A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Canada's government toppled
OTTAWA – Angry opposition parties brought down Canada’s Conservative government yesterday, setting the scene for an early May election that polls indicate the Conservatives will win.
Opposition legislators threw papers in the air in glee after voting 156-145 in the House of Commons to defeat the minority government, which they say is tainted by sleaze, has mismanaged the economy and is overly secretive.
The defeat paves the way for an election likely be fought on two main themes – ethics and the economy.
Prime minister Stephen Harper said he would visit the governor general David Johnston, the representative of Queen Elizabeth, Canada’s head of state, today to seek the formal dissolution of parliament and set a date for the election, most likely May 2nd or May 9th. – (Reuters)
Farrell reads at Taylor funeral
Irish actor Colin Farrell was chosen to read a poem at Elizabeth Taylor's funeral in Los Angeles on Thursday, writes RONAN MCGREEVEY.
Farrell read The Leaden Echoand The Golden Echoby Gerald Manley Hopkins, which had been recorded by Taylor's ex-husband Richard Burton.
Farrell was described as a “close friend” of Taylor’s by the actress’s publicist.
Taylor requested that she be late for her own funeral and so the hearse turned up 15 minutes after the mourners. They were led by Taylor’s four children, 10 grandchildren and four great- grandchildren.
The small, private service was held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. A public service will be held at a later date.
Her son Michael Wilding, her daughter Liza and her grandson Tarquin Wilding, also gave readings while her grandson Rhys Tivey performed a trumpet solo of Amazing Grace.
Russia calls time on clock change
MOSCOW – Cows will be calmer, doctors happier and crooks less active. That’s the thinking as Russia puts forward its clocks for the last time this weekend.
Leading the way in an incipient global trend that rejects the notion of changing the clocks in spring and autumn, the Russian authorities believe the move will reduce human – and animal – misery.
It means Russia, which stretches across nine time zones from Kaliningrad in Europe to the Kamchatka peninsula in the Pacific, will stay permanently on summer time from this Sunday, gaining extra daylight in the afternoons during its seemingly interminable winter. – (Guardian service)