But the Police Federation, the policemen's trade union, is strongly opposed to fast-track entry which would give high-fliers on short-term contracts accelerated promotion into senior ranks without having to serve on the beat as a constable.

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Would fast-track entry really harm the euro?

ECONOMIST: The financial crisis has made the euro look more alluring

Microsoft recently launched Office 365, a web-based productivity software product, to mark an entry into the fast-growing cloud-computing space.

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