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[JohnCenaFan28]

Another high-street chain is on the brink as retailers slashed prices in a bid to rescue their Christmas sales.

Whittard of Chelsea, the tea and coffee retailer, has lined up Ernst & Young as administrators, a source close to the company confirmed.

The source added: "Whittard is still trading and it has not filed for administration yet. It's still talking to potential buyers. Ernst & Young have been appointed as administrators though should it go into administration."

With only two days left of business before Christmas, stores are hoping to encourage shoppers to spend amid claims up to 15 major retailers could be in danger of going under.

Stores are launching their traditional Boxing Day sales up to 48 hours early in a bonanza for shoppers already enjoying a heavily discounted high street.

A growing list of major stores have announced discounts of 50% or more in sales to start as early as 7am on Christmas Eve.

DIY chain B&Q will offer 50% off all its kitchens and bathrooms from 7am on Wednesday in stores and online, with discounts of up to 75% on some other items.

John Lewis will start its clearance sale online at 6pm on Christmas Eve - the earliest it has ever held the sale - while chemist chain Superdrug will also start an online sale a few hours later at midnight on December 24 with discounts of up to 90%.

Fiona Wilkinson, senior vice president at Visa Europe, said: "Consumers have proven this weekend that they are prepared to postpone their shopping until the last minute in order to take advantage of the many bargains now available on the high street. We are now predicting that consumers may continue their late spending right up until Christmas Eve."

Traders reported a successful weekend and said they were also hopeful the trend would continue through to Christmas Eve.

-Nova

[JohnCenaFan28]

Thousands of people could spend Christmas Day unable to heat their homes or cook the turkey because of a gas power failure.

Around 18,000 homes in the Rossendale area of Lancashire were affected when a gas main ruptured on Monday.

Homes in Bacup, Waterfoot, Rawtenstall, Newchurch and Crawshawbooth have no gas and there is "no guarantee" it will be restored by December 25, according to a National Grid spokeswoman.

The ruptured gas main set light to an overhead power cable in Holme Lane, Rawtenstall, which knocked out electricity to 30,000 homes in the area.

United Utilities restored electricity supplies on Monday night.

A National Grid spokeswoman said: "We've still got 18,000 homes off gas but we have repaired the gas pipe supply and we expect shortly to be able to start the process of restoring gas to homes."

She said 200 engineers are poised to start the arduous process of going from house to house to restore gas supplies.

The National Grid spokeswoman said: "We can't say how long it will take us to get 18,000 properties back on."

She said National Grid could not promise to restore supplies by Christmas Day: "At this stage we can't make that promise. We are doing everything we can. We'll be working round the clock."

The spokeswoman said members of the public should ask engineers to show identification before letting them into their homes.

-Nova

[JohnCenaFan28]

Tears and laughter mixed at the moving funeral service for Kathy Staff, who played Nora Batty in Last Of The Summer Wine.

Known and loved by millions of TV viewers for her role as Britain's favourite northern battle axe, she was laid to rest at St Mark's Church, Dukinfield, in Tameside, where she was a lifelong member - and gave her first stage performances as a child in church pantomimes.

The 80-year-old died surrounded by her family at a hospice in Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, on Saturday, December 13, after a long illness.

On Tuesday more than 400 mourners heard a eulogy from fellow showbiz star, actor and life-long friend Roy Barraclough.

Famous for playing Alec Gilroy in Coronation Street, Barraclough could not be at the service because of showbusiness commitments.

But the actress's husband, John, and daughters, Katherine and Susan, sat among mourners who smiled and laughed as his eulogy was read out recalling their early careers.

They first met in 1968 while both auditioning for Castle Haven, Yorkshire TV's first soap opera, he said. They would meet at Stalybridge train station to get the train to Leeds for the show - "a sort of Brief Encounter with tripe", he said.

With her curlers, wrinkled stockings and razor-sharp tongue, Nora Batty became the nation's favourite harridan and Staff's most famous role.

She played the character in 243 episodes of the Yorkshire-based comedy, beginning in the first episode in January 1973 and making her last appearance in August.

Revd Cox told mourners she was born around the corner from the church, arranged outings for the congregation, visited the sick and elderly, and embodied old fashioned and traditional values - hard work, community, family and faith. "Kathy was generous, kind, friendly, courageous and wise," Revd Cox said, an "authentic person".

-Nova

[OMEN]

Zavvi is the UK's largest independent entertainment retailer
Music, games and DVD chain Zavvi has gone into administration, Ernst & Young has announced, threatening 3,400 jobs.

The troubled chain has been badly affected by the demise of Woolworths, which forced it to stop taking new orders via its website.

Zavvi's main supplier is Woolworths' unit Entertainment UK (EUK), which went into administration on 27 November.

All of Zavvi's stores should be open as normal on Boxing day, for its traditional post-Christmas sale.
The retailer is the latest victim of the slump in High Street sales that has seen the administrators called in at tea and coffee specialist Whittards and menswear chain The Officers Club.

It employs 2,363 permanent staff and 1,052 temporary staff.

Zavvi Ireland is not currently subject to any formal insolvency proceedings.

Problems at Woolworths

Since Entertainment UK went into administration, Zavvi has had difficulties in sourcing stock and has been forced to enter new trading arrangements.
"This has resulted in considerable working capital difficulties," an Ernst & Young statement said.

"Since EUK went into administration, and perhaps before, the impact of problems at EUK on the Zavvi group has been significant.

"Minimal deliveries, no returns and worse trading terms are just some of the areas impacted," said joint administrator Tom Jack.

"In the absence of a buyer for EUK, and with dire trading conditions on the High Street, the Zavvi group has seen a material fall in sales and the directors have now been forced to place parts of the group into administration," he added.

The administrators intend for Zavvi to continue trading with a view to selling all or part of the business.

The group's founding partners Simon Douglas and Steve Peckham said: "We have done all that is possible to keep the business trading, but the problems encountered with EUK, and particularly its recent failure, have been too much for the business to cope with."

The Zavvi group is the UK's largest independent entertainment retailer with 125 stores, 11 of which are in Ireland.

It was formed after a management buy out of the Virgin Megastore division of the Virgin Group in September 2007.

BBC

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[OMEN]

Archbishop Desmond Tutu said he was ashamed of what the UN had done
Archbishop Desmond Tutu has accused South Africa of losing the moral high ground by failing to stand up to Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner told the BBC that using force should be an option to get rid of Mr Mugabe.

South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) leader Jacob Zuma has also called for a quick end to what he describes as an "untenable' situation.

And the UK foreign secretary described Mr Mugabe a "stain" on Zimbabwe.

'Deeply distressed'

Archbishop Tutu also said he was saddened that his own country appeared not to be on the side of Zimbabweans.
He said: "How much more suffering is going to make us say 'No we have given Mr Mugabe enough time?'"

South Africa had a leadership role as its president chairs the Southern African Development Community, he added.

But he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that South Africa had instead betrayed its legacy by blocking firmer action from the United Nations.

He added: "I want to say first of all that I have been very deeply disappointed, saddened by the position that South Africa has taken at the United Nations Security Council in being an obstacle to the Security Council dealing with that matter.

"And I have to say that I am deeply, deeply distressed that we should be found not on the side of the ones who are suffering. I certainly am ashamed of what they've done in the United Nations.

"For the world to say 'no, we are waiting for South Africa's membership of the Security Council to lapse and then we can take action'."

Descent into chaos

The archbishop said the situation was an "awful indictment" to a country that had a "proud record of a struggle against a vicious system".

He said: "We should have been the ones who for a very long time occupied the moral high ground. I'm afraid we have betrayed our legacy."

Mr Miliband was responding to a Times leading article that said the Foreign Office believed it would be a mistake for Britain to get tough with Mr Mugabe.

In his letter to the newspaper, the foreign secretary reaffirmed the UK's view that Mr Mugabe had to go.
"Any sane person realises that Mugabe's misrule is only spurring Zimbabwe's descent into chaos," he wrote.

"But your leading article channelled frustration at his continued abuse of power into an attack on the FCO [Foreign and Commonwealth Office] without logic, fact or justification."

Mr Miliband added: "As long as Mugabe rules Zimbabwe he remains a stain on that country. I acknowledge that he is also a stain on the international community, which has not been able to deliver the will of the Zimbabwean people.

"If attacking the FCO would help a single Zimbabwean I would understand that might be a price worth paying. But it does not."

In his Christmas message, ANC leader Mr Zuma said: "The new year must bring a speedy resolution to this utterly untenable situation."

The United Nations meanwhile says it might take up to six months to control Zimbabwe's cholera outbreak, which has now killed 1,174 people.

Unicef spokesman Roeland Monasch said the number of cholera cases had now increased to nearly 24,000, spreading to all 10 of Zimbabwe's provinces.

Mr Monasch said 5% of cases were proving fatal, a very high rate compared with other cholera outbreaks.

BBC

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[JohnCenaFan28]

Shoppers brought some last-minute cheer to a sombre high street as they made the most of unprecedented seasonal sales.

Customers were lured with widespread discounting and the traditional Boxing Day sales starting up to 48 hours early.

Retailers reported brisk trading in a late Christmas rush following a stand-off with shoppers expecting massive discounts.

Richard Dodd, spokesman for the British Retail Consortium, said: "As we all know, it's been a really tough build-up to Christmas. It's clear that shoppers have turned out, particularly in the last three or four days, in large numbers but that has been driven by huge discounts.

"It remains to be seen to what extent shoppers who are out on the streets are actually spending. They are very unlikely to have spent more than last year and it is going to turn out to be a very poor Christmas. The question is just how much less than last year people have spent."

Anita Manan, senior analyst at Experian Business Strategies, said the average number of shoppers on Tuesday were up week-on-week by 47%.

She said: "These figures highlight the last-minute surge in trading that is taking place this year.

"They show that shoppers have clearly felt comfortable leaving their purchasing to the final few days to ensure that they make the most of the deep discounting and strong availability on the high street coupled with greater comfort of using internet channels up to the very last minute.

"The traditional slow and steady shopping patterns of previous years have now been replaced by a new breed of savvy consumers who either buy online or use internet sites to find the best prices on the high street, before doing one or two big swoops to the shopping centres."

DIY chain B&Q began offering 50% off all its kitchens and bathrooms, with discounts of up to 75% on some other items, and John Lewis is holding a clearance sale online. Superdrug will begin an online sale with discounts of up to 90% .

-Nova

[JohnCenaFan28]

A Christmas Day message of peace and goodwill from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran must be "treated very carefully", Jewish groups have said.

The speech by the hardline leader whose anti-Western rhetoric and views on Israel have strained international relations with the country, will be broadcast by Channel 4. The Alternative Christmas Message is not scheduled at the same time as the Queen's Speech on BBC and ITV as in previous years but will go out at 7.15pm.

The president uses the message to express his wish for a peaceful New Year and greater spirituality among governments, leaders and society as a whole.

Speaking in Farsi with English subtitles he will say: "Upon the anniversary of the birth of Jesus, Son of Mary, the Word of God, the Messenger of mercy, I would like to congratulate the followers of Abrahamic faiths, especially the followers of Jesus Christ, and the people of Britain."

He will add: "Jesus, the Son of Mary, is the standard bearer of justice, of love for our fellow human beings, of the fight against tyranny, discrimination and injustice. All the problems that have bedevilled humanity throughout the ages came about because humanity followed an evil path and disregarded the message of the Prophets.

"If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would stand with the people in opposition to bullying, ill-tempered and expansionist powers. If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would hoist the banner of justice and love for humanity to oppose warmongers, occupiers, terrorists and bullies the world over.

"If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would fight against the tyrannical policies of prevailing global economic and political systems, as He did in His lifetime."

He will conclude by saying: "I pray for the New Year to be a year of happiness, prosperity, peace and brotherhood for humanity. I wish you every success and happiness."

Stephen Smith, director of the Holocaust Centre, said the message should be treated with caution. President Ahmadinejad's views on the state of Israel and his claims that the Holocaust is a "myth" have angered Jewish groups.

Mr Smith said: "I think this benign message is deceptive. People need to be alert to the fact that this is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Many of his political and historical views are very dangerous and do not uphold the views in his message."

-Nova

[JohnCenaFan28]

Murder squad detectives launched a nationwide manhunt for two men after finding the blood of a missing victim.

Police have been unable to confirm the identity of the victim, but have "grave concerns" for the safety of 26-year-old Alan Lee Street, who has disappeared.

His blood was found at the house of Alan Palmer, 43, in Padiham, near Burnley, Lancs, where a "sustained and prolonged attack" had taken place.

Police are appealing for the public's help in finding Mr Palmer and Peter Leonard, 51, after first being called to the address on Stockbridge Road around 12.20am on Sunday.

The wanted men have not been seen since the early hours of Saturday morning, nor has Mr Palmer's car, which is a blue Mitsubishi Colt five-door saloon, registration PE58 OJY.

Detective Superintendent Neil Hunter, who is leading the investigation, said: "We need to speak to both Mr Leonard and Mr Palmer in relation to this incident as a matter of urgency. I would urge them both or anybody who knows of their whereabouts or has been contacted by them or been in their company recently to contact police immediately."

Mr Palmer is white, 5ft 11ins tall, of medium build, with receding/skinhead dark brown hair. He has brown eyes and several tattoos on his left arm of a snake head, bull, eagle and swallow. On his right arm he has a snake and skull, and two flower designs with "MAM" and "LUCKY" with a swallow.

Mr Leonard is white, around 5ft 8ins tall, of medium build with blue eyes and light brown hair, which is cropped very short. He has a two-inch injury scar on his nose and "LOVE" tattooed on the knuckles of his left hand with "HEIDI" on the back of his left hand.

Mr Hunter added: "Whilst I cannot confirm the victim is definitely Alan Lee Street, I have grave concerns for his safety and welfare. I would appeal to anybody who has heard from Alan or knows of his whereabouts or has been in his company since Friday to contact police."

Detectives have charged a 20-year-old man, Kieran Davison, of Stockbridge Road, Padiham, with the murder of Alan Lee Street. He appeared at Burnley Magistrates' Court and has been remanded in custody to appear at Preston Crown Court on March 18.

-Nova