[One-Minute World News] from [BBC NEWS]
[Science & Environment]
Page last updated at 06:41 GMT, Monday, 7 September 2009 07:41 UK
Japan's next leader has promised a big cut in greenhouse gas emissions, saying he will aim for a 25% reduction by 2020 compared to 1990 levels.
Yukio Hatoyama is due to take over as prime minister on 16 September, after a resounding election victory in August.
His announcement is part of his Democratic Party's assertive policy on green issues. His predecessor, Taro Aso, had pledged cuts of only 8%.
Japan will present its new target at December's climate talks in Copenhagen.
Mid-term goal
Japan is the world's second-largest economy and fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, which are a major contributor to global warming.
"As a mid-term goal, we aim at a 25% reduction by 2020 from 1990, based on the levels demanded by science to stop global warming," said Mr Hatoyama.
Speaking at a Tokyo conference on climate change, Mr Hatoyama said his target was premised on ambitious goals being agreed by other major nations.
But the plans have already sparked resistance from business groups in Japan.
Parts of the automotive industry are expected to lobby against the tough emissions targets.
[UK]
Page last updated at 06:47 GMT, Monday, 7 September 2009 07:47 UK
Gaddafi son resists IRA pay-out
The son of Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi has said his country will resist demands from the families of IRA victims for compensation.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi said any claims for compensation based on Libya's supply of explosives to the IRA would be a matter for "the courts".
He told Sky News: "They have their lawyers, we have our lawyers."
Compensation campaigners welcomed Mr Gaddafi's remarks as a "positive sign of engagement".
On Sunday the relatives also welcomed Gordon Brown's announcement on the government's support for compensation.
Mr Gaddafi's comments came hours after Mr Brown announced that he was setting up a dedicated Foreign Office team to assist the IRA families' victims.
The move was seen by opposition MPs as an U-turn, which had left Britain looking "weak". These claims are denied by Downing Street.
'Sign of engagement'
Speaking about the looming British attempts to claim compensation, the Libyan leader's son said: "Anyone can knock on our door. You go to the court."
And when asked if his answer to the compensation demand would be "no" in the first instance, he replied: "Of course."
The response by Mr Gaddafi - seen by many as the most likely successor to his father's leadership - was welcomed by campaigners as a sign of Libyan "engagement".
Victims' families' lawyer Jason McCue said: "I am optimistic about the Libyan response.
"It means they have decided to engage with us whereas previously there was no engagement.
"We always expected this to go to the courts and now it means there will be a process to getting compensation."
The families had previously welcomed the prime minister's change of mind over whether or not it was "appropriate" to put pressure on Libya.
Mr McCue told the BBC their cases "had been very much in the hands of the civil servants", so they had gone "straight to the prime minister".
"We asked for a principled decision, rather than a bureaucratic decision," he said.
He did not believe it was a U-turn by the prime minister, he said, as Mr Brown had "overruled the Foreign Office".
Mr McCue also criticised opposition parties for dabbling in "petty politics" over the issue.
On relations with Libya, he said, we were "dealing" with the past. "We are talking. I think that's very positive".
'Disgusting, immoral'
Also in the interview with Sky News, Mr Gaddafi condemned British opposition politicians as "disgusting and immoral" for using the case of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi to make political capital.
"They are trying to use this human tragedy for their own political agenda," he said.
"It's completely immoral to use this case to advance your own political agenda."
On the question of whether Prime Minister Gordon Brown had involved himself in the release of the Lockerbie bomber, Mr Gaddafi said: "He didn't."
The discussions had been "very, very technical", he said.
He added: "It couldn't be discussed at a high level. It is not something that should be discussed at a leadership level."
Earlier on Sunday, Conservative foreign affairs spokesman William Hague said Gordon Brown's change of mind was a "stunning admission" that the government had failed to support the families of the victims of IRA terrorism.
He said: "The British government should have provided active support as a matter of course, not as a result of public pressure.
"But Gordon Brown and the government he leads have long lost their moral compass."
[Business]
Page last updated at 06:53 GMT, Monday, 7 September 2009 07:53 UK
Kraft in £10.2bn move for Cadbury
US food giant Kraft has proposed buying confectionary giant Cadbury in a £10.2bn ($16.7bn) move.
Kraft said that the purchase of the maker of Dairy Milk would protect jobs in the UK - including saving a factory earmarked for closure.
Cadbury had "unequivocally" rejected the approach, Kraft said.
Kraft added it wanted to build on Cadbury's brands and that a deal would create "a global powerhouse in snacks, confectionary and quick meals."
Distribution savings
As well as Daily Milk, Cadbury also owns the Green & Black's chocolate brand and Halls lozenges, Trident and Dentyne gum brands, and liquorice allsorts maker Bassett's. It span off its drinks division as a separate business last year.
Kraft's brands include Kenco coffee, Oreo biscuits, Terry's Chocolate Orange and Toblerone as well as cheese products such as Philadelphia and Dairylea.
The proposed deal would allow up to $625m a year to be saved in distribution, marketing and product development costs, Kraft said.
It added that Cadbury's brands were "highly complementary" to its portfolio and "would benefit from Kraft Foods' global scope and scale and array of proprietary technologies and processes".
'Iconic brands'
"As we have done, Cadbury has built wonderful brands by focusing on quality, innovation and marketing, but we believe the next stage in Cadbury's development will be challenging, given the increased importance of scale in the industry." said Kraft chairman Irene Rosenfeld.
"We are eager to build upon Cadbury's iconic brands and strong British heritage through increased investment and innovation. We have great respect and admiration for Cadbury, its employees, its leadership and its proud heritage."
Industry analysts have been speculating that there could be consolidation in the food sector.
Kraft said its possible offer - based on paying 745 pence for every Cadbury's share - was a 31% premium to its closing price last week and 42% more than the firm's shares were worth in early July, when speculation about possible deals in the sector intensified.
In a letter to Cadbury's, Ms Rosenfeld said it would be able to continue to operate the its Somerdale factory in Keynsham, near Bristol, which is set to be close, and also invest in its plant in Bournville, Birmingham, "thereby preserving UK manufacturing jobs".
[Science & Environment]
Page last updated at 06:41 GMT, Monday, 7 September 2009 07:41 UK
Japan's next leader has promised a big cut in greenhouse gas emissions, saying he will aim for a 25% reduction by 2020 compared to 1990 levels.
Yukio Hatoyama is due to take over as prime minister on 16 September, after a resounding election victory in August.
His announcement is part of his Democratic Party's assertive policy on green issues. His predecessor, Taro Aso, had pledged cuts of only 8%.
Japan will present its new target at December's climate talks in Copenhagen.
Mid-term goal
Japan is the world's second-largest economy and fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, which are a major contributor to global warming.
"As a mid-term goal, we aim at a 25% reduction by 2020 from 1990, based on the levels demanded by science to stop global warming," said Mr Hatoyama.
Speaking at a Tokyo conference on climate change, Mr Hatoyama said his target was premised on ambitious goals being agreed by other major nations.
But the plans have already sparked resistance from business groups in Japan.
Parts of the automotive industry are expected to lobby against the tough emissions targets.
[UK]
Page last updated at 06:47 GMT, Monday, 7 September 2009 07:47 UK
Gaddafi son resists IRA pay-out
The son of Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi has said his country will resist demands from the families of IRA victims for compensation.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi said any claims for compensation based on Libya's supply of explosives to the IRA would be a matter for "the courts".
He told Sky News: "They have their lawyers, we have our lawyers."
Compensation campaigners welcomed Mr Gaddafi's remarks as a "positive sign of engagement".
On Sunday the relatives also welcomed Gordon Brown's announcement on the government's support for compensation.
Mr Gaddafi's comments came hours after Mr Brown announced that he was setting up a dedicated Foreign Office team to assist the IRA families' victims.
The move was seen by opposition MPs as an U-turn, which had left Britain looking "weak". These claims are denied by Downing Street.
'Sign of engagement'
Speaking about the looming British attempts to claim compensation, the Libyan leader's son said: "Anyone can knock on our door. You go to the court."
And when asked if his answer to the compensation demand would be "no" in the first instance, he replied: "Of course."
The response by Mr Gaddafi - seen by many as the most likely successor to his father's leadership - was welcomed by campaigners as a sign of Libyan "engagement".
Victims' families' lawyer Jason McCue said: "I am optimistic about the Libyan response.
"It means they have decided to engage with us whereas previously there was no engagement.
"We always expected this to go to the courts and now it means there will be a process to getting compensation."
The families had previously welcomed the prime minister's change of mind over whether or not it was "appropriate" to put pressure on Libya.
Mr McCue told the BBC their cases "had been very much in the hands of the civil servants", so they had gone "straight to the prime minister".
"We asked for a principled decision, rather than a bureaucratic decision," he said.
He did not believe it was a U-turn by the prime minister, he said, as Mr Brown had "overruled the Foreign Office".
Mr McCue also criticised opposition parties for dabbling in "petty politics" over the issue.
On relations with Libya, he said, we were "dealing" with the past. "We are talking. I think that's very positive".
'Disgusting, immoral'
Also in the interview with Sky News, Mr Gaddafi condemned British opposition politicians as "disgusting and immoral" for using the case of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi to make political capital.
"They are trying to use this human tragedy for their own political agenda," he said.
"It's completely immoral to use this case to advance your own political agenda."
On the question of whether Prime Minister Gordon Brown had involved himself in the release of the Lockerbie bomber, Mr Gaddafi said: "He didn't."
The discussions had been "very, very technical", he said.
He added: "It couldn't be discussed at a high level. It is not something that should be discussed at a leadership level."
Earlier on Sunday, Conservative foreign affairs spokesman William Hague said Gordon Brown's change of mind was a "stunning admission" that the government had failed to support the families of the victims of IRA terrorism.
He said: "The British government should have provided active support as a matter of course, not as a result of public pressure.
"But Gordon Brown and the government he leads have long lost their moral compass."
[Business]
Page last updated at 06:53 GMT, Monday, 7 September 2009 07:53 UK
Kraft in £10.2bn move for Cadbury
US food giant Kraft has proposed buying confectionary giant Cadbury in a £10.2bn ($16.7bn) move.
Kraft said that the purchase of the maker of Dairy Milk would protect jobs in the UK - including saving a factory earmarked for closure.
Cadbury had "unequivocally" rejected the approach, Kraft said.
Kraft added it wanted to build on Cadbury's brands and that a deal would create "a global powerhouse in snacks, confectionary and quick meals."
Distribution savings
As well as Daily Milk, Cadbury also owns the Green & Black's chocolate brand and Halls lozenges, Trident and Dentyne gum brands, and liquorice allsorts maker Bassett's. It span off its drinks division as a separate business last year.
Kraft's brands include Kenco coffee, Oreo biscuits, Terry's Chocolate Orange and Toblerone as well as cheese products such as Philadelphia and Dairylea.
The proposed deal would allow up to $625m a year to be saved in distribution, marketing and product development costs, Kraft said.
It added that Cadbury's brands were "highly complementary" to its portfolio and "would benefit from Kraft Foods' global scope and scale and array of proprietary technologies and processes".
'Iconic brands'
"As we have done, Cadbury has built wonderful brands by focusing on quality, innovation and marketing, but we believe the next stage in Cadbury's development will be challenging, given the increased importance of scale in the industry." said Kraft chairman Irene Rosenfeld.
"We are eager to build upon Cadbury's iconic brands and strong British heritage through increased investment and innovation. We have great respect and admiration for Cadbury, its employees, its leadership and its proud heritage."
Industry analysts have been speculating that there could be consolidation in the food sector.
Kraft said its possible offer - based on paying 745 pence for every Cadbury's share - was a 31% premium to its closing price last week and 42% more than the firm's shares were worth in early July, when speculation about possible deals in the sector intensified.
In a letter to Cadbury's, Ms Rosenfeld said it would be able to continue to operate the its Somerdale factory in Keynsham, near Bristol, which is set to be close, and also invest in its plant in Bournville, Birmingham, "thereby preserving UK manufacturing jobs".
※コメント投稿者のブログIDはブログ作成者のみに通知されます