The Wardman Wire

Here is today’s roundup of stories.

I did the podcast as a single take this morning, which saved most of the editing time; the corollary is that I now need to do some work on breathing, pacing, articulation and continuity.

I estimated that it would take a couple of dozen podcasts before I was competing with Chris Vallance - the quality should be there or thereabouts by the end of the month.

Any comments on any aspect of the podcast are more than welcome.

Comment

David Cox (Comment is Free)

- ET stay home

We should resist the efforts of Russian scientists to contact aliens who could threaten our very existence

GAIL COLLINS (NYT)- The Anti-Charm Offensive

Clinton and Obama both seemed a little chastened, or frightened, by the raw racial feelings they would inadvertently stirred up in the near-hysteria that surrounded the New Hampshire primary.

Michael Morpurgo (Telegraph) - Our guide to the 100 must-read books for children.

Interesting that Finland finds itself at the top of a recent child happiness table as well as child literacy levels.

Sam Coates (Times Red Box Blog) - Patricia Hewitt gets a job at Boots

From bossy boots to Alliance Boots…. Patricia Hewitt has accepted a job as a special consultant for the pharmacy company, having stood down as Health Secretary six months ago.

(Sam Coates is a good egg. Go and visit him. He did not get too grumpy even when I called him (29) The Old One and Sam Coates (21) of Conservative Home The Young One.)

News

Daily Mail (Daily Mail)

- Ethical storm as scientist becomes first man to clone HIMSELF

Samuel Wood created embryo copies of himself by placing his skin cells in a human egg.

Economist (Economist)- An early general election in Italy is on the cards

Romano Prodi’s fragile left-of-centre coalition government has suffered yet another setback.

Clare Dyer and Owen Bowcott (Guardian)- Corrupt MoD official can keep £1.5m

Gordon Foxley, who was head of defence procurement at the Ministry of Defence from 1981 to 1984, was given a four-year jail sentence in 1994 for taking bribes from foreign arms manufacturers. The trial judge ordered him to hand back £1.5m that had been used to buy his family eight properties. But the high court has now struck out a legal attempt by the CPS to enforce the order because the judge ruled a fair trial of the issues was impossible after such a long delay.

MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM (NYT) - Dow Plunges More Than 300 Points on Grim Outlook

A dismal report on manufacturing activity caught investors by surprise on Thursday morning, sending the main indexes into the red after an early stint in positive territory.

James Quinn, Wall Street Correspondent (Telegraph)- Merrill ravaged by $14.1bn sub-prime hit

Merrill Lynch took a $14.1bn financial hit in the fourth quarter as the credit crisis took its toll on the brokerage and investment bank.

Toby Harnden in Las Vegas (Telegraph)- Nevada Hispanic vote to test Barack Obama

The ability of Barack Obama transcend racial divisions will face a major test this Saturday as victory in the Nevada caucuses will hinge on whether Hispanic voters turn out and back him.

Times (Times Online)- World not running out of oil, say experts

A landmark study of more than 800 oilfields by Cambridge Energy Research Associates (Cera) has concluded that rates of decline are only 4.5 per cent a year, almost half the rate previously believed, leading the consultancy to conclude that oil output will continue to rise over the next decade.

Lucy Bannerman (Times Online)- Inquiry launched into Heathrow crash landing

A formal investigation is under way to find out what led one of the safest aircraft in the world to crash land at Heathrow airport this afternoon.

Scotland

BBC (BBC) - Air weapon ban proposals rejected

A Scottish Government call to extend the ban on guns to include air weapons has been rejected by parliament.

The move came as campaigners welcomed plans for a summit on firearms laws, reserved to Westminster.

Wales

BBC (BBC) - Welsh smacking ban is ruled out

Wales will not have the power to introduce its own smacking ban, the assembly government has been told.

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