Corrections
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Errors & Omissions: Frequent and regular – they're not interchangeable
There are many pairs of words in English that have similar but distinct meanings.
Inside Corrections
Errors & Omissions: Accuracy can disappear when a headline-writer is pushed for time
Saturday, 2 April 2011
A disastrous headline was published on Tuesday. Above a report of poll findings about the Libya campaign appeared these words: "Seven out of 10 want British troops out and fear 'another Iraq'."
Errors & Omissions: Call me a guru but even my pedantry doesn't go this far
Saturday, 26 March 2011
Usage for pedants: Strange though this admission may seem to readers of this column, it is possible for pedantry to over-reach itself. A colleague has pointed out to me the following sentence, from a news story on Monday: "It is therefore a fair bet that the Russian plutocrat and his girlfriend ... will not be in residence ... when the doors are opened to the hoi polloi on the neighbouring property."
Vincent Tchenguiz and Consensus Business Group
Friday, 25 March 2011
An article on 15 March stated that Vincent Tchenguiz's largest property business collapsed into administration on 14 March and that he was a member of the Board of Peverel who appointed the administrators, Zolfo Cooper. We are told that Peverel is owned by a family trust of which Vincent Tchenguiz is a beneficiary, and that it represents only a small element of the residential property interests on which CBG advises. Contrary to information previously received from a third party we now learn lacked authority to speak for Mr Tchenguiz, we are told that Mr Tchenguiz is not a member of the Peverel Board which appointed Zolfo Cooper. The Tchenguiz brothers do not own 283,966 residential freeholds, they are owned by the trust. We are happy to set the record straight.
Fouad Makhzoumi
Friday, 25 March 2011
In our article, 'Arms dealer's wife donated £300,000 to Conservative Party', (24 February 2011) we referred to Mr Makhzoumi as an arms dealer. Mr Makhzoumi was involved in the sale of second hand military equipment from the British to the Lebanese government in 1995 but has asked us to point out that his role was merely to introduce the Lebanese authorities to the UK Ministry of Defence and that he received no benefit from this deal. While Jonathan Aitken brought libel proceedings over the reporting of (among other things) his involvement with this deal, his subsequent conviction for perjury arose from matters unrelated to Mr Makhzoumi who was not accused of any misconduct, and it was incorrect for our picture caption to suggest otherwise. We apologise to Mr Makhzoumi.'
Lizo Mzimba
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
In an item in the Pandora column, 'BBC man is skewered by university tabloid' published on 29 October 2009, we referred to allegations about Lizo Mzimba made in an article published on a Cambridge University student website. Mr Mzimba issued proceedings in the High Court and as part of the settlement, a unilateral statement was read out in open court on his behalf. The statement noted that the student website had published a full retraction and apology for its inaccurate and defamatory allegations. We acknowledge that the allegations were false and have paid Mr Mzimba substantial damages and his legal costs.
Errors & Omissions: Technology marches on, but it snatches the odd word along the way
Saturday, 19 March 2011
"A 1962 photograph of Marilyn Monroe ... by the US photographer George Barris is estimated to sell for"
Vincent and Robert Tchenguiz
Thursday, 17 March 2011
An article on 13 March stated that Vincent and Robert Tchenguiz were wrestled to the ground and handcuffed when they were arrested as part of the SFO investigation into the collapse of Kaupthing. We did not intend to suggest that the Tchenguiz brothers resisted arrest and now accept that they were not wrestled to the ground or handcuffed.
Errors & Omissions: When did extortionate bathroom taps become 'essentials'?
Saturday, 12 March 2011
When did appliances and gadgets turn into "essentials"? Last Saturday's Information section carried a list of the "50 best bathroom essentials".
Claudia Adusei/Aderotimi
Thursday, 10 March 2011
On 10 February, we reported from a news agency source that Claudia Adusei, 20, from London, died after buttock enhancement treatment in Philadelphia. The agency had been misinformed that the girl was Claudia Adusei, when it was, in fact, Claudia Aderotimi who died. We apologise for any distress caused to the families concerned.
Errors & Omissions: Got carried away with words and forgot to make a clear point
Saturday, 5 March 2011
Rhetoric is all very well, but let's remember what we are actually saying. This is from a comment piece published on Thursday: "Mr Cameron has a thousand domestic policies and his Big Society as a binding theme. In relation to events in the Middle East he had neither a policy let alone the international equivalent of a Big Society."
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4 Errors & Omissions: Frequent and regular – they're not interchangeable
5 Vincent Tchenguiz and Consensus Business Group
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7 Dr Mohamad Said Ramadan Al-Boutti
8 Errors & Omissions: Accuracy can disappear when a headline-writer is pushed for time