Bacalao and oranges – the national treasures of Spain in a simple salad Serves 4 Takes 10 minutes (plus 40 mins soaking time for the fish) 650g bacalao (salt cod), skin and bones removed 3 blood oranges 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp muscatel vinegar ½ red onion, thinly sliced 16 black Spanish olives, pitted 1 large bunch of watercress. 30g flaked toasted almonds Salt and pepper Break the salt cod into pieces with your fingers – don’t use a knife as you don’t want straight edges here, just roughly torn bits – put in a pot of cold water and leave to soak for 40 minutes, changing the water three or four times. You still want the fish to be a bit salty after soaking. Drain the salt cod and squeeze it with your hands to squeeze out all the excess water. To be doubly sure, also pat it dry between a couple of sheets of kitchen paper. Peel the oranges using a very sharp knife, removing all the skin and pith. Next cut down on either side of the membranes to remove each segment. Mix the oil and vinegar with salt and pepper to taste. In a large bowl, combine the salt cod and orange segments with the remaining ingredients, pour over the vinaigrette and toss lightly. Spoon into the centre of four plates and serve. • José Pizarro ‘s new restaurant, Pizarro, in London SE1, opens on May 4 Fish recipes Salad recipes Food & drink José Pizarro guardian.co.uk
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Suicide bombs targeting government officials explode near checkpoint, killing at least nine people and wounding 23 At least nine people have been killed and 23 injured when suicide bombers detonated two cars packed with explosives outside Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, officials said. A military spokesman, Major General Qassim al-Moussawi, said the bombers appeared to be targeting the motorcades of two senior government officials – one from the military, the other from the cabinet – who were heading to work. The cars blew up shortly after 8am local time, among a queue of vehicles waiting to be cleared into the zone, which houses Iraq’s parliament and ministry offices, as well as several foreign embassies. Two police officers and an official at Al-Yarmouk hospital said nine people, including five Iraqi soldiers, were killed and 23 people were wounded in the attack. Moussawi put the number of dead at six, with 14 wounded, but added that “this is not a final death toll”. The vehicles exploded about 400 yards from the checkpoint on a western road between the Green Zone and Baghdad airport. Minutes later two more roadside bombs exploded a few miles away in what appeared to be an unrelated strike. Police said nine passersby were wounded in the attack outside a restaurant in Jadriyah, a Sunni-Shia neighbourhood on the south-eastern side of the Tigris river. Violence has abated across Iraq since the sectarian fighting a few years ago that brought the country to the brink of civil war. Deadly bombings and shootings still occur on a near daily basis as insurgents seek to highlight Iraq’s continued instability as US troops prepare to withdraw by the end of the year. Iraq Global terrorism Middle East guardian.co.uk
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Road chaos could continue into next week, with only northbound traffic flowing between junctions 1 and 4 for now All southbound lanes of the M1 between junctions 1 and 4 will remain closed until further notice because of fire damage, the Highways Agency has warned. The seven-mile section has been shut since Friday after a blaze at a scrap yard underneath an elevated section of the motorway in the Mill Hill area of north London. The roads minister has said the full width of the motorway will not reopen until the middle or end of next week. The Highways Agency had hoped to reopen a southbound lane by Monday morning, but is now warning the closure could continue into the week. Two lanes on the northbound carriageway were reopened on Sunday but motorists were advised to avoid the route due to congestion. The agency said: “We are working in very difficult conditions in a confined space and have encountered unexpected difficulties in manoeuvring some of the large and heavy equipment required to reinforce the bridge deck.” It would reopen the fire-damaged southbound stretch as soon as it was safe to do so, it added. The roads minister, Mike Penning, told Sky News the full width of the motorway would not open until the middle to the end of next week. He also told BBC Breakfast: “We will do everything we can to get the southbound stretch open today, but sadly the inside lane on the hard shoulder was so badly damaged it is beyond repair and we’ll have to do remedial work on that later on. “We’re looking to open two lanes south today and operate a contraflow using the hard shoulder on the northbound carriageway to have three lanes north and three lanes south. We are working as quickly as possible to reopen lanes on the M1. However safety has to be paramount.” The closures, between Brent Cross and Elstree, disrupted the plans of thousands of people, including football fans travelling from Manchester, Bolton and Stoke for two FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley over the weekend and others visiting for the London marathon. Penning appealed for motorists to seek alternative routes along the M40, A41 and A1. He said he was sure government agencies would look at how many scrap yards and stores were built under roads after the effects of the Friday fire. An AA spokesman said the minister’s remarks were “a bit worrying”. He said there were also hundreds of railway viaducts where inflammable materials were stored under arches. The transport department said it would be looking at the scope of any future motorway checks over the next few days. The reinforcement of the elevated section has involved putting new supports under the road. One lane northbound was opened on Saturday evening but drivers will continue to face delays and diversions for some time. Penning said: “We have to build a new bridge underneath the existing bridge so we can open more lanes and get traffic moving safely.” In the interview with Sky News he said the hard shoulder was particularly badly damaged. “It is a precast concrete bridge and the heat has damaged it so badly that the steels are exposed that are part of the infrastructure of the bridge.We have to make sure it’s safe for the motorist and safe for our workers underneath the bridge. “I am sure there are hundreds and hundreds of these sorts of scrap yards and storage places. We don’t know exactly what was stored here – the local authority will be involved on Monday morning – but the key is to make sure we get as much of the motorway open as soon as possible, but safely. As a former firefighter I know firsthand the intensity of fires of this kind. I’ve seen the damage to the bridge and it should not be underestimated.” Scores of firefighters tackled the original blaze, which led to the evacuation of nearby homes and disrupted rail services. A hazard zone was set up because of gas cylinders at risk of exploding. The Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, described the decision to play two semi-finals involving four northern clubs at Wembley as “quite incredible”. Supporters of a high-speed rail link to the north are also likely to point to the weekend road chaos as evidence for their cause. Transport James Meikle guardian.co.uk
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Road chaos could continue into next week, with only northbound traffic flowing between junctions 1 and 4 for now All southbound lanes of the M1 between junctions 1 and 4 will remain closed until further notice because of fire damage, the Highways Agency has warned. The seven-mile section has been shut since Friday after a blaze at a scrap yard underneath an elevated section of the motorway in the Mill Hill area of north London. The roads minister has said the full width of the motorway will not reopen until the middle or end of next week. The Highways Agency had hoped to reopen a southbound lane by Monday morning, but is now warning the closure could continue into the week. Two lanes on the northbound carriageway were reopened on Sunday but motorists were advised to avoid the route due to congestion. The agency said: “We are working in very difficult conditions in a confined space and have encountered unexpected difficulties in manoeuvring some of the large and heavy equipment required to reinforce the bridge deck.” It would reopen the fire-damaged southbound stretch as soon as it was safe to do so, it added. The roads minister, Mike Penning, told Sky News the full width of the motorway would not open until the middle to the end of next week. He also told BBC Breakfast: “We will do everything we can to get the southbound stretch open today, but sadly the inside lane on the hard shoulder was so badly damaged it is beyond repair and we’ll have to do remedial work on that later on. “We’re looking to open two lanes south today and operate a contraflow using the hard shoulder on the northbound carriageway to have three lanes north and three lanes south. We are working as quickly as possible to reopen lanes on the M1. However safety has to be paramount.” The closures, between Brent Cross and Elstree, disrupted the plans of thousands of people, including football fans travelling from Manchester, Bolton and Stoke for two FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley over the weekend and others visiting for the London marathon. Penning appealed for motorists to seek alternative routes along the M40, A41 and A1. He said he was sure government agencies would look at how many scrap yards and stores were built under roads after the effects of the Friday fire. An AA spokesman said the minister’s remarks were “a bit worrying”. He said there were also hundreds of railway viaducts where inflammable materials were stored under arches. The transport department said it would be looking at the scope of any future motorway checks over the next few days. The reinforcement of the elevated section has involved putting new supports under the road. One lane northbound was opened on Saturday evening but drivers will continue to face delays and diversions for some time. Penning said: “We have to build a new bridge underneath the existing bridge so we can open more lanes and get traffic moving safely.” In the interview with Sky News he said the hard shoulder was particularly badly damaged. “It is a precast concrete bridge and the heat has damaged it so badly that the steels are exposed that are part of the infrastructure of the bridge.We have to make sure it’s safe for the motorist and safe for our workers underneath the bridge. “I am sure there are hundreds and hundreds of these sorts of scrap yards and storage places. We don’t know exactly what was stored here – the local authority will be involved on Monday morning – but the key is to make sure we get as much of the motorway open as soon as possible, but safely. As a former firefighter I know firsthand the intensity of fires of this kind. I’ve seen the damage to the bridge and it should not be underestimated.” Scores of firefighters tackled the original blaze, which led to the evacuation of nearby homes and disrupted rail services. A hazard zone was set up because of gas cylinders at risk of exploding. The Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, described the decision to play two semi-finals involving four northern clubs at Wembley as “quite incredible”. Supporters of a high-speed rail link to the north are also likely to point to the weekend road chaos as evidence for their cause. Transport James Meikle guardian.co.uk
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Britain to discuss plans to ensure unfettered access for relief effort to besieged city after seven weeks of fighting Britain will press for unfettered access to the besieged Libyan city of Misrata in talks at the UN amid deepening concern at the humanitarian situation in the town, which has been surrounded by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi for more than a month. The international development secretary, Andrew Mitchell, will discuss plans on Monday to increase aid and medical supplies and ensure better access to the rebel-held city. Misrata has been under heavy attack for seven weeks, with hundreds of civilians killed in the effort to rout the rebels, who are reportedly better organised and disciplined than in the east of the country. Seventeen people were killed in fighting in Misrata on Sunday, an NGO worker and an opposition activist said. Government troops, who have pushed into the city centre in recent days, pounded Misrata with mortar rounds and rocket-propelled grenades, a resident told Associated Press. “Residents have become so accustomed to the sound of mortars and missiles. Snipers are still on the roofs of tall buildings shooting at anything that moves in the city centre,” he said. Rebels fought government forces back from an area around a central produce market, regaining a sliver of territory, said Rida al-Montasser, a local activist. He said a hospital report showed 17 people, including rebels, were killed and 74 others were wounded. A worker for a foreign NGO who visited the hospital on Sunday also said 17 bodies were brought in, including that of a girl shot in the head. Other children who had been shot were among the wounded, he said. Witnesses in the city have backed up reports from Human Rights Watch that Gaddafi’s troops have been using cluster bombs as part of their offensive. The Libyan government has denied this. Britain has sent aid to the affected areas as well as emergency shelters, medical supplies, food and enough midwifery kits to deliver 200 babies, but Mitchell wants better access to Misrata for the relief effort. “The humanitarian situation in Misrata is of great concern,” he said. “The international community should be ready to respond, and that is why I will be meeting with the United Nations to ensure we have the right support in place. “It is vital that we continue to get help, such as food, water or medical supplies, through to people. Humanitarian agencies must be given free and unfettered access to Misrata and other areas affected by fighting.” Tens of thousands of people are trapped in Misrata and other towns after more than a month of fighting, which has killed at least 300 and injured more than 1,000, including many children. Some severely injured people are unable to be evacuated for medical attention, hospitals lack electricity and water, and people have been trapped indoors for weeks with little or no food. The UN is concerned that consumption of untreated water from wells could lead to outbreaks of water-borne diseases. Talks on Misrata come as David Cameron said there was “no question” of an international invasion of Libya. The prime minister said the Nato-led air strikes on military targets had helped prevent massacres and the taking of Misrata. But while rebel forces were receiving help, including body armour and communications equipment, there was no question of going beyond the UN mandate. “It is because we have said we are not going to invade, we are not going to occupy [that] this is more difficult in many ways because we can’t fully determine the outcome with what we have available,” Cameron said on Sky News. “But we are very clear that we must stick to the terms of the UN security council resolution, we must keep the support of the Arab world.” In eastern Libya on Sunday Gaddafi’s forces mounted a heavy assault on Libyan rebels holding the key town of Ajdabiya in a sign that the regime is intensifying efforts to regain territory in the east of the country. Explosions were heard for several hours in the morning, forcing some of the few remaining families to flee to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi 90 miles away. In Paris, the French defence minister, Gérard Longuet, has dismissed statements from a senior Nato official that the alliance is short of aircraft. Longuet said instead the mission has been hampered by a lack of ground information. “There is no lack of planes but a lack of identification of mobile objectives,” he said in an interview published on Sunday in the daily Le Parisien. “The problem is that we’re missing concrete and verifiable information on identified objectives on the ground.” Libya Arab and Middle East unrest Middle East United Nations Mark Tran guardian.co.uk
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Britain to discuss plans to ensure unfettered access for relief effort to besieged city after seven weeks of fighting Britain will press for unfettered access to the besieged Libyan city of Misrata in talks at the UN amid deepening concern at the humanitarian situation in the town, which has been surrounded by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi for more than a month. The international development secretary, Andrew Mitchell, will discuss plans on Monday to increase aid and medical supplies and ensure better access to the rebel-held city. Misrata has been under heavy attack for seven weeks, with hundreds of civilians killed in the effort to rout the rebels, who are reportedly better organised and disciplined than in the east of the country. Seventeen people were killed in fighting in Misrata on Sunday, an NGO worker and an opposition activist said. Government troops, who have pushed into the city centre in recent days, pounded Misrata with mortar rounds and rocket-propelled grenades, a resident told Associated Press. “Residents have become so accustomed to the sound of mortars and missiles. Snipers are still on the roofs of tall buildings shooting at anything that moves in the city centre,” he said. Rebels fought government forces back from an area around a central produce market, regaining a sliver of territory, said Rida al-Montasser, a local activist. He said a hospital report showed 17 people, including rebels, were killed and 74 others were wounded. A worker for a foreign NGO who visited the hospital on Sunday also said 17 bodies were brought in, including that of a girl shot in the head. Other children who had been shot were among the wounded, he said. Witnesses in the city have backed up reports from Human Rights Watch that Gaddafi’s troops have been using cluster bombs as part of their offensive. The Libyan government has denied this. Britain has sent aid to the affected areas as well as emergency shelters, medical supplies, food and enough midwifery kits to deliver 200 babies, but Mitchell wants better access to Misrata for the relief effort. “The humanitarian situation in Misrata is of great concern,” he said. “The international community should be ready to respond, and that is why I will be meeting with the United Nations to ensure we have the right support in place. “It is vital that we continue to get help, such as food, water or medical supplies, through to people. Humanitarian agencies must be given free and unfettered access to Misrata and other areas affected by fighting.” Tens of thousands of people are trapped in Misrata and other towns after more than a month of fighting, which has killed at least 300 and injured more than 1,000, including many children. Some severely injured people are unable to be evacuated for medical attention, hospitals lack electricity and water, and people have been trapped indoors for weeks with little or no food. The UN is concerned that consumption of untreated water from wells could lead to outbreaks of water-borne diseases. Talks on Misrata come as David Cameron said there was “no question” of an international invasion of Libya. The prime minister said the Nato-led air strikes on military targets had helped prevent massacres and the taking of Misrata. But while rebel forces were receiving help, including body armour and communications equipment, there was no question of going beyond the UN mandate. “It is because we have said we are not going to invade, we are not going to occupy [that] this is more difficult in many ways because we can’t fully determine the outcome with what we have available,” Cameron said on Sky News. “But we are very clear that we must stick to the terms of the UN security council resolution, we must keep the support of the Arab world.” In eastern Libya on Sunday Gaddafi’s forces mounted a heavy assault on Libyan rebels holding the key town of Ajdabiya in a sign that the regime is intensifying efforts to regain territory in the east of the country. Explosions were heard for several hours in the morning, forcing some of the few remaining families to flee to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi 90 miles away. In Paris, the French defence minister, Gérard Longuet, has dismissed statements from a senior Nato official that the alliance is short of aircraft. Longuet said instead the mission has been hampered by a lack of ground information. “There is no lack of planes but a lack of identification of mobile objectives,” he said in an interview published on Sunday in the daily Le Parisien. “The problem is that we’re missing concrete and verifiable information on identified objectives on the ground.” Libya Arab and Middle East unrest Middle East United Nations Mark Tran guardian.co.uk
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Former global leader hopes joint venture with Hong Kong’s TPV Technology will stem heavy losses Dutch consumer electronics group Royal Philips Electronics said it is to hive off its loss-making television arm into a joint venture as it reported a fall in quarterly profits. Philips, the world’s biggest lighting maker, is handing most of the TV arm over to Hong Kong’s TPV Technology. The monitor maker will own 70% of the venture, operating the business in most markets outside the US and China, with Philips owning the rest. Philips has an option to sell its 30% stake to TPV after six years. Once a global leader, Philips’ TV arm has been hit by fierce price competition from low-cost rivals and has run up losses of nearly €1bn (£880m) since the start of 2007. “Finding a solution for our television business was our top priority and we strongly believe that the intended 30%/70% joint venture with TPV that was announced today will enable a return to profitability for the television business, and an increased portfolio focus for Philips in health and wellbeing,” said Frans van Houten, a restructuring expert who became chief executive on 1 April. The TV business made an €87m net loss in the first quarter, dragging down Philips’ profits to €138m. This was below analysts’ forecasts and compared with €201m a year ago. Group sales advanced 6% to €5.3bn. “We expect headwinds in 2011 due to the Japan tragedy, impacting our revenue and supply chain,” Van Houten added. Manufacturing sector Netherlands Julia Kollewe guardian.co.uk
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Shareholders enjoy increased dividend payouts as UK companies return £15bn to investors in first quarter of 2011 UK companies returned £15bn to shareholders during the first quarter of 2011, putting investors on track to receive the highest level of dividend income since 2008, research suggested on Monday. Dividend payouts during the three months to the end of March were 10.3%, or £1.4bn, higher than during the same period of 2010, the fastest quarterly growth rate since the third quarter of 2008, according to Capita Registers. The group, which analysed data on UK dividends from Exchange Data International, estimates shareholders will receive a total of £64.2bn in dividend payments during the whole of 2011, 13.6% more than during the previous 12 months and the highest level since 2008. A total of 156 companies paid a dividend during the first quarter, 126 of which increased the amount they paid, or reinstated their dividend, while 10 held it level. Only 40 companies reduced the amount they paid or cancelled the dividend completely. The figures contrast with those for 2009, when the majority of companies reduced the amount of cash they returned to shareholders. Charles Cryer, chief executive of Capita Registrars, said: “2011 has got off to a very strong start, and underlying dividend growth will accelerate from here. Income investors are set to enjoy the best year since 2008, with an extra £7.7bn flowing from UK companies into their pockets. “Even though there are still uncertainties in the wider economy, the dividend recovery is very broadly based indicating companies are much more confident in their financial position.” The group said figures for the first quarter were boosted by International Power, which paid a large special dividend of 92p per share, accounting for more than a 10th of the total. BP paid the seventh largest dividend during the period, following its decision to reinstate payments to shareholders, although at a total of £900m, it was half the level seen before the Gulf of Mexico disaster. Underlying dividends rose swiftly among FTSE 250 companies, with payouts increasing by 25% after one-off factors were stripped out. But payments made by FTSE 100 companies actually shrunk slightly, once the International Power dividend was excluded, due to the lower payout made by BP. Financial sector Investing Stock markets Financial crisis BP guardian.co.uk
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Shareholders enjoy increased dividend payouts as UK companies return £15bn to investors in first quarter of 2011 UK companies returned £15bn to shareholders during the first quarter of 2011, putting investors on track to receive the highest level of dividend income since 2008, research suggested on Monday. Dividend payouts during the three months to the end of March were 10.3%, or £1.4bn, higher than during the same period of 2010, the fastest quarterly growth rate since the third quarter of 2008, according to Capita Registers. The group, which analysed data on UK dividends from Exchange Data International, estimates shareholders will receive a total of £64.2bn in dividend payments during the whole of 2011, 13.6% more than during the previous 12 months and the highest level since 2008. A total of 156 companies paid a dividend during the first quarter, 126 of which increased the amount they paid, or reinstated their dividend, while 10 held it level. Only 40 companies reduced the amount they paid or cancelled the dividend completely. The figures contrast with those for 2009, when the majority of companies reduced the amount of cash they returned to shareholders. Charles Cryer, chief executive of Capita Registrars, said: “2011 has got off to a very strong start, and underlying dividend growth will accelerate from here. Income investors are set to enjoy the best year since 2008, with an extra £7.7bn flowing from UK companies into their pockets. “Even though there are still uncertainties in the wider economy, the dividend recovery is very broadly based indicating companies are much more confident in their financial position.” The group said figures for the first quarter were boosted by International Power, which paid a large special dividend of 92p per share, accounting for more than a 10th of the total. BP paid the seventh largest dividend during the period, following its decision to reinstate payments to shareholders, although at a total of £900m, it was half the level seen before the Gulf of Mexico disaster. Underlying dividends rose swiftly among FTSE 250 companies, with payouts increasing by 25% after one-off factors were stripped out. But payments made by FTSE 100 companies actually shrunk slightly, once the International Power dividend was excluded, due to the lower payout made by BP. Financial sector Investing Stock markets Financial crisis BP guardian.co.uk
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Ministry of Defence document published on web in redacted form could be copied and pasted to reveal full details Defence chiefs have been forced into an embarrassing emergency retraction after secret information about the UK’s nuclear-powered submarines was inadvertently published on a website. A technical error meant sections of a Ministry of Defence report that appeared to have been blacked out could in fact be read by anyone who copied and pasted them into another document. The offending paragraphs have now been properly covered up [PDF] but were reported to have included expert opinion about the fleet’s ability to withstand a catastrophic accident. Details of measures used by the US navy to protect its own nuclear submarines were also accidentally made available, according to the Daily Star Sunday newspaper, which alerted the MoD to the problem. The Tory MP Patrick Mercer, who served in the army, told the newspaper the information would be “hugely interesting” to Britain’s enemies and its release “potentially catastrophic”. The document involved was an assessment drawn up by the head of the defence nuclear safety regulator, Commodore Andrew McFarlane, over options for the reactors in future submarines to replace the Trident fleet. In sections released intentionally on the parliament website, it concluded that the existing reactors were “potentially vulnerable” to fatal accidents – leading ministers to suggest new versions would be used. Some parts of the declassified document were redacted when it was published to protect sensitive information but the technique used meant the words were still electronically available underneath. An MoD spokesman said: “The MoD is grateful to the journalist for bringing this matter to our attention. “As soon as we were told about this, we took steps to ensure the document was removed from the public domain and replaced by a properly redacted version. We take nuclear security very seriously and we are doing everything possible to prevent a recurrence of this.” Trident Military Defence policy guardian.co.uk
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