News Headlines - 12 March 2012

▽Queen urges Commonwealth ‘to celebrate extraordinary cultural tapestry’ - Yorkshire Post
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/at-a-glance/main-section/queen-urges-commonwealth-to-celebrate-extraordinary-cultural-tapestry-1-4336270
The Queen will today call for people who live in the Commonwealth to “celebrate an extraordinary cultural tapestry” of the “unique gathering of nations”.
In her annual Commonwealth Day message the monarch will describe how its 54 member nations – home to nearly two billion people – have a “wealth of diversity”.

▽How Ken Livingstone funnelled ￡238,000 through 'tax-avoidance' scheme - Telegraph.co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/london-mayor-election/mayor-of-london/9136015/How-Ken-Livingstone-funnelled-238000-through-tax-avoidance-scheme.html
However, he has faced accusations of hypocrisy after it was revealed that he has himself channelled his earnings through a personal company, Silveta Ltd, paying corporation tax at 20 or 21 per cent rather than income tax at up to 50 per cent.
Silveta's 2011 accounts, published on the Companies House website on Friday night, show that Mr Livingstone continued this practice last year.

▽Afghans Demand Public Trial Of US Soldier - Sky News
http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16186790
The Afghan parliament has demanded a public trial of a US soldier who allegedly killed 16 civilians, as the Taliban vows revenge for the deaths.

▽Apple iPad initial pre-orders sold out - Telegraph.co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/9138047/Apple-iPad-initial-pre-orders-sold-out.html
Customers who pre-order an iPad today via the Apple website are being told they will have to wait up to three weeks to get the new tablet computer.

▽Jupiter and Venus to appear side by side for two nights - Telegraph.co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/nightsky/9137884/Jupiter-and-Venus-to-appear-side-by-side-for-two-nights.html
Although the planets are far apart in space, they will appear to be separated by only a few degrees.
Amateur astronomers will be excited by the prospect of two of the brightest planets in the solar system appearing so closely together, according to Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society.