Blog 32/What's In the News"

BBC NEWS

SCREEN ICON DAME ELIZABETH TAYLOR DIES

   Elizabeth Taylor died in Los Angeles at the age of 79. The double Oscar-winning actress had a long history of ill health and was being treated for symptoms of congestive heart failure. Her four children were with her when she died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Elizabeth's most famous films included National Velvet, Cleopatra and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? In her prime, she was arguably one of the world's greatest actresses and most beautiful women. Her colourful private life, screen success and Aids charity work ensured she was never far from the spotlight since finding fame at the age of 12. It is said that her legacy will never fade.


OSBORNE'S BUDGET 'TO FUEL GROWTH'

   A further 1p will be cut from pump prices at 6pm - all paid for by a £2bn tax on oil companies. But he did not halt planned rises in alcohol and tobacco tax - meaning a pint of beer could cost up to 10p more. The chancellor was forced to downgrade his growth forecasts - prompting mockery from Labour leader Ed Miliband. Mr Osborne's hands were tied by last year's spending review and his post-election Budget, which locks Britain into spending cuts to tackle its record budget deficit. Mr Osborne revealed that he now expected Britain's economy to grow at a slower rate than previously expected this year with the Office for Budgetary Responsibility cutting its growth forecast for 2011 from 2.1% to 1.7%. Mr Osborne said he would not increase tax on wine and beer above what was already announced by the previous Labour government - but campaign groups claimed that could add 10p to a pint of beer from Monday. But the Budget was welcomed by business groups, which said it would create jobs.


POLICE AMONG SIX HURT IN TELFORD STREET IN INVERNESS

   A police van crashed into the car on Telford Street, Inverness. Six people, including two police officers and a pedestrian, have been injured in a crash involving a police van and a car. The male pedestrian, who is in his 40s, was injured by the car and was taken to hospital. The car's driver and two passengers were slightly injured. Northern Constabulary said the police van did not collide with the pedestrian and had not been involved in a pursuit. The two officers are not thought to have been badly hurt. As with all collisions involving police vehicles the matter will be fully investigated.


ABC NEWS

MISSING CONNECTICUT GIRL ISABELLA OLESCHUK FOUND ALIVE

   Isabella Oleschuk, the 13-year-old girl missing since Sunday, was found alive this morning with a friend and church bells in the Connecticut town rang out to celebrate the news. She did leave home and she was with a friend and she is ok. "Our prayers have been answered," Annette Rubelman, a friend of the family, said through tears of joy. "We haven't been able to do anything." No one knows how or why Isabella went missing, but in the midst of their desperate search, police explored the possibility that the girl ran away to escape bullies. She had told several kids at school that she was going to run away because the bullying was so terrible and she was sure her parents were going to make her go back to school and she didn't want to.
Kids told Schurman that schoolmates called her "duck girl" because she likes to make quacking noises and animal sounds. Isabella is partially deaf and normally uses a hearing aid. Her hearing aid was left behind, prompting concerns among rescuers that she might not be able to hear people calling her name.