correct purchase than a Prius, because they were so long-lasting, and its bespoke manufacturing used relatively little energy. The green concept cars look impressive, but they are all years away from production. Cadillac's Provoq is still "15 to 20 years away", according to General Motors. Even Mercedes' electric Smart will not be in production until 2010 - and the familiar Smart car was designed for electric power anyway. In the electric village, most of the vehicles are still cottage industries in comparison with the major marques. One company says it was "begged" by show organisers to set up an exhibit to help boost its green credentials. Away from the electric village, the real motor show is still alive and revving. Every green offering is more than matched with an ungreen one. On one side of the show, Lotus shows off its Eco Elise; on the other, two women in revealing cocktail dresses present its new Evora sports car in the traditional motor show manner. That's nothing compared with the red Corvette ZR1 6.2 V8, which does 205mph, or the Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT 4.2 V8, which will reach 167mph. Everyone connected with the industry denies it has been slow to investigate climate-saving forms of power. Tom Morrison-Jones of Mercedes stressed that it takes millions of pounds and several years to develop new production lines. "It's not possible to bring in an electric car at the flick of a switch," he said.

Price war at the pumps

Supermarkets started a petrol price war yesterday. Asda announced a 3p cut on a litre of unleaded and diesel. Morrisons' followed with a 4p cut. Sainsbury's launched a two-week promotion offering 5p off for customers spending £50 or more in its stores, while Tesco said it was lowering prices by up to 4p. BP, which owns 223 petrol stations across the UK, said it would reduce prices by an average of 1p.

Passports strike threat to holidays

A three-day strike that may hit holidaymakers

Nearly 3,000 passport staff will leave their posts in a row over pay and the Government's office closure programme. The strike will hit the UK's seven regional passport offices and 68 interview offices, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) said. The stoppage - which comes at the start of the school holidays - means that anyone who discovers their passport has expired may have to miss their holiday. For an extra charge, new documents can usually be obtained in one day but this service will be unavailable during the strike. Travellers waiting for ordinary passport applications to be processed will also face delays. The protest is over a 2.5% pay deal. The sum has not been awarded to all staff, with longest-serving employees receiving no pay rise for the fifth year running. PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "The closure of the Glasgow passport office and the threat to a further unnamed three is fuelling the anger over the government's policy of below inflation pay. "It is disgraceful that long-serving passport staff should receive no pay rise for the fifth year in a row and that efficient hardworking staff should be rewarded with a pay cut in real terms." The seven regional passport offices affected by the strike are London, Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow, Peterborough, Newport and Durham. An Identity and Passports Service spokesman said: "IPS will strive to maintain a service to the public and keep any inconvenience to a minimum during the period of the strikes. "All IPS regional office counters will remain open and we are able to issue passports for those in emergency situations or with urgent needs. Any customer who has booked for premium services or an interview will have the appointment honoured. We believe that the pay deal was fair for staff while keeping in line with Treasury guidelines."

Church rallies round Williams as African bishops boycott Lambeth

                                                                                              Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams

Saturday 19th July 2008. An international coalition of bishops is rallying to the support of the Archbishop of Canterbury in a move that appears likely to ensure Anglican unity as the church enters one of its most crucial weeks since the Reformation. In all, 650 bishops from around the world are gathering at the University of Kent in Canterbury for this week's Lambeth Conference. Apocalyptic scenarios have been predicted, but it now appears that the broader Anglican family will hold together thanks to a series of sermons by Rowan Williams appealing for unity and the desire among bishops – including many from Africa – not to be seen to be the wreckers of the communion. The bishops are already involved in highly secretive meetings within Canterbury Cathedral, but yesterday The Independent spoke to a group which said "a new Pentecost" was emerging as fears of a damaging schism faded. Other sources confirmed that what was perceived as a slightly more conservative line being taken by Dr Williams with regards to women bishops and sexuality, was finding favour. The Archbishop has made it clear to the gathering – which will continue at Canterbury for the next two weeks – that while he is listening to the concerns of all, he is keen to address other issues facing churches and communities around the globe. Sources say he wants to focus the conference on issues such as the plight of persecuted minorities in Sudan. Last night that approach appeared to be finding favour with bishops from Africa who have not joined a boycott. In a series of closed-door meetings, Dr Williams has spoken of his "great grief" that more than 200 bishops are not attending the Lambeth Conference. Absentees were thought to be from Nigeria, Uganda and Rwanda though conference organisers say a bishop has now emerged from Rwanda. One bishop told of being hugged by a fellow bishop from west Africa who had previously been critical. Among those rallying round the Archbishop last night was Peter Lee, the Bishop of Christ the King Diocese in southern Africa. He said: "Archbishop Williams has urged us retune our ears to God". Another now backing Dr Williams, Valentino Mokiwa, the new Archbishop of Tanzania, added: "The Archbishop is paving the way forward for the Lambeth Conference. He has asked us to be biblical and trust in God." The Archbishop is said to be in high spirits after – temporarily at least – leaving behind domestic rows sparked by the "wedding" of two vicars and the formal acceptance of women priests at the General Synod, and focusing instead on the mission of his church. "The Archbishop is asking us to reflect on our role as bishops in the light of scripture. His words are deeply spirited," added Philip Poole, the Suffragan Bishop of Toronto. The seriousness of the task facing Dr Williams is clear, as he attempts to keep the focus on issues such as the plight of the Sudanese – symbolically invoked when their representatives presided over the Eucharist at the Cathedral this week – and social justice at home and abroad. The broad meaning of Anglican identity will be discussed on Monday, along with evangelism on Tuesday, social injustice on Wednesday, and the environment on Saturday.

Councils sign up to Boris alcohol ban on under-21s

Boris: Has given the idea his backing

Saturday, July 18th 2008. A ban on selling alcohol to young adults looks set to be rolled out across London after councils gave their backing to the groundbreaking anti-binge drinking plan. Authorities across the capital revealed plans to consider asking off-licences to stop selling alcoholic drinks to people under 21. The scheme is to be tested in Croydon, where shops will be asked not to sell alcohol to 18 to 21-year-olds, even though they are legally entitled to. Today more councils came out in support of the plan, including Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, Westminster and Ealing. Some are meeting police imminently in a move to introduce the new scheme, backed by Mayor Boris Johnson. Ealing council leader Jason Stacey said his borough was fully supporting the scheme. He told the Standard: "It is a great idea and we hope as many off-licences as possible sign up to the scheme. I hope it will reduce bingedrinking among teenagers." Daniel Astaire, Westminster council ' s community protection spokesman, said: "We take binge drinking very seriously and welcome innovative ideas to deal with this serious social problem. "We have pioneered our own voluntary-agreement with supermarkets and off- licences in parts of Westminster which are prone to anti-social behaviour. "The indiscriminate sale of alcohol which blights towns and cities across the country must end, and that applies to both the age of people being served and the type of alcohol. We all need to address the very real social problems which alcohol causes and contributes to, and the industry must play its part in helping to deal with this breakdown in society." Merrick Cockell, leader of Kensington and Chelsea council, said: "London needs some fresh thinking on antisocial behaviour and this looks like an idea worth exploring. We'll certainly be talking it through with our local police." The support came as an official report found hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren were drinking six pints of beer a week. The data from the NHS Information Centre found that one in five 11- to 15-year-olds in England - 640,000 pupils - had drunk alcohol in the past week. Despite the widespread public concern over binge drinking, Diageo, the world's largest drinks company, dismissed the under-21 sales ban idea as "ill conceived". In a letter to the Standard the company's managing director, Benet Slay, said: "The fact that an 18-year-old could drink alcohol in a pub, club or restaurant, yet would not be old enough to purchase a bottle of beer and drink it at home is clearly illogical. "If Mr Johnson wants to 'banish the scourge of binge-drinking' he should look to solutions such as enforcing existing alcohol legislation, intervention schemes for alcohol misuse and wider information campaigns on responsible drinking, including information for children on the dangers of underage drinking. "He should not adopt a policy that will penalise all responsible adults between the ages 18 and 21."

strikers have the power to win

Striking council workers and their supporters rally in central London

The pay revolt is on – and we have the power to win. That was the message sent out by some 650,000 council workers as they began two days of strike action on Wednesday this week. There was anger and defiance on the picket lines – but also a fresh spirit of ­solidarity. Cleaners, refuse workers, teachers and others decided not to cross picket lines, driving a coach and horses through the anti-union laws. Even greater numbers are set to hit the streets this autumn. Teachers, lecturers, civil service workers and postal workers could all join council workers in challenging Gordon Brown’s pay policy. The prime minister’s only response is to bleat on about how we should all accept his below-inflation pay limits. In plain speech, he is calling for us to accept a cut in our living standards. Wage rises are falling behind price rises across both the private and public sector. Current predictions are that the official inflation rate will climb above the 5 percent mark later this year. The Bank of England reassures us things might get a bit better – but only after April 2010! Prices are now rising at their fastest rate in over 25 years. Inflation figures released this week showed the government’s preferred measure running at 3.8 percent. But the actual price of feeding a family is rocketing upwards at a far greater rate. A typical weekly food bill costs over 10 percent more than it did last year. Groceries such as butter have gone up in price by almost a third. Bread, cheese and milk are almost a fifth higher than last year. The Joseph Rowntree Trust revealed recently that a single person needs to earn £13,400 for a basic standard of living. Some 390,000 council workers don’t even earn that amount. The vast majority of them are women. These are workers that look after our old people, clean our streets and feed our children. They are not responsible for rising food and energy prices. But they will be asked to pay the cost for the damage that financiers and speculators have caused. That’s why we should all support this pay revolt – and that’s why we should stoke up the spirit of rebellion that is evident across the country.

Woman found dead in home sparks police murder probe

A MURDER probe is underway after a woman was found bludgeoned to death in her East Ham home on Wednesday. Identified as Jusna Sabit, the 36-year-old mother of four was found lying face down in a pool of blood by police who had to break into the house in High Street South. They had been alerted to concerns of her well-being when, the Recorder understands, she failed to collect one of her children from school. Anyone with information should contact the police incident room on (020) 8345 1585 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Nairobi, Thursday, 17 July 2008. About 10 Anglican Church of Kenya bishops are in England, raising fears that they will attend the Lambeth Conference that kicks off today, the Nation can reveal. The Kenyan church alongside other conservative provinces, have decided to boycott the conference, protesting the laid back handling of gay clergy in the Anglican Communion. Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi has said that he is aware of the collaboration programmes of the bishops with other churches in Europe and expressed confidence that none of them will attend the conference. However, he said that no specific action would be taken against any bishop who decides to attend the conference on an individual capacity. “It is upon their synods and personal conscience because morality is the pillar of Christianity,” he said. Addressing the Press in his office, Archbishop Nzimbi said that all Orthodox Anglicans were not attending the conference since they could not preach wine and drink something else. The bishops for Bondo, Nyahururu, Nakuru, Kericho, Machakos, Mt Kenya, Mbeere, Taita Taveta, Embu and Mumias are meeting diocesan partners in England. He said that since it takes 10 years for all the Anglican bishops in the world to meet at Lambeth, bonding sessions take place even two months prior to the official opening of the talks. Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Nigeria are unanimous that none of their bishops should attend the conference. “If we allowed immorality to take place, then soon some African clergy will demand to break their vows of marriage to enter polygamy,” he said. He said that the 1998 Lambeth Conference made a resolution rejecting homosexuality, which was not enforced by the head of the Anglican Church. Archbishop Nzimbi pledged to ensure conservatives were united in fighting immorality. A priest, the Rev Kenneth Wachianga, however, urged the bishops to attend the conference, saying that boycotting it would be tantamount to abandoning sinners. The priest said the mission of the church was to change sinners. “Jesus died for sinners and left us as fishers of men. You cannot help sinners by running away from them,” he said.

Archbishop's position 'untenable'

An openly gay US bishop has said the Archbishop of Canterbury is in an "almost untenable" position as he tries to retain unity in the Church.

  Gay US Bishop Gene Robinson is not on the guest list

The Bishop of New Hampshire, Gene Robinson, said Dr Rowan Williams was trying to overcome deep divisions over the ordination of women and gay people. But he told the BBC: "No matter what he does he makes someone mad." Bishop Robinson is due to preach in London as the Anglican communion gathers for the Lambeth Conference. Bishop Gene Robinson was not invited to the Lambeth Conference.                                                

                                                                                                                    Openly gay actor Sir Ian McKellen is supporting Bishop Robinson 

The Lambeth Conference has for more than a century knitted together a disparate Church scattered across the world. Rarely can the Anglican Communion have been in so much need of healing, and rarely can its once-a-decade summit of bishops in Canterbury have presented so little prospect of providing it. The Communion has been in crisis since the liberal Episcopal Church in the United States ordained Gene Robinson - an openly gay priest - as Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003. The rift in the Communion has grown steadily wider, and seems increasingly likely to be permanent.

Rival council

But the 2008 Lambeth Conference, where discussion might have resulted in consensus, was blighted before it began. Traditionalist Anglicans - angry with the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams for inviting American bishops who helped ordain Gene Robinson - held their own rival conference in Jerusalem. Most of them - a group constituting about a quarter of Anglican bishops - are boycotting Lambeth. The Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans launched in Jerusalem last month also said it was abandoning the traditional view of attendance at the Lambeth Conference as a symbol of membership of the Communion.

Some traditionalists have openly questioned Dr Williams' authority

Worse still for Dr Williams, the group said it no longer regarded him as the leader of the Communion, and it appointed its own rival council of archbishops. Their chief complaint against Dr Williams has been that he has done too little to discipline the American Church for ordaining Bishop Robinson, or the Canadian Church for allowing same-sex relationships to be blessed in church services. They wanted the conference to exclude the Americans and to come to binding decisions about the limits of acceptable behaviour.

Instead the conference seems intent on avoiding difficult debate. After bishops have arrived in Canterbury - some to be greeted in the Cathedral Close by Dr and Mrs Williams - they will go immediately on retreat, spending the next three days sequestered in the cathedral. Each day of the three-week conference will begin with Bible study, before groups limited to 40 hold discussions which will carefully skirt the contentious issue facing the Communion. Only at the very end - after a two-week "cooling-off period" - will they talk about sexuality, and even then there will be no vote, and no resolution.

Collision course

The organisers clearly believe it is one of those situations where less is more. But traditionalists believe the conference cutting its losses and simply avoiding deeper disagreement represents a lost opportunity. One of them contrasted Lambeth 2008 with the last conference 10 years ago. He suggested that there were preliminary meetings and a suitcase full of documents to read in 1998, but this time almost nothing. Lambeth 1998 did produce a decision - the resolution 1.10. It declared active homosexuality to be incompatible with the teaching of the Bible. One result was to galvanise conservative evangelicals. In a tradition that had been dominated by a live-and-let-live approach to sexuality, suddenly a definite orthodoxy had been created. Some might say that family gatherings do best to leave some awkward issues undiscussed, and that Lambeth 1.10 is what can happen when that advice is ignored. It was a "ruling" that placed traditionalists on a collision course with the North American churches and led them into uncompromising opposition to what they regard as a liberal campaign to change the character and beliefs of the Church. However this year's emphasis on listening inside the Conference won't stop people talking outside it. A calendar of "fringe events" is already filling up, and a colourful cast are ready to enact the drama. Chief among them is Bishop Gene Robinson himself. Left off the guest list, he's in Canterbury anyway, and will be at the "gay picnic" scheduled for Sunday. Some traditionalist bishops have reflected on the old story of the tent, and whether it might have been better to have had Bishop Robinson safely inside it.

Failed asylum-seekers are abused by private security companies, says report

                                                                                                   An Afghan asylum-seeker in Sighthill, Glasgow. A report claims that many refugees are beaten as they are removed from the country.

Britain is responsible for the abuse of hundreds of failed asylum-seekers at the hands of private security guards during their forced removal from this country, a report into the treatment of refugees alleges today. The findings, based on nearly 300 cases of alleged physical assault and racial abuse, follows a four-year investigation into concerns about the control and use of private security firms in the deportation process. Many of the allegations were first published in The Independent in October last year when ministers then dismissed the cases as being unsubstantiated and requested more evidence. Last week the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, was given the names and details of 48 of the claimants who want the Government to order fresh investigations into their cases. Lord David Ramsbotham, a former chief inspector of prisons who sent the report to ministers, described the dossier of cases as "disturbing" and today calls on the Government to "recognise that our national reputation is not something to be treated lightly or wantonly, and that, if even one of the cases is substantiated, that amounts to something of a preventable national disgrace." Diane Abbott, MP, said the report was one of the most shocking she had read in the 20 years she has served as an MP: "This report is distressing and upsetting for anyone to read. But for ministers it is a damning verdict on their inability to inject even a shred of humanity into a failing immigration system," she said. A disturbing feature of the report is that many of the allegations of abuse are made by refugees who came to this country because they claim to have been tortured or persecuted in their own country. Many of the refugees' injuries, often corroborated by doctors' reports, suggest that resistance to removal is often met with overwhelming force, including beatings and kickings as well as victims being violently dragged around by their handcuffs. Several of the accounts are given by children as either victims themselves or as witnesses to assaults on their parents. The report's authors – the law firm Birnberg Peirce, Medical Justice and the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns – conclude: "We have found an alarming and unacceptable number of injuries have been sustained by those subject to forced removals. This dossier provides evidence of widespread and seemingly systemic abuse of one of the most vulnerable communities of people in our society, who have fled their own countries seeking safety and refuge." The report, Outsourcing Abuse, says the Government's removal policy is driven by apparently arbitrary targets on deportation and has announced a near doubling of detention centre capacity. It warns: "Mass deportations may follow if the Government puts into effect its announcement to deal with 450,000 unresolved asylum cases within five years or less. The increased use of detention and target-driven deportations may lead to further injuries and assault allegations." All the allegations contained in the report have been made in the past four years to immigration workers, doctors and lawyers by asylum-seekers who claim to have been abused inside immigration detention camps and security transport, at airports, or on board aircraft. The authors say many of the alleged victims can no longer be contacted as they have been deported or are too frightened to put in claims in case it has an adverse effect on their applications. Cases include that of Amos Alajaibo, a Nigerian who says he was beaten unconscious by guards after admitting he had talked to the media during a protest, and an Algerian man who was allegedly assaulted while in a wheelchair. Suren Khachatryan, an Armenian, suffered a punctured lung after allegedly being stamped on by his immigration escorts in the back of a security van. Another detainee said he was "bound up like a parcel" by officials trying to force him on to a deportation flight. A 39-year-old Ugandan, Noreen Nafuna, says she was bundled on to a flight wearing only her underwear and later punched in the face by an escort, and a 21-year-old woman from Cameroon claims that she was assaulted in front of her young daughter. In another case, HM, a 16-year-old girl from Rwanda, who claimed asylum after coming to Britain as a sex-trafficking victim, says she was assaulted by guards who removed her from a shower unit in a detention centre. She says she suffered bruising when she was handcuffed from behind in a semi-naked state and taken to a holding cell. Her claim was investigated and dismissed by the Home Office, although there was criticism of the way the guards had handled a near-naked teenager. It is understood that the UK Borders Agency has received 89 complaints since October 2006, of which three were substantiated. Another 10 were partly upheld, relating to issues such as rudeness or inefficiency. A spokesperson for the agency said: "We have been asking for this information for at least nine months. We are glad that something has finally arrived. We will review it and where necessary will refer it to the police." Group4Securicor has told The Independent that it investigates all allegations properly and instructs its escort teams to treat all asylum-seekers with respect. Other firms have declined to comment on similar allegations.' I was beaten and kicked by guards': RH, asylum-seeker from Burundi The story of Mr RH highlights the alleged abuse suffered by asylum-seekers at the hands of British security guards. He fled to the UK in 2007 after being tortured in his home country of Burundi. His application for asylum was rejected by the Home Office, and he was taken to an immigration removal centre to await deportation. In July last year, Mr RH was taken from his room by immigration escorts. He was handcuffed, and his legs were crossed at the ankle before being tied together with tape. After struggling on his way to the van, which was bound for Heathrow, he says he was beaten and kicked by the escorts before being dragged half-naked into the plane. During the alleged assault, his handcuffs caused him to incur severe injuries to his wrists which were clearly visible. The pilot came to investigate, and told the escorts he would not fly Mr RH out of the country in his state at the time. After being returned, RH was examined by a medical officer. However, a later examination by an independent doctor revealed that this officer had only made limited notes about some of Mr RH's injuries, while others were not documented. Although he has since been released from detention and has recovered, Mr RH's case still hangs in the balance and he remains threatened with removal.

US election 2008: Britain's backing Obama: Democrat beats McCain by five votes to one

Obama’s support in Britain does not alter across age barriers, as it does in the US.

Barack Obama is overwhelmingly Britain's choice to be the next US president, five times more popular than his Republican rival, John McCain, a Guardian/ICM poll shows today. Carried out ahead of the Democratic candidate's visit to Britain next week, the poll reveals that 53% feel certain he would make the best president, with only 11% favouring McCain; 36% declined to express an opinion. Obama will soon set off on a marathon trip that will take in Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Jordan, Germany, France and, lastly, Britain. The exact timing of the visit to Iraq and Afghanistan is being kept under wraps for security reasons, but he is expected in Britain on July 25 or 26. His campaign team and the British government had originally discussed making the UK his first stop but, citing diary clashes, rescheduled it as the last. It will be his first trip overseas - apart from a holiday weekend in the Caribbean - since he launched his bid for the White House in February last year. The aim is to counter accusations from McCain that he lacks foreign experience. Obama's poll lead may have as much to do with his high profile and recognition factor as it does his policies. But it underlines the desire among US allies to see a change of political direction there after eight years of George Bush. Obama's campaign team hopes to use the European leg of the trip to press home to the US public that replacing Bush with the Democratic candidate should see America's popularity in Europe restored. McCain is less well known than Obama, despite having visited Britain several times and attending the House of Commons and the Conservative party conference. The survey, carried out late last week, found that Obama's support is strongest among male voters - 57% of whom want him to be president. There are small regional variations in support: 50% back him in the south-east, against 57% in the north of England. But overall enthusiasm for an Obama presidency is solid across people of all ages and backgrounds. Unlike the US, there is no evidence of young Britons being keener on Obama than older people. Obama, who met Gordon Brown in Washington earlier this year, is scheduled to meet him again. In keeping with diplomatic etiquette, he also plans to meet the Tory leader, David Cameron. He wants to fit in time to thank British-based Americans who have been raising funds for his campaign and for a photo-opportunity that would win him airtime on US television. The centrepiece of his visit to Europe will be Berlin, where he plans to deliver a speech about establishing a new transatlantic relationship. Obama's extensive foreign policy team have promised a complete rethink for the post-Bush era. He will stress that, in contrast with Bush, he will listen to Europe. According to an adviser, he is also likely, to avoid being portrayed as soft, to call on Germany and France to play a bigger military role in Afghanistan. There is confusion about how long Obama has spent in Europe before. Some reports claim he has only spent 24 hours in total, but he told a local paper in the US last year: "I've travelled extensively in Europe ... I love Europe." Obama, who likes being compared with John F Kennedy, opted for Berlin in part because of the former president's much-quoted speech outside the town hall, in which he declared "Ich bin ein Berliner." Pictures with foreign leaders are useful during election campaigns in establishing foreign policy credentials. But the main purpose of his trip is to be filmed in Iraq with US troops. Obama, who has pledged an early withdrawal of most American troops from Iraq, has been in Iraq before but has been repeatedly taunted by McCain about his failure to visit the country since becoming a presidential candidate. ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 1,009 adults aged 18+ on July 9-10. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

Breakthrough for Syria and Lebanon in Paris

French President Nicholas Sarkozy welcomes Palestinian Leader Mohmoud Abbas and the Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as they arrive at the  ElyseePalace at the start of a Union for the Mediterranean Summit. Abbas and Olmert both expressed optimism ahead of the Summit

The European Union and its Mediterranean neighbours launched a new platform for their relationship on Sunday at a summit boosted by a promise from Lebanon and Syria to open embassies in each other’s capital. Leaders of more than 40 countries attended the inaugural session of the Union for the Mediterranean, a project conceived by Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s president, as a way to bridge differences between the EU and the states of north Africa and the Middle East. As the ceremonies got under way at the majestic Grand Palais in Paris, the spotlight fell on Ehud Olmert, Israel’s prime minister, and Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s president, whose countries, bitter enemies since 1948, have held three rounds of indirect talks since March with Turkey as a mediator. It was the first time that an Israeli and a Syrian leader had been seated in the same room, but the new union’s plenary session was carefully choreographed so that Mr Assad and Mr Olmert neither exchanged words nor shook hands. Moreover, Mr Assad made it plain that he saw no prospect of direct peace talks with Israeli leaders at least until George W. Bush, the US president, left office next January. For his part, Mr Olmert underlined that the US-supported negotiations Israel is conducting with Palestinian leaders were his immediate priority. After meeting Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president, on the sidelines of the Paris summit, Mr Olmert declared: “It seems to me that we have never been as close to the possibility of reaching an accord as we are today.” In concrete terms, however, the most striking outcome of the weekend’s diplomatic activity appeared to be the announcement that Syria would open an embassy in Beirut and Lebanon an embassy in Damascus for the first time since Lebanese independence in 1943. Such a step would imply Syrian acceptance of the sovereignty of Lebanon, a state where Damascus has always sought to exert influence and where Syrian troops were stationed for almost 30 years after 1976. “We can say that Lebanon has moved from being a zone of turbulence, a war zone, to a more pacified zone where the Lebanese, and only the Lebanese, have the right to determine their own future,” Mr Assad said after talks on Saturday with Michel Suleiman, Lebanon’s president. Since taking power in 2000, Mr Assad has on several occasions dangled the prospect of diplomatic recognition of Lebanon. If there is a difference this time, it may rest in Mr Sarkozy’s statement on Saturday that he intends to visit Syria in September – a gesture that the French leader could withdraw, if by then Mr Assad has not fulfilled his promise to open an embassy in Lebanon. France froze relations with Syria after the 2005 assassination of Rafiq Hariri, the late Lebanese prime minister. Western governments suspected Syrian involvement in the killing, a charge Damascus denied. Since a power-sharing deal in Lebanon was agreed in May, Mr Sarkozy has sought to build a better relationship with Mr Assad – an effort crowned by the Syrian leader’s attendance at Monday’s Bastille Day celebrations in Paris.  But the disagreements between Mr Assad and western leaders were underlined at the weekend when he asserted that he did not believe Iran, with which Syria has close relations, was seeking nuclear weapons.