Libyan says Zlitan residents face annihilation and asks why Nato has not made good on threat to attack Gaddafi forces The leader of the besieged Libyan rebel city of Misrata has appealed to Nato to save the inhabitants of a neighbouring town facing annihilation from government forces. Sheikh Khalifa Zuwawi, chairman of Misrata council, made the appeal through the Guardian on Wednesday after reports that Muammar Gaddafi had demanded that rebel-held areas of Zlitan, 30 miles west of Misrata, surrender or face destruction. Zlitan’s uprising began on Friday with battles around the town’s hospital, but sources in Misrata say the rebels are now pinned into one district under heavy artillery fire. Photographers who got to within four miles of Zlitan on Tuesday took pictures of government rockets exploding in the town. Misrata’s rebel forces say that without heavy weapons or Nato support they are powerless to break through a fortified ring around the town and save residents. “As you know our forces could not get into Zlitan,” said Zuwawi. “We need Nato help. We are very surprised because Nato has delayed to bomb the grad [rocket artillery] forces.” Zlitan lies along the coastal highway from Misrata, about 100 miles east of Tripoli, and rebel commanders say its capture would open the road to the capital. But they face formidable foes in the shape of the elite 32nd brigade, controlled by Gaddafi’s son Khamis, which has made Zlitan its headquarters. On Tuesday rebel forces in Misrata pushed their frontline forwards five miles to try and relieve Zlitan, coming under fire from machine guns and rockets. But they pulled back after Nato, unaware of the advance, dropped leaflets on the area threatening pro-Gaddafi forces with destruction from Apache helicopters if they continued attacks on civilians. The Nato attacks have yet to materialise despite pro-Gaddafi forces bombarding Zlitan and Misrata late on Tuesday. Nato insists it is taking an active role, but Misrata’s rebels say the alliance’s current level of engagement will not be enough to save Zlitan’s population. Zuwawi, a judge, said that the National Transitional Council (the rebel government) was surprised at the delay, adding that Nato needs to apply UN resolution 1973, authorising the use of force to protect Libyan civilians, he added. In the village of Dafniya, the western-most point of Misrata’s frontline, rebels and civilians on Wednesday said they were baffled that Nato had not followed up on its threats, given the overnight shelling by Gaddafi’s forces. “No Nato,” said Mohammed, the 14-year-old son of a Dafniya rebel fighter drinking tea behind one of the giant sand berms that shield rebel positions from sniper fire. “Where is Nato?” Libya Middle East Africa Arab and Middle East unrest Nato Chris Stephen guardian.co.uk
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Labour leader tells prime minister measures in welfare bill could adversely affect as many as 7,000 cancer patients David Cameron has refused to back down over plans to cut up to £94 a week from some sickness benefits – a move that could affect as many as 7,000 cancer patients. He was challenged over the change at prime minister’s questions by the Labour leader, Ed Miliband. Cameron claimed Miliband had been shown to be a weak leader of a divided party, and claimed his attack was simply a smokescreen. Miliband – sounding more animated than normal – hit back at the prime minister, saying: “What an absolute disgrace to describe talking about cancer patients in this country as a smokescreen.” Cameron’s spokeswoman said afterwards that “the benefit changes will affect cancer patients that have been in remission for over a year”, but disputed claims that as many as 7,000 patients would be affected, saying the true number was not known. Miliband raised the issue in the wake of cancer charities complaining that the welfare bill going through the Commons on Wednesday night would time-limit contributory employment support allowance to a year. Some will be compensated by income- related employment and support allowance (ESA), but others, including those with a working partner or with income or capital, would lose entitlement to benefit completely. The broad changes to ESA, announced in the spending review, are designed to save £1.2bn net. Cameron accused Labour of raising the issue solely due to embarrassment that it was going to vote against the welfare bill in the Commons at its third despite saying it was in favour of tough welfare measures. An attempt by Labour to stage a Commons vote on the issue on Monday night was blocked by Conservative whips. During the opening exchanges between the two leaders, it appeared as if Cameron was not aware of the specific controversy about ESA. Miliband asked: “When the prime minister signed off his welfare bill, did he know that it would make 7,000 cancer patients worse off by as much as £94 a week?” Cameron said that was “simply not the case”, telling him: “We are using exactly the same definition of people who are suffering and are terminally ill as the last government. We want to make sure those people are helped and protected. “If you are in favour of welfare reform, you want to encourage people to do the right thing, it’s no good talking about it, you’ve got to vote for it.” Miliband said Macmillan Cancer Support had raised concerns about the bill’s measures for a year, and that Cameron should know what was in his own legislation. “These are people who have worked hard all their lives, who have done the right thing, who have paid their taxes and, when they are in need, the prime minister is taking money away from them,” he said. “How can it be right that people with cancer, 7,000 people with cancer, are losing £94 a week?” Cameron said: “All we see here is a Labour party desperate not to support welfare reform and trying to find an excuse to get off supporting welfare reform. “Anyone who is terminally ill gets immediate access to the higher level of support, and we will provide that to all people who are unable to work. “That is the guarantee we make, but you have got to stop wriggling off your responsibilities and back the welfare reform you talk about.” The shadow employment minister, Stephen Timms, wrote to the work and pensions minister, Chris Grayling, expressing dismay that no time had been allocated to debate and vote on the cancer issue in the Commons during the first day of two days of debate on the bill. He sought an undertaking from Grayling that the issue would be debated on Wednesday – but there is little likelihood of ministers changing a policy that saves so much money for the Treasury. On Monday, the welfare minister, Lord Freud, supplied a written answer defending the proposal, saying: “A time limit of one year strikes a balance between allowing people with longer-term conditions to adjust to their health condition and provides a level of access to contributory benefits that is appropriate for contributory benefits.” The Department of Work and Pensions defended its plans by saying that if a cancer patient is receiving treatment or is between treatments, they will be on the employment support allowance support group, and will not be in danger of losing benefit. But if following a medical assessment the cancer patient is deemed to be fit to work, they will go into the ESA work related activity group and after 12 months, they will be put onto income-related ESA, with the result that if they have savings, they will then lose benefit. Macmillan claims the means testing threshold is set so low that a cancer patient could lose all their ESA benefit if their partner earns more than just £7,500 a year. The DWP pointed out that Professor Malcolm Harrington — responsible for overseeing work capability assessment (WCA) on behalf of the DWP — is in discussion with cancer groups over any changes to WCA. The Macmillan cancer charity later said: “Under the government’s proposals, people eligible for employment and support allowance (ESA) who have paid national insurance but are not considered severely ill, will only receive this support for one year. “After this time, the support will be dependent on your financial circumstances, and people with cancer will lose their benefit if their partner earns as little as £149 per week. As a result, some will be pushed into poverty as it often takes longer than a year to return to work following a cancer diagnosis.” Ciarán Devane, the Macmillan chief executive, said: “Many cancer patients will lose this crucial benefit simply because they have not recovered quickly enough. “The majority want to return to work, as it can represent a milestone in their recovery and a return to normality in addition to the obvious financial benefits. “This proposal in the welfare reform bill will have a devastating impact on many cancer patients. We are urging the government to change their plans to reform key disability benefits to ensure cancer patients and their families are not pushed into poverty.” Professor Jane Maher, the chief medical officer of Macmillan, added: “In my experience, one year is simply not long enough for many people to recover from cancer. “The serious physical and psychological side-effects of cancer can last for many months, even years, after treatment has finished. It is crucial that patients are not forced to return to work before they are ready.” Welfare David Cameron Ed Miliband PMQs House of Commons Patrick Wintour guardian.co.uk
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Skywatchers anticipate spectacular lunar elipse tonight as the moon will rise in the Earth’s shadow The moon will rise in Earth’s shadow this evening in a rare lunar eclipse that could turn our natural satellite a deep shade of red. With clear skies, the celestial spectacle will be visible across the UK, with the exception of northern Scotland, as soon as the moon rises after sunset. Moonrise time varies with location, but for observers in London, the show will begin at 9.13pm. Further north, in Glasgow, moonrise begins at 9.58pm. A total lunar eclipse happens when the moon, Earth and sun line up, and our home planet casts a vast shadow that engulfs the moon. When the moon moves into the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow, the umbra, it will turn a slate grey or brick red colour. The moon changes colour because blue light – and other short wavelengths – scatter more in the Earth’s atmosphere, with more red light getting through. The Royal Astronomical Society said the eclipse, if visible, could be a spectacular opportunity for photographers. The moon will remain low in the night sky, so observers will need a clear horizon and cloudless skies to see it well. Unlike solar eclipses, a lunar eclipse is safe to watch with the naked eye. The event will be visible in Australasia, southern Japan, a large area of Asia, India, Africa, Europe and the eastern part of South America. The total eclipse ends at 22.03pm, when the Moon starts to leave the darkest part of the umbra. At this time, the moon will be only five degrees above the south-eastern horizon from London, whilst in Glasgow the whole of the lunar disk will not yet have appeared and from northern Scotland it will not be visible at all. In the final stage of the eclipse, the moon moves into the lighter part of Earth’s shadow, the penumbra, and will likely take on a yellowish hue. The eclipse will be over just after midnight, at 00.02am Thursday morning. Lunar eclipses Astronomy Space Ian Sample guardian.co.uk
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Fifth of native ladybird species in decline across the British Isles, first comprehensive census shows • In pictures: The great harlequin ladybird invasion More than one-fifth of native ladybird species are in decline across the British Isles as environmental changes and competition from voracious alien invaders take their toll on the insects’ numbers. The grim outlook for 10 of the 47 ladybird species found in the UK and Ireland is revealed in the first comprehensive census compiled with help from tens of thousands of volunteer spotters. Distribution maps drawn up from sightings over the last 20 years show worrying declines in the common 10- and 14-spot ladybirds, and numbers of rarer species, including the unusual water and hieroglyphic ladybirds, have also suffered substantial falls. The environmental factors behind the declines are not affecting all species equally, however. The survey shows substantial increases in the populations of five ladybird species, including the 24-spot and pine varieties. Some native ladybirds are struggling to survive alongside species that have recently become established in Britain. A decline in the two-spot ladybird has been blamed on the arrival and spectacular rise of the Asian harlequin ladybird, which was introduced into Europe to control pests. The harlequin arrived from the continent in 2003. It is larger, breeds faster, competes with others for food and even preys on the larvae of smaller insects, such as the two-spot ladybird. The species is now common in England and Wales and has recently been sighted in Scotland. Helen Roy, of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) in Oxfordshire, and one of the authors of the Ladybird Atlas of Britain and Ireland, said: “What’s quite striking is that in the same way as butterflies and moths have seen very common species going into decline, we’re seeing the same happen with ladybirds. “What is particularly worrying about the declines is that many of these are common species, the ones people will be most familiar with in their gardens. We have not unravelled all the causes behind the declines, but a warming climate and changes in land use are expected to have an impact. “They are telling us there are changes going up through the food chain. Ladybirds can be used as indicators of wider changes in our environment,” Roy said. Contrary to popular perception, ladybirds are top predators in their ecological niches. Their voracious appetites for plant-destroying aphids and small, parasitic-scale insects have made them a favourite among gardeners. They thrive in warmer conditions and are most diverse in southern England, but many species are now extending their ranges in Scotland as temperatures become more inviting. The kidney spot ladybird, which resembles a miniature bowler hat daubed with two red spots, has been recorded in Scotland for the first time in recent years, “almost certainly as a consequence of climate change”, Roy said. An explosion in orange ladybirds, which feed on mildew, is thought to be linked to warmer, damper conditions in parts of Britain in the past two decades. One of the greatest surprises recorded by the survey is the recolonisation of Britain by the 13-spot ladybird, which was once considered extinct here. Sightings of the ladybird in Cornwall, Devon and the New Forest suggest the insects are becoming re-established after arriving from the Channel islands or France. Ladybirds can be carried on cars and ferries, but have also been known to travel long distances over water on air currents. Further analysis of the survey data will give researchers unique insights into the ecological roles of different species of ladybird and how they respond to changes in their habitat and the environment. A project was begun in the 1960s to compile records of ladybird sightings across the British Isles. Originally filled with sightings from experts, it has since been opened up to include amateur enthusiasts. Sightings are usually backed up with specimens or photographic evidence before a record is made official. The earliest record included in the publication is that of a rare 13-spot ladybird seen near Oxford in 1819. The most commonly recorded species, with 27,000 records, is the seven-spot ladybird, closely followed by the harlequin, with over 25,000 records. The atlas is a collaborative project between researchers at the CEH, Anglia Ruskin University, Clifton College and the wildlife enthusiast Robert Frost. Peter Brown, at Anglia Ruskin, said the response from volunteer ladybird spotters was “staggering”, and crucial to assess changes in the insects’ distributions over time. The survey is an ongoing project that will continue to monitor ladybird populations in the years ahead. Insects Wildlife Biodiversity Ian Sample guardian.co.uk
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NPR counter-terrorism correspondent Dina Temple-Raston walked into a testy confrontation recently when she spoke to a YWCA “Women of Distinction” luncheon in Darien, Connecticut. A local journalist was amazed that she would insist on no video or audio taping of her remarks there. The journalist, Jim Cameron, wrote about the fight on his blog . He was upset that print reporters could cover it, but he couldn't record for a cable-access TV channel: A day before the event, at my request, the Y sponsors circled back to me with more information. Apparently her agent was wrong. It was not an NPR rule about no taping, it was Ms. Temple-Raston's rule. Clearly, the Juan Williams case (of NPR staffers speaking off-air) has had a chilling effect on those NPR staffers' outside, money-making speaking gigs . The day of the event I decided to give full coverage a final try. Arriving at the Woodway Country Club, I told the YWCA organizers that the community deserved to see the award winners and I promised to record only that… if I could speak to Ms. Temple-Raston and make a final appeal. Seconds later, she appeared and we shared a rather contentious two minute conversation. “You know you cannot tape my speech”' she said. “So I've heard,” I said, “But why? Is it really an NPR rule?”. “No,” she said, “It's just my personal preference. I am on vacation today.” Then I tried appealing to her as a fellow fifth-estater. “As a journalist are you comfortable in stopping my coverage of your speech?” “Absolutely,” she said without hesitation. “You're lucky I'm allowing you to tape the awards presentations!” “That's not your call,” I told her. “I'm here at the invitation of the YWCA.” ” Well, that camera better be off. That's an ethical issue, ” she said, and then added icing to the cake… “and this conversation is off the record.” “No, this conversation is ON the record, Dina, and it is part of my coverage,” I said. At this point two other videographers arrived, one from The Patch and the other from News12, our local cable news operation. Dina visibly flinched, turning to both and reminding them they too could not tape her speech. “No problem,” said one of them. Her final comment came as a somewhat rhetorical question… ” why are you being so hard-assed (about this)?” Why? Because you, Ms Temple-Raston, can't have it both ways. You cannot promote your private, paid speaking business on the basis of your NPR work and then pretend that your comments are somehow private. Nobody came to pay $85 to hear you as an individual. They came to bask in the glory of your media aura. If you brand yourself as part of NPR, your remarks should be open to public coverage. I’m guessing that you would tolerate no less in your own journalistic endeavors, would you? Cameron thought of appealing to the ACLU — not a great idea, since Temple-Raston co-wrote a book about those horrible Bush terrorism policies with the executive director of the ACLU. One local paper suggested the NPR lady told the women's lunch that she thought the ladies were better journalists: Dina Temple-Raston, National Public Radio National Security and Counterterrorism Correspondent, spoke of her experiences in the Arab-speaking world, suggesting that female journalists can often succeed where male counterparts can't. “Women are instinctively more aware of their surroundings than men and more alert to dire developments,” she said. Earlier: Temple-Raston Insists Buffalo Wif'e's Beheading by Muslim Outreach TV Founder Has No Islamic Overtones
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Eight people killed and four wounded in attack, while mortar blasts country’s largest police training facility A suicide bomber has killed eight people and wounded four in an attack on a governor’s office in north-east Afghanistan, while a mortar targeted a building where Nato and Afghan officials were inaugurating the country’s largest police training facility in central Afghanistan. The two attacks occurred at about the same time. Provincial spokesman Halim Ayar said the bomber blew himself up about 200 metres from the office of the governor, Azizul Rahman Tawab, in the north-east Kapisa province. He said four of the dead were police officers and four were civilians. All the wounded were civilians, he added. The interior ministry said: “The leadership of Ministry of Interior of Afghanistan condemns this inhumane and cowardly suicide attack. Such attacks will never weaken the determination of the Afghan National Police.” Meanwhile, in central Wardak province, a mortar landed next to a large building where Afghan ministers and Nato officials were celebrating the opening of the flagship centre of a multibillion dollar Nato programme to train Afghan national security forces before the planned withdrawal of US-led coalition forces at the end of 2014. Afghanistan’s second vice-president, Mohammed Karim Khalili, and interior minister Bismullah Khan Mohammadi were in attendance when the blast shook the building and more than 500 police recruits ducked for cover. Gunshots rang out after the attack. Bodyguards rushed Afghan and Nato officials into a hardened shelter before evacuating them on helicopters. The area has seen increasing attacks by insurgents as the Taliban press a spring campaign against Afghan and Nato forces. It was unclear if Khalili, who was born in Wardak, was the intended target of the attack, but the mortar seemed to have been aimed at the building where he had just finished delivering his speech. The $106m (£65m) facility houses 725 recruits but will expand to 3,000, making it the largest of its kind in the country. A mostly US-funded programme has been spending about $10bn a year in 2010 and 2011 to train, equip and build infrastructure for a range of Afghan forces, including police, soldiers and an air force. That programme calls for increasing the number of Afghan police to 134,000 by October, from the 81,509 of two years ago. US Major General James Mallory told the Associated Press that Nato would be able to properly train and support an estimated 157,000 police officers before the coalition’s planned withdrawal in 2014. However, he acknowledged there would be long-term legacy costs that the international community would need to bear for the country as it struggles economically, especially as 86% of incoming recruits cannot read or write. “We’re dealing with a lost generation,” Mallory said. He spoke just before the mortar attack. Afghanistan Taliban Nato US military United States US foreign policy guardian.co.uk
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Pair arrested near singer’s home in Devon were reportedly in possession of swords, rope and body bag Two men are being questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to rob and murder after being arrested close to the home of the singer Joss Stone. The men were detained in Cullompton, Devon, at around 10am on Tuesday after residents reported a suspicious looking vehicle. The pair, aged 30 and 33, were initially arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and going equipped to burgle/steal. The 30-year-old was also arrested for driving while disqualified. After further inquiries the police said the men were being questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to murder. The Sun reported that police found swords, rope and a body bag as well detailed maps and aerial photos of Stone’s property when they arrested the pair. Detective Inspector Steve Parker, leading the investigation, said: “The two men in custody had in their possession information relating to an individual in the Cullompton area and items which lead us to suspect that they may have intended to commit a criminal offence. Police inquiries continue and the men remain in custody.” Stone has sold more than 11m records globally and is estimated to be worth £9m . The singer, 24, was recently asked to join a new “supergroup” formed by Mick Jagger, featuring Dave Stewart, from the Eurythmics, Damian Marley, the Grammy-winning youngest son of Bob Marley, and the Bollywood composer AR Rahman. Stone is a friend of Prince William and attended the royal wedding. Joss Stone Crime Haroon Siddique guardian.co.uk
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• Unemployment rate down to 7.7% • But number of people claiming jobless benefits rises • Wage growth up just 1.8% in a year • Public sector sheds 24k jobs, private sector gains 104k Unemployment is falling at its fastest pace in a decade, official figures reveal, in a boost for George Osborne as he prepares to deliver his Mansion House speech . The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the number of people unemployed fell by 88,000 in the the three months to April, to 2.43 million — the largest drop since the summer of 2000. The unemployment rate was 7.7%, down from 8% three months earlier. The positive jobs figures are good news for the chancellor, who has been forced to defend his economic policy in the face of flagging growth. However, analysts warned that there were signs of weakness in the data, with the more timely claimant count measure of unemployment showing a much worse than expected rise of 19,600 in May to 1.49 million. That was the third consecutive increase in the claimant count. Alan Clarke, of Scotia Capital, said the claimant count was an early sign that the labour market could deteriorate. “With GDP growth unlikely to stray very far above zero over the next 6 months, we should brace for further increases in unemployment.” There was also fresh evidence of the painful squeeze facing households, as pay increased at an annual rate of just 1.8%. That means on average, incomes are rising at less than half the rate of inflation, eating into families’ standard of living. Hetal Mehta, of Daiwa Securities, said that weak wage growth would reassure the doves on the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee who want to leave interest rates on hold at their record low. “Wage growth remains well below levels that the Bank would consider a threat to inflation. This combined with inflation remaining steady and weak retail indicators reinforce our view that the Bank of England will stay in wait-and-see-mode with regard to interest rates until next year,” she said. Separate figures also revealed the rapid pace of job-shedding in the public sector in the first three months of the year, with the bulk of job cuts concentrated in local government. The ONS said the number of people employed in the public sector fell by 24,000 in the first quarter of 2011 – or 39,000 when temporary staff hired to work on the census are removed. Over the same period, employment in the private sector increased by 104,000, more than soaking up the government job losses. Unemployment and employment statistics Economics Unemployment Economic policy Heather Stewart guardian.co.uk
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UN accuses northern armed forces of indiscriminate military attacks against civilians in Southern Kordofan An air strike campaign in the Sudanese border state of Southern Kordofan is causing “huge suffering” to civilian populations and endangering humanitarian assistance in the region, the United Nations has said. The northern military has been fighting southern-aligned groups it describes as rebels in the oil state for more than a week, with clashes escalating to include artillery and aircraft. “Intensive bombing by SAF (the north’s Sudanese Armed Forces) in the past week is continuing in the surroundings of Kadugli and Kauda, where two jet fighters dropped 11 bombs this morning around 10.30, apparently targeting an airfield,” UN mission in Sudan (UNMIS) spokesman Kouider Zerrouk said on Tuesday. He said two bombs fell close to the perimeter of a UNMIS compound 150 metres from the airfield. “This bombing campaign is causing huge suffering to civilian populations and endangering humanitarian assistance,” he said. “We reiterate our call on the SAF, SPLA (Sudan People’s Liberation Army) and other armed groups who are involved in this conflict to immediately allow access to humanitarian agencies and stop indiscriminate military attacks against civilians and protect them in accordance with international law.” A northern army spokesman, Al-Sawarmi Khaled, denied that Khartoum’s military actions were killing civilians, saying fighting was only between the army and rebels. “There are not any victims from the civilian people.” Fighting in Southern Kordofan has raised tensions at a sensitive moment for Sudan, with the south set to declare independence in less than a month. The split has been complicated by a raft of unresolved issues, including where the border should be drawn and how to divide oil revenues. Southerners voted to secede in a January referendum which was promised in a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of north-south civil war. That conflict killed 2 million people. Also on Tuesday, the UN refugee agency urged Sudanese authorities to allow road and air access for aid workers trying to help thousands of people fleeing the fighting. Humanitarian flights have been denied permission to land in the state capital Kadugli for nearly a week and roadblocks manned by armed militiamen have hampered land access, the UN high commissioner for refugees said. “Insecurity means our operations are severely constrained and UNHCR is currently unable to reach a warehouse just 5km [3 miles] from the UN peacekeeping mission’s base in the city,” spokeswoman Melissa Fleming told a news briefing. Further underlining the deteriorating situation, the World Food Programme and the World Health Organisation said premises belonging to the two agencies in the area had been looted. Fleming said the UNHCR knew of 41,000 displaced people in the state, but it feared that many more were fleeing their homes, mostly children and women. Aid agencies had been able to deliver food and other help to only 6,000 people. “This is far below the number we would be able to reach if we had secure access,” she said. Sudan Africa United Nations guardian.co.uk
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Playboy founder uses social media site to tell followers the wedding with Crystal Harris is off On Christmas Day 2010, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner took to Twitter to announce his engagement to Crystal Harris. “When I gave Crystal the ring, she burst into tears,” he enthused. “This is the happiest Christmas weekend in memory.” Six months on, and just days before the couple, aged 85 and 25 respectively, were to exchange vows, had less happy news for his 639,000 followers. “The wedding is off,” he tweeted on Tuesday afternoon. “Crystal has had a change of heart.” Harris, a former Playboy “Playmate of the Month”, also went online to deliver the new that she would not, after all, become Hefner’s third wife. “After much deep reflection and thought I have decided to end my engagement with Hef,” she wrote on her personal (and not-so-safe-for-work) website . “I have the utmost respect for Hef and wish him the best going forward. I hope the media will give each of us the privacy we deserve during this time.” Hefner, again on Twitter, denied suggestions there had been an angry argument: “The TMZ report that Crystal & I ‘had a nasty argument’, prompting her to call off the wedding, is untrue. There were no arguments.” As sympathy tweets flowed in from his followers, Hefner issued a number of other messages on the microblogging site. “The breakup is a heart breaker, but better now than after the marriage,” he later tweeted. And: “Since we’re not getting married on Saturday, I’ve scheduled a movie: Runaway Bride. Seems appropriate.” Hefner also retweeted, without comment, a remark by follower @LinzLuvs. It read: “Omg @CrystalHarris left @hughhefner the day her single came out on iTunes. Coincidence? I think not.” Celebrity United States Magazines Twitter Toby Manhire guardian.co.uk
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