MPs call on the UK to commit more cash to Global Fund

MPs are urging the UK to give more money to the Global Fund which fights AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria.

The International Development Committee has expressed concern that extra funding - pledged by ministers over a year ago - has not yet materialised.
The Fund has faced allegations of fraud, a shortfall from donors and a change of leadership.
Ministers say they will increase donations once they are convinced by the Fund's reform programme.
The MPs' report describes how the Global Fund has approved grants worth £14.1bn in 150 countries since it began work a decade ago.
It currently provides about 65% of all international financing to combat TB and malaria - and 21% of the money used against AIDS.

Difficult year

But the committee points out that the Global Fund has had a difficult year. It had to cancel its latest round of new grants.

The UK government's current pledge is to give the Fund £384m up to 2015.
Ministers have said they will increase the commitment - but the MPs are concerned that this money has not yet been delivered, nor the amount of the increase confirmed.
The committee chair, the Liberal Democrat MP Malcolm Bruce, said: "The UK has been a reliable partner to the Global Fund but we are concerned at the continued delay in providing additional funds.
"We strongly urge the Department for International Development to do all possible to commit funds earlier than 2013.
"A significant increase by the UK could help to catalyse contributions from other donors."
The MPs suggest the G20 meeting in Mexico next month could provide a good opportunity for the UK to make such an announcement - if ministers can be reassured that taxpayers' money is adequately safeguarded.
The committee heard evidence from the Global Fund's new general manager, Gabriel Jaramillo.
He recently announced new funds worth £630m. Japan has made its largest contribution to date.

Value for money for taxpayers The international development secretary, Andrew Mitchell, said: "The committee is right to recognise the lifesaving impact the Global Fund can have.
"The past two years have been difficult for the Fund but I am encouraged that strong leadership is now in place.
"The UK is prepared to agree a significant increase in our contribution to the Global Fund - but it must show that the reform programme remains on track and is having an impact.
"We will need to be absolutely clear that British taxpayers are getting value for money for their support to the Fund."
Oxfam's head of development finance, Anna Marriott, said: "We urge the UK government to listen to the findings of this report and commit to doubling the amount of money they give to the Global Fund.
"The Global Fund is a crucial lifeline, providing treatment for millions of TB cases, distributing millions of mosquito nets to help prevent malaria and giving millions of people access to life-prolonging HIV medicines."

Launch success for SpaceX mission

SpaceX mission control celebrates a successful ascent to orbit for Falcon and Dragon

California's SpaceX has launched on a mission to re-supply the space station - the first cargo delivery to the orbiting outpost by a private company.

The firm's Falcon rocket, topped by an unmanned Dragon freight capsule, lifted clear of its Florida pad at 03:44 EDT (07:44 GMT; 08:44 BST).
The initial climb to an altitude some 340km above the Earth lasted a little under 10 minutes.
Within moments of being ejected, Dragon opened its solar panels.
It will take a couple of days to reach the station. The plan currently is for the vessel to demonstrate its guidance, control and communications systems on Thursday, at a distance of 2.5km from the International Space Station (ISS).
If those practice proximity manoeuvres go well, Dragon will be allowed to drive to within 10m of the station on Friday. Astronauts inside the platform will then grab the ship with a robotic arm and berth it to the 400km-high structure.
They will empty Dragon of its 500kg of food, water and equipment, before releasing it for a return to Earth at the end of the month.
The mission has major significance because it marks a big change in the way the US wants to conduct its space operations.
Nasa is attempting to offload routine human spaceflight operations in low-Earth orbit to commercial industry in a way similar to how some large organisations contract out their IT or payroll.
The carriage of freight will be the first service to be bought in from external suppliers; the transport of astronauts to and from the station will be the second, later this decade.
The US agency hopes these changes will save it money that can then be invested in exploration missions far beyond Earth, at destinations such as asteroids and Mars.
SpaceX has many new systems it has to demonstrate in the coming days, and has tried to lower expectations ahead of the mission.
Nasa has set the California company a series of development milestones. Only when those have been met fully will a $1.6bn ISS re-supply contract kick in.
The agency is also looking to engage a second cargo partner. Orbital Sciences Corporation of Virginia is slightly behind SpaceX in its development schedule, although it started work on its Antares rocket and Cygnus capsule system later. Orbital expects to fly a first mission to the vicinity of the ISS later this year or early in 2013.

How to: express doubt and persuade

Adam: Hey, Francesc, what on earth is that?

Francesc: Oh, I got it this evening. What do you think? Do you like it?

Adam: Mmm... I'm not convinced.

Francesc: Don't you think it's interesting?

Adam: Er, sort of, but I?m not sure about the face, it'sa bit mad.

Francesc: Oh, come on! It isn't that bad. It's really colorful. It's good to have a new picture, anyway.

Adam: I suppose so.

Francesc: Don't worry, it'll be fine. It'll grow on you.

Adam: Ok. We'll see

How to: recommend and express preferences

Adam: Hey, Francesc, have you read any good books recently?
Francesc: Yes, one or two. Have you?
Adam: No. What about this one? Is it any good?
Francesc: I'd only recommend that if you like really the horror
Adam: No, I don't fancy that
Francesc: Here you are. You might prefer this
Adam: What's that? The Invisible Man? No, I'm not a big fan of science fiction. I'd prefer a really funny plot. I think you'll like it.
Francesc: A comedy...er...OK, well, try this one. It's got a really funny plot. I think you'll like it.
Adam: OK. I'll trust you. Thanks, Caitlin.
Francesc: No problem.

How to: talk about plans and arrangements

Francesc: Hi, Mr Adam. Have you got a minute?
Mr Adam: Hello, Francesc. What can I do for you?
Francesc: I'm doing a ten-kilometre swim for charity next week, and I'm looking for sponsors
Mr Adam: That's very good, Francesc. What's it for?
Francesc: I'ts for a poor charity
Mr Adam: And when are you swimming?
Francesc: I'm swimming next Saturday. I'm hoping to rais about 200€. Will you sponsor me?
Mr Adam: Yes, OK. It sounds like a good cause. I hope you finish it!
Francesc: I'm going to try! Some friends are going to do it too.
Mr Adam: Good luck, Francesc.
Francesc: Thanks

How to: Write a review of a book or film

I'd like to recommend a book wich I read last summer, called Land of Dragons. The autors are Guillem Bou and Carme Trinidad. Land of Dragons is a saga of 3 books, but in this case I would only talk about the first one.

The fury of the demon 

The authors, William and Carmen Trinidad, go into this fantasy world, Land of Dragons, in the hands of Xiribelles, the protagonist of this story, a demon that, incomprehensibly, becoming human. When Xiribelles before outsmart the demon world, returns to his home after a hellish assignment of five hundred years, he is all upside: the forest where he lived is populated by fierce dragons, men have a fortress city and thousands of demons have become army. The goblins and other fantastical creatures they do not know anything... and, even worse, it seems that it will not exist anymore its estimated hell
The things I liked most about the book were the characters and the relation between them. Also, I liked this book because it's about the fantasy, the mitology and also there are a lot of adventures in it. Probably it's a bit long, but if you begin reading you couldn't stop as you finished it. It begins with strong and ends with a lot of mistery. This is the fact that made me read the novels that follow this.

American Pie Reunion

Thirteen years after graduating high school, Jim Levenstein (Jason Biggs), Chris "Oz" Ostreicher (Chris Klein), Kevin Myers (Thomas Ian Nicholas), Paul Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas), and Steve Stifler (Seann William Scott) have moved on with adult life and responsibilities. Jim is married to Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) and they have a two-year-old son. Oz is an NFL sportscaster living in Los Angeles with his supermodel girlfriend Mia (Katrina Bowden). Kevin is married to Ellie and works from home as an architect. Finch has supposedly gone missing, and Stifler works as a temp at an investment firm.

They decide to do a reunion with the "class of 1999" to talk about their lifes, have some fun and be together. During the film a lot of things pass...
I think it's a fantastic film and it's the American Pie film that I liked most. I say that because the past weekend I went with my friends to the cinema and enjoyed this amazing comedy film