International

November 14, 2005
Deutche Presse-Agentur
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

President Hamid Karzai has ordered Afghan cabinet ministers and other officials to provide the public with a written account of their accomplishments and activities during the past year.

A statement issued by the presidential palace late on 13 November said an &lqt;Accountability Week&lqt; will start 19 November and last until 24 November to mark the first anniversary of the establishment of Afghanistan's elected government.

The statement says that in addition to providing written reports to the public in plain language, ministers and heads of departments will be required to appear before free media to answer questions about their work.

The statement says President Karzai emphasizes the importance of accountability and transparency in government work and reiterates his resolve to institutionalize accountability in the government system.

Full Story: www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2005/11/7cfae8e8-4aac-4c09-91b7-2b8eede8143e.html

August 19, 2005
Jill Lawless
AP

British politician Mo Mowlam, whose no-nonsense style helped forge Northern Ireland's landmark peace accord, died Friday after hitting her head in a fall. She was 55. ...

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Mowlam's &lqt;plainspoken ways and her role in restoring the IRA ceasefire in 1997 ensure that her memory will be honored by all the people of Northern Ireland, whether nationalist or unionist.&lqt; ...

Marjorie Mowlam _ universally known as Mo _ was one of Britain's most popular politicians, admired for her willingness to speak frankly, her bravery in fighting the brain tumor and her role in Northern Ireland's peace process. ...

August 10, 2005

Royal Mail news release

Bad design, poor grammar and atrocious spelling could be costing UK businesses a staggering £41 billion in lost sales, a survey published today has found.

The survey, commissioned by Royal Mail, shows that businesses can't even rely on a great offer to win customers if their presentation is substandard. Nearly three-quarters of all customers (74 per cent) said they wouldn't trust businesses that used poor spelling or grammar, whilst almost a third (30 per cent) said they wouldn't buy any product or service from them.

Julia Strong, Deputy Director, National Literacy Trust, said: &lqt;Good literacy skills play a fundamental role in all aspects of life, including business. This survey not only highlights the significant impact staff with inadequate literacy skills can have on an organisation's competitiveness, but also emphasises the importance to business of providing skills training where literacy problems are identified.&lqt;

The findings also show that the personal touch remains important. One in four people (26 per cent) would decline to buy a product if their name was spelt incorrectly on a letter or mailing. ...

The problems have been amplified by the failure of companies to invest enough in employees with good spelling and grammar. Of the businesses surveyed, more than half of all employees (56 per cent) relied on computer spell-checks to proof their business documents, without even asking colleagues to proof them a final time. ...

May 25, 2005

Edinburgh Evening News

Manchester United supporters battling American sports tycoon Malcolm Glazer's attempt to take total control of their club today won support from an unlikely source - the Plain English Campaign.

The language lobby group said the businessman, who has secured a controlling interest in the footballing giant and holds 76.2 per cent of shares, should make his formal offer document easier to understand.

The use of gobbledygook like &lqt;encumbrances&lqt;, &lqt;lien&lqt; and &lqt;unamortised balance&lqt; in the document has been criticised by Annette Boden, of the Plain English Campaign.

She also said the letter included more confusing legalistic terms, including the Latin phrase &lqt;mutatis mutandis&lqt; - meaning with the necessary changes. The document, tabled on Monday, is aimed at securing the remaining shares and support for his £790 million takeover.

Mrs Boden said: &lqt;The Glazer family have to help the supporters by issuing a single sheet summary. They shouldn't have to plough their way through 74 pages of legalistic and financial jargon. ...

Full Story: edinburghnews.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=572252005
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