A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Earthquake shakes New Zealand city
AUCKLAND– An earthquake has shaken the New Zealand city of Christchurch, damaging buildings but causing no injuries. The magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck yesterday morning as shoppers thronged the south island city for sales.
Police said masonry and glass fell to the streets from buildings that were damaged, but no one was hurt. The earthquake came a few hours after a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck under the sea near Vanuatu. – (Reuters)
Funding to stay for book scheme
LONDON– The British government said yesterday it would continue funding a scheme providing free books for children to encourage a love of reading following a furious backlash from authors.
Leading children’s author Philip Pullman and former poet laureate Sir Andrew Motion were among the writers to speak out after it was announced that the Booktrust was to lose its annual £13 million government grant.
But in a joint statement, the Department for Education (DFE) and Booktrust said that the DFE would now continue to finance the programme, which benefits 3.3 million children a year. – (PA)
UK coalition support sees sharp fall
LONDON– Support for the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition has fallen sharply in the seven months since it took office, according to an opinion poll last night.
The ICM poll for The Guardianfound just 43 per cent believed the two parties were right to form a government together, as against 47 per cent who disagreed. That compares to 59 per cent who backed the formation of the coalition in May, with just 32 per cent against.
Overall the poll put Labour at a three-year high, with 39 per cent, two points ahead of the Tories. – (PA)