Queen of hearts: Elizabeth II laughs as she is given flowers
Getty
The Queen became the owner of a baby llama, adopted an elephant and
was given 78 portraits of herself in 2012, Buckingham Palace revealed
today.
A long list of gifts given to the monarch in her Diamond
Jubilee year was unveiled, including a knitted tea cosy of her and her
corgis, 19 tea towels and nine jigsaws from members of the public.
As
well as a host of lavish presents given to the Queen from visiting
dignitaries and heads of state there were also plenty of more unusual
gifts including a pair of planters for her Balmoral gardens, a
microsculpture of the Coronation Crown on a pin head, salt from the
Salt Island owners in the British Virgin Islands, a black pear tree and
a lego sculpture of Tower Bridge.
She also received two sets of a
Bronze, Silver and Gold Olympic medals from London 2012 - one each for
the Olympics and Paralympics.
And even her precious corgis were
treated to a specially designed Jubilee-themed dog bed in the shape of
a crown from company Tuffies Dog Beds.
Buckingham Palace also
published lists of presents given to Prince Philip, Prince Andrew,
Princess Anne and Prince Edward and wife Sophie. Presents: The Queen is showered with gifts during a visit to Enniskillen
Reuters
Philip's gifts
included a salad bowl with servers in burr maple from the Worshipful
Company of Turners, a large wooden sculpture of a head from The Ivory
Coast President and a pair of Swarovski binoculars as a birthday gift
from Swarovski.
And despite his unflattering comments about
Aborigines in the past, he was also given a framed Aborigial artwork
from organisation Surf Life Saving Australia.
Prince Edward and
wife Sophie received gifts as wide-ranging as Hungarian sausages, a
safety torch, a basket of herb spices and a CD on Good Manners and box
of Wild Arctic Char.
Princess Anne's gifts included a book called
Disease - The Extraordinary stories behind history's deadliest killers
and a tartan dog coat.
Prince Andrew received a host of presents
including a box of mangoes from the President of Pakistan, a silver
plaque from the Libyan Prime Minister, a Sword and caviar from the
President of Azerbaijan and a box of dates from the Ambassador for
Tunisia.
Gifts given to Charles and Camilla, William, Kate and
Harry are expected to be revealed later this week by Clarence House and
St James's Palace.
A long list of gifts given to the monarch in her Diamond Jubilee year
was unveiled, which also included a knitted tea cosy of her and her
corgis
The winter vomiting bug has hit over million already this winter - what can we do to stop it in its tracks?
Getty
It’s shut down schools, closed oil rigs and forced cruise ships back to dock early, but what exactly is the norovirus?
This
winter’s norovirus stats hit at an all-time high – up by 72% on last
year – with as many as 590 hospital outbreaks reported so far, 29 of
them taking place over Christmas.
“The number of laboratory
confirmed cases has risen once again,” says Health Protection Agency
spokesman and norovirus expert, John Harris.
“It appears that we
have seen the rise in cases that usually begins in January starting a
little earlier than we normally expect.”
So far this season,
3,877 cases of the virus have been confirmed, a significant rise on
last winter’s 2,255, although experts suggest there could be as many as
1.12 million cases going unreported.
“Cases of norovirus have
risen earlier than expected this winter and this is a trend that has
been seen across Europe and other parts of the world,” says John.
“It has not yet been determined why this has been the case. Activity varies significantly from year to year.”
Some
scientists attribute the winter upsurge to cold weather snaps – such as
the one we had mid-December, driving everyone indoors, where germs
spread easier.
But it is also thought that a new strain called
Sydney 2012, to which few are resistant, could be the reason for the
sharp rise in cases this winter. So what is it?
The
winter norovirus is a particularly contagious bug that affects nearly
one million Brits each year, and causes up to two days of diarrhoea and
projectile vomiting as well as fluey symptoms.
This particular
strain of stomach bug – or gastroenteritis – can be caught at any time
of year but it often flares up in the winter, as cold weather forces us
indoors, creating damp conditions that are ideal for helping it to
spread easily.
“Norovirus is known as the winter vomiting bug
because the virus causes increased cases during the winter period,”
says David Lawrence of the Health Protection Agency.
“In fact, it
has been estimated that it accounts for around 90% of non-bacterial gut
infections worldwide. The distinctive symptom of norovirus is a sudden
onset of nausea.” What causes it?
The
virus can be transmitted by contact with contaminated surfaces or
objects, contact with an infected person, or by the consumption of
contaminated food or water.
The bacteria can live on surfaces for
up to five days and is impossible to spot. Places such as train
carriages, buses or offices are hotbeds for them – so much so, that
experts encourage anyone who thinks they might be carrying the bug to
stay away from built-up areas. Can it be avoided?
While
most of us won’t be able to go into quarantine for the rest of winter,
maintaining high standards of hygiene is vital to avoiding the bug.
“Norovirus is very contagious, and anyone who has had it knows it is very unpleasant,” says John Harris.
“If you think you may have the illness then it is important to maintain good hand hygiene to help prevent it spreading.
“We
also advise that people stay away from hospitals, schools and care
homes as these environments are particularly prone to outbreaks.”
Just
a single particle from a cough or sneeze can contain enough bacteria to
pass on the virus, but using hand sanitiser wipes or gel will kill the
germs before they spread.
Maintaining a strong immune system by
getting the recommended daily allowance of five portions of fruit and
veg and cutting back on alcohol and cigarettes will also help to stave
off infection.
For those affected by the virus, the NHS
recommends remaining in quarantine for up to 48 hours after symptoms
have passed to prevent further contamination. Disinfect toilets,
bathroom surfaces and door handles. And don’t share towels.
Children who have had the bug should avoid communal swimming pools for up to two weeks after any bouts of diarrhoea. Can it be treated?
“There isn’t any particular treatment for norovirus,” says Paul Zollinger-Read, BUPA’s chief medical officer.
“But if you are infected it’s important to drink lots of fluids to avoid dehydration.
"Stay at home and take paracetamol if you are aching or have a high temperature.
"Wash your hands regularly, too, to prevent it spreading. If you are hungry you should eat food that can easily be digested.
“Immunity to the virus only lasts a short time,” adds Paul.
“Therefore,
having had the virus in the past doesn’t mean you won’t get it again
and, as it’s a virus, antibiotics will not help.” Don’t panic!
Although
symptoms can be extreme, the NHS advises there’s no need to contact
your doctor unless the illness lasts longer than 48 hours.
Those
already suffering other ailments or ones who have more serious health
issues should contact their GP, while young children and the elderly
should be monitored.
“While generally there are no long-term
complications, the illness may take a little longer to clear up in some
people,” says David Lawrence.
“If you are still unwell after
three or four days, symptoms are particularly severe, or you have blood
in your stools it is advisable you call your GP.” Stay hydrated
It’s important sufferers increase their water intake to replace fluid lost through vomiting and diarrhoea.
Rehydration sachets, available from most chemists, help rebalance the bodies’ salt and sugar levels. Will we find a cure?
Scientists have developed a ‘vomiting robot’ to help detect how far microscopic particles of sick can carry the virus.
According
to Prof Ian Goodfellow, who has spent 10 years trying to cure
norovirus, the speed at which it can spread makes the bug ‘the Ferrari
of the virus world’.
As a mum-to-be, it was a scary time
Researcher Jane Hamilton, 33, from Manchester, is 13 weeks pregnant.
It
was just after Christmas when I came down with the virus. My husband
Nick and I had been at a family reunion and everyone started feeling
unwell.
Within 24 hours of the get-together, his parents and
sister called us to say that they were all suffering nausea and
vomiting – classic symptoms of norovirus.
We weren’t sure where it came from but just hours later my husband began suffering, too.
We
tried to put me in quarantine because of my pregnancy to ensure that I
didn’t catch the virus. So we started to prepare food separately and
kept wiping surfaces with antibacterial wipes.But within 48 hours I
started to feel ill, too.
Once the symptoms started I couldn’t keep any food down. My body was violently trying to get rid of the virus.
I was completely dehydrated and worried about the baby not getting any nutrition.
We
went on to the NHS website, which told us that mums-to-be with symptoms
of the bug should call a professional. It said prolonged dehydration
can harm the baby, although the bug itself can’t.
I was hesitant
about going into a doctor’s surgery because the illness is highly
contagious, but my GP encouraged me to go to A&E for blood tests to
make sure everything was OK.
I was reassured that if I became dehydrated doctors would keep me in hospital overnight and put me on a drip.
As
with any pregnancy, I wanted to make sure my baby was healthy. There
was a definite fear of, ‘If I can’t keep the food down, how’s the baby
getting any nutrition?’ But I was told that the main thing was to keep
drinking water every time I threw up, even if I didn’t feel like it.
My symptoms went away after 48 hours and the baby and I are both fine.
I’m just glad the advice was there when we needed it.
Pep Guardiola has put an end to the speculation surrounding his future by agreeing to take over as coach of Bayern Munich.
The former Barcelona boss had been linked with a move to Premier League clubs including Chelsea and Manchester City.
However the Catalan has now confirmed he will move to the Bundesliga once his year-long sabbatical ends in the summer.
Current
Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes will stay on in his post until the end of
this season before Guardiola takes over on a deal that runs until June
2016.
Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: "Pep
Guardiola is one of the most successful coaches in the world and we are
sure that he can make not just Bayern, but all of German football
shine."
Guardiola will take over at the German giants on July 1 with Heynckes' contract running out on June 30.
"We
are very pleased that we have managed to convince the football expert
Pep Guardiola, who was coveted and contacted by many top clubs, to come
to Bayern Munich," Rummenigge added.
Bayern revealed Guardiola's
move had been in the pipeline since at least before Christmas, when
67-year-old Heynckes informed the club he would not be seeking an
extension to his existing contract and would instead retire. The long goodbye: Jupp Heynckes will retire once his Munich contract expires
Getty
Rummenigge backed
Heynckes to continue to excel in his final months as coach, having
guided Bayern to a nine-point lead in the standings ahead of the
Bundesliga's resumption following the winter break this weekend.
"As
a club and as Jupp Heynckes' friends we have to show understanding for
this decision. We have to accept it and we have to respect it,"
Rummenigge added.
"During personal talks with Jupp Heynckes we
assured each other that we will do anything we can, and now even more,
to have a successful second half of the season 2012-13 where we want to
get the title to Munich."
Bayern Munich chairman Uli Hoeness
added: "Following the decision of Jupp Heynckes, whose work we are
extremely grateful for, we would be very happy if the team would give
this great coach a glorious farewell.
"Only someone of the calibre of coach Pep Guardiola was an adequate replacement for Jupp Heynckes."
Pep talk: Guardiola's life so far
Champions! Pep Guardiola celebrates as his Barcelona side are crowned kings of Europe
Getty
1971: Born Josep Guardiola on January 18 in Manresa, Barcelona. Nicknamed 'Pep'.
1990: December - Makes Barcelona debut against Cadiz. Coach Johan Cruyff converts him from right wing to centre midfield.
1992: May - Helps Barca retain league title and win European Cup, beating Sampdoria 1-0 at Wembley.
August - Scores in Olympic final in Barcelona against Ghana as Spain take gold medal.
October - Makes full international debut in Belfast against Northern Ireland.
1994: The Cruyff 'Dream Team' make it four league wins in a row, with Guardiola as captain on last day of the season.
1996: Spain coach Javier Clemente leaves Guardiola out of Euro 96 squad.
1998:
Barcelona beat Borussia Dortmund 3-1 on aggregate to take last European
Super Cup played over two legs. Van Gaal's side also win La Liga and
Copa del Rey but Guardiola plays only six times and misses out on World
Cup squad place.
1999: Barca retain league, but fail to make the Champions League final at the Nou Camp. Guardiola plays 22 times, scoring once.
2000:
Barca defeated 5-3 on aggregate by Valencia in Champions League
semi-finals. Finish second in Primera Division, five points behind
Deportivo La Coruna. Plays in all four of Spain's Euro 2000 games.
2001:
June - Barca finish season in fourth. Knocked out of Copa del Rey at
last-four stage by Celta Vigo. The 1-1 second-leg draw at Nou Camp is
Guardiola's last game in the Blaugrana shirt.
September - Signs for Brescia in Serie A.
November
11 - Banned from Italian football, having tested positive for
nandrolone after Brescia's 1-0 win over Piacenza on October 21.
November
28 - Tests positive for nandrolone again after match against Lazio on
November 4. Later banned for a total of four months by Lega Calcio and
fined 2000 euros.
2002: Signs for Roma but plays only four games in his one season at the club.
Returns to Brescia in winter transfer window where, along with Roberto Baggio, he is key in helping them avoid relegation.
2003: Signs for Qatari side Al-Ahly for two seasons and has an immediate impact, winning the best foreign newcomer award.
2005:
After a coaching course in Spain, joins Dorados de Sinaloa in Mexico in
December, but only plays until March before returning to finish the
course.
2006: July - Becomes a qualified coach.
November - Announces his retirement from playing.
2007: July - Named as coach of Barcelona B.
October - Cleared of drug charges from six years earlier.
2008: Named as head coach of Barcelona, to replace Frank Rijkaard on June 30.
2009: May 2 - Steers Barca to 6-2 victory over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
May 13 - Barcelona defeat Athletic Bilbao 4-1 to win the Copa del Rey and earn Guardiola first silverware as coach.
May 16 - Madrid's defeat at Villarreal secures Barca a first league title since 2006.
May 27 - Barca beat Manchester United 2-0 in Champions League final to become the first Spanish club to complete the treble.
August
- Wins European Super Cup with a 1-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk and
the Spanish Supercopa with 5-1 aggregate win over Athletic Bilbao.
December 19 - Barca claim their sixth trophy of the year with a 2-1 win over Estudiantes in the Club World Cup.
2010: April 10 - Becomes the first manager in Barcelona's history to beat Real Madrid four times in a row in El Clasico.
May - Steers Barca to 20th La Liga title with a European record of 99 points.
July 14 - Signs one-year contract extension to remain at the Nou Camp until June 30, 2011.
November 29 - Leads Barca to a famous 5-0 Clasico victory over Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid.
2011: February - Signs one-year contract extension to keep him at Barca until June 2012.
April 26 - Leads Barca to Copa Del Rey final for second year in a row but they lose 1-0 to Real Madrid.
May 2 - Guides Barca to their second Champions League final in three years, beating Real Madrid over two-legged semi.
May 11 - Leads Barca to third straight Primera Division title, secured with two games to spare by 1-1 draw at Levante.
August - Leads Barcelona to victories in the Spanish Supercopa and UEFA Super Cup.
December 18 - Barca beat Santos 4-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup final.
2012:
April 24 - Barca only manage a 2-2 draw at home to Chelsea in the
second leg of their Champions League semi-final, meaning they go out
3-2 on aggregate.
April 27 - Announces he will not renew his
contract and will leave Barca at the end of the season. Decides to move
to Manhattan, New York until he reaches a decision on his future.
November
11 - Agent Jose Maria Orobitg denies his client has been approached by
Serie A club AC Milan, but admits Guardiola is keeping his options open
and will consider offers in 2013.
2013: January 16 - Says in an
interview for the FA's 150th anniversary celebrations that he would
like to coach in England one day. Hours later he is confirmed as Bayern
Munich boss on a three-year deal to start in July.
Former Barca boss will take over from the start of next season
If the hat fits... Ian Holloway at the Britannia Stadium
Getty
Never one to hold back from coming forward, Crystal Palace manager
Ian Holloway gave the press both barrels following his side's FA Cup
replay defeat at Stoke on Tuesday night.
Following an impassioned
defence of Potters star Jon Walters, during which Holloway berated his
own club's fans for songs sung about him, and an equally eloquent
attack on diving culture, the subject of Wilfried Zaha's transfer was
broached.
Holloway immediately bristled, claiming the knock
picked up by the Manchester United and Arsenal target during the game
could keep him our for "six months" so as to prevent any more transfer
stories being written about him.
Holloway was then interrupted by a call on his mobile. "That's probably Arsene Wenger now..." he quipped.
"I'm
sick and fed up of reading about him, if it happens, if it doesn't it
doesn't," said Holloway before going on to berate the "stupid,
pathetic" transfer window and also the Sky Sports News rolling coverage
of it.
The Crystal Palace boss was in a spiky mood following his side's FA Cup defeat to Stoke
Deliberate: Liverpool star Suarez confesses he DID dive in the Stoke game
Clive Brunskill
Luis Suarez has admitted cheating to try to help Liverpool win a
match - but denied THAT handball against Mansfield was deliberate.
In
an interview with an Argentinian TV station, Uruguay international
Suarez confessed to diving in a a 0-0 draw with Stoke at Anfield last
October - actions that led to him being blasted by Potters manager Tony Pulis.
"I don't tlisten to all the nonsense some people say about me," said Suarez.
"I'm accused of cheating here - people say I throw myself all the time inside the box.
"They said that when we played against Stoke, for instance. And in that case they were right.
"I invented a foul because we were drawing against Stoke and I wanted to win.
"Sometimes on the pitch I say to myself, 'What have I done?' But the name of Suarez sells papers."
The
25-year-old, whose personal rap-sheet also includes an infamous
handball that helped Uruguay reach the semi-finals of the last World
Cup and a ban for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra,
drew fresh criticism last week over a controversial goal he scored in
an FA Cup win over Mansfield.
The ball clearly hit Suarez's hand before he kicked it into the net, and opinions were divided over whether he did it deliberately. Accident: Suarez insists he didn't do this on purpose
Clive Mason
On the Mansfield
row, the Liverpool hero added: "I touched the ball with my hand
accidentally, and I was criticised because I kissed my hand [his normal
goal celebration]."
Suarez also said that South American players
- name-checking Manchester City duo Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero -
are held to different standards in England than home-grown players.
"When
someone comes and says to me something bad about being a South
American, I don't cry, because that happens inside the pitch," he told
Fox Sports Argentina.
"I have my conscience clean.
"It's
complicated to play here in England. It's complicated for a South
American footballer to be here as we are treated differently to the
local footballers.
'But they have their culture,
they are like this. I have to play football, which is what I always
wanted, but I have suffered a lot for being a footballer."
Controversial Kop idol insists his handball FA Cup goal was an accident
but admits he "invented a foul" in October's draw with Stoke
DJ Steve Wright’s weekly Sunday Love Songs show has been criticised
for misleading listeners hoping to hear their requests played.
His
Radio 2 audience was told they could get in contact “any time” but a
listener complained after the station revealed the show was
pre-recorded rather than live.
It meant some fans were wasting money ringing in to request romantic messages or song dedications.
The
BBC Trust’s standards committee said the show breached guidelines on
accuracy but the problem “was essentially a lack of clarity”.
It
came to light after listeners to one edition were informed the show was
pre-recorded to make it clear a reference to entertainer Andy Williams
had been recorded before his death.
A listener complained that
some callers who had been encouraged to make for that show requests
would be wasting their efforts, as were some who listened in hoping to
hear their letters read out and songs played.
The show is
actually recorded on a Friday every week, but the playlist and script
are completed by Thursday and listeners were not told there was a
cut-off point.
An answerphone message for callers only made it clear after they had already left a request.
Radio
2 went on to change the on-air and phone messages, but the Trust said
these did not go far enough and should be amended further to make clear
that calls made after a certain point in the week would not be
considered for the next show.
The committee upheld the listener complaint about accuracy and interacting with audiences.
However it said the problem was “essentially one of a lack of clarity”, rather than an effort to intentionally mislead.
A spokeswoman for the station said: “As recognised by the Trust, it has never been our intention to deceive listeners.
"Every dedication we receive is listened to and we endeavour to facilitate as many as possible.
“However,
due to the volume of requests and time restraints, we are not able to
feature all dedications and, for that reason, we have never implied
guaranteed inclusion or said that those requests that do make it on air
would be in a specific episode of Steve Wright’s Sunday Love Songs.
"Once
we were made aware of the lack of clarity, we amended the wording and
have since clarified even further so there is no room for
misunderstanding.”
His audience was told they could get in contact “any time” but a
listener complained after the station revealed the show was pre-recorded
George Osborne was accused of prolonging Britain’s economic misery as the high street crisis deepened yesterday.
The
stubborn Chancellor faced calls to rethink his chaotic policies, with
millions of families in the grip of a painful spending squeeze and the
country hurtling towards a triple dip recession.
But despite
consumer confident hitting rock bottom and nervous firms refusing to
unleash an astonishing £750billion of investment potential the
Government refuses to even consider it may be getting it wrong. And
while ministers bury their heads in the sand, ordinary workers are
paying the price – with more than 4,000 HMV staff the latest victims.
The iconic music chain plunged into administration yesterday after eleventh-hour talks to save the 92-year-old business failed.
Around 4,350 workers face a nervous wait while officials try to find a buyer for the 239 stores.
The
company is just the latest victim of a high street bloodbath that has
claimed more than 200,000 retail jobs since the current economic crisis
erupted in 2007. Another 48,000 shop jobs were lost last year, with JJB
Sports, Comet and Peacocks among a wave of big name stores that
collapsed.
Experts predict 2013 could be even worse, with around 50,000 retail employees in the line of fire.
The Government is nervously awaiting gross domestic product data for the last three months of 2012.
Analysts
fear the economy shrank by 0.3% – with others warning the UK could lose
its gilt-edged Triple A credit rating this year.
Shadow Business
Secretary Chuka Umunna MP said: “We urgently need to help our
struggling high streets and support the retail sector. But ministers
are turning a blind eye while thousands of jobs are being put at risk.
Failing to act while big name chains go to the wall is simply not good
enough.
“We need ministers to junk their failed Plan A and adopt a proper Plan B for growth.”
Business
Secretary Vince Cable admitted last night that he was concerned about
massive job losses but claimed it was not the Government’s
responsibility to step in.
He said: “I am personally worried when
I see hundreds, thousands of people losing their jobs… but it is not
the job of Government to sort out the problems of competition on the
high street. Consumers make their choices and there are consequences.”
HMV collapsed after negotiations with banks and suppliers failed.
Its
demise was made worse by a fall of more than 10% in Christmas sales as
the chain suffered from cut-throat competition and the booming success
of online music and movie rivals.
Hopes of saving a chunk of the
company rose last night after a flurry of early interest – including
inquiries from retail restructuring group Hilco and two private equity
firms.
HMV chief executive Trevor Moore – who previously headed
Jessops which collapsed last week – said he “remains convinced we can
find a successful outcome”. The latest jobs threat came as a growing
number of MPs called for urgent action to support other struggling
retailers – and accused Coalition ministers of doing nothing to help.
The
Mirror can reveal that the all-party Commons Business Select Committee
is preparing to launch its own inquiry into the Government’s support –
or lack of it – for the retail industry.
Chairman Adrian Bailey
said the committee was expected to start the investigation before the
summer. He added: “Given the number of jobs involved there’s a case for
holding an inquiry and looking at Government policy.”
The Labour
MP said the review was also likely to look at business rates, which are
set to rise again this April. He went on: “There is mounting evidence
that the high street is suffering from changing social habits, the
squeeze on consumer spending and the move to internet shopping.
“The
regeneration of the high street is something the Government really
ought to be looking at. It also needs to re-examine its business tax
policy.”
He claimed too many once prosperous high streets now consist of “pawnbrokers, pay day loan offices, bookmakers or empty shops”.
Mr
Osborne raised business rates by 5.6% last year – and they are set to
go up again this April in line with inflation, by another 2.7%.
Treasury figures show the Chancellor will rake in £25.7billion this year and £26.8billion in 2013-14 from the tax.
Commenting
on the latest casualty of the recession, a Downing Street spokesman
said: “This is clearly sad news for HMV and its employees in
particular, but the Government’s entire agenda is around the growth and
job creation that we need.”
He added: “We have taken a number of
measures to support the high street and it is very important that these
are implemented. We need job creation across all parts of the private
sector.”
Chancellor urged to step in to save jobs as HMV face staff become latest to face the axe
