Reacting to yesterday's announcements, Ed Balls told the Today programme's Justin Webb that measures in this Budget have to be taken alongside new measures announced in previous budgets that are being introduced in April such as a freeze on tax credit and taking away child benefit.

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The threat of a new outbreak is taken extremely seriously and measures are taken that might seem excessive elsewhere.

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Conscious, no doubt, of the economic crisis in Argentina and its potential to damage other emerging-market economies, the ministers welcomed the measures recently taken by the new government in Buenos Aires.

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For all its New Labour rhetoric, the Blair government has also taken active measures to discourage private insurance.

ECONOMIST: Health

Vadim Bakatin, the one ostensible reformist member of Gorbachev's new Security Council, predicts that "decisive measures" will be taken to prevent the demonstration.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy

The first minister replied that the measures being taken were: the promotion of walking and cycling, the appointment of new staff in schools to encourage physical activity, healthy food initiatives in schools and the romoval of drink branding from vending machines.

BBC: Photo of Scottish flag

Media outlets criticise controversial measures taken by authorities in several cities to protect the privacy of homeowners amid concerns that the new rules could shield the ill-gotten assets of corrupt officials.

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