Space - How the solar flare will affect the UK / Solar storm to affect earth´s communications networks

Uploaded by telegraphtv on Mar 8, 2012

Dr Ben Taylor from Surrey Space Centre explains what a solar flare is and what effects it might have on the UK.

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Published on Mar 8, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.com/ Scientists are warning about a temporary disruption to essential power and communications networks from a strong geomagnetic storm that is racing toward earth from the Sun.

Power grids, flight routes and space-based GPS systems could be affected by the fallout from a pair of solar flares - that have sent charged particles travelling at 7.2 million kilometres per hour - in our direction.

"Satellites may experience a sort of electrical failure. You could have radio blackout and I believe some areas on the sun lit side have already experienced that. We might begin to see more of that," said Lika Guhathakurta, NASA sun scientist.

Scientists say this kind of space storm is unusual and is likely to last until Friday morning.

While satellite and radio communications could be disrupted, the risk of interuption to power supplies is thought to be small.

Russia - Mikhail Gorbachev urges Putin to usher in reforms / Россия - Михаил Горбачев призывает Путина вступить в реформах

Published on Mar 8, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.com/ Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev says Russian president-elect Vladimir Putin will have to make democratic reforms in the face of opposition complaints of election fraud.

Gorbachev told euronews that restoring confidence in the Russian political system would be a key challenge for Putin:

"Even if he wanted to go back to old ways, he couldn't do so in this current situation. Moreover, I think we soon will have to change things - namely, elect a new parliament, because we knew how this election happened and in what conditions."

The 81-year-old also expressed his support for third-placed candidate Mikhail Prokhorov:

"I liked Prokhorov - maybe because we're fed up with all the others. He has fresh ideas, new ways of presenting his vision and he has a lot of experience in business. But he has a lot to learn though like the rest of us."

The full, exclusive interview will be broadcast on euronews from ten thirty PM Central European time tonight.

Goldbug100 - Portfolio

LONDON (ShareCast) - Iberdrola (TLO: IBE-U.TI - news) : BPI recommends OVERWEIGHT and lowers price target to €5.55 from €6.05. 

 NH Hoteles (Madrid: NHH.MC - news) : AlphaValue upgrades to BUY from add with a price target of €2.70.

Greece - officials hopeful of bond swap acceptance

Published on Mar 8, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.com/ In Greece, Thursday was deadline day for a bond swap offer to private creditors. If more than two-thirds accept it it will lead to the release of a 130 billion euros in bailout funds to save the Greek economy.

Hours ahead of the 21:00 CET deadline, holders of nearly 57 percent of the total 206 billion euros in outstanding debt were already committed. They included major banks and pension funds.

"This recapitalisation will be significant and will be necessary as to allow the Greek banking system to extend credit again to the real economy," said Plato Monokroussos, Head of Financial Markets Research at Eurobank, Athens.

It is in the real economy that the money is desperately needed.

New unemployment figures released on Thursday showed Greece's jobless total reached a record 21 percent of the workforce in December. Severe budget cuts have caused a wave of business closures and bankruptcies.

Greece's problems are so severe, it has no credibility to raise money directly from the international financial markets. Analysts say the bond swap is the only way Athens can stave off a default.