NSW:Sell-off or not, electricity will cost more, each side says

AAP General News (Australia)
02-26-2008
NSW:Sell-off or not, electricity will cost more, each side says

NSW Premier MORRIS IEMMA and Unions NSW secretary JOHN ROBERTSON have had words ..

ahead of a mass rally against the government's planned power sell-off.

Mr IEMMA's told Fairfax radio the government will have to borrow billions to keep up
with electricity demand .. forcing up interest rates .. if it doesn't lease its power
stations and privatise its retails business .. as …

VIC:Royal wedding fever hits Melbourne

AAP General News (Australia)
04-29-2011
VIC:Royal wedding fever hits Melbourne

By Mariza O'keefe And Belinda Merhab

MELBOURNE, April 29 AAP - Hundreds have cheered and applauded in Melbourne's Federation
Square as they watched Prince William and Catherine Middleton become husband and wife.

Men and women, young and old, crowded around the Square's open-air television screen
to watch as the young couple exchange vows.

Some came prepared, wearing paper crowns and sparkling tiaras, while others brought
the essentials, like blankets and chairs.

The crowd erupted with cheers, whistles and applause at the first glimpse of Catherine
stepping out of the limousine in her highly anticipated gown.

One spectator, Cheryl Templeton, 49, said the ceremony was beautiful.

She said she still remembered how she felt watching the wedding of Prince Charles and
Lady Diana 30 years ago.

"I remember being a kid and watching Diana get married thinking: `Oh wow, this is brilliant',"

she said.

She gave the Duchess of Cambridge, and her dress, the tick of approval.

"I love the dress. I think she's lovely and I reckon they will last," she said.

The nuptials were also broadcast at the Windsor Hotel, where a life-size cut-out of
Will and Kate in the foyer may have been the most photographed attraction in Melbourne
this week.

Windsor Hotel CEO David Perry estimates that 5,000 people had had their photo taken
with the cardboard pair since they arrived a month ago.

"It just brings a smile to everyone's face," Mr Perry said.

Its appeal could be a metaphor for the wedding fever that has hit Melbourne - and the world.

"I think the world is so thankful after such natural disasters and terrible things
going on in the world this year that there's a good news story," he said.

A lovely end to the fairytale for the Windsor Hotel - given its name after a visit
by the Prince of Wales in 1921 - would have to be a honeymoon visit by the royal couple.

"I can't confirm if we're holding any reservations for any Windsors in the next month,
but there are bets about Australia being the preferred destination for their honeymoon,"

Mr Perry said.

Hotel visitors appeared unable to walk past the `royal couple' without pulling out
their cameras and taking a picture.

One, Dot Begley, said the royal romance seemed like the real thing.

"I think it's a true love story. They're well-suited," she said.

"You can tell by the way he looks at her and how she at him."

Her friend, Jane Orford, said a lot had changed since Princess Diana's time.

"She's been well-initiated into the royal family and more aware of what she's in for
than Diana was at 19," she said.

AAP mok/pmu/bm/cdh

KEYWORD: WEDDING VIC WRAP (PIX AVAILABLE)

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

VIC:Former Vic officer denies hit-run

AAP General News (Australia)
08-26-2011
VIC:Former Vic officer denies hit-run

A former Victorian policeman has denied any involvement in the death of a war veteran
in a hit and run incident 35 years ago.

The body of HUGH WILSON was found on the Colac-Gellibrand Road in Victoria's southwest
in September 1976.

There have been suggestions of police involvement in his death, but BRIAN MERRY, who
was a senior constable in Colac in 1976, denied any involvement in the death as he gave
evidence to the Victorian Coroners Court.

He also denied moving the 57-year-old's body or assisting in getting a police car repaired.

AAP RTV df/szp/mn/wf

KEYWORD: WILSON (MELBOURNE)

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED:Gillard faces battle over student bill

AAP General News (Australia)
02-15-2011
FED:Gillard faces battle over student bill

By Paul Osborne, AAP Senior Political Writer

CANBERRA, Feb 14 AAP - Prime Minister Julia Gillard faces a battle in her bid to prevent
parliament passing a coalition draft law boosting regional student support.

The Senate has passed a bill, proposed by Nationals senator Fiona Nash, to make youth
allowance more widely available to regional students.

The government says the draft laws, which will cost about $274 million until 2013/14,
breach section 53 of the Constitution.

This section of the Constitution specifies that: "proposed laws appropriating revenue
or moneys, or imposing taxation, shall not originate in the Senate."

But Senate President John Hogg, a Queensland Labor senator, allowed the bill to proceed
in the upper house.

"The bill in question does not appropriate money," he said in making his decision.

"It doesn't need to do so because any funds required to support the measures in the
bill have already been appropriated by the parliament."

House of Representatives Speaker Harry Jenkins will publicly reveal his thinking on
the matter, advised by Clerk of the House Bernard Wright, as early as Monday's parliamentary
sittings.

It is understood he won't rule the bill out of order, but will leave it to the parliament
to put it to the test.

The last time such a bill came from the Senate to the House was in September 2008 when
draft laws were introduced to boost the single-aged pension. The Speaker no sooner had
presented the clerk's advice when Leader of the House Anthony Albanese jumped in to successfully
move that the bill was unconstitutional and the house should decline to consider it.

The government rubbed salt into the wound by gagging debate.

Since the 2010 election, the Labor minority government has relied on the support of
independents and the Australian Greens to get motions and bills passed.

The Greens have called for the government and opposition to find a compromise to deliver
extra allowances for students.

Independents Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Andrew Wilkie, and WA Nationals MP Tony
Crook, are on the public record as being sympathetic to boosting regional student allowances.

Mr Windsor has raised the prospect of a compromise with Opposition Leader Tony Abbott,
but he said at the weekend the issue of money bills needed a broader examination, given
their potential impact on the federal budget if more start coming through.

Attorney-General Robert McClelland has written to Mr Jenkins drawing his attention
to the government's view, a spokesman said.

"The government will continue to oppose the bill as it is unconstitutional," the spokesman
for Mr McClelland said.

The other option for Labor will be to delay the bill by a member of the selection committee
referring the bill to an inquiry.

It only takes a single member of that committee to initiate an inquiry.

AAP pjo/rl/vg

KEYWORD: YOUTH

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW:Elderly woman beaten with her own cane.

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-2010
NSW:Elderly woman beaten with her own cane.

An elderly woman was beaten with her own walking stick during a late night robbery
at her Sydney home.

The 87-year-old confronted two males after they broke into her St Marys home .. in
Sydney's west .. early this morning.

Police say one of the males grabbed the woman's walking stick and hit her on the head
with it several times.

The males also kicked her before fleeing with her TV.

The woman is in a stable condition in Nepean Hospital.

AAP RTV vpm/jen/

KEYWORD: ELDERLY (SYDNEY)

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED: Rudd boosts civilian numbers in Afghanistan

AAP General News (Australia)
04-24-2010
FED: Rudd boosts civilian numbers in Afghanistan

By Crystal Ja

CANBERRA, April 24 AAP - Australia has vowed to stay the course in Afghanistan, but
it is civilians, not troops, that are set to play an increasing role, Prime Minister Kevin
Rudd says.

He is upping the number of civilian workers in Afghanistan to about 50 people, made
up of diplomats, aid workers and police officers.

They'll help with rebuilding efforts, development, governance and police training,
based mostly in Afghanistan's Oruzgan province.

"Our civilian increase will amount to around 50 per cent more than our existing contribution
and will be a force-multiplier for our total effort in Afghanistan, Mr Rudd said.

"In this, we will continue to make it clear to the government of Afghanistan that we
expect them to meet their responsibilities."

While stressing the importance of Australia's military presence of 1550 troops, Mr
Rudd said it was not up to defence alone to help Afghanistan find its way back.

Mr Rudd said it was a "critical point in time" for Afghanistan's progress forward,
but warned Australian troops will not stay "one day longer" than was necessary.

He used the speech to attack Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's comments that he will
boost troops if needed given the Dutch government's decision to withdraw later this year.

"Such a decision would probably require the further deployment of an additional thousand
or more troops to Afghanistan," Mr Rudd said, adding it would cost taxpayers an extra
$1 billion a year.

"Once again we have an example of erratic policy making on the run."

Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Tony Negus has welcomed the prime minister's
announcement, which he says will enhance the AFP's role in training and mentoring Afghan
police officers.

"This announcement demonstrates the importance of the AFP's work with the Afghan National
Police in Oruzgan province and the additional deployment will enable the AFP to continue
this important work in conjunction with our coalition partners," Mr Negus said in a statement.

Mr Rudd spoke while launching the country's first National Security College at Canberra's
Australian National University - the first college to focus exclusively on security.

"There is no greater responsibility for government than that of national security,"

he told various ambassadors, diplomats and servicemen.

"The defence of our nation, the protection of our people, the upholding of the values
which we live by and the interests which we hold dear - these are paramount."

He said Australia's most important security relationship was with the US, but pointed
to critical partnerships with countries like Japan, China, India and Indonesia.

Australia must continue to meet the vast array of security challenges ahead, including
the "increasing, constantly mutating" threat of terrorism, he said.

"Computer hackers in internet cafes can penetrate national security systems and steal
commercial secrets.

"Virtual imams can recruit suicide bombers off the net.

"And viruses can spread from a chicken farm in China to infect cities across the world
with the speed of an A380."

That there had not been a repeat of a disaster on the scale of the September 11, 2001
terror attacks in the US was a tribute to all security agencies, although he warned Australia
was still not immune.

The college, which will analyse security issues, how to combat threats, as well as
developing global networks, will open in May.

AAP cj/jfm/srp

KEYWORD: AFGHAN AUST WRAP (VIDEO AVAILABLE)

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Steve Liebmann takes over morning slot on 2UE

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-2009
NSW: Steve Liebmann takes over morning slot on 2UE

SYDNEY, Dec 10 AAP - Media veteran Steve Liebmann is taking over Sydney radio 2UE's morning slot.

Liebmann, a former host of the Nine Network's Today Show, who now works for Foxtel,
will go head to head with the ratings leader, 2GB's Ray Hadley, in the morning talkback
battle.

"I honestly feel quite privileged to have been offered the 2UE morning show, given
the heritage associated with the station and the time-slot," Liebmann said in a statement.

He replaces Steve Price, who quit 2UE on Wednesday after eight years with the station.

It has been rumoured that 2GB owner John Singleton will lure Price back to Melbourne,
where he was 3AW's drive host for many years, as part of Singleton's move into Melbourne's
talkback market.

Friday will be Price's last day on air.

Liebmann will take over the role from Monday, December 14, and work right through the
summer holiday period.

2UE general manager Tim McDermott says Liebmann's profile and news experience made
him the ideal person to take over from Price.

"We've conducted extensive research over recent months and Steve Liebmann continually
returned strong figures. He's seen as a broadcaster who can deliver the very latest news
and information, mixed with opinion and entertainment."

The 2UE Morning Show is syndicated through 32 network stations from Tweed Heads in
the north to Alice Springs in the far west and Eden in the south.

AAP jlw/jl/cdh

KEYWORD: LIEBMANN

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Man charged with murder over shooting: police

AAP General News (Australia)
08-03-2009
NSW: Man charged with murder over shooting: police

A teenager has been charged with murder .. following a shooting in western Sydney that
left one man dead and prompted a siege in a suburban home.

A 37-year-old was shot repeatedly .. and possibly hit on the head with bricks .. just
after midday (AEST) yesterday in Cabramatta West.

Police say he was rushed to Liverpool Hospital in a critical condition and later died.

Two men .. aged 19 and 18 .. were arrested about two blocks away, about 5pm.

Police say the 19-year-old Cabramatta West man has been charged with murder .. and
will appear in Liverpool Local Court today.

The 18-year-old Claymore man was released without charge, pending further inquiries.

Police say investigations are continuing and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.

AAP RTV sg/psm/

KEYWORD: SHOT (SYDNEY)

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

WA: Snorkeller dead after being hit by boat

AAP General News (Australia)
12-31-2008
WA: Snorkeller dead after being hit by boat

A 25-year-old Perth man has been killed by a high-speed tourist boat while snorkelling
near Shark Bay in Western Australia's north.

Police say the man had been with another snorkeller off Dirk Hartog Island .. about
800 kilometres north of Perth .. before being struck by the boat travelling at speed shortly
after 11am (WDT) yesterday.

About a dozen passengers aboard the 8.5 metre tourist vessel alerted the skipper to
the accident and police later impounded the vessel as part of their investigations into
the incident.

AAP RTV was/ka

KEYWORD: SNORKELLER (PERTH)

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: No major issue with power sell-off: Auditor-General=2

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-2008
NSW: No major issue with power sell-off: Auditor-General=2

Mr ACHTERSTRAAT's review recommends the state government set a reserve price .. prior
to selling or leasing out its electricity retailers and power generators.

And he says any transaction shouldn't proceed unless that reserve price is met.

The review's recommended the state government look at selling individual retailers
and leasing out its individual generators all at the one time .. rather than sequentially
as has been proposed.

Mr ACHTERSTRAAT's reviewed the employee protections being offered to electricity sector
workers.. and says the conditions are as good or better that those in other privatisations
and restructures.

If the opposition supports the privatisation proposal .. legislation enabling the sale
is likely to go before NSW parliament shortly after it resumes on September 23.

AAP RTV nr/wjf/tm

KEYWORD: ELECTRICITY REPORT 2 SYDNEY

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Fuelwatch scheme to be rolled out nationally says Rudd

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2008
Fed: Fuelwatch scheme to be rolled out nationally says Rudd

The federal government has announced a national fuelwatch scheme .. which it hopes
will help bring down the price of petrol at the pump.

Prime Minister KEVIN RUDD says the scheme will aim to bring maximum competition policy
pressure onto petrol retailers across Australia.

MORE RTV pv/sb/af

KEYWORD: PETROL RUDD (CANBERRA)

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

SA: Equestrian events to resume in SA in the new year

AAP General News (Australia)
12-11-2007
SA: Equestrian events to resume in SA in the new year

Equestrian and other horse trials will resume in South Australia early next year ..

provided the state remains free of equine influenza.

Chief vet ROB RAHALEY says horse owners shouldn't take risks over the Christmas holidays
.. when travel between states increases.

He says anyone travelling interstate who might come in contact with horses should ensure
they wash their clothes and boots and shower before returning home.

They should also stay away from any horses in South Australia for at least three days.

"Mr RAHALEY says now SA is working towards a resumption of activities in 2008 .. it
would be very disappointing if a simple mistake puts the plans of equestrian clubs across
the state on hold.

AAP RTV tjd/bart

KEYWORD: STALLIONS SA (ADELAIDE)

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Uncertain start for Rudd at national conference

AAP General News (Australia)
04-27-2007
Fed: Uncertain start for Rudd at national conference

By Maria Hawthorne, Chief Political Correspondent

SYDNEY, April 27 AAP - Kevin Rudd looked a little lost after finishing his speech to
the ALP national conference this morning.

He'd just been speaking for 48 minutes - probably about 15 minutes too long - and his
speech seemed to end abruptly, with no big build-up.

After a pause, the applause started.

The 400 delegates and hundreds of other observers gave him a standing ovation and Labor
vice-presidents Mike Rann and Linda Burney raced over to congratulate him.

He embraced his wife, Therese Rein, and three children.

But then he didn't seem to know quite where to go.

Eventually, the party faithful claimed him, calling him down from the platform to accept
their congratulations after his first address to the conference as leader.

There were cheers as he put his arm around deputy leader Julia Gillard and they posed for photos.

Then the conference proper began.

Three years ago, Mark Latham bounced into the national conference to the sounds of
New Sensation, the old INXS hit from the 1980s.

Within a year, he'd been bounced out of politics after scaring voters.

Mr Rudd is not making the same mistakes.

Instead of a big rock number, Mr Rudd entered this year's conference to the tune of
a specially-commissioned song, A Change In The Weather.

Expect to hear it a lot over the next six months - Labor owns the rights and is planning
to use it as an election campaign theme.

The soft rock song asks: "Now do you remember/I promised in winter/That our hearts
would be lighter one day?/And sooner rather than later/The sky would be brighter/And everything
would be OK? So you see it?/ Do you feel it?/Yes you knew it was coming/The waiting is
over/There's a change in the weather."

Mr Rudd hopes voters are looking for that change when the federal election rolls around
later this year.

His speech this morning was aimed at geeing up the party faithful while trying to convince
undecided voters that the Howard government is tired, out of touch and arrogant after
11 years in power.

He deviated from his prepared script with lines that got the biggest laughs - that
Prime Minister John Howard's denial of climate change was like believing Elvis was still
flipping burgers in Florida, and that Mr Howard did not believe in a single idea which
had not been on black-and-white TV.

He pledged to throw out the Work Choices industrial relations laws "lock stock and
barrel" and pledged his support for the manufacturing industry, saying he did not want
to be prime minister of a country that did not make anything.

He launched a scathing attack on Mr Howard, saying he had turned his back on battlers
by declaring that ordinary working Australians had never been better off.

With personal debt levels at record highs, housing less affordable than ever, and students
facing record debt levels, how could families be better off, Mr Rudd asked.

"If ever there was a single statement from Mr Howard that says that he has now become
arrogant and out of touch, it is his statement only a few weeks ago that working families
have never been better off," he told the conference.

"It's the sort of statement that political leaders make when they have been in office
far too long."

There were no big announcements in today's speech, no new policies.

In many ways it was similar to Mr Howard's address to the Queensland Media Club earlier
in the week.

Flagged as a big picture speech, Mr Howard's Australia Rising address lacked any major
announcements or policies, concentrating more on attacking Mr Rudd.

Both leaders claim to be the man with the plan to keep the economy strong, the nation
safe, and the people happy.

Both argue that this year's election will be about the future versus the past, with
both claiming to be the future.

Voters will spend the next few months deciding who is right.

AAP mfh/it/sp

KEYWORD: NEWSCOPE FEDERAL (AAP NEWS ANALYSIS)

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Tas: Missing kayaker found

AAP General News (Australia)
12-28-2006
Tas: Missing kayaker found

HOBART, Dec 28 AAP - A kayaker has been rescued after spending a cold night stranded
in the Tasmanian wilderness.

The 38-year-old Sheffield man was kayaking on the Mersey River near Mole Creek, in
northern Tasmania, when he was swept from his craft.

The man pulled himself out of the water but was unable to scramble up an 80 metre cliff
to safety.

He used his mobile phone to alert emergency services about 6.20pm (AEDT).

Tasmania Police search and rescue attempted to find the man last night but dangerous
conditions made it impossible for them to reach him before nightfall.

A police spokeswoman said a helicopter joined the ground search early today and the
man was located just after 12pm (AEDT).

She said a paramedic would be lowered to him and both would be winched out by helicopter.

No details about the man's condition were immediately available, she said.

AAP ce/jjs/de

KEYWORD: KAYAK DAYLEAD

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Heart failure patients not given life-saving drugs: Study

AAP General News (Australia)
08-20-2006
Fed: Heart failure patients not given life-saving drugs: Study

By Tamara McLean, National Medical Writer

SYDNEY, Aug 20 AAP - Many heart attack victims who suffer heart failure are not being
prescribed vital life-saving drugs because of reluctance by doctors, a study has found.

Heart failure is a common and potentially lethal complication of myocardial infarction,
otherwise known as a heart attack.

People who have both are up to five times more likely to die.

And while cardiovascular drugs have been proven to reduce death and disease, a study
published in the latest Medical Journal of Australia shows hospitals often fail to prescribe
them.

"Patients with heart failure receive fewer life-saving drug therapies compared with
those who do not have heart failure," the Monash University researchers wrote.

"These deficiencies in prescribing may lead to substantial increases in (cardiovascular)
events in these patients."

The team collected data from 20 Australian hospitals on 479 people hospitalised after
a heart attack.

Of these, 116 had had heart failure during their stay, with the victims most likely
to be women in their late 60s.

Study co-author Professor Henry Krum, head of the university's NHMRC Centre for Clinical
Research Excellence in Therapeutics, said these patients were significantly less likely
to be given medication than those without heart failure.

He believed doctors might be reluctant to prescribe these drugs - in particular the
key medications beta blockers and ace inhibitors - because the patients were in an unstable
condition.

But Prof Krum, who has served on advisory boards for several pharmaceutical companies,
said the use of heart failure therapies should be encouraged.

Recent studies had proven their success, he said, but hospitals were potentially under-prescribing.

"Given the absolute benefit of drug therapy in patients with heart failure after (myocardial
infarction), our findings suggests the potential for sub-optimal prescribing (exists)
in Australian teaching hospital practice," the authors wrote.

AAP tam/jt/sd

KEYWORD: HEART

) 2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Man and woman charged over alleged internet auction scam

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2006
NSW: Man and woman charged over alleged internet auction scam

SYDNEY, April 13 AAP - A woman and man have been charged in Sydney over an alleged
internet auction scam.

Police say the pair were arrested in Roseville, in Sydney's north, yesterday as a result
of a fraud investigation into an internet auction site.

Police executed a search warrant at their Barcoo Street premises about 8am (AEST) and
seized property and cash they will allege were the proceeds of stolen goods sold online.

A 37-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman were later charged with several offences
including receiving and disposing of stolen property.

The pair have been bailed to appear at Hornsby Local Court on May 3.

AAP ved/cmc

KEYWORD: AUCTION

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

PAC: Solomons expected to announce new =2

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2005
PAC: Solomons expected to announce new =2

The government has also announced plans to fund a five-year, $2.5 million program to
help the Solomon Islands respond to natural disasters.

The aid comes in the wake of the Boxing Day tsunami and the recent devastating earthquake
off Sumatra.

AAP RTV so/sb/sco/jo

KEYWORD: SOLOMONS POLICE 2 SYDNEY (REOPENS)

2005 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

arbitrageur

arbitrageur A person or company who undertakes a set of transactions involving buying in one market and selling in another, where the prices are known simultaneously. Thus, although a profit can be made if the prices are different, an arbitrageur takes very little risk. The term arbitrageur is also used to describe those who buy and sell companies or parts of companies at pre-arranged prices, again taking very little risk. An arbitrageur is contrasted with a speculator, who buys and sells in markets where the prices are not known simultaneously, so that beween purchase and sale the speculator is massively at risk.

British Insurer Royal & Sun Alliance to Buy Some Operations of Collapsed Rival.

By Ruth Sunderland, Daily Mail, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Jul. 10--Insurer Royal & Sun Alliance yesterday agreed to buy the property and casualty arm of collapsed Independent Insurance in a UKpound 3 million deal that will save 300 jobs.

In a separate development, liquidator PricewaterhouseCoopers is to send up to 200,000 letters to policyholders this week cancelling their cover.

The property and casualty operation, PCS, sold cover to businesses, including Pizza Express, Surrey County Cricket Club, the London Fire Brigade, and to high-income individuals.

The liquidators, Mark Batten and Daniel Schwarzmann, also sold internet operation businessrisk.com, which underwrites policies for small and medium-sized firms, to French insurance giant Axa for just under UKpound 1 million.

In an earlier deal, 250,000 council house tenants had their policies transferred to RSA.

More than 1,000 staff, around half Independent's workforce, were made redundant by PwC a fortnight ago.

The liquidators also hope to dispose of a book of around 80,000 motorcycle policies later this week.

Schwarzmann said policyholders would be receiving "cancellation letters" this week. Individuals who have paid premiums in advance may be able to claim a 90 percent refund from the Policyholders Protection Board.

The liquidators confirmed they are investigating the possibility of tapping into the pension fund of Michael Bright, Independent's flamboyant founder.

Unless they succeed in recouping some of the cash, Bright, who resigned in April, could have access to millions of pounds of assets in his pension fund when he turns 60 in four years.

The company is under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office.

To see more of the Daily Mail and the Financial Mail on Sunday, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.financialmail.co.uk

UKpound preceding a numeral refers to the United Kingdom's pound sterling.

(c) 2001, Daily Mail and the Financial Mail on Sunday, London. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

RSA, RSAIF, AXF, AXA,

Defensive move by Adere.

Ethiopian sensation Berhane Adere will be up against it when she defends her title in the 2009 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon on January 16. Last year, the 35 year-old set a new Dubai record for the women's event when she stormed to victory in a time of 2h:22m:42s to collect gold and the winner's cheque for US$250,000. On that occasion she beat fellow Ethiopian Bezenushe Bekele to the title, and her compatriot is back for another bite at the cherry. And any thoughts of a two-horse race have been blown out of the water after it was confirmed that Askale Tafa Magarsa will also be in the field after finishing third last year. Event director Peter Connerton said: "We are delighted that Berhane will be defending her title in Dubai. Her win and new race record means she is part of the history of our event." General co-ordinator Ahmed Al Kamali added: "It was Bezenushe's first ever marathon so for her to finish second over four minutes better than the previous women's record was a wonderful result. "Haile Gebrselassie's new men's record may have overshadowed the ladies but the top three women in 2008 all broke the previous ladies' best for the event. It just goes to show the quality of field attracted to a race that is now the richest in the world." Adere may have failed to follow up her Dubai win with gold in Beijing this year, but she relishing the prospect of returning to the UAE for another shot at glory. "It was a great race for me in Dubai and I like the course very much," she said. "I was obviously delighted to have won in what was a very good time and I'm looking forward to coming back." Runners still have until December 31 to sign up at www.dubaimarathon.org or at any branch of Fitness First in Dubai.

2007 Al Sidra Media LLC

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company