Mohamed Al Fayed today announced he will make fresh
allegations about the death of Diana, Princess of Wales,
and his son Dodi.
The controversial Harrods owner has pledged to disclose
"new information" on the eve of the third anniversary of the
crash that claimed the pair's lives.
The move seems sure to anger those close to Diana's
sons, Princes William and Harry, who have repeatedly
pleaded with the Egyptian tycoon to spare the two young
men further public allegations.
Diana and Dodi Fayed died when a Mercedes provided
by Mr Al Fayed and driven by his employee, Henri Paul,
ploughed into the 13th pillar in the Alma tunnel in Paris on
August 31 1997.
French police found that Paul, deputy head of security at
Mr Al Fayed's Paris Ritz hotel, had been drinking heavily
and was speeding when the accident happened.
But Mr Al Fayed has refused to accept the French
findings, repeatedly alleging that British security services
engineered the crash and even trying to implicate the Duke
of Edinburgh. John Macnamara, Mr Al Fayed's director of
security, would give new information on his employer's
claims at a press conference in the United States on
Wednesday, the eve of the anniversary, according to a
news release issued by Harrods. Mr Al Fayed's
spokesman today declined to discuss details of what will
be disclosed at the news conference, at the National Press
Club in Washington.
But the news release said the Egyptian tycoon would
announce legal action against the United States
Government over the accident, and make a videotaped
statement about the crash.
Mr Al Fayed has repeatedly called for CIA files relating to
the accident to be made public, and the legal action may
be a fresh attempt to obtain them.
The release said videotapes of Diana's last minutes would
be distributed. The news conference would also given
details of what Mr Al Fayed claims was an attempted
20-million-dollar fraud involving claims about CIA files
said to prove that the pair were murdered.
Mr Macnamara would also give up-dates on the British
and French investigations into the tragedy, the
announcement added.
~*~
Britons call for Diana Day to
increase breaks(UK Times)
BY RUTH GLEDHILL, RELIGION CORRESPONDENT
A NEW Bank Holiday to commemorate the death of
Diana, Princess of Wales, has been proposed as a result
of research that portrays Britain as a work-obsessed
nation with the fewest public holidays in Europe.
More than two thirds of the population are unaware that
England, Scotland and Wales have the fewest Bank
Holidays in Europe.
In addition, a quarter of workers enjoy fewer than 15
days paid annual holiday. More than a fifth end the year
with a week or more outstanding in paid leave, in effect
handing their employers more than £2.7 billion. The
survey also shows that many workers choose to take sick
leave rather than a holiday because they think that looks
better to their employer.
The survey of 1,000 people, carried out by ICM
research, shows that workers in Britain put in the longest
hours in Europe, working 43.2 hours a week compared
with 39.9 in Germany, 39.7 in France and 38.1 in Italy.
They also enjoy the fewest public holidays, with just eight
days annually in England, Scotland and Ireland, compared
with 16 in Italy, 14 in Germany and Spain and 11 in
France. Even Northern Ireland does better, with an extra
two days: St Patrick's Day and Battle of the Boyne Day.
According to the survey, published by the Internet travel
company Expedia to coincide with its launch of a
campaign for more Bank Holidays, most people want the
feast days of the patron saints of England, Scotland and
Wales to be recognised as Bank Holidays. National
sentiment ran highest in Wales, where nine out of ten
people called for St David's Day to become a Bank
Holiday.
To bring Britain in line with the rest of Europe, three new
days would be needed, and those surveyed also proposed
the longest day, VE-Day and the anniversary of the death
of Diana, Princess of Wales, on August 31 as possibilities.
A spokeswoman for the Diana, Princess of Wales
Memorial Fund declined to comment. A Diana Day,
however, is something that would be welcomed by trade
unions, provided it were part of a package of several new
holidays.
John Monks, General Secretary of the Trades Union
Congress, said: "We already know that people in Britain
work longer hours than anywhere else in Europe and have
fewer Bank Holidays. Now we learn that work pressure
keeps people chained to their jobs even when they can
take time off.
"It is not surprising that stress and burn-out are now
workplace plagues. But unions and good employers know
that tired and stressed-out workers are neither productive
nor happy. It is time to call time on our long hours,
all-work and no-play culture in the work place."
The numbers of people seeking nudist holidays is on the
increase, according to British Naturism, the leading nudist
association, which says that its membership has increased
by a fifth this year.
The organisation, based in Northamptonshire, now has
more than 25,000 people asking for fresh information on
the best places to go and things to do for nudists.
Tracey Majors, general secretary of the organisation, said:
"It does seem that the Internet has played a big part.
When children grow up, many people find they have time
on their hands and want to try something different."
~*~
Red faces at Daily Mail over William picture(Yahoo: Reuters)
LONDON (Reuters) - Newspapers could hardly contain their glee today after it
emerged that the Daily Mail had been taken for a right royal ride over an "exclusive"
picture of Prince William.
The photograph showed the young prince, who is second in line to the throne, dressed
in combat gear, holding a rifle and with his face smeared with camouflage cream,
apparently on exercise with British soldiers in the wilds of Belize.
"Exclusive: William king of the jungle," trumpeted the Mail on its front page on
Thursday. Inside, it explained how 18-year-old William had completed a "gruelling four-day survival course in the jungles of
Belize".
William did go to the Central American country, but unfortunately for the newspaper the picture was actually taken in England
some time ago while he was still at school.
The Mail said it had been offered the picture by "a reputable news agency" and had even discussed it with royal officials.
Newspapers said the Mail had paid up to 25,000 pounds ($37,000) for the snap.
"We have since learned that the picture was in fact taken at least a year ago while the prince was on exercises in England with
Eton army cadet corps. We are happy to set the record straight," the Mail said.
Other newspapers were jubilant at the tabloid's embarrassment.
The Guardian pointed out that the picture showed silver birch trees in what was said to be tropical rain forest and the prince
looked a good deal younger than he does today.
Mail editor Paul Dacre, currently on holiday, "will be a sight to see when he returns", the Daily Telegraph said.
William visited British troops in Belize as part of a programme of activities before he goes to St Andrews university next year.