"The government told us several times they would help us and they didn't," he said, crouching barefoot on the ground in traditional Afghan loose shirt and trousers and explaining he feeds a family of 15 on occasional work as a day laborer. "If the government or the aid organizations don't help us - yes we will have to start growing opium," he said.

Wadud and around 30 other village elders from the area had gathered on a hillside deep inside the Hindu Kush mountains, to attend a "shura," or meeting, organized by provincial authorities to dissuade the men from growing the drug.

Their Badakhshan province in remote northern Afghanistan has been a showcase for government efforts to battle the drugs trade, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR NEARLY ALL THE WORLD'S HEROIN. Until 2006 Badakhshan was one of the main opium growing areas in Afghanistan, producing the country's second biggest crop. Despite a marginal drop in production, AFGHANISTAN LAST YEAR STILL PRODUCED MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S OPIUM, a thick paste from poppies which is processed to make heroin.

Last week public-interest groups were dismayed when his own administration rejected a Freedom of Information Act request for Secret Service logs showing the identities of coal executives who had visited the White House to discuss Obama's "clean coal" policies. ONE REASON: THE DISCLOSURE OF SUCH RECORDS MIGHT IMPINGE ON PRIVILEGED "PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS."

The refusal, approved by White House counsel Greg Craig's office, is the latest in a series of cases in which Obama officials have opted against public disclosure. Since Obama pledged on his first day in office to usher in a "new era" of openness, "nothing has changed," says David -Sobel, a lawyer who litigates FOIA cases. "For a president who said he was going to bring unprecedented transparency to government, you would certainly expect more than the recycling of old Bush secrecy policies."

The hard line appears to be no accident. After Obama's much-publicized January 21 "transparency" memo, administration lawyers crafted a key directive implementing the new policy that contained a major loophole, according to FOIA experts. The directive, signed by Attorney General Eric Holder, instructed federal agencies to adopt a "presumption" of disclosure for FOIA requests. This reversal of Bush policy was intended to restore a standard set by President Clinton's attorney general, Janet Reno.

But in a little-noticed passage, the Holder memo also said THE NEW STANDARD APPLIES "IF PRACTICABLE" FOR CASES INVOLVING "PENDING LITIGATION." Dan Metcalfe, the former longtime chief of FOIA policy at Justice, says the passage and other "lawyerly hedges" means the Holder memo is now "astonishingly weaker" than the Reno policy. (The visitor-log request falls in this category because of a pending Bush-era lawsuit for such records.)

Druid ceremonies took place alongside music and Morris dancing, however overcast skies obscured the sun. The event to mark the dawn of the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere has grown in popularity since a four-mile exclusion zone around the site was lifted nine years ago.

Druid King Arthur Pendragon told the BBC shortly before sunrise: "It's a very nice atmosphere and everything's fine at the moment. There have been more police present this year, more security, but everything's passed off very jovially and everyone's in a good mood. And the police for the most part are wishing people a happy Solstice and so are the security guards."

English Heritage issued an advisory note to visitors which warned: "The police will be on site during the access period and will take immediate action against anyone flouting the law. Summer Solstice is not a good time to experiment with drugs - the crowd, the noise and the sheer size of the place are likely to make any bad reaction much, much worse."

Senior bishops have signalled their backing for the paper, which is set to trigger a debate at the General Synod, the Church's parliament, over the alleged marginalisation of religious broadcasting. Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, met with Mark Thompson, the BBC's director-general, in March to challenge him about the issue. Now a motion prepared for the Synod calls on the corporation to explain the decline in its coverage of religion and its failure to provide enough programming during key Christian festivals.

The document accompanying the motion, published ahead of next month's General Synod in York, criticises the lack of regular religious programmes on BBC television and ALLEGES THAT MR AHMED, A MUSLIM, DISPLAYED ANTI-CHRISTIAN BIAS WHILE IN CHARGE OF COMMISSIONING AT CHANNEL 4. "The regular BBC Television coverage of religion consists of just two programmes." the Church paper says.

The ambulance staff are being encouraged to walk along Brighton's seafront in their uniform at this year's Pride festival. A South East Coast Ambulance Service paramedic said the local NHS Trust had said it would pay £40 each, the equivalent of two hours' overtime, for workers to take part in their own free time. DESPITE THE OFFER, PARAMEDICS SAY THE TRUST HAS RECENTLY STOPPED PAYING OVERTIME WHILE THEY ARE ACTUALLY ON DUTY.

The trust, which covers parts of Kent, Sussex and Surrey, has displayed posters around its headquarters advertising the march with an ambulance covered in rainbow-coloured balloons, offering staff free transport and refreshments. One paramedic told The Daily Mail: "THEY'VE HAD TO BRIBE PEOPLE WITH THE OVERTIME CASH BECAUSE THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF STAFF ARE STRAIGHT AND NOT TOTALLY COMFORTABLE ABOUT GIVING UP THEIR FREE TIME TO GO ON A GAY MARCH."

Ann Widdecombe, the Tory MP, said: "IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO USE TAXPAYERS' MONEY IN THIS WAY, ESPECIALLY AS IT'S A POLITICAL MOVEMENT. The fact that the ambulance service is having to bribe paramedics to go is even worse. It would be much better to let them take a day off so they can get refreshed before they have to start their vital work saving lives." Mark Wallace, from the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "If ambulance staff want to go to the march on their own behalf in their own time then that's fine, but there's no way we should pay for them to go on this march. The ambulance service is there to answer 999 calls and not for attending political events."

French officials launched the commando operation after insect experts warned that as many as six billion mosquito larvae had started hatching in swampland near the France-Belgium border – less than 100 miles from the south coast of England. Unusually warm, damp weather has brought on the mass hatching.

Experts are particularly concerned about the potential arrival of the ASIAN TIGER MOSQUITO – a striped monster almost twice the size of the average mosquito, and which can carry the chikungunya fever, which has already infected people in northern Italy.

Corn coated with bacteria that is harmless to man but lethal to mosquitoes was sprinkled over the area this week. A local authority spokesman said the operation had been successful but had not eradicated the insects. "We need to remain vigilant to avoid an new outbreak," he said.

It is part of the ritual of European Union summits for the leaders of the 27 member states to pat themselves firmly on the back. Each one then explains how proud he or she is of what they were able to achieve for their country. Friday proved to be no exception, with Chancellor Angela Merkel stating that the planned European financial regulations watch dog had been designed in a way that pleased Germany. She said that there had been "considerable movement" on the part of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who has been perceived as a sort of defense attorney for London's bankers.

But Merkel's assessment of the agreement with Ireland over a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty was noticeably reserved. In such events, Merkel is usually known for using terms like "historic," but on Friday she spoke of a "further hurdle" being cleared, "no more and no less."

Nevertheless, the compromise is the most important decision taken this year in European policy because it means that, after years of painstaking negotiations, A BREAKTHROUGH FOR A NEW EU MAY BE JUST AROUND THE CORNER. IT IS NOW LIKELY THAT THE LISBON TREATY WILL GO INTO EFFECT BY THE END OF THE YEAR. Then the EU would get a president, a foreign minister and the role of the European Parliament would be strengthened considerably.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday that the US is concerned that PYONGYANG MIGHT SOON FIRE A MISSILE TOWARD HAWAII. Some senior US officials expect a North Korean test by midsummer, even though most don't believe the missile would be capable of crossing the Pacific and reaching Hawaii.

Mr. Gates told reporters that the US is positioning a sophisticated floating radar array in the ocean around Hawaii to track an incoming missile. The US is also deploying missile-defense weapons to Hawaii that would theoretically be capable of shooting down a North Korean missile, should such an order be given, he said. "We do have some concerns if they were to launch a missile... in the direction of Hawaii," Mr. Gates said. "We are in a good position, should it become necessary, to protect American territory."

The US moves come as strains intensify between the US and North Korea. Earlier this year, Pyongyang test-fired a missile that flew over Japan before crashing into the Pacific Ocean. On May 25, Pyongyang detonated a nuclear device at a test site near its border with China, drawing rare rebukes from Moscow and Beijing.

Persistently HIGH FOOD PRICES HAVE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE HUNGER CRISIS. The director general of the FAO said the level of hunger, one-sixth of the world's population, POSED A "SERIOUS RISK" TO WORLD PEACE AND SECURITY. The UN said almost all of the world's undernourished live in developing countries, with the most, some 642 million people, living in the Asia-Pacific region.

In sub-Saharan Africa, the next worst-hit region, the figure stands at 265 million. Just 15 million people are left hungry in the developed world. "The silent hunger crisis - affecting one-sixth of all of humanity - poses a serious risk for world peace and security," said Jacques Diouf. "We urgently need to forge a broad consensus on the total and rapid eradication of hunger in the world and to take the necessary actions."

The increase in the number of hungry people was blamed on lower incomes and increased unemployment, which in turn reduced access to food by the poor, the UN agency said. But it contrasted sharply with evidence that much of the developed world is richer than ever before. "IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN HUMAN HISTORY THAT WE HAVE SO MANY HUNGRY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD," said FAO spokesman Kostas Stamoulis, director of the organisation's development department. "And that's a contradiction, because a lot of the world is very rich despite the economic crisis."

Sources said today that workers at up to 17 power station and other construction sites across the UK were set to take sympathy action after the sackings. WILDCAT STRIKES HAD ALREADY SPREAD TO SEVERAL POWER STATIONS AND OTHER TERMINALS.

Contract workers at the Staythorpe power station in Nottinghamshire and Ferrybridge power station in Yorkshire walked out early today after hearing the news, according to reports. One of the sacked Lindsey workers said: 'THERE IS A SERIOUS POSSIBILITY THAT THE LIGHTS WILL GO OUT BECAUSE OF THIS. We just cannot stand by and see workers discarded like an oily cloth.

A teacher said one school ordered adults and children to WEAR GOGGLES WHEN USING BLU-TACK. Another told how a school banned them from using spray foam when marking out spaces in case a child slips and "drowns" in it. And at one primary school, A THREE-LEGGED RACE WAS DROPPED FROM SPORTS DAY BECAUSE IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS.

The disclosures are made in a survey of almost 600 school staff by Teachers' TV. Almost half of those polled said health and safety rules were now "too restrictive", negatively impacting on pupils' education. More than four-in-10 said school trips had been toned down or cancelled because of safety concerns. It follows conclusions in a Government-funded report last year that "perceived health and safety regulations were felt to have systematically undermined communities and the quality of their children's education".

Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), said: "Pupils should have the opportunity to experience controlled adventure and take risks. It is a vital part of a child's education and personal development. Any concerns that arise with regard to health and safety issues, including child safety, should be covered by appropriate in-service training."

The millionaire couple revealed today that a surrogate mother is carrying a fourth child for them, with the possibility of another twin birth. Barrie, 40, said: "I am really looking forward to Father's Day this year. We had the pregnancy confirmed last night and we are going to find out tomorrow whether it's a singleton or whether it's a twin pregnancy. We know we are pregnant but we don't know how many yet. The baby is due on Valentine's Day, we didn't plan it but it is absolutely fantastic."

Tony, 43, who has battled with throat cancer, added: "It's still early days. I'm a great believer in watch this space, take every day as it comes but it's positive news so far." The controversial twosome, who tied the knot at a lavish civil ceremony at Hylands House in Chelmsford, Essex, in 2006, hit the headlines when they became the first gay couple to both be named on a child's birth certificate.

They made millions when they sold their clinical research company in 1998 and said they received death threats after becoming parents to twins Aspen and Saffron nine years ago. The pair used the same egg donor for their next child Orlando but have been forced to find a new donor for their latest surrogacy due to age restrictions.

A CSE report in 2003 resulted in Pepsi and Coca-Cola strenuously rejecting claims that their drinks were unsafe. Soft drinks manufacturers have condemned the latest findings. "Soft drinks are completely safe," the Indian Soft Drink Manufacturers Association (ISDMA) said in a statement on Wednesday. "The soft drinks manufactured in India comply with stringent international norms and all applicable national regulations."

CSE Director Sunita Narain told journalists in Delhi that samples from 12 states showed that Pepsi products contained 30 times more pesticides than found in 2003. Likewise she said that COKE SAMPLES HAD 25 TIMES THE AMOUNT OF PESTICIDES FOUND THREE YEARS AGO. She alleged that despite the public outcry over the issue following the first report, the government has failed to set up the necessary quality-control standards for the soft drinks industry. India does not have any purity standards for soft drinks.

They claim an agreement not to axe any jobs had been broken. Total, which owns the plant, said no such agreement was in place. Managers had asked staff to return to work, but late on Thursday confirmed "with regret" hundreds had been sacked. A group have gathered outside the main gates of the Lindsey refinery, waving placards in protest.

A Unite spokesman said: "We are extremely concerned about the ramifications of the employers' actions. We are urging all parties to get back around the negotiating table to resolve this situation." GMB general secretary Paul Kenney backed the call, saying: "Total have not tried to resolve this dispute, they sought to escalate it and they have sought to victimise people. I'm appealing to Total to actually come to the table and help the unions resolve it."

One of the sacked Lindsey workers told the Press Association: "We are asking for support from workers across the country which I am sure will be given. TOTAL WILL SOON REALISE THEY HAVE UNLEASHED A MONSTER. It is disgraceful that this has happened without any consultation. It is also unlawful and it makes me feel sick."

Hilaire Purbrick, 45, has inhabited the seven-foot cave he dug on his plot and dined off the land for the past 16 years. But after having the dwelling checked by the fire brigade, Brighton and Hove City Council decided IT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH EXITS and sought an injunction banning him from entering it.

Mr Purbrick ignored the order and continued to live in the cave, but was pulled back into court on Tuesday when a judge granted the council a possession order which will allow him to be formally evicted and banned indefinitely from the site.

MR PURBRICK NOW PLANS TO TAKE HIS FIGHT TO THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS, claiming his right to a private life and freedom has been breached by the order. "I am still living there and intend to continue to do so," he said. "I know lots of people in this town who live in houses with only one door with no fire exit."