The Birmingham Post du lieu suivant : Birmingham, West Midlands, England • 6

The Birmingham Post MONDAY February 13 1995 NATIONAL NEWS DIGEST Widening wealth gap Cantona is likely to escape pumislameBlt for mew fracas Shotgun murder at ChintM takeaway Police launched a murder hunt yesterday after a 2 1 -year-old man was shot dead at a Chinese takeaway The killing took Elace at the Golden Arch in tinting near Glossop Derbyshire The victim Mr Wai Hou Hiii a single man known locally as Eddie died from a shotgun wound to the head Police say they do not yet have any motive Dallat axpantlva The crossbow from a 1967 performance of Swan Lake by legendary ballet partners Rudolph Nureyev and Dame Margot Fonteyn is expected to fetch up to £2000 at a Sotheby's sale in London on Thursday xpanaJva haircut A lock of hair snipped from the head of Charles I and removed from the king's coffin when his tomb at Windsor was opened in 1813 is expected to fetch up to £500 at an auction in London on April 6 Autumn laava Television's Heartbeat Wayward soccer star Eric Cantona is expected to escape further punishment after a holiday fracas but doubts still persist about his future in English football Cantona already due to appear before a Football Association disciplinary committee after his kung-fu style attack on a Crystal Palace fan was involved in a similar incident at the weekend The fiery Frenchman is alleged to have launched a flying-kick on ITN reporter Terry Lloyd then threatened to kill the journalist during an incident on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe Cantona had escaped the constant media presence camped outside his home by flying to the French dependency for a holiday with his pregnant -wife and son But he was eventually tracked down by reporters and is alleged to have made the attack when the news crew attempted to ask him when he was returning to England Cantona infuriated police investigating the incident with a Palace fan at Selhurst Park two weeks ago when he failed to turn up for questioning last Wednesday The island incident has been clouded by the police on Guadeloupe saying they believed only an exchange of words had taken place and no charges had been filed France has strict laws on individual privacy and the ITN crew's tape was confiscated by police The FA seems likely to consider that what happened on an island several thousand miles away is outside its jurisdiction and will take no further action "We are in touch with Manchester United to establish the full facts" said Mr David Da-vies the FA's director of public affairs yesterday "Until we establish those facts there is nothing else we can say" vK ffSgaBaBaBS sWsaaa gfrj5fiB jfjljm -J NNb --i -wjjaa gaaHBaaiBBBi PJgs hero Pc Nick Rowan may have to face the future as a single father TV chiefs are considering killing off his screen puts Britain on the brink Britain's social cohesion is under threat Labour warned yesterday after a leaked Civil Service report blamed Govern ment policies for the growth of an urban underclass The paper which has been circulated within Whitehall highlights fears that "islands" of poverty social division and alienation are being created The document was drawn up following a meeting of eight departmental permanent secretaries summoned by Cabinet Secretary Sir Robin Butler to raise awareness of social problems It comes after the Government last week rejected claims of widening inequality made in a report by the Joseph Rown-tree Foundation The paper states: "It was clearly not arguable that the number of poor people were increasing even if it was not certain that in absolute terms the poor were getting poorer" The most worrying element was long-term unemployment The paper said there had been frequent "trade-offs" between policies aimed at widen- ing choice in health care education and housing and policies aimed at helping the most deprived Generally the policies to increase choice worked to the benefit of the better-off who were best placed to take advantage of them Among the polices highlighted by the report as contributing to the problems was the distribution of cash incentives to encourage better-off tenants to leave poorer council estates which was creating inner-city ghettos Bus deregulation was blamed for leading to the withdrawal of services from poorer areas making it more difficult for people there to travel to work The paper said also education policies discouraged schools from targeting disaffected pupils for special help while the growth or housing benefits fc4-lowing the reduced subsidy of rents tor "social housing" was leading to an increase in benefit dependency The reduction in value of the married couple's allowance and enhanced social security pay meats for single parents were leading to a growth in the number of unmarried mothers while acting as a disincentive to unemployed fathers to live under the same-roof Shadow social security secretary- Donald Dewar- had no doubt where the blame lay "I'm quite clearly pointing the finger at Government policy" he said "If present trends ran on un checked at some date in the not too distant future we would have a divided Britain so seriously and bitterly divided that it would in fact threaten social cohesion" he added Traced to Guadeloupe: Erie Cantona playing with his eon Raphael on a beach or if he does reappear in a United shirt again next season Several foreign dubs including Inter Milan and Barcelona were reported to have been interested in taking him back to the continent while there has also been speculation that United are already eyeing potential replacements with Southampton's gifted Matthew Le Tinier and Darren Ander-ton of Tottenham the two main candidates on the FA before the hearing" said Mr Taylor the chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association "It puts a lot of pressure on the FA to take further action" United has so far remained silent but there is no doubt this latest incident will further tarnish the club's reputation It also raises the question whether Cantona will be able to cope with the intense scrutiny and media glare when The FA has yet to decide if it will punish Cantona further for the Selhurst Park affair United has already banned him for the rest of the season and fined him about £20000 But players boss' Gordon Taylor was not the only one to suggest that the FA will come under increasing pressure to take more punitive action after the weekend's events "I am stunned shocked and this will clearly weigh heavily Attack claim: Terry Uoyd Lang slams Labour Scots self-rule plans Labour's home-rule plans yes doctor wife Kate played by Niamh Cusack (left) when the fifth series is screened in the Autumn Death blaze A young woman died in a house blaze thought to have been started by a faulty electric blanket Police said the fire was confined to a first-floor bedroom in the terrace house in Cambridge Street Reading Berks Walkera warned Police yesterday mingled with hikers and ramblers near the lonely country road in Humberside where pensioner Margaret Wilson had her throat slashed by a passing motorist warning them not to go out alone Dairy baatinge A number of people were' taken to hospital yesterday after a so-called punishment beating with baseball bats in a Catholic housing estate in Londonderry Three men were arrested and are now helping police with their inquiries PostScript Yorkshire's famous White Horse above the village of Kilburn near Think is to be given a "makeover" of deep chalk plaster to keep it white Previous brightening efforts have never hated more than a month before it returned to dull grey cent of those questioned indicated that they were not dulywocrieoby the long-term terday came under ferocious at- nee devolved parliament could con- Sraftfih Natioaal Party leader He saM Scottish Natioaal Party leader doat aatioa state stfll with the ttaaaian of statehood ate- Alex Saunoad MP last eight caued far aa lalmaliat Scot land la Earope with with its owe gai aae leacaooe syswsa Dshod caerckes sporting Mr Salami said: -I want to yet without aa peruaateat oatHae the case far a Attack: Ian Lang that caa at which ahV Tine a seeeiBy and safely vofeo la Earaae aad Use ear feeds to and social ee- That mtare is fHf at hoaw' la rjrospectj-ot the UK breaking up vihtal scrately governed components a A Labour Government would not give tax raising powers to English regional assemblies shadow home secretary Mr Jack Straw said yesterday The assemblies form part of Labour's plans for constitutional reform which include a Scottish parliament and a Welsh assembly On BBCl's On the Record programme he said that never in a million years" had it been part of Labour's plans for regional parliaments in England with tax raising powers He stressed it was not Labour's intention to make the regional assemblies or the Welsh assembly the direct equivalent of the Scottish parliament with powers to raise taxes and pass legislation ceivably cost Scots an extra 19p in income tax In his opening shots in a row set to dominate the political agenda Mr Lang argued that Scotland had a good financial deal under the present system But if a future Westminster government brought Scottish public spending in line with the rest of the UK would cut funds to a devolved Scots parliament by almost £3 billion To replace that a Scottish income tax of' 19p in the pound would be needed in addition to the UK rate just to stand still he claimed Mr Lang's attack came as Labour and the Scottish Nationalists squared up for last night's so-called Great Debate in Edinburgh where shadow Scottish Mr Major's attacks on what he terms The politics of the madhouse" have apparently failed to win converts in Scotland A System Three poll in Glas- ron Thursday put support independence at 29 per cent and for a devolved parliament at 47 per cent roughly in line with the long-term average More startfingty a full 47 per Secretary Mr George Robertson and SNP leader Alex Salmond argued head-to-bead in public on the merits of devolution or independence A high-profile assault by the Prime Minister on Labour's concept of a devolved tax-raising assembly has given the row a new lease of life But opinion polls suggest that Demand: Alex Saknond Car duo escape swollen river Gamekeepers Ronald and' Geoffrey Orritt were recovering yesterday after a lucky escape when their car was washed more than 400 yards down a fast-moving swollen river They were swept away as they crossed a ford in the Yorkshire Dales and dragged along for' two minutes before 74-year-old Ronald's red Nissan Sunny was: stuck in some rocks The pensioner wound down the window climbed out of the car and trudged over three miles of moorland to the town of Hawes where he raised the alarm for his trapped son Ronald and Geoffrey 46 are both from Preston Lanes 1 ii ramM Gulf War 'sufferers' hope groups will prove disease 'Hooded killers' hold key to province peace says Mayhew Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Patrick Mayhew yesterday insisted there could be no political settlement in the province without "give and take" as he addressed the staunchly pro-Unionist Young Conservative conference in Southport His comments followed a warning by ex-Tory chairman Lord Tebbit that the Shadow of hooded killers" would nana over any referendum on Ulster's future while the IRA refused to give up its arms But in an apparent bid to calm heightened Unionist fears about the future of Ulster Sir Patrick said: "We shall not propose ideas all of which meet the ambitions of one tradition and none of which will be welcome to the other "That would result in more not less conflict That too is nowadays widely accepted in Northern Ireland There can be no settlement without some give and take" Alluding to the politically explosive leak of a late draft of the Anglo-Irish framework document on the future of Northern Ireland Sir Patrick said: "A recent disruptive event has been received in the province with anxiety no doubt but with admirable calm and balance" He stressed the joint framework document would contain "ideas" and was not a blueprint but "something for the parties to consult about not something to impose" His speech came less than 24 hours after Lord Tebbit injured in the IRA Brighton bombing was wudhL applauded when he attacked the Government for keeping the Unionists "in the dark and unin-volved" in the development of the framework document Lord Tebbit said Mr Major had promised the people of Northern Ireland the last word about their future in a referendum "But if the IRA remains in being as a military terrorist organisation still holding on to its guns and bombs then that referendum would be conducted with those guns at the back of the head of the people of Northern Ireland" "In those circumstances the referendum would be held under duress in the shadow of the armed and hooded killers in every polling station and across every ballot paper" Veterans of the war against Saddam Hussein who daim to be suffering from Gulf War Syndrome yesterday welcomed the creation of two new groups which they believe will help convince a sceptical Ministry of Defence that the sickness actually exists Researchers established the Gulf Syndrome Study Group over the weekend to gather information about the sickness in order to prove that it exists and isolate its cause Meanwhile Mr Hilary Jones a former major who served with army nursing stafr in the Gulf has been given a place on the Gulf Welfare Group set up this month to act on behalf of sufferers like herself "These are important steps forward for us in getting our message across to the Government" said Mr Eddie Blench co-chairman of the Gulf Veterans Association Mr Blench aged 33 who has suffered eyesight problems energy loss blisters and mood swings since serving as a lance-corporal in the First Armoured Division HQ and Signal Regiment in the Gulf war said the main problem was the MoD's disbelieving attitude "I was just a corporal in the army so the MoD wouldn't take much notice of me The members of these groups are powerful people who will be listened to" He said the group's members included Tory MP Edwina Curric Colonel Terry English the Royal British Legion's controller of welfare: and Colonel Simon Brewis of the Army Benevolent Fund Mr Blench said the appointment of Mrs Jones aged 44 who sufTered memory loss and general weakness after her Gulf service was particularly welcome "It is good news for us because she has her own direct experience of the war and the syndrome and also she will be able to keep us in touch with what is going on" he said The Gulf Syndrome Study Group has been set up by a 20-ycar-oM working party of independent scientists and doctors concerned with the effects of chemical and biological weapons "We are all well versed in what these weapons can da" said group administrator Mrs Elizabeth Sig-mund "We dont know what causes this Gulf War Syndrome yet although we know a rat of factors that may oe involved" European call for law change The Government will be urged this week to enshrine the European Convention of Human Rights in British law reducing the risk of Strasbourg judgments overturning domestic court decisions Britain is one of 33 member countries of the Council of Europe which are bound by the Human Rights Code But unless it is "incorporated" as part of UK law its provisions play no part in British legal proceedings Only after domestic procedures have been exhausted can individuals go to Strasbourg I special ieararaqiiicw HOME LIFE INDUSTRY1 TRANSPORTS! Four Weddings and a Funeral tipped as favourite for Bafta honours with Robert Redford's Quiz Show Best maltMin- ntr: fiimlHlillMJMillKtnn BaBBBBBBBraTBTrr MtJt at £Jw obbbbbbbbbbI lii fYMI ttEffiHffl PLEASE SEND ME COPES OF VICTORIAN i BRITAIN SUPPLEMENT 75p EACH ventures of Priscilla: Forrest Gump Interview with the Vampire Pulp Fiction Best production design: The Adventures of Priscilla: interview with the Vampire Mary Shelley's Frankenstein The Mask Best film not in English language: Belle Epoque Eat Drink Man Woman Three Colours Red To Live Best costume design: Four Weddings Interview with the Vampire Little Women The Adventures of Priscilla Best editing: Four Weddings: Forrest Gump Pulp Fiction Speed Best special effects: Forrest Gump The Mask: Speed: True Lies Four Weddings and a Funeral is poised for success at the British academy awards after receiving II nominations The film world has been staggered by the success of the low-budget British comedy which turned actor Hugh Grant into an international star for his role as an elusive bachelor He is nominated as best actor in a leading role for the Bafta awards but is up against Tom Hanks for Forrest Gump John Travolta for Pulp Fiction and Terence Stamp for The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert Grant's co-stars Charlotte Coleman and Kristin Scott Thomas are nominated in the best supporting The Mask The Adventures of Priscilla DiB0 "iaff: Yabadabadoo! Caveman Fred Flintstone's pet dog Dim i is to star in spin-off cartoons the first new animation about Bedrock in almost 30 years sabre-toothed tiger Baby Puss for a prehistoric chase which makes its debut in UK cinemas on February 17 Snorkasaurus Dino is ordered to Bab fuss out of the Hints 51 BJe but the faithful RS-fc ne J1" bitten off more can CS5 he seven-min Stay Out directed by Kr W-yea They are also competing for the David Lean award for direction along with Three Colours Red Best original screenplay contenders are Four Weddings by Richard Curtis Pulp Fiction Philadelphia Three Colours Red and The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert Best adapted screenplays are Forrest Gump The Browning Version The Joy Luck Club and Quiz Show Other nominations include: Anthony Asquith award for best music: The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert Backbeat Four Weddings The Lion King Best cinematography: The Ad actress category and Simon Callow and John Hannah as best supporting actors They are up against Sally Field for Forrest Gump and Angelica Huston for Manhattan Murder Mystery Samuel Jackson for Pulp Fiction aad Paul Scofield for Quiz Show Best actress nominations go to Linda Florentine for The Last Seduction Irene Jacob for Three Colours Red Susan Sarandon for The Client and Uma Thurman for Pulp Fiction Four Weddings dominates the awards along with Pulp Fiction and Forrest Gump both with eight nominations each They are all contenders for best film along I 'Address fee v-----.