Other News In Brief

Ryanair To Close Valencia Base

Budget airline Ryanair has announced it is to close its base at Valencia, Spain, which will result in the loss of 70 weekly flights. The Irish budget carrier flew from Valencia to 10 destinations, including Stansted, East Midlands and Liverpool, in England. The move is expected to affect 750,000 passengers a year, and result in the loss of around 750 jobs, according to the airline.

Funeral For Bone-Marrow Campaigner

The funeral of a leukaemia sufferer, who campaigned for organ donors from ethnic minorities, is due to take place today. Daniel De-Gale, 21, from Croydon was first diagnosed with leukaemia in April 1993 and received a bone-marrow transplant in June 1999, at the age of 12 in Great Ormond Street Hospital. His parents founded the Afro-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT) in 1996 after their son found difficulty to find a bone marrow donor. Mr De-Gale died from multiple organ failure on 8 October, from an unrelated illness. According to the ACLT the odds of finding a bone marrow match - if the sufferer is black, or mixed race - is one in 100,000. The odds for a white patient are one in five.

Lord Mandelson Opens New Enterprise College

Secretary of State for Business, Lord Peter Mandelson will today open the Sandon Business and Enterprise College in Stoke on Trent. This is the first official visit to the region by Lord Mandelson and will see him touring the school watching lessons and talking to pupils about their enterprise studies. The new £17 million school is the first in the city to be built under the Building Schools for the Future programme and is part of the Government's annual £60 million commitment to support enterprise in education.

Crackdown On Firework Lawbreakers

In the run up to Bonfire Night the Government is targeting the small minority of irresponsible businesses who flout the law by selling fireworks to under 18s. Consumer Minister Gareth Thomas said: "Fireworks can do terrible damage in the wrong hands. Retailers and parents must take their responsibilities seriously. Our tough laws mean firework sellers who break the law face stiff fines or even prison." He added: "They must follow the rules and parents should take essential safety precautions so that everyone stays safe and has a great time on bonfire night." If fireworks do get into the wrong hands the police have strong powers to tackle anti-social behaviour. Anyone over the age of 10 caught misbehaving with fireworks can be given a fixed penalty notice.

(JM)