Other News In Brief

Ex-England Cricketer Remanded Over Drugs

A former England cricketer has been charged with attempted drug smuggling. Chris Lewis, 40, who played 32 Tests and 53 one-day internationals, was arrested following the seizure of 4kg of cocaine at Gatwick Airport. The drugs – in liquid form concealed in fruit teams and discovered as part of routine checks - are worth around £200,000. The fast bowler was refused bail, and remanded in custody.

Lord Harris Appointed As Inaugural Chair

Justice Minister Shahid Malik MP has announced the appointment of Lord Toby Harris as the inaugural Chair of the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody. Shahid Malik said: "I congratulate Lord Harris on his appointment. He was selected from a very strong field of applicants. It was heartening to see how many very able people share the Government's commitment to bringing about a reduction in the number of people who die in all forms of state custody."

Teenage Girl Charged after Drug Seizure

A teenage girl is one of five people charged following a major drugs haul in the north of Glasgow. The 14-year-old was detained alongside a 53-year-old man, and three men aged 48, 25, and 22 during the seizure in Northgate Road, near Bishopbriggs, at about 5.15pm on Monday. Strathclyde Police said heroin and cocaine, worth an estimated street value of about £290,000 were found during the raid. The teenage girl has been reported to the procurator fiscal and will appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court at a later date. Meanwhile, the man and three women are due to appear at the court on Tuesday.

New Measures To Benefit Consumers

A new package of measures to ensure consumers receive improved information in the home buying and selling process was announced today by Housing Minister Margaret Beckett. As part of a series of further improvements to the Home Information Pack (HIP), consumers will receive more helpful information about their future home. A new Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) in the pack will provide a summary of information about their property in one place, helping buyers make decisions about whether to view a property, and ultimately whether to make an offer.

Johnson Stubs Out Recruitment Of Young Smokers

Plans were laid today to remove cigarette displays in shops and prevent underage access to vending machines, putting children and young people at the forefront of the next tobacco control strategy. This will mean removing cigarette displays in shops and preventing underage access to vending machines, putting children and young people at the forefront of the next tobacco control strategy. Over 96,000 responses were received to the Department of Health's consultation on the future of tobacco control - the largest ever response to a consultation of this kind. Responses overwhelmingly supported removing tobacco displays in shops, and tough action to restrict access to vending machines. Since the ban on tobacco advertising, retail displays in shops are the main way in which tobacco products are marketed to children. These measures will be taken forward in primary legislation through the Health Bill in the next parliamentary session.

El Nino Gives Colder European Winters

Climate scientists have confirmed links between the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) - a natural oscillation in the Pacific Ocean - and the weather over Europe in late winter. A letter in Nature Geoscience published this week outlines Met Office Hadley Centre findings. Scientists have extended computer models into the upper atmosphere to show evidence of the atmospheric link from the Pacific to Europe. Sarah Ineson, climate research scientist at the Met Office says: "We have shown evidence of an active stratospheric role in the transition to cold conditions in northern Europe and mild conditions in southern Europe in late winter during El Nino years."

(JM)