Sudan starts pardon 57 rebels after assent agreement

Andrew Heavens and Khaled Abdelaziz KHARTOUM Wed Feb 24, 2010 11:31am EST Related Video

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan began on Wednesday releasing 57 men held over an attack on the capital by Darfur"s largest insurgent force, part of a preliminary peace deal signed with the group.

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The move is the first concrete step in a rapprochement between the government and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) group since a deal that promised government posts to the rebels was ratified in Qatar on Tuesday.

Scores of people gathered outside Kober prison in Khartoum North, while inside the prison Sudan"s Justice Minister Abdel Basit Sabderat told reporters 57 men would be released, upping an earlier government promise to release 30 of those detained.

More than 100 men were imprisoned for participating in the JEM attack on Khartoum in 2008.

The justice minister said those to be released included 50 who were on death row.

One of the first to be freed was Adam Abdullah al-Nur, who cried as he was swamped by supporters hugging him and chanting.

"My only concern is to give the people of Darfur their rights, to give any old woman or child their rights," he said.

Reuters witnesses outside the jail saw about five released prisoners thronged by a crowd that chanted slogans in support of the rebel group, with more seen talking to their lawyers inside the prison grounds.

Armed guards watched the crowd unfurl banners backing the attack in which JEM fighters drove hundreds of kilometers (miles) across desert and scrubland to a few kilometers from the presidential palace before government troops stopped them.

"This is the first time that JEM is acting in front of the people, in front of the people"s eyes," said a student who declined to give his name. "This is a big day. My brother is in prison, He is a soldier of JEM. I am a supporter of JEM."

(Reporting by Andrew Heavens and Khalid Abdul Aziz; Writing by Alastair Sharp)

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Sainsburys sales expansion is slowest in five years (contains video)

Robert Lindsay & , : {}

J Sainsbury today revealed its slowest quarterly sales growth for nearly five years, after being hit by slowing food price inflation, and predicted a tough year ahead.

Comparable sales in the three months to March 20 slowed to 1.7 per cent, compared with growth of 3.7 per cent in the third quarter of the year, 5.7 per cent in the second quarter and 7 per cent in the first. The store chain has not seen slower growth since the first quarter of its 2005 financial year.

Justin King, the chief executive of Sainsbury"s, said that the fourth-quarter figures represented another "good performance in line with our expectations on top of strong growth last year".

However, he warned: "We expect the consumer environment to remain challenging in 2010."

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Mr King said: "For much of the last few years, growth for us and the industry was driven by inflation." He said that inflation for fresh food was now just "a little bit above nought".

Nearly all the growth in the fourth quarter came from sales of general merchandise, rather than food, with non-food sales growing three times as quickly as food trade. Children"s clothing and womenswear were performing well, Mr King said.

Including sales from Sainsbury"s petrol stations, which benefited from the rising price of petrol, like-for-like sales in the three months grew by 4.8 per cent.

Mr King said that the chain was winning market share. The number of weekly customer transactions had grown by one million to 19 million year on year as customers visit the stores more often or spend more while they are there. The grocer is forging ahead with its store expansion programme, having added 6.8 per cent extra space in the year, largely through extending existing stores.

Total sales, excluding fuel, rose by 6.3 per cent on the year.

The supermarket also relaunched its Freefrom brand of foods for those with low wheat or gluten tolerance and its Be Good To Yourself foods, which encourage balanced healthy eating.

Sainsbury"s shares rose 1.1p to 229.4p.

Middle East Quartet condemns Israel over Jerusalem settlements

Tony Halpin, Moscow & , : {}

The Middle East Quartet set a deadline for assent in in in between Israel and the Palestinians yesterday after condemning plans to set up new Jewish homes in Arab easterly Jerusalem.

Meeting in Moscow as Israeli aircraft dismissed on the Gaza Strip in plea for a Palestinian space station attack, the general tactful mission sought to revitalise plans for surreptitious negotiations that collapsed over the preference to set up 1,600 homes in the doubtful capital. It set a 24-month deadline for last allotment of the dispute and the origination of an eccentric Palestinian state. It called on Israel to freeze all allotment activities . . . and to give up from demolitions and evictions.

In a matter review out by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, the Quartet pronounced that it condemns the preference by the Government of Israel to allege formulation for new housing units in easterly Jerusalem.

The organisation additionally comprised Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, Sergei Lavrov, Russias Foreign Minister, and Baroness Ashton of Upholland, the European Unions unfamiliar routine chief, as well as Tony Blair, the former British Prime Minister, who represents the Quartet in the region.

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They did not contend how their idea would be achieved. The Palestinians refused to come in surreptitious talks after Israel voiced the building a whole during a revisit by US Vice-President Joe Biden last week.

Mrs Clinton duration pronounced that the clever US greeting to Israeli allotment plans was profitable off. Israels Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu due mutual confidence-building measures in a write call with her. She called his ideas utilitarian and productive.

However, Avigdor Lieberman, Israels Foreign Minister, indicted the Quartet of environment an impractical calendar. He said: It gives to the Palestinians the wrong sense that by unwell to come to terms without delay they will grasp their goals by utilizing all sorts of pretexts.

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, insisted that Israel freeze allotment wake up so that the assent routine can restart. He added: The allotment issue is the hint of the problem.

The risk of renewed assault was underlined by Israeli strikes on targets in Gaza, that followed a Palestinian space station dispute that killed a Thai jack-of-all-trades in an Israeli village.

On the second night of Israeli raids, Palestinian healing officials pronounced that 3 people were harmed last night when aircraft strike a outworn airport. Lady Ashton was on vacation Gaza when the militants struck on Thursday.

False dawns

1979 Camp David accords Agreements in in in between Egypt and Israel won the Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and the Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin the Nobel Peace Prize. We have won, at last, the initial step of peace, pronounced the US President Jimmy Carter. Sadat was assassinated the following year and dual years later, Israel launched a large advance of Lebanon

1993 Oslo accords The initial face-to-face talks in in in between Israelis and Palestinians were hailed in the West as a new thing and again won the protagonists Nobel Peace Prizes. But Yitzhak Rabin, the Israeli Prime Minister, was assassinated and the dual sides plunged in to uninformed assault with the al-Aqsa intifada (uprising) in 2000

2002 Road map The George Bush-backed highway map to assent directed to finish the dispute by 2005 by implementing 3 phases of change. Despite the efforts of Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State, it fell at the behind of report and the belligerent organisation Hamas won Palestinian elections in 2006, plunging the segment behind in to conflict

Source: Times archives

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City vehement by predator stalking Tullett Prebon

Martin Waller & , : {}

Shares in Tullett Prebon jumped roughly twenty-six per cent as the inter-dealer attorney (IDB) pronounced that it was in the sights of a predator. At yesterdays 390p shutting price, the company, run by Terry Smith, is value 840 million.

City speak referred to that the majority expected bidder would be an sell penetrating to supplement a bond-broking operation to the equities interests. There had been whispers that the commonly accepted bidder was a bank such as Macquarie or Bank of China.

However, any bank would face a dispute of interest. IDBs such as Tullett and Icap, the incomparable rival, lay as intermediaries permitting banks and alternative institutions to traffic in confidence in derivatives or alternative instruments. If an IDB was owned by a bank, therefore, the rivals could be reluctant to put commercial operation the way.

One down payment attorney said: IDBs are neutral parties. Were in the middle, with no dark agenda.

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In a brokers note, James Hamilton, an researcher at Numis Securities, said: Terry Smith has consistently pronounced that he would not be opposite offered the group. Consequently we design any suggest to enclose possibly a estimable volume of money or paper that Terry does not hold is overvalued.

In Sep 2008 Mr Smith was in talks with GFI, a New York-based rival, but whilst GFI refused to criticism on either it was concerned on this occasion, Mr Smith has indicated in new days that the motive at the back of such a partnership was right away less compelling.

Tullett expelled a grave matter at the begin of trade in London yesterday after headlines of the talks leaked. Mr Smith owns 4 per cent of Tullett, that was demerged from his Collins Stewart investment bank in Dec 2006. At 390p a share, his interest would be value only underneath 35 million.

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Red Knights plan to buy Manchester United from Glazer family Manchester United

Oliver Kay, Football Correspondent & , : {}

Jim ONeill, a close crony of Sir Alex Ferguson, emerged last night as a key player in in between the Red Knights, who goal to wring Manchester United from the clutches of the Glazer family.

As sum emerged of the initial indeterminate assembly in in between the organisation of heading City financiers who plan to put together a consortium to buy United, the name of ONeill, who quickly served as a comparison manager at Old Trafford and has clever ties with Ferguson, figured prominently.

There is no denote that Ferguson, who has been outspoken in his open await of the much-loathed Glazer regime, has had any hit with the group, but the impasse of ONeill, the head of tellurian mercantile investigate at Goldman Sachs and a lifelong United supporter, is sure to capture his courtesy if the debate progresses over yesterdays assembly at the Fleet Street offices of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Also benefaction at the assembly were Keith Harris, the comparison manager authority of Seymour Pierce, and Mark Rawlinson, a comparison partner at Freshfields, the authorised organisation that suggested United prior to and during the Glazer familys antagonistic takeover in 2005. Other distinguished total who have voiced await for the debate embody Paul Marshall, the co-founder and authority of Marshall Wace, one of the Citys largest sidestep funds, and Richard Hytner, the emissary authority worldwide of Saatchi Saatchi and a co-founder of the Shareholders United organisation that fiercely against the Glazer takeover.

Glazers at UnitedUnited tumble at the back of Spanish giants on abounding listGlazers buy time as down remuneration issue raises �500mThe fans receiving a mount on the terracesFerguson warns of United divisionsRelated Links"It"s only guys who love the bar perplexing to do a great thing"Supporters fright headlines as well great to be trueMultimediaDEBATE: should fans get at the back of Glazers? The Red Knights: who they are

Their plan is to have use of their contacts opposite the universe to find a series of super-investors who could lift the income estimated at a smallest of �1 billion indispensable to have a bid to buy the bar from the Glazers. They goal that a little of that income would come from supporters groups, who would in spin be offering a golden share and the awaiting of a little illustration in any new regime.

Sources were penetrating to fool around down the stress of yesterdays meeting, suggesting that it was merely the initial step on a prolonged highway that might not lead anywhere, but there is a genuine idea in in between a little of those concerned that it will be probable to convince the Glazer family to sell United. Harris has indicated in the past that he believes the bar to be value we estimate �1 billion, but the Glazers valuation, that they say does not proportion to an asking price, is we estimate �1.2 billion.

Significantly, the Red Knights are accepted to have cumulative the full subsidy of the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST), the organisation that was shaped from the remains of the Shareholders United movement. In new weeks, given it emerged that Uniteds debt had soared to an startling �715 million, the ranks of MUSTs membership have distended dramatically, with supporters increasingly outspoken and visible, wearing the green-and-gold colours of Newton Heath, that predated United in their rebuttal towards the Glazer regime.

A orator for the Glazers responded last night to headlines of the assembly by stating: Manchester United is not for sale. The same summary was conveyed in Dec after indeterminate seductiveness from a Chinese consortium, whose backers were never identified.

Since then, the Glazers have taken the poignant step of rising a down remuneration issue to lift �500 million to revoke the clubs debts, with some-more than 50 low-risk investors from around the universe stumping up money at a bound annual seductiveness rate of 9 per cent. However, United sojourn underneath hazard from their PIK (payment in kind) debt of �202.1 million, that rolls up at an annual seductiveness rate of 14.25 per cent and is accepted to be widespread in in between twenty vulture supports with ardour for high-risk funds. The PIK debt threatens to climb to �588 million by 2017.

Although United sojourn successful on the pitch, the bar paid �41.2 million in bank seductiveness in the last monetary year, a incident that the Red Knights courtesy as unsustainable and untenable.

British winter was the coldest for 31 years UK headlines

A motorist eases by Great Chart in Ashford, Kent, during what the Met Office has right away reliable as the coldest UK winter for thirty years. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA

After pang snow, sleet, sleet and consistently frozen temperatures, the believe that the Met Office has strictly recognized winter 2009-10 as the coldest in 31 years brings with it a sure grave satisfaction.

Provisional total from the forecaster show the UK winter ‑ that in forecasting conditions lasts from the begin of Dec until the finish of Feb ‑ has been the harshest, in heat terms, given 1978-79.

The headlines might come as small warn to those influenced by sleet in Dec and January, when falls of up to 2ft saw councils" courage reserve run low, transport disharmony and the lapse of the Guardian"s sleet day live blog.

According to the Met Office the meant heat in the UK was 1.51C this winter, compared to a long-term normal winter heat ‑ distributed from interpretation picked up in between 1971 and 2000 ‑ of 3.7C. The meant heat in 1978-79 was 1.17C.

The interpretation shows that Scotland suffered the majority this winter, with the subject to meant heat 0.24C ‑ usually somewhat higher than 1978-79, when the figure was 0.16C.

England, Northern Ireland and Wales were warmer, nonetheless temperatures of 2.12C, 2.05C and 2.09C respectively could usually be deliberate amiable by more aged with the Scottish figure.

The 1978-79 winter temperatures were 1.43C, 1.51C and 1.64C for England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

"Since mid-December cold continue has mostly dominated most of the country, with spells of sleet and really low temperatures," pronounced a Met Office spokeswoman. "From southern England to northern Scotland, complicated sleet caused transport intrusion at times by the season."

Heavy sleet was still causing intrusion last week, when Glencoe ski centre perceived one of the heaviest snowfalls available anywhere in the world.

In further to the snow, the winter culminated with serious flooding in tools of the UK, with one lady killed when her car was swept along a stream.

The lowest heat available this winter was in Altnaharra, around 50 miles south-west of John O" Groats in the Highland segment of Scotland. The -22.3C available there was the coldest UK smallest given 1995.

But acknowledgment of the coldest winter in a era aside, the Met Office interpretation shows there is a little reason to be thankful.

The coldest winter given heat annals began in 1914 was in 1962-63, when the meant heat for December, Jan and Feb was -0.18C.

BA cabin organisation opinion to set upon Business

A new check referred to BA cabin organisation would await a set upon lasting longer than 10 days. Photograph: AFP/Getty

British Airways is confronting a extensive set upon by cabin organisation subsequent month after employees voted strongly in foster of a walkout.

The check saw 81% of cabin organisation subsidy set upon movement in a row over staffing cuts and due changes to operative conditions, on a audience of 79%. The Unite kinship did not make known any set upon dates, but a walkout can be staged inside of twenty-eight days.

Unite officials and members of the cabin organisation branch, Bassa, will encounter tomorrow to plead set upon dates, nonetheless the dual week Easter authorised legal holiday has been ruled out. The kinship hopes the strenuous yes opinion – the second in usually over dual months – will inspire BA to determine a assent deal. However, the infancy was not as big than the 92% subsidy in the prior ballot, prior to Christmas, on the same turnout.

Len McCluskey, the partner ubiquitous cabinet member of Unite, urged BA to reach an agreement rather than review to the high court, where it successfully degraded the attempted 12-day set upon last year. "This can usually be resolved by negotiation, not lawsuit or intimidation," pronounced McCluskey. He cursed BA"s hazard to repel ignored transport perks for air stewards who walkout. Discussions in between Unite and BA will resume at the TUC.

BA cursed the "very disappointing" list outcome and urged Unite to cruise an additional justice statute last week that authorised cuts in staffing levels on flights. Unite has demanded the dissolution of the cuts as a precondition for a deal, but the statute has bolstered BA. "We will not concede Unite to hurt this company. Should a set upon take place, we will do all we can to strengthen the customers" transport plans as far as possible," pronounced BA.

McCluskey pronounced BA"s 11,700 Unite-affiliated cabin organisation would not walkout over Easter, to equivocate disrupting families" authorised legal holiday plans. However, there is await inside of Bassa for a set upon subsequent month lasting at slightest 10 days.

A new Bassa check indicated clever await for movement longer than 10 days and a kinship source indicated that Unite is rebuilt to permit a extensive walkout. Unite"s corner ubiquitous secretary, Derek Simpson, dumbfounded members in Dec when he pronounced a 12-day set upon was "probably over the top". However, the kinship source pronounced Unite would not behind afar from a vital strike. "Ten days has never been over the top," pronounced the source.

A walkout by cabin organisation is expected to belligerent majority of BA"s operations, nonetheless BA is precision hundreds of auxiliary organisation after job for volunteers from the 38,000 workforce. BA operates 650 flights daily, carrying around 80,000 passengers.

Unite is braced for a warlike reply from BA"s lawyers. Today"s list is a re-run of the progressing poll, that was staged after BA unilaterally marked down cabin organisation on long-haul flights by at slightest one chairman to revoke costs at an airline that posted a pre-tax loss of £401m last year.

However, BA won an claim opposite the prior opinion after it emerged that cabin organisation requesting for intentional excess had taken part. Unite is assured that the polling database can ward off an additional claim try underneath the 1992 Trade Union Act, that requires unions to give minute report about the check and the employees receiving part.

Unite officials are heedful of BA accusing the kinship of distinguished over plans to put new, lower-paid cabin organisation on a apart swift of planes. The plan, dubbed "new fleet" by BA, has been shunned by Unite in assent talks since BA could injunct a set upon over the move underneath European Union law. BA used a identical authorised evidence to