ids,articles,summary
861,"Women in film 'are earning less'

Women in the UK film industry earn less than their male counterparts despite being better qualified, according to a study released on Wednesday.

Only 16% of women earn more than £50,000, compared with 30% of men. Women make up a third of the workforce. The research was carried out jointly by the UK Film Council and industry training body Skillset. It also found that women in the industry were less likely than men to be married or have dependant children.

The study, which claims to be the most in-depth so far conducted, found 60% of women in the film industry hold degrees, compared with 39% of men. Whilst 17% of men in the industry had no qualifications, this was true for only five per cent of women. In the lower salary bracket, 35% of women earn less than £20,000 a year, compared to only 18% of men. The research found very few women worked in the camera, sound, electrical and construction departments, but they made up a majority of those working in make-up and hairdressing.

UK Film Council chief executive John Woodward said: ""Whilst the UK has benefited hugely from its highly-qualified film production workforce there are still many barriers facing people who want to get in and stay in the industry."" ""Developing the film production workforce must be underpinned with a commitment to diversity as well as training."" The workforce is largely focused around London, with 78% in the industry based in the capital and the south east of England. The industry depends heavily on word of mouth, with 81% being recruited in that way. In total, only five percent of the workforce is made up of ethnic minorities, although in London the figure rises to 24%. The necessity of completing unpaid work experience to get into the workforce has also shot up, from 5% before the 1980s, to 45% after 2000.
","The study, which claims to be the most in-depth so far conducted, found 60% of women in the film industry hold degrees, compared with 39% of men.It also found that women in the industry were less likely than men to be married or have dependant children.Only 16% of women earn more than £50,000, compared with 30% of men.Women in the UK film industry earn less than their male counterparts despite being better qualified, according to a study released on Wednesday.UK Film Council chief executive John Woodward said: ""Whilst the UK has benefited hugely from its highly-qualified film production workforce there are still many barriers facing people who want to get in and stay in the industry.""Whilst 17% of men in the industry had no qualifications, this was true for only five per cent of women."
1524,"Edu blasts Arsenal

Arsenal's Brazilian midfielder Edu has hit out at the club for stalling over offering him a new contract.

Edu's deal expires next summer and he has been linked with Spanish trio Real Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. He told BBC Sport: ""I'm not sure if I want to stay or not because the club have let the situation go on this far. ""If they had really wanted to sign they should have come up with an offer six months before indicating they wanted to sign me and that's made me think."" Edu's brother and representative Amadeo Fensao has previously said that Arsenal's current offer to the midfielder was well short of what he was seeking. And Edu, 26, added: ""My brother is due to come to London on Thursday.

""There is a meeting planned for 6 or 7 January to sort it out with Arsenal. ""Now I have a choice to stay or go. I want to sort it out as soon as possible, that's in the best interests of both the club and myself. ""I'm going to make my decision after the meeting later this week."" Edu is now able to begin negotiations with other clubs because Fifa regulations allow players to start talks six months before their contracts expire. The midfielder, who broke in to the Brazilian national side in 2004, admitted he had been flattered to have been linked with the three Spanish giants. Edu said: ""I've just heard stories from the news that the Madrid president Florentino Perez, the Valencia people, as well as Barcelona are interested.

""That's nice, but I've never talked to them, so I can't say they want me sign 100%."" Last month Wenger said he we was hopeful Edu would sign a new deal and played down suggestions that the lure of a club like Real Madrid would be too strong for Edu. Edu added that he had been encouraged by Wenger's support for him. ""I still have a good relationship with Arsene Wenger - he's always said he wants me to sign.""
","Last month Wenger said he we was hopeful Edu would sign a new deal and played down suggestions that the lure of a club like Real Madrid would be too strong for Edu.Arsenal's Brazilian midfielder Edu has hit out at the club for stalling over offering him a new contract.He told BBC Sport: ""I'm not sure if I want to stay or not because the club have let the situation go on this far.I want to sort it out as soon as possible, that's in the best interests of both the club and myself.Edu said: ""I've just heard stories from the news that the Madrid president Florentino Perez, the Valencia people, as well as Barcelona are interested.Edu is now able to begin negotiations with other clubs because Fifa regulations allow players to start talks six months before their contracts expire.""That's nice, but I've never talked to them, so I can't say they want me sign 100%."""
138,"Winter freeze keeps oil above $50

Oil prices carried on rising on Wednesday after cold weather on both sides of the North Atlantic pushed US crude prices to four-month highs.

Freezing temperatures and heavy snowfalls took crude oil prices past $50 a barrel on Tuesday for the first time since November. Declines in the dollar have also contributed to the rising oil price. US crude was trading at $51.39 at 0710 GMT in Asian electronic trade on Wednesday. A barrel of US crude oil closed up $2.80 at $51.15 in New York on Tuesday. Opec members said on Tuesday that, given such high prices, the cartel saw no reason to cut its output.

Although below last year's peak of $55.67 a barrel, which was reached in October, prices are now well above 2004's average of $41.48. Brent crude also rose in London trading, adding $1.89 to $48.62 at the close.

Much of western Europe and the north east of America has been shivering under unseasonably low temperatures in recent days. The decline in the US dollar to a five-week low against the euro has also served to inflate prices. ""The primary factor is the weak dollar,"" said Victor Shum, a Singapore-based analyst with Purvin and Gertz. Expectations that a rebound in the dollar would halt the oil price rise were not immediately borne out on Wednesday morning, as oil prices carried on upwards as the dollar strengthened against the euro, the pound and the yen.

Several Opec members said on Tuesday that a cut in production was unlikely, citing rising prices and strong demand for oil from Asia. ""I agree that we do not need to cut supply if the prices are as much as this,"" Fathi Bin Shatwan, Libya's oil minister, told Reuters. ""I do not think we need to cut unless the prices are falling below $35 a barrel,"" he added.
","Oil prices carried on rising on Wednesday after cold weather on both sides of the North Atlantic pushed US crude prices to four-month highs.Declines in the dollar have also contributed to the rising oil price.Several Opec members said on Tuesday that a cut in production was unlikely, citing rising prices and strong demand for oil from Asia.Expectations that a rebound in the dollar would halt the oil price rise were not immediately borne out on Wednesday morning, as oil prices carried on upwards as the dollar strengthened against the euro, the pound and the yen.Freezing temperatures and heavy snowfalls took crude oil prices past $50 a barrel on Tuesday for the first time since November.A barrel of US crude oil closed up $2.80 at $51.15 in New York on Tuesday."
417,"Barclays shares up on merger talk

Shares in UK banking group Barclays have risen on Monday following a weekend press report that it had held merger talks with US bank Wells Fargo.

A tie-up between Barclays and California-based Wells Fargo would create the world's fourth biggest bank, valued at $180bn (£96bn). Barclays has declined to comment on the report in the Sunday Express, saying it does not respond to market speculation. The two banks reportedly held talks in October and November 2004.

Barclays shares were up 8 pence, or 1.3%, at 605 pence by late morning in London on Monday, making it the second biggest gainer in the FTSE 100 index. UK banking icon Barclays was founded more than 300 years ago; it has operations in over 60 countries and employs 76,200 staff worldwide. Its North American divisions focus on business banking, whereas Wells Fargo operates retail and business banking services from 6,000 branches. In 2003, Barclays reported a 20% rise in pre-tax profits to £3.8bn, and it has recently forecast similar gains in 2004, predicting that full year pre-tax profits would rise 18% to £4.5bn. Wells Fargo had net income of $6.2bn in its last financial year, a 9% increase on the previous year, and revenues of $28.4bn. Barclays was the focus of takeover speculation in August, when it was linked to Citigroup, though no bid has ever materialised. Stock market traders were sceptical that the latest reports heralded a deal. ""The chief executive would be abandoning his duty if he didn't talk to rivals, but a deal doesn't seem likely,"" Reuters quoted one trader as saying.
","Shares in UK banking group Barclays have risen on Monday following a weekend press report that it had held merger talks with US bank Wells Fargo.A tie-up between Barclays and California-based Wells Fargo would create the world's fourth biggest bank, valued at $180bn (£96bn).UK banking icon Barclays was founded more than 300 years ago; it has operations in over 60 countries and employs 76,200 staff worldwide.Barclays has declined to comment on the report in the Sunday Express, saying it does not respond to market speculation.In 2003, Barclays reported a 20% rise in pre-tax profits to £3.8bn, and it has recently forecast similar gains in 2004, predicting that full year pre-tax profits would rise 18% to £4.5bn."
836,"Oscars steer clear of controversy

The Oscars nominations list has left out some of the most controversial films of the past year in favour of safer, less contentious cinema.

If best film nominees were drawn on the basis of column inches, two of the front-runners would have had to be Michael Moore's Bush-baiting documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 and Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. Both films polarised opinion but had critics talking, and the public turning up to see them - Fahrenheit 9/11 breaking US box office records for a documentary, and The Passion of the Christ making more than US$370m (£196m) in the US alone. But this year's Academy Awards have shied away from the big name controversies, with The Passion of the Christ - a film accused of being anti-Semitic - receiving nominations only in the 'minor' categories of cinematography, makeup and musical score.

Fahrenheit 9/11 has also been overlooked, despite winning the Palme d'Or at the Cannes International Film Festival in 2004.

Moore's caustic documentary may have been affected by its distributors' decision to enter it in the best picture category, rather than best documentary, says Tim Dams, the news editor of trade magazine Screen International. But he also believes the strong political viewpoint of Moore's film does not sit well with the Academy. ""If you look at past Oscar winners and nominees, the very conservative Oscar voters tend to go for very conservative, epic-style pictures. Fahrenheit 9/11 didn't really fit in to that category. ""They tend to go for films like Titanic, Gladiator, and the Lord of the Rings, films with scale that often aren't too contentious,"" he said. While he said the Oscar voting panel were not ""snubbing"" Moore's film, he thought it was unlikely a documentary could ever seriously compete in a best film category. ""I think it's more a misjudgement by the people putting it out rather than a deliberate snub,"" he said.

The problem with Mel Gibson's film, he believed, was that the voting panel may have been cautious in nominating a film with dialogue in Aramaic, an ancient Middle Eastern language.

""Hollywood doesn't tend to like foreign-language films - no-one's ever tried doing a film in a dead language,"" he said. But aside from these two films, some potentially contentious pictures have won nominations. The German film The Downfall, a biopic tracing the final days of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in his Berlin bunker, has been recognised in the best foreign film category. The film has caused some controversy in showing Hitler as a fallible but human man, rather than a semi-mythical, historical monster. But Mr Dams said: ""It's not an inflammatory film. It has done very well in Germany, and it's a film that portrays Hitler as a human rather than some kind of devil or monster."" Another 'contentious' film, Mr Dams said, has gained a nomination in the best documentary section through the force of its charm.

Independent film-maker Morgan Spurlock may have forced fast-food giant McDonalds to withdraw its 'super size' portions in the US after he went on a month-long diet eating nothing but McDonalds meals - and filmed his progress.

The film has been a hit around the world. Mr Dams said: ""It's a political film, but it's quite fun and punky and well-paced. ""Morgan Spurlock is a really likeable guy. It's a very accessible film, and it doesn't beat you over the head with its views. ""While in Fahrenheit 9/11 there are moments of comedy, I think the way that Super Size Me is put together - the fact it's a very likeable film - means it's won through on charm."" Dam's pick at this year's Oscars? The Aviator, Martin Scorsese's biopic of aviation pioneer and Hollywood player Howard Hughes. Tinseltown, it seems, likes nothing more than a picture about one of its own.
","While he said the Oscar voting panel were not ""snubbing"" Moore's film, he thought it was unlikely a documentary could ever seriously compete in a best film category.""Hollywood doesn't tend to like foreign-language films - no-one's ever tried doing a film in a dead language,"" he said.But Mr Dams said: ""It's not an inflammatory film.Another 'contentious' film, Mr Dams said, has gained a nomination in the best documentary section through the force of its charm.""They tend to go for films like Titanic, Gladiator, and the Lord of the Rings, films with scale that often aren't too contentious,"" he said.The German film The Downfall, a biopic tracing the final days of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in his Berlin bunker, has been recognised in the best foreign film category.Mr Dams said: ""It's a political film, but it's quite fun and punky and well-paced.The film has been a hit around the world.The problem with Mel Gibson's film, he believed, was that the voting panel may have been cautious in nominating a film with dialogue in Aramaic, an ancient Middle Eastern language.It has done very well in Germany, and it's a film that portrays Hitler as a human rather than some kind of devil or monster.""If best film nominees were drawn on the basis of column inches, two of the front-runners would have had to be Michael Moore's Bush-baiting documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 and Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ.The Oscars nominations list has left out some of the most controversial films of the past year in favour of safer, less contentious cinema."
2070,"Humanoid robot learns how to run

Car-maker Honda's humanoid robot Asimo has just got faster and smarter.

The Japanese firm is a leader in developing two-legged robots and the new, improved Asimo (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) can now run, find his way around obstacles as well as interact with people. Eventually Asimo could find gainful employment in homes and offices. ""The aim is to develop a robot that can help people in their daily lives,"" said a Honda spokesman.

To get the robot running for the first time was not an easy process as it involved Asimo making an accurate leap and absorbing the impact of landing without slipping or spinning. The ""run"" he is now capable of is perhaps not quite up to Olympic star Kelly Holmes' standard. At 3km/h, it is closer to a leisurely jog. Its makers claim that it is almost four times as fast as Sony's Qrio, which became the first robot to run last year. The criteria for running robots is defined by engineers as having both feet off the ground between strides. Asimo has improved in other ways too, increasing his walking speed, from 1.6km/h to 2.5km, growing 10cm to 130cm and putting on 2kg in weight. While he may not quite be ready for yoga, he does have more freedom of movement, being able to twist his hips and bend his wrists, thumbs and neck.

Asimo has already made his mark on the international robot scene and in November was inducted into the Robot Hall of Fame. He has wowed audiences around the world with his ability to walk upstairs, recognise faces and come when beckoned. In August 2003 he even attended a state dinner in the Czech Republic, travelling with the Japanese prime minister as a goodwill envoy. He is one of a handful of robots used by tech firms to trumpet their technological advances. Technology developed for Asimo could be used in the automobile industry as electronics increasingly take over from mechanics in car design. For the moment Asimo's biggest role is an entertainer and the audience gathered to see his first public run greeted his slightly comical gait with amusement, according to reports. Robots can fulfil serious functions in society and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe predicts that the worldwide market for industrial robots will swell from 81,000 units in 2003 to 106,000 in 2007.
","Asimo has already made his mark on the international robot scene and in November was inducted into the Robot Hall of Fame.The Japanese firm is a leader in developing two-legged robots and the new, improved Asimo (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) can now run, find his way around obstacles as well as interact with people.Car-maker Honda's humanoid robot Asimo has just got faster and smarter.To get the robot running for the first time was not an easy process as it involved Asimo making an accurate leap and absorbing the impact of landing without slipping or spinning.Its makers claim that it is almost four times as fast as Sony's Qrio, which became the first robot to run last year.Asimo has improved in other ways too, increasing his walking speed, from 1.6km/h to 2.5km, growing 10cm to 130cm and putting on 2kg in weight.He is one of a handful of robots used by tech firms to trumpet their technological advances.The criteria for running robots is defined by engineers as having both feet off the ground between strides."
834,"Moreno debut makes Oscar mark

Catalina Sandino Moreno has joined a rare group of actresses who have been nominated for an Oscar for starring in a foreign language film.

The Colombian-born actress was the final hope for director Joshua Marston, who scoured the US and Colombia for a lead for Maria Full of Grace. The film sees the 23-year-old play a teenage drug mule who smuggles heroin by swallowing pellets in condoms. Plaudits have been raining down on her for her gritty performance, making it all the more surprising that this is her first film. Her previous acting experience was in amateur productions in her home city of Bogota at the Ruben Di Pietro theatre academy. She has already received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Awards leading actress category but these rarely overlap with Academy Awards, instead recognising quirkier, low-budget films. And at the 2004 Berlin Film Festival the jury could not choose between her and Charlize Theron's Oscar winning performance in Monster so gave them a tied award. Sandino Moreno is now being regarded as one of the most promising actresses around at the moment. But she is taking her time committing to her next project, hoping to land a strong Spanish script and would love to be able to work with directors Pedro Almodovar or Alejandro Amenabar.
","Catalina Sandino Moreno has joined a rare group of actresses who have been nominated for an Oscar for starring in a foreign language film.Sandino Moreno is now being regarded as one of the most promising actresses around at the moment.The Colombian-born actress was the final hope for director Joshua Marston, who scoured the US and Colombia for a lead for Maria Full of Grace.And at the 2004 Berlin Film Festival the jury could not choose between her and Charlize Theron's Oscar winning performance in Monster so gave them a tied award."
668,"Queen recruit singer for new tour

The remaining members of rock band Queen are to go on tour next year with former Free and Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers taking Freddie Mercury's place.

Guitarist Brian May has said he expects to be on the road with Rodgers and drummer Roger Taylor from April. May said: ""Suddenly the Queen Phoenix is rising again from the ashes and will take precedence over... our lives."" Queen have played with many different singers since Mercury's death in 1991 but have reportedly not toured. May performed with Rodgers at a concert to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster guitar in London in September.

""We were both so amazed at the chemistry that was going on in [Free hit] All Right Now, that suddenly it seems blindingly obvious that there was 'something happening here,'"" May wrote on his website. They teamed up again for a concert to mark their induction into the UK Music Hall of Fame, and were joined by Taylor. ""The show went so incredibly well from our point of view, and we got so many rave reactions from out there, we decided almost then and there that we would look at a tour together,"" May wrote.

Queen went to number one in 2000 with a version of We Will Rock You sung by boy band 5ive and they have also played with Robbie Williams, Will Young and Bob Geldof. Queen bassist John Deacon has currently retired from the stage. Rodgers was singer with early 1970s rockers Free, who had a global hit with All Right Now, before forming Bad Company, a successful ""supergroup"" with members of King Crimson and Mott the Hoople. He has also been in The Firm with Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and The Law with The Small Faces and The Who drummer Kenny Jones.
","The remaining members of rock band Queen are to go on tour next year with former Free and Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers taking Freddie Mercury's place.Guitarist Brian May has said he expects to be on the road with Rodgers and drummer Roger Taylor from April.May said: ""Suddenly the Queen Phoenix is rising again from the ashes and will take precedence over... our lives.""Rodgers was singer with early 1970s rockers Free, who had a global hit with All Right Now, before forming Bad Company, a successful ""supergroup"" with members of King Crimson and Mott the Hoople.Queen have played with many different singers since Mercury's death in 1991 but have reportedly not toured."
1944,"Dozens held over ID fraud site

Twenty-eight people, including a Briton, have been arrested after a global operation against a website allegedly involved in identity fraud.

Those arrested are accused of operating Shadowcrew.com, which investigators claim was a global clearing house for criminals involved in credit card fraud. A 19-year-old man from Camberley, Surrey, was arrested by the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit but has been bailed. Operation Firewall, led by the US Secret Service, involved seven nations. The British teenager was arrested on Wednesday but details only emerged on Friday. He has now been bailed to return to a Surrey police station in December. All 28 people detained globally are suspected of being involved in an internet-based network which stole people's identities and used computers and websites to defraud credit card companies. The authorities in the US, who have indicted 19 people in Newark, New Jersey, estimate the fraud caused losses of more than $4m. Assistant US Attorney Scott Christie said several people had been arrested in Argentina, Bulgaria, Canada, Estonia, Poland and Sweden. Mr Christie said one of the ringleaders was believed to be a Russian, Anatoly Tyukanov.

Investigators from 30 law enforcement agencies worldwide spent 15 months looking into the activities of three websites - Shadowcrew, Carderplanet and Darkprofits. The US Secret Service was first tipped off in July 2003. An NHTCU spokeswoman said the American investigators went undercover on the Shadowcrew website and discovered some of the site's 4,000 members were using it for organised crime purposes.

She said criminals were using the websites to traffic counterfeit credit cards and false identification information and documents such as credit cards, driver's licences, passports and birth certificates. The websites shared tips on how to commit fraud and provided a forum by which people could buy the information and tools they needed to commit such crime, she said. The Shadowcrew site, which has now been taken over by the US Secret Service, listed several discussion groups, in English and Russian, including one on hacking, spam and online anonymity tools. The head of the NHTCU, Acting Detective Chief Superintendent, Mick Deats, said: ""This investigation has resulted in the significant disruption of organised criminals using the internet for profit.

""We believe that the suspects have trafficked at least 1.7 million stolen credit card numbers, leading to losses by financial institutions running into the millions."" Chief Supt Deats went on to warn: ""The internet offers huge legitimate benefits for modern society; however with it brings powerful opportunities for those seeking to abuse those benefits for criminal gain. ""Your identity is one of the most precious commodities. Criminals who try to steal the personal and financial information of ordinary citizens as well as the confidential and proprietary information of companies engaged in e-commerce, will be targeted by law enforcement.""
","Twenty-eight people, including a Briton, have been arrested after a global operation against a website allegedly involved in identity fraud.Those arrested are accused of operating Shadowcrew.com, which investigators claim was a global clearing house for criminals involved in credit card fraud.She said criminals were using the websites to traffic counterfeit credit cards and false identification information and documents such as credit cards, driver's licences, passports and birth certificates.All 28 people detained globally are suspected of being involved in an internet-based network which stole people's identities and used computers and websites to defraud credit card companies.The websites shared tips on how to commit fraud and provided a forum by which people could buy the information and tools they needed to commit such crime, she said.A 19-year-old man from Camberley, Surrey, was arrested by the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit but has been bailed.Assistant US Attorney Scott Christie said several people had been arrested in Argentina, Bulgaria, Canada, Estonia, Poland and Sweden.The Shadowcrew site, which has now been taken over by the US Secret Service, listed several discussion groups, in English and Russian, including one on hacking, spam and online anonymity tools.The US Secret Service was first tipped off in July 2003."
1903,"Software watching while you work

Software that can not only monitor every keystroke and action performed at a PC but also be used as legally binding evidence of wrong-doing has been unveiled.

Worries about cyber-crime and sabotage have prompted many employers to consider monitoring employees. The developers behind the system claim it is a break-through in the way data is monitored and stored. But privacy advocates are concerned by the invasive nature of such software.

The system is a joint venture between security firm 3ami and storage specialists BridgeHead Software. They have joined forces to create a system which can monitor computer activity, store it and retrieve disputed files within minutes. More and more firms are finding themselves in deep water as a result of data misuse. Sabotage and data theft are most commonly committed from within an organisation according to the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) A survey conducted on its behalf by NOP found evidence that more than 80% of medium and large companies have been victims of some form of cyber-crime. BridgeHead Software has come up with techniques to prove, to a legal standard, that any stored file on a PC has not been tampered with. Ironically the impetus for developing the system came as a result of the Freedom of Information Act, which requires companies to store all data for a certain amount of time.

The storage system has been incorporated into an application developed by security firm 3ami which allows every action on a computer to be logged. Potentially it could help employers to follow the trail of stolen files and pinpoint whether they had been emailed to a third party, copied, printed, deleted or saved to CD, floppy disk, memory stick or flash card. Other activities the system can monitor include the downloading of pornography, the use of racist or bullying language or the copying of applications for personal use. Increasingly organisations that handle sensitive data, such as governments, are using biometric log-ins such as fingerprinting to provide conclusive proof of who was using a particular machine at any given time. Privacy advocates are concerned that monitoring at work is not only damaging to employee's privacy but also to the relationship between employers and their staff. ""That is not the case,"" said Tim Ellsmore, managing director of 3ami. ""It is not about replacing dialogue but there are issues that you can talk through but you still need proof,"" he said. ""People need to recognise that you are using a PC as a representative of a company and that employers have a legal requirement to store data,"" he added.
","The storage system has been incorporated into an application developed by security firm 3ami which allows every action on a computer to be logged.""People need to recognise that you are using a PC as a representative of a company and that employers have a legal requirement to store data,"" he added.The system is a joint venture between security firm 3ami and storage specialists BridgeHead Software.Ironically the impetus for developing the system came as a result of the Freedom of Information Act, which requires companies to store all data for a certain amount of time.BridgeHead Software has come up with techniques to prove, to a legal standard, that any stored file on a PC has not been tampered with.They have joined forces to create a system which can monitor computer activity, store it and retrieve disputed files within minutes.The developers behind the system claim it is a break-through in the way data is monitored and stored.Software that can not only monitor every keystroke and action performed at a PC but also be used as legally binding evidence of wrong-doing has been unveiled."
2043,"Disney backs Sony DVD technology

A next generation DVD technology backed by Sony has received a major boost.

Film giant Disney says it will produce its future DVDs using Sony's Blu-ray Disc technology, but has not ruled out a rival format developed by Toshiba. The two competing DVD formats, Blu-ray developed by Sony and others, and Toshiba's HD-DVD, have been courting top film studios for several months. The next generation of DVDs promise very high quality pictures and sound, as well as a lot of data. Both technologies use a blue laser to write information. It has a shorter wavelength so more data can be stored. Disney is the latest studio to announce which technology it is backing in a format battle which mirrors the 1980s Betamax versus VHS war. Sony lost out to JVC in that fight.

The current battle for Hollywood's hearts and minds is a crucial one because high-definition films will bring in billions of revenue and the studios would prefer to use one standard. Last month, Paramount, Universal and Warner Brothers said they were opting for the Toshiba and NEC-backed format, HD-DVD high-definition discs.

Those studios currently produce about 45% of DVD content. Sony Pictures Entertainment and MGM Studios have already staked their allegiance with the Blu-ray Disc Association, whose members also include technology companies Dell, Samsung and Matsushita. Twentieth Century Fox is still to announce which technology it will be supporting. If Fox decided to go with Blu-ray too, it would mean the format would have a 47% share of DVD content. Disney said its films would be available on the Blu-ray format when DVD players for the standard went on sale on North America and Japan, expected in 2006. Universal is to start producing films on the HD-DVD format in 2005, and Paramount will start releasing titles using the standard in 2006. Toshiba expects sales of HD-DVDs to reach 300bn yen ($2.9bn, £1.5bn) by 2010.
","Film giant Disney says it will produce its future DVDs using Sony's Blu-ray Disc technology, but has not ruled out a rival format developed by Toshiba.A next generation DVD technology backed by Sony has received a major boost.Disney said its films would be available on the Blu-ray format when DVD players for the standard went on sale on North America and Japan, expected in 2006.The two competing DVD formats, Blu-ray developed by Sony and others, and Toshiba's HD-DVD, have been courting top film studios for several months.If Fox decided to go with Blu-ray too, it would mean the format would have a 47% share of DVD content.Disney is the latest studio to announce which technology it is backing in a format battle which mirrors the 1980s Betamax versus VHS war.Universal is to start producing films on the HD-DVD format in 2005, and Paramount will start releasing titles using the standard in 2006."
1410,"Moyes U-turn on Beattie dismissal

Everton manager David Moyes will discipline striker James Beattie after all for his headbutt on Chelsea defender William Gallas.

The Scot initially defended Beattie, whose dismissal put Everton on the back foot in a game they ultimately lost 1-0, saying Gallas overreacted. But he has had a rethink after looking over the video evidence again. He said: ""I believe that I should set the record straight by conceding that the dismissal was right and correct."" Moyes added: ""My comments on Saturday came immediately after the final whistle and at a point when I had only had the opportunity to see one, very quick re-run of the incident.""

The club website also reported that Beattie, who seemed unrepentant after Saturday's match, insisting Gallas ""would have stayed down a lot longer"" if he had headbutted him, has now apologised. Moyes continued: ""Although the incident was totally out of character - James has never even been suspended before in his career - his actions were unacceptable and had a detrimental effect on his team-mates. ""James did issue a formal apology to myself, his team-mates and to the Everton supporters immediately after the game and that was the right thing to have done. He will now be subjected to the normal club discipline. ""He is a competitive player but a fair player and I know how upset he is by what has happened. However, I must say that I do still believe the Chelsea player in question did go down too easily."" Speaking immediately after the game, Moyes said: ""I don't think it was a sending-off, I have been a centre-half in my time and I would have been ashamed to have gone down as easily as that.

""Not in a million years would John Terry have gone down in the same way. I have never heard of anybody butting somebody from behind while you are running after them. ""What has happened to big, strong centre-halves? I thought it was a push initially and I still don't think it was a sending-off."" An angry Beattie initially said: ""He (Gallas) would have stayed down a lot longer if I had headbutted him. ""I can tell you it wasn't an intentional headbutt. We were chasing a ball into the corner and William Gallas was looking over his shoulder and blocking me off. ""He was stopping as we were running and I said to myself 'if you're going to stay in my way I'll go straight over you'. Our heads barely touched and it wasn't an intentional headbutt.""
","Speaking immediately after the game, Moyes said: ""I don't think it was a sending-off, I have been a centre-half in my time and I would have been ashamed to have gone down as easily as that.Everton manager David Moyes will discipline striker James Beattie after all for his headbutt on Chelsea defender William Gallas.An angry Beattie initially said: ""He (Gallas) would have stayed down a lot longer if I had headbutted him.The club website also reported that Beattie, who seemed unrepentant after Saturday's match, insisting Gallas ""would have stayed down a lot longer"" if he had headbutted him, has now apologised.I thought it was a push initially and I still don't think it was a sending-off.""Moyes continued: ""Although the incident was totally out of character - James has never even been suspended before in his career - his actions were unacceptable and had a detrimental effect on his team-mates.""He was stopping as we were running and I said to myself 'if you're going to stay in my way I'll go straight over you'.""James did issue a formal apology to myself, his team-mates and to the Everton supporters immediately after the game and that was the right thing to have done.We were chasing a ball into the corner and William Gallas was looking over his shoulder and blocking me off."
2063,"Go-ahead for new internet names

The internet could soon have two new domain names, aimed at mobile services and the jobs market.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) has given preliminary approval to two new addresses - .mobi and .jobs. They are among 10 new names being considered by the net's oversight body. Others include a domain for pornography, an anti-spam domain as well as .post and .travel, for the postal and travel industries.

The .mobi domain would be aimed at websites and other services that work specifically around mobile phones, while the .jobs address could be used by companies wanting a dedicated site for job postings. The process to see the new domain names go live in cyberspace could take months and Icann officials warned that there were no guarantees they would ultimately be accepted. Applicants paid £23,000 apiece to have their proposals considered. The application for .mobi was sponsored by technology firms including Nokia, Microsoft and T-Mobile.

Of the 10 currently under consideration, the least likely to win approval is the .xxx domain for pornographic websites. There are currently around 250 domain names in use around the globe, mostly for specific countries such as .fr for France and .uk for Britain. Perhaps unsurprisingly, .com remains the most popular address on the web.
","The internet could soon have two new domain names, aimed at mobile services and the jobs market.The .mobi domain would be aimed at websites and other services that work specifically around mobile phones, while the .jobs address could be used by companies wanting a dedicated site for job postings.The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) has given preliminary approval to two new addresses - .mobi and .jobs.The process to see the new domain names go live in cyberspace could take months and Icann officials warned that there were no guarantees they would ultimately be accepted.They are among 10 new names being considered by the net's oversight body."
1799,"Hewitt fights back to reach final

Lleyton Hewitt kept his dream of an Australian Open title alive with a four-set win over Andy Roddick in Friday's second semi-final.

The home favourite will face Marat Safin in Sunday's final after coming through 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-4) 6-1. Hewitt fought back from a set down and trailed in both tie-breaks but would not be denied, thrilling the Melbourne crowd with a typically battling effort. He is aiming to be the first Australian winner since Mark Edmondson in 1976. Hewitt is the first Australian to make the final since Pat Cash lost to Mats Wilander in 1988, but faces a huge challenge against Safin - the conqueror of Roger Federer. After needing five sets in his last two matches there was reason to think Hewitt might struggle for fitness. He certainly made a sluggish start, dropping his opening service game, and Roddick dominated with his huge serve as he took the first set.

After 12 tense games in the second, the key moment came when Hewitt raised his game in the tie-break to overturn an early mini-break. That energised the crowd but Roddick was not finished and raced 4-1 clear in the crucial third before Hewitt pegged him back and forced another tie-break. Again Roddick broke first and again Hewitt fought back, taking the lead with a superb backhand pass.

The Australian was not to be denied and a disheartened Roddick made little impact in the fourth set as Hewitt raced to victory, sending the Melbourne crowd wild and ensuring the final will be a huge occasion. ""It's awesome,"" said Hewitt. ""I started preparing for this tournament nine months ago. ""I've done a lot of hard yards to get here. ""I've always said I'd do anything to get in the first night final at the Australian Open. Now I've got my chance."" Roddick was furious with himself for failing to take advantage of leads in both tie-breaks. ""I'm usually pretty money in those,"" said Roddick. ""Either one of those would have given me a distinct advantage. ""I'm mad, I felt I was in there with a shot. He put himself in position to win big points. I donated a little more than I would have wanted."" And the American played down the influence of one spectator who appeared to contribute to a double fault by shouting during Rodick's service action. ""It just took one jackass to shout out,"" said Roddick, adding that the crowd overall was ""very respectful"".
","The Australian was not to be denied and a disheartened Roddick made little impact in the fourth set as Hewitt raced to victory, sending the Melbourne crowd wild and ensuring the final will be a huge occasion.""I've always said I'd do anything to get in the first night final at the Australian Open.""It just took one jackass to shout out,"" said Roddick, adding that the crowd overall was ""very respectful"".Again Roddick broke first and again Hewitt fought back, taking the lead with a superb backhand pass.That energised the crowd but Roddick was not finished and raced 4-1 clear in the crucial third before Hewitt pegged him back and forced another tie-break.Lleyton Hewitt kept his dream of an Australian Open title alive with a four-set win over Andy Roddick in Friday's second semi-final.Hewitt is the first Australian to make the final since Pat Cash lost to Mats Wilander in 1988, but faces a huge challenge against Safin - the conqueror of Roger Federer.""It's awesome,"" said Hewitt.Hewitt fought back from a set down and trailed in both tie-breaks but would not be denied, thrilling the Melbourne crowd with a typically battling effort.Roddick was furious with himself for failing to take advantage of leads in both tie-breaks."
677,"A-listers flock to Gervais sitcom

Hollywood actors Samuel L Jackson and Ben Stiller have signed up for Ricky Gervais' new sitcom, the comedian has told BBC News.

He said they had both seen the scripts and had agreed to appear in an episode each of the sitcom Extras. They join British stars Jude Law and Kate Winslet who have been booked for guest roles. The comic and actor said he had drawn up an A-list of stars he wanted and all had agreed to be in it. ""We wanted actors who had iconic status but that we could also deconstruct,"" Gervais told BBC News.

""It's not about the zeitgeist. We wanted people who would still be around in 20 years, not just the winner of Big Brother to take part."" Gervais admitted he was cautious about revealing who would be taking part until they had all signed on the dotted line. But he has met with Stiller and Jackson and they enjoyed the scripts enough to commit to it.

""I didn't want to start revealing names until it was all sorted because people just mention people who haven't even been asked. ""I have been linked with ridiculous stories recently such as I'm going to be in a remake of 10 taking Dudley Moore's part. I haven't been approached and I wouldn't take it anyway.""

He said Stiller and Jackson would be playing ""twisted"" versions of themselves in Extras and that the jokes about them ""would sail pretty close to the bone"". Gervais and his writing partner Stephen Merchant are currently refining the scripts for the six-part series, in which Gervais plays a struggling actor who bitches about the stars. Meanwhile, Gervais is gearing up to promote his cartoon book Flanimals which is released in the US in March, around the same time as NBC begin showing the US version of The Office. The film rights to Flanimals have already been snapped up but Gervais is keen for the project to be taken slowly. ""A film will happen over the next three years but I don't want it to be a $50m movie straight away because it is not well enough known and it wouldn't be another Spider-Man or Batman. I would like to do something small on TV with it first.""
","Gervais admitted he was cautious about revealing who would be taking part until they had all signed on the dotted line.Hollywood actors Samuel L Jackson and Ben Stiller have signed up for Ricky Gervais' new sitcom, the comedian has told BBC News.We wanted people who would still be around in 20 years, not just the winner of Big Brother to take part.""He said Stiller and Jackson would be playing ""twisted"" versions of themselves in Extras and that the jokes about them ""would sail pretty close to the bone"".""We wanted actors who had iconic status but that we could also deconstruct,"" Gervais told BBC News.The comic and actor said he had drawn up an A-list of stars he wanted and all had agreed to be in it.Gervais and his writing partner Stephen Merchant are currently refining the scripts for the six-part series, in which Gervais plays a struggling actor who bitches about the stars.But he has met with Stiller and Jackson and they enjoyed the scripts enough to commit to it."
1280,"Terror suspects face house arrest

UK citizens suspected of involvement in terrorism could face house arrest as part of a series of new measures outlined by the home secretary.

It comes after law lords ruled that the detention of 12 foreign terror suspects without trial breached human rights. Charles Clarke's planned ""control orders"" mean anyone suspected of being involved in terrorism could be subject to house arrest, curfews or tagging. The Law Society dubbed Mr Clarke's new proposals an ""abuse of power"". Deals are already being sought to deport some of the foreign detainees who are mainly held in Belmarsh Prison in London under the current laws introduced after the US terror attacks on 11 September 2001. Mr Clarke said efforts would continue to deport them to their countries of origin Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan without them facing torture or death.

Under the proposed changes - prompted by the House of Lords ruling - the home secretary could order British citizens or foreign suspects who could not be deported, to face house arrest or other measures such as restrictions on their movements or limits on their use of telephones and the internet.

British citizens are being included in the changes after the law lords said the current powers were discriminatory because they could only be used on foreign suspects. Mr Clarke also said intelligence reports showed some British nationals were now playing a more significant role in terror threats. Human rights lawyer Clive Stafford-Smith said the plans were a ""further abuse of human rights in Britain"".

Mr Clarke said prosecutions were the government's first preference and promised the powers would only be used in ""serious"" cases, with independent scrutiny from judges.

He told MPs: ""There remains a public emergency threatening the life of the nation."" He accepted the law lords' ruling but argued detention powers had helped prevent attacks and deter terrorists. The current detainees would not be freed until the new powers were in place as they were still considered a national security threat, he told MPs.

There have been calls for the rules for wire-tap and intercept evidence to be allowed to be used in courts but Mr Clarke refused to back that change.

He said intercept evidence was only a small part of the case against the men and some of it could not be used because it could put sources' lives at risk. Most of the terror suspects are being held indefinitely at Belmarsh prison, in London. Conservative shadow home secretary David Davis was worried about extending special powers to cover British citizens. He warned: ""Throughout history, internment has generally backfired because of the resentment it creates. ""So unless the process is clearly just, the home secretary could find himself confining one known terrorist only to recruit 10 unknown terrorists."" He suggested changing the law to let security-cleared judges view evidence gathered by phone-tapping could allow more terror cases to come to court.

Liberal Democrat spokesman Mark Oaten also backed use of wire-tap evidence. He said the standard of proof for the new powers would have to be ""very high indeed"" and he asked whether ministers had looked at measures which fitted with human rights laws. Shami Chakrabarti, from human rights group Liberty, joined calls for intercept evidence to be allowed in trials. She said: ""Adherence to the rule of law should not be a game of cat and mouse. The government should not swap one human rights 'opt out' for another.""
","British citizens are being included in the changes after the law lords said the current powers were discriminatory because they could only be used on foreign suspects.He said intercept evidence was only a small part of the case against the men and some of it could not be used because it could put sources' lives at risk.Under the proposed changes - prompted by the House of Lords ruling - the home secretary could order British citizens or foreign suspects who could not be deported, to face house arrest or other measures such as restrictions on their movements or limits on their use of telephones and the internet.He said the standard of proof for the new powers would have to be ""very high indeed"" and he asked whether ministers had looked at measures which fitted with human rights laws.The Law Society dubbed Mr Clarke's new proposals an ""abuse of power"".It comes after law lords ruled that the detention of 12 foreign terror suspects without trial breached human rights.UK citizens suspected of involvement in terrorism could face house arrest as part of a series of new measures outlined by the home secretary.There have been calls for the rules for wire-tap and intercept evidence to be allowed to be used in courts but Mr Clarke refused to back that change.Mr Clarke said prosecutions were the government's first preference and promised the powers would only be used in ""serious"" cases, with independent scrutiny from judges.He suggested changing the law to let security-cleared judges view evidence gathered by phone-tapping could allow more terror cases to come to court.Mr Clarke also said intelligence reports showed some British nationals were now playing a more significant role in terror threats."
1081,"Police probe BNP mosque leaflet

Police are investigating a British National Party leaflet posted to homes in south Wales opposing plans for a new mosque.

Anti-racism campaigners in Swansea have handed copies to South Wales Police. Swansea's Muslim community is raising money to open a new mosque and community centre in the former St Andrews United Reform Church. The building on George Street has been derelict since the 1980s.

Taha Idris, director of the Swansea Bay Race Equality Council, said his organisation contacted police after receiving complaints from the public. ""I'm quite shocked to see this sort of leaflet by the BNP in Swansea,"" he said.

""The BNP has tried in the past to get into Swansea and this is another example of them trying again. ""I am in no doubt that the BNP are not needed and not wanted here."" A South Wales Police spokeswoman confirmed that they were looking at the contents of the leaflet. According to the BNP's website, they have been posted to homes in the Castle ward. The BNP website carries a photograph of party leader Nick Griffin - who lives near Welshpool, mid Wales - delivering the leaflet. The BNP has denied it is trying to stir up hatred of any race or religion, but argues that they should be able to debate this without fear of arrest. Swansea Unite Against Fascism (UAF) is meeting this week to plan a campaign. Following the death earlier this year of Kalan Kawa Karim, an Iraqi Kurd living in Swansea, it organised an anti-racism march in the city that was supported by more than 1,000 people. It is planning its own mail shot campaign and may launch a petition in support of the plans for the mosque.

Andy Richards, of Swansea UAF, said the leaflet was exactly what he had come to expect from the BNP.

""The people of Swansea will not put up with this."" Swansea's Muslim community bought the former church, just across the road from the existing mosque on St Helen's Road, in the late 1990s. Mr Idris said the community was now raising money to renovate the building. ""It is a landmark building in Swansea and would otherwise just crumble,"" he said. ""It is the ideal opportunity for the building to be restored and used in the proper manner. ""It will be a Muslim community centre. It's a holistic place used for education, weddings, deaths and births."" He said space was limited in the current mosque and on some occasions Muslims had to travel to Llanelli for cultural events.
","Andy Richards, of Swansea UAF, said the leaflet was exactly what he had come to expect from the BNP.""I'm quite shocked to see this sort of leaflet by the BNP in Swansea,"" he said.""It is a landmark building in Swansea and would otherwise just crumble,"" he said.Police are investigating a British National Party leaflet posted to homes in south Wales opposing plans for a new mosque.Mr Idris said the community was now raising money to renovate the building.Anti-racism campaigners in Swansea have handed copies to South Wales Police.""The BNP has tried in the past to get into Swansea and this is another example of them trying again.Swansea's Muslim community is raising money to open a new mosque and community centre in the former St Andrews United Reform Church.""The people of Swansea will not put up with this.""Taha Idris, director of the Swansea Bay Race Equality Council, said his organisation contacted police after receiving complaints from the public."
1696,"Dawson wins England squad recall

Wasps scrum-half Matt Dawson has been recalled to England's training squad ahead of the RBS Six Nations and been reinstated in the Elite Player Squad.

Coach Andy Robinson dropped Dawson for the autumn Tests after he missed training to film 'A Question of Sport.' ""I always said I would consider bringing Matt back if I felt he was playing well,"" Robinson said. ""He merits his return on current form."" Newcastle's 18-year-old centre Mathew Tait is also in the training squad. ""It's obviously an honour to be asked to train with England,"" said Tait, who has burst into contention recently. ""I look forward to going down and doing the sessions, but the most important thing at the moment is Sunday's game against Newport, so I'm not looking any further than that."" Robinson has invited 42 players to attend a three-day session in Leeds next week, in which his squad will train in part with the Leeds Rhinos rugby league squad.

With Mike Tindall ruled out of the opening two matches and Will Greenwood sidelined for the entire Six Nations, Tait is one of six or seven contenders for the two centre berths. Stuart Abbott, Jamie Noon, Ollie Smith, Olly Barkley and Henry Paul - who retains his place despite his early substitution against Australia - are also in the mix. Ben Cohen could also be considered after switching from the wing for his club Northampton recently. Prop Phil Vickery and lock Simon Shaw both return to the squad after missing the autumn Tests through injury, while Wasps wing Tom Voyce is recalled. The group also includes Bath flanker Andy Beattie and Leicester hooker George Chuter. ""Beattie has matured greatly as a player these past two seasons,"" Robinson said. Jonny Wilkinson, Tindall and Martin Corry have all been included despite their unavailability for the opening two matches against Wales and France.

The revised 56-man elite squad includes Wasps hooker Phil Greening, who replaces the retired Mark Regan, and Sale wing Mark Cueto. Cueto was selected for the November internationals despite not being part of the group, but scored four tries in three England appearances. Leicester scrum-half Harry Ellis has also been promoted from the senior national academy, and will contest the number nine jersey with Dawson and Gloucester's Andy Gomarsall. The players in Robinson's elite squad can only play 32 matches for club and country. They can be called up for a total of 16 training days in addition to the recognised international weeks for each of the years leading up to the next World Cup.

Balshaw, Cohen, Cueto, Lewsey, Robinson, Simpson-Daniel, Voyce, Abbott, Noon, Paul, Smith, Tait, Tindall, Barkley, Hodgson, King, Wilkinson, Dawson, Ellis, Gomarsall.

Chuter, Thompson, Titterrell, Rowntree, Sheridan, Stevens, Vickery, White, Borthwick, Brown, L Deacon, Grewcock, Kay, Shaw, Beattie, Corry, Forrester, Hazell, Jones, Moody, Vyvyan, J Worsley.

Abbott, Balshaw, Borthwick, A Brown, Chuter, Cohen, Corry, Cueto, Dawson, Ellis, Flatman, Gomarsall, Greening, Greenwood, Grewcock, Hazell, Hill, Hodgson, Kay, King, Lewsey, Moody, Noon, Paul, Robinson, Rowntree, Shaw, Simpson-Daniel, Thompson, Tindall, Titterrell, Vickery, Vyvyan, White, Wilkinson, J Worsley, M Worsley.

Barkley, Beattie, Christophers, L Deacon, Forrester, C Jones, Palmer, Rees, Sheridan, Skinner, Smith, Stevens, Tait, Voyce.

Dowson, Haughton, Monye, Roques, P Sanderson.
","Wasps scrum-half Matt Dawson has been recalled to England's training squad ahead of the RBS Six Nations and been reinstated in the Elite Player Squad.Balshaw, Cohen, Cueto, Lewsey, Robinson, Simpson-Daniel, Voyce, Abbott, Noon, Paul, Smith, Tait, Tindall, Barkley, Hodgson, King, Wilkinson, Dawson, Ellis, Gomarsall.Abbott, Balshaw, Borthwick, A Brown, Chuter, Cohen, Corry, Cueto, Dawson, Ellis, Flatman, Gomarsall, Greening, Greenwood, Grewcock, Hazell, Hill, Hodgson, Kay, King, Lewsey, Moody, Noon, Paul, Robinson, Rowntree, Shaw, Simpson-Daniel, Thompson, Tindall, Titterrell, Vickery, Vyvyan, White, Wilkinson, J Worsley, M Worsley.Newcastle's 18-year-old centre Mathew Tait is also in the training squad.Robinson has invited 42 players to attend a three-day session in Leeds next week, in which his squad will train in part with the Leeds Rhinos rugby league squad.""Beattie has matured greatly as a player these past two seasons,"" Robinson said.Prop Phil Vickery and lock Simon Shaw both return to the squad after missing the autumn Tests through injury, while Wasps wing Tom Voyce is recalled.The players in Robinson's elite squad can only play 32 matches for club and country.Chuter, Thompson, Titterrell, Rowntree, Sheridan, Stevens, Vickery, White, Borthwick, Brown, L Deacon, Grewcock, Kay, Shaw, Beattie, Corry, Forrester, Hazell, Jones, Moody, Vyvyan, J Worsley.The revised 56-man elite squad includes Wasps hooker Phil Greening, who replaces the retired Mark Regan, and Sale wing Mark Cueto."
670,"iTunes now selling Band Aid song

Ipod owners can now download the Band Aid single from iTunes after Apple reached agreement with the charity.

Apple had been unwilling to raise the cost of the single in line with other download services, said Band Aid. But the single is now on sale for 79p - the usual cost of a song from iTunes - with Apple donating a further 70p to the charity for each song downloaded. A copy of the original 1984 song is also available for download at 79p - with all proceeds going to the charity.

More than 72,000 copies of the new Band Aid single were sold on its first day of release on Monday, according to sales figures. The track has become the fastest-selling single of the year so far, shifting more copies than the rest of the top 30 combined, HMV claimed. Dido, Robbie Williams and Chris Martin are among those featured on the new version of Do They Know It's Christmas?, which is raising money to fight hunger in Africa. If the track sold 500,000 copies, more than £1m would be raised for charity. The CD is being sold for £3.99, with HMV, Virgin and Woolworths all donating their profits.
","Ipod owners can now download the Band Aid single from iTunes after Apple reached agreement with the charity.More than 72,000 copies of the new Band Aid single were sold on its first day of release on Monday, according to sales figures.But the single is now on sale for 79p - the usual cost of a song from iTunes - with Apple donating a further 70p to the charity for each song downloaded.Apple had been unwilling to raise the cost of the single in line with other download services, said Band Aid."
208,"China's Shanda buys stake in Sina

Chinese online game operator Shanda Interactive Entertainment has bought a 20% stake in Sina, the country's biggest internet portal firm.

The move may be a precursor to a full takeover, with analysts saying that a better-known international firm may also now show an interest in Sina. Shanda said that it may boost its stake in Sina, even buying it outright. A merger would create a firm that offers online role-playing games, news, entertainment and wireless messaging.

Sina said that the purchase of a stake by Shanda would have no impact on its business.

The board of directors said in a statement that it would ""continue to act in the best interests of all the company stakeholders, including shareholders, employees and customers"". Both companies are listed on the New York Stock Exchange's (NYSE) technology-dominated Nasdaq index. In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Sina said its shares were purchased between 12 January and 10 February for about $230m. Rumours about a possible takeover boosted Sina's shares by more than 10% on Friday. They added an extra 6.4% to $27.24 in electronic trading after the trading session had finished. And there may be more gains amid bid speculation when trading resumes in New York on Tuesday after Monday's public holiday, analysts forecast. ""There could still be some potential parties that could still counter bid,"" said Wallace Cheung, an analyst at DBS Vickers. ""Even though Shanda has 20% of Sina, they still have quite a long way to take full control."" However, Mr Cheung noted that a foreign company trying to take control of a Chinese internet portal firm, with its ability to filter and pass on news, may not be viewed very favourably by Beijing.
","Shanda said that it may boost its stake in Sina, even buying it outright.Sina said that the purchase of a stake by Shanda would have no impact on its business.The move may be a precursor to a full takeover, with analysts saying that a better-known international firm may also now show an interest in Sina.Chinese online game operator Shanda Interactive Entertainment has bought a 20% stake in Sina, the country's biggest internet portal firm.""Even though Shanda has 20% of Sina, they still have quite a long way to take full control.""And there may be more gains amid bid speculation when trading resumes in New York on Tuesday after Monday's public holiday, analysts forecast."
350,"Dollar hits new low versus euro

The US dollar has continued its record-breaking slide and has tumbled to a new low against the euro.

Investors are betting that the European Central Bank (ECB) will not do anything to weaken the euro, while the US is thought to favour a declining dollar. The US is struggling with a ballooning trade deficit and analysts said one of the easiest ways to fund it was by allowing a depreciation of the dollar. They have predicted that the dollar is likely to fall even further.

The US currency was trading at $1.364 per euro at 1800 GMT on Monday. This compares with $1.354 to the euro in late trading in New York on Friday, which was then a record low.

The dollar has weakened sharply since September when it traded about $1.20 against the euro. It has lost 7% this year, while against the Japanese yen it is down 3.2%. Traders said that thin trading levels had amplified Monday's move. ""It's not going to take much to push [the dollar] one way or the other,"" said Grant Wilson of Mellon Bank. Liquidity - a measure of the number of parties willing to trade in the market - was about half that of a normal working day, traders said.
","The US dollar has continued its record-breaking slide and has tumbled to a new low against the euro.The US is struggling with a ballooning trade deficit and analysts said one of the easiest ways to fund it was by allowing a depreciation of the dollar.The dollar has weakened sharply since September when it traded about $1.20 against the euro.The US currency was trading at $1.364 per euro at 1800 GMT on Monday.Investors are betting that the European Central Bank (ECB) will not do anything to weaken the euro, while the US is thought to favour a declining dollar."
313,"Irish company hit by Iraqi report

Shares in Irish oil company Petrel Resources have lost more than 50% of their value on a report that the firm has failed to win a contract in Iraq.

Reuters news agency reported that Iraq's Oil Ministry has awarded the first post-war oilfield contracts to a Canadian and a Turkish company. By 1700 GMT, Petrel's shares fell from 97p ($1.87) to 44p ($0.85). Petrel said that it has not received any information from Iraqi authorities to confirm or deny the report.

Iraq is seeking to award contracts for three projects, valued at $500m (£258.5m). Turkey's Everasia is reported by Reuters to have won a contract to develop the Khurmala Dome field in the north of the country. A Canadian company, named IOG, is reported to have won the contract to run the Himrin field. Ironhorse Oil and Gas has denied to Reuters that it is the company in question. These two projects aim to develop Khurmala field to produce 100,000 barrels per day and raise the output of Himrin. The winners of the contract are to build new flow lines and build gas separation stations. The contract to develop the Suba-Luhais field has not yet been awarded as Iraq's Oil Ministry is studying the offers. If Iraq's cabinet approves the oil ministry's choice of companies, then this will be the first deal that Iraq has signed with a foreign oil company. Iraq is still trying to boost its production capacity to match levels last seen in the eighties, before the war with Iran. Oil officials hope to double Iraq's output by the end of the decade.
","Reuters news agency reported that Iraq's Oil Ministry has awarded the first post-war oilfield contracts to a Canadian and a Turkish company.The contract to develop the Suba-Luhais field has not yet been awarded as Iraq's Oil Ministry is studying the offers.Shares in Irish oil company Petrel Resources have lost more than 50% of their value on a report that the firm has failed to win a contract in Iraq.If Iraq's cabinet approves the oil ministry's choice of companies, then this will be the first deal that Iraq has signed with a foreign oil company.Ironhorse Oil and Gas has denied to Reuters that it is the company in question.A Canadian company, named IOG, is reported to have won the contract to run the Himrin field."
1705,"Scrum-half Williams rejoins Bath

Bath have signed their former scrum-half Andy Williams on a short-term deal from the Neath-Swansea Ospreys.

Wales international Williams, whose contract with the Welsh region was due to expire in June, has agreed a contract until the end of the season. With Martyn Wood's injury likely to keep him out until February, Bath need experienced back-up to Nick Walshe. Said Williams: ""When this opportunity presented itself, I did not really have to think twice about it."" Williams, capped by Wales against Romania in 2003, should figure in the match squad for Monday's Zurich Premiership match at Sale Sharks. He lost his Ospreys starting place to New Zealander Jason Spice and has fallen further behind in the pecking order. The Welsh region has two outstanding young No 9 prospects in Richie Rees and Rhodri Wells. Bath director of rugby Jack Rowell, though, believes Williams fits the bill perfectly. ""He has been playing regular Heineken Cup and Celtic League rugby and he has a great affection for Bath,"" Rowell told Bath's official website. ""We are delighted to be able to welcome him back to the club.""
","Bath director of rugby Jack Rowell, though, believes Williams fits the bill perfectly.Wales international Williams, whose contract with the Welsh region was due to expire in June, has agreed a contract until the end of the season.Bath have signed their former scrum-half Andy Williams on a short-term deal from the Neath-Swansea Ospreys.""He has been playing regular Heineken Cup and Celtic League rugby and he has a great affection for Bath,"" Rowell told Bath's official website."
1985,"When technology gets personal

In 2020, whipping out your mobile phone to make a call will be quaintly passé. By then phones will be printed directly on to wrists, or other parts of the body, says Ian Pearson, BT's resident futurologist.

It's all part of what's known as a ""pervasive ambient world"", where ""chips are everywhere"". Mr Pearson does not have a crystal ball. His job is to formulate ideas based on what science and technology are doing now, to guide industries into the future. Inanimate objects will start to interact with us: we will be surrounded - on streets, in homes, in appliances, on our bodies and possibly in our heads - by things that ""think"". Forget local area networks - these will be body area networks. Ideas about just how smart, small, or even invisible, technology will get are always floating around. Images of devices clumsily bolted on to heads or wrists have pervaded thinking about future technology. But now a new vision is surfacing, where smart fabrics and textiles will be exploited to enhance functionality, form, or aesthetics. Such materials are already starting to change how gadgets and electronics are used and designed.

So MP3 players - the mass gadget of the moment - will disappear and instead become integrated into one's clothing, says Mr Pearson. ""So the gadgets that fill up your handbag, when we integrate those into fabric, we can actually get rid of all that stuff. You won't necessarily see the electronics."" Wearable technology could exploit body heat to charge it up, while ""video tattoos"", or intelligent electronic contact lenses, might function as TV screens for those on the move. However, this future of highly personal devices, where technology is worn, or even fuses with the body itself, raises ethical questions. If technology is going to be increasingly part of clothing, jewellery, and skin, there needs to be some serious thinking about what it means for us as humans, says Baroness Susan Greenfield. At a recent conference for technology, engineering, academic and fashion industry experts, at the Royal Society in London, neuroscientist Baroness Greenfield cautioned we ""can't just sleepwalk into the future"".

Yet this technology is already upon us. Researchers have developed computers and sensors worn in clothing. MP3 jackets, based on the idea that electrically conductive fabric can connect to keyboard sewn into sleeves, have already appeared in shops.

These ""smart fabrics"" have come about through advances in nano- and micro-engineering - the ability to manipulate and exploit materials at micro or molecular scale. At the nanoscale, materials can be ""tuned"" to display unusual properties that can be exploited to build faster, lighter, stronger and more efficient devices and systems. The textile and clothing industry has been one of the first to exploit nanotechnology in quite straightforward ways. Many developments are appearing in real products in the fields of medicine, defence, healthcare, sports, and communications. Professional swimming suits reduce drag by incorporating tiny structures similar to shark skin. Nanoscale titanium dioxide (TiO2) coatings give fabrics antibacterial and anti-odour properties. These have special properties which can be activated in contact with the air or UV light. Such coatings have already been used to stop socks smelling for instance, to turn airline seats into super stain-resistant surfaces, and applied to windows so they clean themselves. Dressings for wounds can now incorporate nanoparticles with biocidal properties and smart patches are being developed to deliver drugs through the skin. But Baroness Greenfield is concerned about how far this more personal contact with technology might affect our very being. If our clothing, skin, and ""personal body networks"" do the talking and the monitoring, everywhere we go, we have to think about what that means for our concept of privacy. Mr Pearson picks up the theme, pointing out there are a lot of issues humans have to iron out before we become ""cyborgian"". His main concern is ""privacy"". ""We are looking at electronics which are really in deep contact with your body and a lot of that information you really don't want every passer-by to know. ""So we have to make sure we build security in this. If you are wearing smart make-up, where electronics are controlling the appearance, you don't want people hacking in and writing messages on your forehead."" As technology infiltrates our biology, how will our brains function differently? ""We cannot arrogantly assume that the human brain will not change with this,"" warns Baroness Greenfield. There have already been successful experiments to grow human nerve cells on circuit boards. This paves the way for brain implants to help paralysed people interface directly with computers. Clearly, the organic, carbon of our bodies and silicon is increasingly merging. The cyborg - a very familiar part-human, part-inorganic science fiction and academic idea - is on its way.
","If technology is going to be increasingly part of clothing, jewellery, and skin, there needs to be some serious thinking about what it means for us as humans, says Baroness Susan Greenfield.If our clothing, skin, and ""personal body networks"" do the talking and the monitoring, everywhere we go, we have to think about what that means for our concept of privacy.But Baroness Greenfield is concerned about how far this more personal contact with technology might affect our very being.However, this future of highly personal devices, where technology is worn, or even fuses with the body itself, raises ethical questions.Yet this technology is already upon us.His job is to formulate ideas based on what science and technology are doing now, to guide industries into the future.Wearable technology could exploit body heat to charge it up, while ""video tattoos"", or intelligent electronic contact lenses, might function as TV screens for those on the move.Such materials are already starting to change how gadgets and electronics are used and designed.At a recent conference for technology, engineering, academic and fashion industry experts, at the Royal Society in London, neuroscientist Baroness Greenfield cautioned we ""can't just sleepwalk into the future"".Ideas about just how smart, small, or even invisible, technology will get are always floating around.As technology infiltrates our biology, how will our brains function differently?So MP3 players - the mass gadget of the moment - will disappear and instead become integrated into one's clothing, says Mr Pearson.By then phones will be printed directly on to wrists, or other parts of the body, says Ian Pearson, BT's resident futurologist.""We are looking at electronics which are really in deep contact with your body and a lot of that information you really don't want every passer-by to know.Images of devices clumsily bolted on to heads or wrists have pervaded thinking about future technology.""We cannot arrogantly assume that the human brain will not change with this,"" warns Baroness Greenfield.MP3 jackets, based on the idea that electrically conductive fabric can connect to keyboard sewn into sleeves, have already appeared in shops."
2011,"A question of trust and technology

A major government department is without e-mail for a week, and technology analyst Bill Thompson wants to know what happened.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about how my girlfriend had suffered when her cable modem blew up and she was offline for several days. It seems that thousands of civil servants at the UK's Department of Work and Pensions went through the same thing last week. It has emerged that the internal network crashed in a particularly horrible way, depriving staff of e-mail and access to the application software they use to calculate people's benefit and pension entitlement or note changes in personal circumstances. Senior consultants from EDS, the computer firm which manage the system, and Microsoft, which supplied the software, were running around trying to figure out what had to be done to fix it all, while staff resorted to phone, fax and probably carrier pigeon to get work done. Fortunately the back-office systems which actually pay people their money were still working, so only new claims and updates were affected done properly. This is bad enough for those affected, but it does mean that the impact is not devastating for millions of pensioners. I am sure regular readers will be expecting one of my usual diatribes against poor software, badly specified systems and inadequate disaster recovery plans.

Although the full story has not yet been told, it seems that the problem started when a plan to upgrade some of the computers from Windows 2000 to Windows XP went wrong, and XP code was inadvertently copied to thousands of machines across the network.

This is certainly unfortunate, but I have a lot of sympathy for the network managers and technology staff involved. Today's computer networks are large, complex and occasionally fragile. The interconnectedness that we all value also gives us a degree of instability and unpredictability that we cannot design out of the systems. It is the network equivalent of Godel's Theorem - any system sufficiently complex to be useful is also able to collapse catastrophically. So I will reserve judgment on the technology aspects until we all know what actually happened and whether it was a consequence of software failure or just bad luck. What is really disturbing, and cannot be excused, is the fact that it took four days for news of this systems failure to leak out into the technical press.

It is, without a doubt, a major story and was the second or third lead item on BBC Radio 4's Today programme throughout Friday morning.

So why did not the prime minister's official spokesman mention it at any lobby briefings before Friday? Why was not the pensions minister in Parliament to make an emergency statement on Tuesday, when it was clear that there was a serious problem? If there had been an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease in the air conditioning system we would have been told, but it seems that major technology problems do not merit the same treatment. While EDS and Microsoft will no doubt be looking for technical lessons to learn from their week of pain, we can learn some political lessons too. And the most important is that in this digital world, technology failures are matters of public interest, not something that can be ignored in the hope that nobody will notice, care or understand. That means we need a full report on what went wrong and what was done to fix it. It would be unacceptable for any of the parties involved to hide behind commercial confidentiality or even parliamentary privilege. A major system has evidently collapsed and we need to know what went wrong and what is being done differently. Anything less is a betrayal of public trust.

Bill Thompson is a regular commentator on the BBC World Service programme Go Digital.
","A major system has evidently collapsed and we need to know what went wrong and what is being done differently.That means we need a full report on what went wrong and what was done to fix it.So I will reserve judgment on the technology aspects until we all know what actually happened and whether it was a consequence of software failure or just bad luck.A major government department is without e-mail for a week, and technology analyst Bill Thompson wants to know what happened.Although the full story has not yet been told, it seems that the problem started when a plan to upgrade some of the computers from Windows 2000 to Windows XP went wrong, and XP code was inadvertently copied to thousands of machines across the network.If there had been an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease in the air conditioning system we would have been told, but it seems that major technology problems do not merit the same treatment.Senior consultants from EDS, the computer firm which manage the system, and Microsoft, which supplied the software, were running around trying to figure out what had to be done to fix it all, while staff resorted to phone, fax and probably carrier pigeon to get work done.It is, without a doubt, a major story and was the second or third lead item on BBC Radio 4's Today programme throughout Friday morning.It is the network equivalent of Godel's Theorem - any system sufficiently complex to be useful is also able to collapse catastrophically.Why was not the pensions minister in Parliament to make an emergency statement on Tuesday, when it was clear that there was a serious problem?This is certainly unfortunate, but I have a lot of sympathy for the network managers and technology staff involved."
948,"Nuclear strike 'key terror risk'

The UK and US must realise they cannot prevent all terror attacks and should focus on making sure they are not nuclear strikes, says a top academic.

Amitai Etzioni, a key influence on New Labour thinking, says the US emphasis on an ""Axis of Evil"" is misplaced. The priority should instead be on ""failing states"", including Russia and Pakistan, who cannot properly control their nuclear material, he argues. His report demands a major overhaul of world rules on nuclear technology.

Professor Etzioni was a senior adviser to President Carter's White House and is the guru behind communitarian ideas which influenced the development of Blairite Third Way politics. In a report for the Foreign Policy Centre think tank, he says a nuclear terrorist attack is the main danger faced by many nations.

""Attempts to defend against it by hardening domestic targets cannot work, nor can one rely on pre-emption by taking the war to the terrorists before they attack,"" he says. That means there is an urgent need to curb terrorists' access to nuclear arms and the materials used to make them. ""We must recognise that we will be unable to stop all attacks and thus ensure terrorists will not be able to strike with weapons of mass destruction,"" Prof Etzioni continues.

He suggests so-called rogue states such as Iran and North Korea are less of a problem than ""failed and failing states"", which are more likely to be a source of nuclear materials. He names Russia as the ""failing state"" of gravest concern as it has an estimated 90% of all fissile material outside America. And he is also worried about Pakistan after one of its top nuclear scientists, Abdul Qadeer Khan, admitted leaking nuclear secrets. Prof Etzioni criticises the US for overlooking those reports, suggesting it was done in return for Pakistani help in hunting Osama Bin Laden. ""This is like letting a serial killer go because he promised to catch some jay-walkers,"" he says.


 - Upgrading security at nuclear arms stores as a temporary measure 
 - Creating a new Global Safety Authority to tackle nuclear terrorism, using the intelligence links established in the wake of 11 September - backed by the United Nations' authority 
 - Encouraging, pressuring and using ""all available means"" to persuade countries to switch their highly-enriched uranium for less dangerous less-enriched uranium 
 - When possible, taking fissile material away from failing states to safe havens where it can be blended down or converted 
 - Compelling ""failing and rogue states"", and eventually all states, to destroy their nuclear bombs.
","The priority should instead be on ""failing states"", including Russia and Pakistan, who cannot properly control their nuclear material, he argues.- Upgrading security at nuclear arms stores as a temporary measure - Creating a new Global Safety Authority to tackle nuclear terrorism, using the intelligence links established in the wake of 11 September - backed by the United Nations' authority - Encouraging, pressuring and using ""all available means"" to persuade countries to switch their highly-enriched uranium for less dangerous less-enriched uranium - When possible, taking fissile material away from failing states to safe havens where it can be blended down or converted - Compelling ""failing and rogue states"", and eventually all states, to destroy their nuclear bombs.The UK and US must realise they cannot prevent all terror attacks and should focus on making sure they are not nuclear strikes, says a top academic.In a report for the Foreign Policy Centre think tank, he says a nuclear terrorist attack is the main danger faced by many nations.And he is also worried about Pakistan after one of its top nuclear scientists, Abdul Qadeer Khan, admitted leaking nuclear secrets.He suggests so-called rogue states such as Iran and North Korea are less of a problem than ""failed and failing states"", which are more likely to be a source of nuclear materials."
1440,"Kewell waits as injury drags on

Liverpool winger Harry Kewell is struggling to recover from his Achilles tendinitis problem and may not recover until March, claims his agent.

Kewell, 26, had hoped to play against Fulham last weekend and to be ready for the Champions League tie against Bayer Leverkusen on 22 February. But Bernie Mandic said: ""He's had scans which don't show anything substantial. ""But despite his best efforts at the moment he simply can't shake off the discomfort and get back on the park.""

Mandic continued in the Sydney Morning Herald: ""Harry's struggling a bit but the club are doing everything they can to get him right. ""Harry was desperate to be fit for the Fulham game as part of his plan to play himself in for the Leverkusen match."" Kewell has not played since December 19 and misses out on international duty this week, with Australia facing South Africa in Durban on Wednesday.
","Kewell, 26, had hoped to play against Fulham last weekend and to be ready for the Champions League tie against Bayer Leverkusen on 22 February.Mandic continued in the Sydney Morning Herald: ""Harry's struggling a bit but the club are doing everything they can to get him right.""Harry was desperate to be fit for the Fulham game as part of his plan to play himself in for the Leverkusen match."""
784,"TV presenter Deeley drops CD:UK

Cat Deeley has resigned as host of ITV1's Saturday morning children's music show CD:UK after six years.

The 28-year-old host who also presents Stars In Their Eyes said she wanted to concentrate on new television projects. ""I've had a great few years, met some really incredible people and been given some wonderful opportunities,"" the presenter said. Deeley will host her last show on 5 March and guest presenters will stand in until a replacement is found.

The long-running presenter said: ""I would like to take this opportunity to thank the CD:UK team and all the viewers that have watched, supported the show and let me gate crash their Saturday morning. ""Whilst obviously I am really sad to say goodbye, I'm immensely excited about the future."" Deeley formerly co-hosted SM:tv, the children's show which airs before CD:UK on a Saturday morning, alongside hit presenters Ant and Dec. She won a Children's Bafta award for best presenter in December 2001 and also fronted BBC One's Fame Academy series.
","Cat Deeley has resigned as host of ITV1's Saturday morning children's music show CD:UK after six years.Deeley formerly co-hosted SM:tv, the children's show which airs before CD:UK on a Saturday morning, alongside hit presenters Ant and Dec. She won a Children's Bafta award for best presenter in December 2001 and also fronted BBC One's Fame Academy series.The long-running presenter said: ""I would like to take this opportunity to thank the CD:UK team and all the viewers that have watched, supported the show and let me gate crash their Saturday morning."
1728,"Wilkinson to miss Ireland match

England will have to take on Ireland in the Six Nations without captain and goal-kicker Jonny Wilkinson, according to his Newcastle boss Rob Andrew.

Wilkinson - who had targeted the 27 February match for his international comeback - has been missed by England, not least for his goal-kicking. ""Jonny's not fit yet,"" Falcons chief Andrew told BBC Radio Five Live. ""He won't be fit for Dublin, there's no doubt about that, but he might be fit for Scotland and Italy."" The 25-year-old has not played for England since the 2003 World Cup final after a succession of injuries. England, who have lost three Six Nations games in a row, wasted a 17-6 half-time lead in their 18-17 defeat to France. Goal-kickers Charlie Hodgson and Olly Barkley missed six penalty attempts and a drop-goal between them. ""They've probably got two of the best English kickers in the Premiership in Hodgson and Barkley,"" added Andrew, a former England fly-half and goal-kicker.

""They're both pretty good kickers. Charlie is a good kicker week-in, week-out. ""But it's all about pressure and unfortunately England are just not handling the pressure at the moment."" Andrew also blamed England's poor run of recent results on a lack of leadership in the side following several high-profile retirements and injuries. ""They just didn't have that leadership that would have seen them through. Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio and Jonny are obviously huge losses and leadership is so important in those situations,"" he said. ""I think it is really difficult for Jason Robinson to lead the side effectively from full-back."" Meanwhile, former England full-back Dusty Hare put England's mistakes down to a lack of mental toughness.

""Jonny Wilkinson has proved himself a cool customer with around an 80% kicking success rate,"" Hare told BBC Radio Five Live. ""But natural-born toughness comes into it as well as all the practice you do. ""You have to be able to shut out all the outside elements and concentrate on putting the ball between the posts."" Hodgson, who has an excellent kicking record with club side Sale Sharks, has introduced crowd noise into his practice routine of late. ""The top golfers don't hit the fairway every time, and it is the same with goal-kicking,"" Hare added. ""You need that mental toughness as well to put the ball over, but great goal-kickers like Jonny Wilkinson come along very rarely.""
","England will have to take on Ireland in the Six Nations without captain and goal-kicker Jonny Wilkinson, according to his Newcastle boss Rob Andrew.Meanwhile, former England full-back Dusty Hare put England's mistakes down to a lack of mental toughness.""You need that mental toughness as well to put the ball over, but great goal-kickers like Jonny Wilkinson come along very rarely.""""Jonny Wilkinson has proved himself a cool customer with around an 80% kicking success rate,"" Hare told BBC Radio Five Live.Wilkinson - who had targeted the 27 February match for his international comeback - has been missed by England, not least for his goal-kicking.""They've probably got two of the best English kickers in the Premiership in Hodgson and Barkley,"" added Andrew, a former England fly-half and goal-kicker.The 25-year-old has not played for England since the 2003 World Cup final after a succession of injuries.""Jonny's not fit yet,"" Falcons chief Andrew told BBC Radio Five Live.Hodgson, who has an excellent kicking record with club side Sale Sharks, has introduced crowd noise into his practice routine of late."
1496,"Mourinho expects fight to finish

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho expects the Champions League clash with Barcelona to be a fight to the finish.

Mourinho is relishing the first leg of the tie against his former club in the last 16 in the Nou Camp. He said: ""I wouldn't be surprised if nothing had been decided by the last minute of the return leg and the match had to go into extra time. ""I have to defend what is mine and the Champions League is mine at the moment. I'm the last manager to have won it."" Mourinho never coached Barcelona, assisting both Sir Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal. But he is not envious, insisting: ""I don't have to be jealous about Barcelona because they have 100 years of history and have won the European Cup once.

""I have been managing for five years and I have the same amount of Champions League trophies to my name."" Barcelona star Ronaldinho admitted: ""I think that it is going to be a difficult match for us because Chelsea have a good team full of big stars. ""I have seen Chelsea a few times on television, tactically they are very good and they are very strong on the counter-attack. ""They pressure very well and keep possession of the ball so it will be important that we play our own game. ""I believe they are the two strongest teams in Europe. Nevertheless, Barcelona are accustomed to playing big games at the Nou Camp, where they have to face the likes of Real Madrid each season. ""It is a special game, the atmosphere in the city changes, there are lots of journalists but inside the dressing room there is not a lot of difference,"" Ronaldinho added. ""We are only thinking of winning the match with all respect to the opposition.""
","Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho expects the Champions League clash with Barcelona to be a fight to the finish.Barcelona star Ronaldinho admitted: ""I think that it is going to be a difficult match for us because Chelsea have a good team full of big stars.Nevertheless, Barcelona are accustomed to playing big games at the Nou Camp, where they have to face the likes of Real Madrid each season.Mourinho is relishing the first leg of the tie against his former club in the last 16 in the Nou Camp.He said: ""I wouldn't be surprised if nothing had been decided by the last minute of the return leg and the match had to go into extra time.""I have been managing for five years and I have the same amount of Champions League trophies to my name."""
1028,"Retirement age could be scrapped

The ""myth that ageing is a barrier"" to contributing to society needs to be ""exploded"", the work and pensions minister has said.

This was why the government was considering scrapping the retirement age entirely, Alan Johnson said. It was also committed to ""stamping out"" age discrimination and would outlaw it, he told a conference on ageing. All three parties have been wooing older voters with both the Tories and Lib Dems pledging higher pensions.

Mr Johnson told Age Concern's Age Agenda in London the government was ""seriously considering"" introducing pensions based on residency rather than national insurance contributions. This idea has been adopted by the Lib Dems as policy, while the Tories have pledged to boost pensions by restoring the link between earnings and pensions. Mr Johnson's speech comes after he last week unveiled plans to find a consensus on how to reform the country's pension system. This would be based on a series of principles including tackling pensioner poverty and fairer pensions for women, he said. Speaking at the London conference he said: ""Generalised stereotypes of people past state pension age as dependant, incapable and vulnerable are a particularly pernicious form of age discrimination"".

The government wanted to tackle this by moving to a culture where retirement ages were ""increasingly consigned to the past"". ""We're sweeping them away entirely for people under 65, and we're giving those above that age a right to request to work past 65 which their employers will have to engage with seriously. ""And the review in 2011, which will look at whether it is time to sweep retirement ages away entirely, is to be tied to evidence ... showing that retirement ages are increasingly outmoded"". Mr Johnson said his department had a long-term aspiration of moving towards an 80% employment rate. This would involve an extra one million older people joining the work force, he said.
","Mr Johnson told Age Concern's Age Agenda in London the government was ""seriously considering"" introducing pensions based on residency rather than national insurance contributions.This was why the government was considering scrapping the retirement age entirely, Alan Johnson said.Speaking at the London conference he said: ""Generalised stereotypes of people past state pension age as dependant, incapable and vulnerable are a particularly pernicious form of age discrimination"".""And the review in 2011, which will look at whether it is time to sweep retirement ages away entirely, is to be tied to evidence ... showing that retirement ages are increasingly outmoded"".The government wanted to tackle this by moving to a culture where retirement ages were ""increasingly consigned to the past"".It was also committed to ""stamping out"" age discrimination and would outlaw it, he told a conference on ageing."
217,"Ukraine trims privatisation check

Ukraine is to review ""dozens"" of state asset sales as the country's new administration tackles corruption.

The figure announced by President Viktor Yushchenko is less than the 3,000 cases mentioned last week, but will cover many of the biggest deals. Ukraine recently ousted long-serving leader Leonid Kuchma and has said it wants closer European Union links. In a separate statement, the EU said that the US should back Ukraine's entry into the World Trade Organisation. The comments came as Viktor Yushchenko prepared to head to Brussels to meet with US President George W Bush and other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) leaders. He is the only non-Nato member leader invited to attend the summit.

Mr Yushchenko recently defeated Moscow-backed presidential candidate and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych at the polls, and has made no secret of his wish to fight corruption and make Ukraine more transparent.

Earlier this month, new Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said as many as 3,000 firms may have their privatisations put under the spotlight. Her comments raised concerns among a number of investors and Mr Yushchenko was seen on Monday as trying to soothe their frayed nerves. ""We acknowledge that business in Ukraine is now shaped and 98% of privatisations were carried out according to the law,"" Mr Yushchenko said on Monday. ""We have trust in this business and want to defend it by law,"" he continued, adding that any review would focus on ""dozens of companies, not hundreds or thousands"". He cited last year's sale of Ukrainian steel producer Krivorizhstal as one that had raised concerns. It was sold in June 2004 to a consortium that included Viktor Pinchuk, son-in-law of former-President Kuchma, and Rinat Akhmetov, the country's richest man, for $800m (£424m) - despite other higher offers.

Vice-Prime Minister Oleg Rybachuk called on the EU to recognise the steps that Ukraine was taking, fearing that should the country not be rewarded for its efforts there may be a backlash against closer relations with Brussels. He said that while he understood that Ukraine was not ready for EU membership, the country needed to see progress on topics such as trade and visa requirements. ""We deserve an honest response,"" Mr Rybachuk told the Associated Press in an interview. ""We understand the difficulties. We refuse to understand double standards."" Ukraine may find it has a sympathetic ear in Brussels ""The EU has reiterated that we support (Ukraine's) fast accession to the WTO and if possible we would like that to happen some time during the year,"" said Claude Veron-Reville, a spokesman for EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson. ""We have said as much to the Americans. We feel that it is important for us all to pull together for Ukraine to be allowed into the WTO. Mr Yushchenko was careful not to turn his back on Russia, which borders the country to the east, saying it was important to maintain 'pragmatic' ties with Moscow. ""Russia is Ukraine's eternal strategic partner,"" Mr Yushchenko said.
","""We acknowledge that business in Ukraine is now shaped and 98% of privatisations were carried out according to the law,"" Mr Yushchenko said on Monday.""Russia is Ukraine's eternal strategic partner,"" Mr Yushchenko said.He said that while he understood that Ukraine was not ready for EU membership, the country needed to see progress on topics such as trade and visa requirements.Ukraine recently ousted long-serving leader Leonid Kuchma and has said it wants closer European Union links.Mr Yushchenko recently defeated Moscow-backed presidential candidate and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych at the polls, and has made no secret of his wish to fight corruption and make Ukraine more transparent.Ukraine may find it has a sympathetic ear in Brussels ""The EU has reiterated that we support (Ukraine's) fast accession to the WTO and if possible we would like that to happen some time during the year,"" said Claude Veron-Reville, a spokesman for EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson.Mr Yushchenko was careful not to turn his back on Russia, which borders the country to the east, saying it was important to maintain 'pragmatic' ties with Moscow.Vice-Prime Minister Oleg Rybachuk called on the EU to recognise the steps that Ukraine was taking, fearing that should the country not be rewarded for its efforts there may be a backlash against closer relations with Brussels.In a separate statement, the EU said that the US should back Ukraine's entry into the World Trade Organisation.Her comments raised concerns among a number of investors and Mr Yushchenko was seen on Monday as trying to soothe their frayed nerves."
1358,"Trial date is set for Balco case

A US judge has set a preliminary trial date for the Balco steroid distribution case which has rocked athletics.

US district court judge Susan Ilston rejected an attempt by the defence team to have the case dismissed at a pre-trial hearing in San Francisco. And she set a March date for the case of the four men accused of distributing illegal performance-enhancing drugs to elite athletes to be heard. A firm decision on whether the trial takes place is expected in January. The judge said that she may conduct hearings in January into whether federal agents illegally searched the Balco headquarters and wrongfully obtained statements from the company's founder Victor Conte and its vice-president James Valente. The two men - along with personal trainer Greg Anderson and athletics coach Remy Korchemny - were all indicted earlier this year but have pleaded their innocence. The outcome of those hearings could result in some or all of the charges being dismissed. Conte said that he would be telling his side of the story on an American TV show on Friday.

""The world deserves to know the truth about performance-enhancing drugs,"" he said. Balco (The Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative) is the company at the centre of the scandal. The company has been accused by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) of being the source of the banned steroid THG and modafinil. The USADA claims that 10 athletes have received sanctions for testing positive for THG and modafinil. Former double world champion Kelli White and Olympic relay star Alvin Harrison have both been banned on the basis of materials discovered during the Balco investigation. Britain's former European 100m champion Dwain Chambers is currently serving a two-year ban after testing positive for THG in an out-of-competition test in 2003.
",A US judge has set a preliminary trial date for the Balco steroid distribution case which has rocked athletics.The judge said that she may conduct hearings in January into whether federal agents illegally searched the Balco headquarters and wrongfully obtained statements from the company's founder Victor Conte and its vice-president James Valente.The company has been accused by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) of being the source of the banned steroid THG and modafinil.And she set a March date for the case of the four men accused of distributing illegal performance-enhancing drugs to elite athletes to be heard.The USADA claims that 10 athletes have received sanctions for testing positive for THG and modafinil.US district court judge Susan Ilston rejected an attempt by the defence team to have the case dismissed at a pre-trial hearing in San Francisco.
927,"Blunkett sorry over murder plan

David Blunkett has apologised to MPs after the Home Office announced ""prematurely"" via press release a review of murder laws.

The home secretary confirmed the review was to get under way in the wake of a Law Commission report which branded the current murder law as ""a mess"". He said the review would look at partial defences to murder, including provocation and at mandatory sentences. The Home Office has already said the review will begin next year.

On Wednesday, a Home Office spokeswoman said the terms of reference for the review had not been established but it was likely to include only England and Wales. News of the review was released because it was thought Mr Blunkett would make the official announcement in a Commons debate on Wednesday. But the announcement never came, with the home secretary saying the debate had never reached that stage. Amid opposition anger, Mr Blunkett had to answer an emergency question in Parliament on Thursday. He said he had taken steps to ensure the incident was not repeated. Shadow home secretary David Davis welcomed his ""gracious apology"" and the review itself. But he argued the minister should have volunteered a formal statement instead of having to be ""dragged"" to face MPs.

In its report, the Law Commission said it had found wide support among criminal justice professionals for an end to the mandatory life sentence for murder. The panel suggested different kinds of murders could be ""graded"" to recognise the seriousness of the offence.

But the Home Office said mandatory life sentences would not be abolished and argued courts already had flexibility. The commission, an independent body including two judges, a senior barrister and sentencing experts, had been asked to consider reforms to the defence of provocation in murder cases. But it said its proposals were unlikely to work without a far wider review of the law. Results of a consultation exercise showed 64 respondents out of 146 - among them 21 judges - believed a mandatory life sentence for every murder was ""indefensible and should cease"".

A key question was whether one category should continue to cover all types of murder from mercy killings to serial or contract killings. The commission found support for the idea of grading murders so that the sentence reflected the seriousness of the offence. But speaking after the report was published, Home Office minister Baroness Scotland said: ""Murder is the most serious of crimes and we have no intention of abolishing the mandatory life sentence. ""Where an offender is convicted of murder, the court must pass a life sentence."" The commission also recommended tightening the law so that the provocation defence cannot be used in cases where someone has killed for revenge, such as a jealous husband who murders an unfaithful wife.
","But speaking after the report was published, Home Office minister Baroness Scotland said: ""Murder is the most serious of crimes and we have no intention of abolishing the mandatory life sentence.The home secretary confirmed the review was to get under way in the wake of a Law Commission report which branded the current murder law as ""a mess"".In its report, the Law Commission said it had found wide support among criminal justice professionals for an end to the mandatory life sentence for murder.But the Home Office said mandatory life sentences would not be abolished and argued courts already had flexibility.He said the review would look at partial defences to murder, including provocation and at mandatory sentences.David Blunkett has apologised to MPs after the Home Office announced ""prematurely"" via press release a review of murder laws.The Home Office has already said the review will begin next year.On Wednesday, a Home Office spokeswoman said the terms of reference for the review had not been established but it was likely to include only England and Wales.Results of a consultation exercise showed 64 respondents out of 146 - among them 21 judges - believed a mandatory life sentence for every murder was ""indefensible and should cease""."
90,"French wine gets 70m euro top-up

The French government is to hand its struggling wine industry 70m euros ($91m) in aid to help it battle falling sales and damaging overproduction.

The financial package is aimed at assisting vintners in financial trouble and improving how its wine is marketed. The French wine industry, the world's second largest, has been hit by declining consumption at home and the growing popularity of New World wines. Wine makers, however, claimed the support did not go far enough. The package was announced by agriculture minister Dominique Bussereau after talks with vintners' representatives.

The bulk of the money - about 40m euros - will be offered in the form of preferential loans to heavily indebted producers to enable them to reschedule their payments. A further 15m euros will be made available to wine cooperatives, which make up the majority of French producers, in low interest loans. Efforts to promote French wine abroad are to be boosted by an extra 3.5m euros in funding. France fell behind the 'New World' producers of Australia, Chile and the United States for the first time in 2003 in terms of exports.

Domestic consumption, accounting for 70% of sales, has suffered from strict restrictions on advertising and tough drink-driving laws.

The aid package would ""create a positive climate around French viticulture,"" Mr Bussereau said. However, wine makers and farmers said the support was much less than they had been hoping for. ""I am afraid the resources are not up to the ambitions,"" Jean-Michel Lemetayer, from the FNSEA agricultural union, told the Associated Press news agency. In an effort to tackle overcapacity, the government will agree that vines can be destroyed in areas where growers give their unanimous consent, while 500 vintners will be helped to take early retirement. The government will also seek European Union approval to distil about 250 million litres of excess wine into alcohol, with vintners receiving compensation. Production is currently outstripping demand by about 30%. The support is designed to make French producers more competitive in the face of increasing global consolidation across the wine industry. Wine makers in France's best-known regions, such as Burgundy, have found it hard to invest in new technology and to create recognisable brands to appeal to overseas buyers.
","The French government is to hand its struggling wine industry 70m euros ($91m) in aid to help it battle falling sales and damaging overproduction.The support is designed to make French producers more competitive in the face of increasing global consolidation across the wine industry.The French wine industry, the world's second largest, has been hit by declining consumption at home and the growing popularity of New World wines.Efforts to promote French wine abroad are to be boosted by an extra 3.5m euros in funding.A further 15m euros will be made available to wine cooperatives, which make up the majority of French producers, in low interest loans.However, wine makers and farmers said the support was much less than they had been hoping for.The government will also seek European Union approval to distil about 250 million litres of excess wine into alcohol, with vintners receiving compensation.Wine makers, however, claimed the support did not go far enough."
1446,"Finnan says Irish can win group

Steve Finnan believes the Republic of Ireland can qualify directly for the World Cup finals.

After Saturday's superb display in the draw in Paris, Ireland face minnows the Faroe Islands in Dublin on Wednesday. The versatile Finnan, who starred against the French, is confident the group is Ireland's for the taking. ""There is a chance for us now to go on, win our home games and why not win the group, even though it's a tough one,"" said the Liverpool player. Switzerland, Ireland, France and Israel are all now tied on five points from three matches - although the Republic look to have a slight edge after claiming away draws in Basel and Paris. ""In Basel we did not play great football, but when you to go to these places the other teams are going to have the majority of the game. ""In Paris, we looked good throughout the team and a point was the least we deserved because we had a number of chances.

""Looking back, we had an opportunity to get the three points, but we are happy with a point and that will give us confidence going into Wednesday's game. ""On paper, we have got the toughest matches out of the way and we have set standards for ourselves. ""Automatic qualification is there. It would certainly be good to avoid a play-off, but on the back of a couple of good results I don't see why we can't win the group."" Manager Brian Kerr was keen to mention the contribution of Stephen Carr and Finnan on Ireland's right flank at the Stade de France. Finnan's normal position is right-back but he looked assured in a more advanced position against the French. ""As I play on the right for my club and being a natural right-back, it was something he (Kerr) looked at because France play strongly down the left-hand side. ""So I was happy to play and Stephen Carr and I enjoyed the game, particularly as the defence and midfield held together well and nullified their attacks.""
","Switzerland, Ireland, France and Israel are all now tied on five points from three matches - although the Republic look to have a slight edge after claiming away draws in Basel and Paris.""In Paris, we looked good throughout the team and a point was the least we deserved because we had a number of chances.""As I play on the right for my club and being a natural right-back, it was something he (Kerr) looked at because France play strongly down the left-hand side.Manager Brian Kerr was keen to mention the contribution of Stephen Carr and Finnan on Ireland's right flank at the Stade de France.""So I was happy to play and Stephen Carr and I enjoyed the game, particularly as the defence and midfield held together well and nullified their attacks.""""In Basel we did not play great football, but when you to go to these places the other teams are going to have the majority of the game."
1032,"Straw attacked on China arms

Moves to lift the European Union's ban on arms exports to China have been condemned by human rights groups and the Conservatives.

The 15 year embargo was imposed in the aftermath of China's crackdown on protesters in Tiananmen Square in 1989. UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who will hold talks in Beijing on Thursday, said an EU arms code was more effective than the current ban. But Human Rights Watch says the EU is putting commerce above abuse concerns.

In December, the EU pledged to work towards lifting the ban but said it was not ready to do so yet. Germany and France have repeatedly called for the embargo to be lifted. Britain has been more cautious but Mr Straw last week said he also wanted it to end, despite US objections.

He expects it to be lifted over the next six months, a prediction which has alarmed critics. Brad Adams, from Human Rights Watch, said: ""This is a huge political signal from Europe that they are willing to forget about Tiananmen Square. ""There are still thousands of people who are unaccounted for.""

Mr Straw said it was wrong to put China under the same embargo as countries such as Zimbabwe and Burma. The scope of the embargo was very narrow and did not have any force of law behind it, he told BBC Radio 4's World At One. In the UK, more export licences were refused under the existing European Union arms code than under the embargo, he said. And only two of the licences denied under the embargo would have been granted under the code. ""The code of conduct is much more effective, it's a more powerful tool of and we intend to strengthen it as a pre-condition of lifting the embargo with China,"" he said.

Mr Straw denied the decision would suggest to China that Tiananmen Square had been forgotten. The level of human rights was a key criteria under the EU arms exports code, he said. Human rights groups say the code of conduct is not legally binding - but Mr Straw said it would be given legal force by the laws of many EU countries. Conservative shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram said the move would be ""profoundly wrong"". The decision could undermine Nato as it severely damaged relations with the US, which is opposed to ending the ban.

Mr Ancram argued: ""What the British Government is doing is giving in to French and German pressure, especially the French, who see vast contracts available to them if the embargo is lifted... ""It gives the wrong signals to China, who are simply not prepared to accept that what happened at Tiananmen Square was wrong."" Mr Straw's China trip is part of regular high-level meetings with Beijing ministers. He will meet Chinese counterpart Minister Li Zhaoxing to discuss developing relations between their two countries, Hong Kong and China's part in the talks on North Korea.
","Mr Straw said it was wrong to put China under the same embargo as countries such as Zimbabwe and Burma.The level of human rights was a key criteria under the EU arms exports code, he said.Human rights groups say the code of conduct is not legally binding - but Mr Straw said it would be given legal force by the laws of many EU countries.UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who will hold talks in Beijing on Thursday, said an EU arms code was more effective than the current ban.In the UK, more export licences were refused under the existing European Union arms code than under the embargo, he said.""The code of conduct is much more effective, it's a more powerful tool of and we intend to strengthen it as a pre-condition of lifting the embargo with China,"" he said.Mr Straw denied the decision would suggest to China that Tiananmen Square had been forgotten.Mr Ancram argued: ""What the British Government is doing is giving in to French and German pressure, especially the French, who see vast contracts available to them if the embargo is lifted... ""It gives the wrong signals to China, who are simply not prepared to accept that what happened at Tiananmen Square was wrong.""And only two of the licences denied under the embargo would have been granted under the code.In December, the EU pledged to work towards lifting the ban but said it was not ready to do so yet."
1068,"Faith schools citizenship warning

Schools must improve the quality of citizenship lessons - or social cohesion and democracy will suffer, says the education watchdog.

Independent faith schools were singled out by Ofsted chief, David Bell, for not doing enough to promote the ""wider tenets of British society"". Mr Bell said Muslim, Jewish and Evangelical Christian schools must be ""intolerant of intolerance"". Diversity ""certainly must not mean segregated or separate"", he said. Mr Bell's speech called for a much greater effort in all types of schools to teach citizenship - with an accompanying survey showing that young people knew little about politics and had no enthusiasm to find out more.

Badly-taught citizenship lessons have previously been criticised by Mr Bell, and in a speech to the Hansard Society, he warned that it was failing to pass on an understanding of democracy, public service and shared values. He highlighted his particular concern for citizenship in the growing number of independent faith schools - which he said included about 100 Muslim, 100 Evangelical Christian and 50 Jewish schools.

Mr Bell expressed concern about schools which did not teach children enough about a ""common heritage"" and needed to do more to promote principles of mutual tolerance and social inclusion. ""I worry that many young people are being educated in faith-based schools, with little appreciation of their wider responsibilities and obligations to British society,"" said Mr Bell. The Ofsted chief said his forthcoming annual report would make particular reference to Muslim schools. ""Many must adapt their curriculum to ensure that it provides pupils with a broad general knowledge of public institutions and services in England and helps them to acquire an appreciation of and respect for other cultures in a way that promotes tolerance and harmony."" Mr Bell said such questions of religion and cultural identity were ""tricky issues"". But he argued that ""we must not allow our recognition of diversity to become apathy in the face of any challenge to our coherence as a nation"". ""I would go further and say that an awareness of our common heritage as British citizens, equal under the law, should enable us to assert with confidence that we are intolerant of intolerance, illiberalism and attitudes and values that demean the place of certain sections of our community, be they women or people living in non-traditional relationships,"" said Mr Bell.
","Mr Bell said Muslim, Jewish and Evangelical Christian schools must be ""intolerant of intolerance"".""I worry that many young people are being educated in faith-based schools, with little appreciation of their wider responsibilities and obligations to British society,"" said Mr Bell.He highlighted his particular concern for citizenship in the growing number of independent faith schools - which he said included about 100 Muslim, 100 Evangelical Christian and 50 Jewish schools.Mr Bell said such questions of religion and cultural identity were ""tricky issues"".Mr Bell expressed concern about schools which did not teach children enough about a ""common heritage"" and needed to do more to promote principles of mutual tolerance and social inclusion.Independent faith schools were singled out by Ofsted chief, David Bell, for not doing enough to promote the ""wider tenets of British society""."
990,"McConnell in 'drunk' remark row

Scotland's first minister has told a group of high school pupils that it is okay to get drunk ""once in a while"".

Jack McConnell was speaking to more than 100 secondary pupils from schools in the Highlands about the problems of binge drinking and drink promotions. He has been criticised by the SNP for encouraging young people to get drunk. But the Scottish Executive has insisted Mr McConnell was speaking about adults and his comments were ""a recognition that people will get drunk"". The first minister's comments came in a question and answer session at Glenurquhart High School in Inverness, attended by pupils from a number of secondary schools. A Highland councillor who was at the event has also defended Mr McConnell. Margaret Davidson, the independent member for the Loch Ness West, said the first minister was speaking in a very general way and she was sure he was speaking about adults at the time.

When one pupil asked Mr McConnell how the executive proposed to tackle under-age drinking, began his response with the quip: ""I'm sure there's no under-age drinking in the Highlands."" He went on to speak about the evils of binge drinking and railed against irresponsible drinks promotions. He said: ""I hope I'm not going to be seen as preaching to anybody here but the really serious problem at the moment is binge drinking and the impact it has on people's health and their ability to control what's happening round about them."" Mr McConnell said he regularly saw reports on the effects of binge drinking sprees which ended in assaults or even rapes, and on the health consequences of binge drinking. ""The one thing we are going to do something really serious about is binge drinking and irresponsible drinks promotions that can help lead to that,"" he said. ""Far too many pub chains in particular are selling far too much booze far too cheaply and encouraging people to drink it far too quickly. ""We are go to clamp down on that and make those promotions illegal in the hope that people can enjoy a drink sensibly over the course of an evening.""

He added: ""By all means get drunk once in a while - but do not get into a situation where people are being encouraged to get completely incapable just to save some money and drink more quickly."" SNP Holyrood leader Nicola Sturgeon said: ""This is an incredible gaffe by Jack McConnell. ""We all know that under-age drinking is an issue in Scotland but it is quite staggering that any politician, particularly the First Minister, should encourage young people to get drunk. ""The first minister should withdraw these remarks immediately."" But an executive spokeswoman insisted Mr McConnell had made the remark with adults, not youngsters, in mind. ""He was talking in the context of adults binge drinking and irresponsible drinks promotions - which are for the over-18s,"" she said. ""It was just a recognition that people will get drunk, but that binge drinking and drinks promotions that encourage it are not acceptable.""
","""It was just a recognition that people will get drunk, but that binge drinking and drinks promotions that encourage it are not acceptable.""Jack McConnell was speaking to more than 100 secondary pupils from schools in the Highlands about the problems of binge drinking and drink promotions.But the Scottish Executive has insisted Mr McConnell was speaking about adults and his comments were ""a recognition that people will get drunk"".""He was talking in the context of adults binge drinking and irresponsible drinks promotions - which are for the over-18s,"" she said.""We all know that under-age drinking is an issue in Scotland but it is quite staggering that any politician, particularly the First Minister, should encourage young people to get drunk.Mr McConnell said he regularly saw reports on the effects of binge drinking sprees which ended in assaults or even rapes, and on the health consequences of binge drinking.""The one thing we are going to do something really serious about is binge drinking and irresponsible drinks promotions that can help lead to that,"" he said.Scotland's first minister has told a group of high school pupils that it is okay to get drunk ""once in a while"".He has been criticised by the SNP for encouraging young people to get drunk."
852,"US composer recreates Bach score

A US musicologist has recreated a lost musical score by German composer Johann Sebastian Bach.

The 1728 composition, called Wedding Cantata BWV 216, was found among the papers of Japanese pianist Chieko Hara, who died in Japan in 2001 aged 86. The work, written for the wedding of a daughter of a German customs official, was missing for 80 years. Joshua Rifkin - a composer and leading interpreter of Bach - has recreated the missing instrumental parts.

He said he originally wanted to let the lost cantata lie in rest. ""Maybe a fragment should stay a fragment,"" said Rifkin. ""Then I thought of palaeontologists, from one bone they figure the entire dinosaur. This is my dinosaur."" The eight rediscovered pages consist of vocal pieces in German for soprano and alto, with the seven movements lasting for a total of between 20 and 25 minutes. The instrumental parts were entirely lost except for two recycled movements, a duet and an aria which had been used elsewhere in Bach's work. Rifkin likened the challenge to a ""musical Rubik's cube"". ""I could not reconstruct what Bach wrote but I could give the people of today an idea of what his music was like,"" he said. ""It sounds like Bach's music, but the listener should not know which part is Bach's and which part is mine.""
","A US musicologist has recreated a lost musical score by German composer Johann Sebastian Bach.Joshua Rifkin - a composer and leading interpreter of Bach - has recreated the missing instrumental parts.The work, written for the wedding of a daughter of a German customs official, was missing for 80 years.""I could not reconstruct what Bach wrote but I could give the people of today an idea of what his music was like,"" he said.The instrumental parts were entirely lost except for two recycled movements, a duet and an aria which had been used elsewhere in Bach's work.""Then I thought of palaeontologists, from one bone they figure the entire dinosaur."
1333,"Edwards tips Idowu for Euro gold

World outdoor triple jump record holder and BBC pundit Jonathan Edwards believes Phillips Idowu can take gold at the European Indoor Championships.

Idowu landed 17.30m at the British trials in Sheffield last month to lead the world triple jump rankings. ""It's all down to him, but if he jumps as well as he did in Sheffield he could win the gold medal,"" said Edwards. ""His ability is undoubted but all his best performances seem to happen in domestic meetings.""

Idowu made his breakthrough five years ago but so far has only a Commonwealth silver medal to his name. Edwards himself kept Idowu off top spot at the Manchester Games. But he believes the European Indoors in Madrid represent a chance for the 26-year-old to prove his credentials as Britain's top triple jumper. ""He has to start producing at international level and here is the beginning,"" said Edwards. ""Phillips still needs to be much more consistent. I'm sure a victory in Madrid will build up his confidence and self-belief that he can be best in the world."" The qualifying round of the men's triple jump in Madrid takes place on Friday with the final scheduled for Saturday. Olympic champion Christian Olsson will not be taking part as he is out for the entire indoor season with an ankle injury.
","World outdoor triple jump record holder and BBC pundit Jonathan Edwards believes Phillips Idowu can take gold at the European Indoor Championships.Idowu landed 17.30m at the British trials in Sheffield last month to lead the world triple jump rankings.""It's all down to him, but if he jumps as well as he did in Sheffield he could win the gold medal,"" said Edwards.Edwards himself kept Idowu off top spot at the Manchester Games.The qualifying round of the men's triple jump in Madrid takes place on Friday with the final scheduled for Saturday."
1570,"Spain coach faces racism inquiry

Spain's Football Federation has initiated disciplinary action against national coach Luis Aragones over racist comments about Thierry Henry.

If found guilty Aragones could lose his job or face a fine of about £22,000. The federation had initially declined to take action against Aragones after comments he made during a national team training session in October. But its president Angel Maria Villar changed his mind after a request by Spain's anti-violence commission. Aragones insisted the comments, made to Henry's Arsenal club-mate Jose Antonio Reyes, were meant to motivate the player, and were not intended to be offensive.

""I never intended to offend anyone, and for that reason I have a very easy conscience,"" he said at the time. ""I'm obliged to motivate my players to get the best results. ""As part of that job, I use colloquial language, with which we can all understand each other within the framework of the football world. "" England's players made a point of wearing anti-racism t-shirts when training before their friendly against Spain in Madrid last month.

But the storm increased following racist chanting by Spanish fans at England's black players during the game, which Spain won 1-0. Spain's minister of sport Jaime Lissavetzky was quick to give his backing to the Federation's decision. ""Everyone who has a public function has to consider their declarations, and make sure they do not give a negative image,"" he said. ""We are going to have zero tolerance in questions of racism.""
","Spain's Football Federation has initiated disciplinary action against national coach Luis Aragones over racist comments about Thierry Henry.Aragones insisted the comments, made to Henry's Arsenal club-mate Jose Antonio Reyes, were meant to motivate the player, and were not intended to be offensive.The federation had initially declined to take action against Aragones after comments he made during a national team training session in October.England's players made a point of wearing anti-racism t-shirts when training before their friendly against Spain in Madrid last month.But the storm increased following racist chanting by Spanish fans at England's black players during the game, which Spain won 1-0.If found guilty Aragones could lose his job or face a fine of about £22,000."
103,"US insurer Marsh cuts 2,500 jobs

Up to 2,500 jobs are to go at US insurance broker Marsh & McLennan in a shake up following bigger-than-expected losses.

The insurer said the cuts were part of a cost-cutting drive, aimed at saving millions of dollars. Marsh posted a $676m (£352m) loss for the last three months of 2004, against a $375m (£195.3m) profit a year before. It blamed an $850m payout to settle a price-rigging lawsuit, brought by New York attorney general Elliot Spitzer. Under the settlement announced in January, Marsh took a pre-tax charge of $618m in the October-to-December quarter, on top of the $232m charge from the previous quarter. ""Clearly 2004 was the most difficult year in MMC's financial history,"" Marsh chief executive Michael Cherkasky said.

An ongoing restructuring drive at the group also led to a $337m hit in the fourth quarter, the world's biggest insurer said.

Analysts expect its latest round of cuts to focus on its brokerage unit, which employs 40,000 staff. The latest layoffs will take the total number of jobs to go at the firm to 5,500 and are expected to lead to annual savings of more than $375m. As part of its efforts to cut costs, the company said it was halving its dividend payment to 17 cents a shares from 34 cents, a move which should enable it to save $360m. Looking ahead, Mr Cherkasky forecast profitable growth for the year ahead ""with an operating margin in the upper-teens, and with the opportunity for further margin expansion"". Meanwhile, the company also announced it would spin-off its MMC Capital private equity unit, which manages the $3bn Trident Funds operation, to a group of employees. Marsh did not say when the move would take place, but said it had signed a letter of intent.

The insurer hit the headlines in October last year when it faced accusations of price rigging. New York Attorney General Elliot Spitzer sued the company, accusing it of receiving illegal payments to steer clients to selected firms as well as rigging bids and fixing prices. In January, Marsh agreed to pay $850m to settle the suit - a figure in line with the placement fees it collected in 2003 - and agreed to change its business practices. In February, a former senior executive pleaded guilty to criminal charges in a wide-ranging probe of fraud and bid-rigging in the insurance industry. In January, a former senior vice president also pleaded guilty to criminal charges related to the investigation. In an effort to reform its business practises, Marsh said it has already introduced new leadership, new compliance procedures and new ways of dealing with customers. ""As a result, we are ready to put these matters behind us and move ahead in 2005 to restore the trust our clients have placed in us and to rebuild shareholder value,"" Mr Cherkasky said.
","""Clearly 2004 was the most difficult year in MMC's financial history,"" Marsh chief executive Michael Cherkasky said.Marsh did not say when the move would take place, but said it had signed a letter of intent.An ongoing restructuring drive at the group also led to a $337m hit in the fourth quarter, the world's biggest insurer said.The insurer said the cuts were part of a cost-cutting drive, aimed at saving millions of dollars.In an effort to reform its business practises, Marsh said it has already introduced new leadership, new compliance procedures and new ways of dealing with customers.As part of its efforts to cut costs, the company said it was halving its dividend payment to 17 cents a shares from 34 cents, a move which should enable it to save $360m.Under the settlement announced in January, Marsh took a pre-tax charge of $618m in the October-to-December quarter, on top of the $232m charge from the previous quarter.Marsh posted a $676m (£352m) loss for the last three months of 2004, against a $375m (£195.3m) profit a year before."
399,"Indian oil firm eyes Yukos assets

India's biggest oil exploration firm, Oil & Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), says it is in talks to buy the former assets of troubled Russian crude producer Yukos.

""We are in touch with the concerned Russian entities about the Yukos assets and other opportunities in Russia,"" said ONGC chairman Subir Raha. Local press had reported that ONGC was looking to buy 15% of Yukos' former key oil production unit for $2bn (£1bn). Yukos is being broken up by Russian authorities to pay a massive tax bill.

It was forced to sell its key production unit Yuganskneftegas (Yugansk) last month after being hit with a bill of $27bn in unpaid taxes and fines.

State-owned Rosneft now owns Yugansk and Russia has said it will turn the oil producer into a stand-alone firm. Indian oil minister Mani Shankar Aiyar discussed ONGC's plans during a trip to Moscow last year, and the topic came up again during Russian president Vladimir Putin's recent visit to New Delhi. ""It would make great sense for us to build on that,"" said Mr Aiyar. India's oil production has stagnated over recent years, and it is having to look abroad to secure future supplies. India imports about 70% of its total oil consumption. At the same time, India's economy is booming and the country's thirst for oil is so strong that it has helped pushed up the price of crude worldwide.

India produces about 793,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), little changed since the start of the 1990s, according to oil industry analysts Douglas-Westwood. Consumption, meanwhile, has jumped to 2.4 million bpd, compared with 474,000 bpd in 1973.

""For countries to develop, they have to have access to energy,"" said John Westwood, managing director of oil industry analysts Douglas-Westwood. India is a ""dramatically growing economy that must have access to oil"". By buying into Yugansk, ONGC would be able to reduce its dependence on Gulf states for oil imports, Mr Westwood explained, especially as the chances of finding and exploiting resources within India are slim. ""We forecast that Indian production will go into significant decline,"" Mr Westwood said. ""By 2020, production may only be at half of today's levels."" ONGC, which is majority-owned by the Indian state, already has bought petroleum assets in countries including Vietnam, Sudan and Russia. The company is a partner with Rosneft in the Sakhalin-1 oil field off Russia's Siberian coast.

ONGC is, however, not the only firm interested in Yugansk.

Chinese crude company China National Petroleum has also been mentioned as a possible investor, while on Thursday, Italy refused to rule out an interest. ONGC's interest is the latest twist in a saga that has seen one of the world's biggest oil producers brought to its knees. The dispute is partly driven by President Putin's clampdown on the political ambitions of ex-Yukos boss Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who is currently in jail on charges of fraud and tax evasion. Yukos has been battling the Russian authorities for more than a year and has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US. Analysts have questioned how long it can continue to survive without Yugansk. On Thursday, a US court said it will hear arguments for Yukos' bankruptcy claim to be thrown out on 16 February. Should that happen, Yukos will have little chance of clawing back its assets, analysts said.
","State-owned Rosneft now owns Yugansk and Russia has said it will turn the oil producer into a stand-alone firm.India's biggest oil exploration firm, Oil & Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), says it is in talks to buy the former assets of troubled Russian crude producer Yukos.Local press had reported that ONGC was looking to buy 15% of Yukos' former key oil production unit for $2bn (£1bn).India produces about 793,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), little changed since the start of the 1990s, according to oil industry analysts Douglas-Westwood.India's oil production has stagnated over recent years, and it is having to look abroad to secure future supplies.Yukos has been battling the Russian authorities for more than a year and has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US.""For countries to develop, they have to have access to energy,"" said John Westwood, managing director of oil industry analysts Douglas-Westwood.By buying into Yugansk, ONGC would be able to reduce its dependence on Gulf states for oil imports, Mr Westwood explained, especially as the chances of finding and exploiting resources within India are slim.India imports about 70% of its total oil consumption.""We are in touch with the concerned Russian entities about the Yukos assets and other opportunities in Russia,"" said ONGC chairman Subir Raha.At the same time, India's economy is booming and the country's thirst for oil is so strong that it has helped pushed up the price of crude worldwide.ONGC's interest is the latest twist in a saga that has seen one of the world's biggest oil producers brought to its knees."
504,"Aids and climate top Davos agenda

Climate change and the fight against Aids are leading the list of concerns for the first day of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos.

Some 2,000 business and political leaders from around the globe will listen to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's opening speech on Wednesday. Mr Blair will focus on Africa's development plans and global warming. Earlier in the day came an update on efforts to have 3 million people on anti-Aids drugs by the end of 2005. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said 700,000 people in poor countries were on life-extending drugs - up from 440,000 six months earlier but amounting to only 12% of the 5.8 million who needed them. A $2bn ""funding gap"" still stood in the way of hitting the 2005 target, the WHO said.

The themes to be stressed by Mr Blair - whose attendance was announced at the last minute - are those he wants to dominate the UK's chairmanship of the G8 group of industrialised states. Other issues to be discussed at the five-day conference range from China's

economic power to Iraq's future after this Sunday's elections. Aside from Mr Blair, more than 20 other world leaders are expected to attend including French President Jacques Chirac - due to speak by video link after bad weather delayed his helicopter - and South African President Thabo Mbeki, whose arrival has been delayed by Ivory Coast peace talks. The Ukraine's new president, Viktor Yushchenko, will also be there - as will newly elected Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. Showbiz figures will also put in an appearance, from U2 frontman Bono - a well-known campaigner on trade and development issues - to Angelina Jolie, a goodwill campaigner for the UN on refugees.

Unlike previous years, protests against the WEF are expected to be muted. Anti-globalisation campaigners have called off a demonstration planned for the weekend. At the same time, about 100,000 people are expected to converge on the Brazilian resort of Porto Alegre for the World Social Forum - the so-called ""anti-Davos"" for campaigners against globalisation, for fair trade, and many other causes.

In contrast, the Davos forum is dominated by business issues - from outsourcing to corporate leadership - with bosses of more than a fifth of the world's 500 largest companies scheduled to attend. A survey published on the eve of the conference by PricewaterhouseCoopers said four in ten business leaders were ""very confident"" that their companies would see sales rise in 2005. Asian and American executives, however, were much more confident than their European counterparts. But the political discussions, focusing on Iran, Iraq and China, are likely to dominate media attention.
","At the same time, about 100,000 people are expected to converge on the Brazilian resort of Porto Alegre for the World Social Forum - the so-called ""anti-Davos"" for campaigners against globalisation, for fair trade, and many other causes.A survey published on the eve of the conference by PricewaterhouseCoopers said four in ten business leaders were ""very confident"" that their companies would see sales rise in 2005.Aside from Mr Blair, more than 20 other world leaders are expected to attend including French President Jacques Chirac - due to speak by video link after bad weather delayed his helicopter - and South African President Thabo Mbeki, whose arrival has been delayed by Ivory Coast peace talks.The World Health Organisation (WHO) said 700,000 people in poor countries were on life-extending drugs - up from 440,000 six months earlier but amounting to only 12% of the 5.8 million who needed them.Showbiz figures will also put in an appearance, from U2 frontman Bono - a well-known campaigner on trade and development issues - to Angelina Jolie, a goodwill campaigner for the UN on refugees.In contrast, the Davos forum is dominated by business issues - from outsourcing to corporate leadership - with bosses of more than a fifth of the world's 500 largest companies scheduled to attend.Climate change and the fight against Aids are leading the list of concerns for the first day of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos.Some 2,000 business and political leaders from around the globe will listen to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's opening speech on Wednesday."
1039,"Malik rejects all-black MP lists

A call for ethnic minority shortlists to boost the number of black and Asian MPs has been rejected by one of Labour's most senior Asians.

Shahid Malik, who is on Labour's ruling NEC, accepted people's frustration but said there should be targets not lists to boost representation of minorities. Just 13 of Britain's 659 MPs are from ethnic minority groups, he added. Commission for racial equality chief Trevor Phillips argued on Sunday the time had come for such shortlists. That came after it emerged that one of Britain's most ethnically diverse constituency, West Ham, was to get a women-only shortlist for the next election following an NEC ruling.

Mr Phillips said changes to the race relations legislation might allow political parties to reserve seats for under-represented groups. For example in West Ham, this might allow only women and minorities to seek to be candidates. ""If we get to the other side of the general election and find that minorities are not represented, we have to say that after 20 or 30 years of talking about this, we cannot go on the same way,"" he said. He added: ""It would be terribly disappointing if in the least white constituency [West Ham] in the whole of Europe we didn't have a minority candidate."" Appearing on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Malik, who is himself running for the seat of Dewsbury, acknowledged that so far women-only shortlists had failed to deliver a boost in the number of ethnic minority candidates.

But he argued: ""I do think that there currently things that parties can do and which they aren't doing... for example setting targets to ensure that existing democratic structures are more reflective."" Labour MP Diane Abbot, who backs Mr Phillips' proposal of shortlists, said she had been elected along with three other ethnic minority MPs - Keith Vaz, Paul Boateng and Bernie Grant - in 1987 but it took another 10 years before another black woman was able to win a seat. That was a rate of progress Ms Abbott described as ""painful"". ""I am a little older than Shahid and served on the National Executive Committee in the 1990s - I was the first black person on the NEC ... crossing our fingers and hoping we are going to get more black and Asian MP hasn't worked,"" she said. ""The shortlist strategy works for women and I believe that it can be made to work for black and Asian people."" On Tuesday Labour chairman Ian McCartney said his party was ""ambitious"" to improve black and Asian representation. ""We haven't ruled out all-black shortlists and welcome a debate in the party about this,"" he said.
","Labour MP Diane Abbot, who backs Mr Phillips' proposal of shortlists, said she had been elected along with three other ethnic minority MPs - Keith Vaz, Paul Boateng and Bernie Grant - in 1987 but it took another 10 years before another black woman was able to win a seat.A call for ethnic minority shortlists to boost the number of black and Asian MPs has been rejected by one of Labour's most senior Asians.On Tuesday Labour chairman Ian McCartney said his party was ""ambitious"" to improve black and Asian representation.That came after it emerged that one of Britain's most ethnically diverse constituency, West Ham, was to get a women-only shortlist for the next election following an NEC ruling.""I am a little older than Shahid and served on the National Executive Committee in the 1990s - I was the first black person on the NEC ... crossing our fingers and hoping we are going to get more black and Asian MP hasn't worked,"" she said.For example in West Ham, this might allow only women and minorities to seek to be candidates.Just 13 of Britain's 659 MPs are from ethnic minority groups, he added."
1423,"Kenyon denies Robben Barca return

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has played down reports that Arjen Robben will return for the Champions League match against Barcelona.

""He's been responding well to treatment and started running on Friday, but we'll have to wait and see,"" he told BBC Five Live's Sportsweek. ""We're looking to getting him back as soon as possible, but he'll be back when it's right for him and for us. ""There's no plans at the moment around the Barcelona game."" His comments contradict those of chiropractor Jean Pierre Meersseman who treated the Dutchman after he fractured his foot at the start of February. Robben had been expected to be out for six weeks, but Meersseman hinted that the winger could be fit for the vital Stamford Bridge game on 8 March. ""I hope he can be back and I will try to help him make that happen,"" Meersseman told the Mail on Sunday. ""I put everything right with Arjen's foot the last time I saw him 12 days ago. It was an obvious correction and easy to perform. ""I know he was pleased with what I did and now that he is running again. I am due to see him one more time again in the next few days."" Meersseman is the medical co-ordinator at Italian side AC Milan.
","""I hope he can be back and I will try to help him make that happen,"" Meersseman told the Mail on Sunday.Robben had been expected to be out for six weeks, but Meersseman hinted that the winger could be fit for the vital Stamford Bridge game on 8 March.""I know he was pleased with what I did and now that he is running again.His comments contradict those of chiropractor Jean Pierre Meersseman who treated the Dutchman after he fractured his foot at the start of February.""I put everything right with Arjen's foot the last time I saw him 12 days ago."
468,"EU to probe Alitalia 'state aid'

The European Commission has officially launched an in-depth investigation into whether Italian airline Alitalia is receiving illegal state aid.

Commission officials are to look at Rome's provision of a 400m euro ($495m; £275m) loan to the carrier. Both the Italian government and Alitalia have repeatedly denied that the money - part of a vital restructuring plan - is state aid. The investigation could take up to 18 months. However, Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot said he wanted it to be carried out as swiftly as possible. ""The Italian authorities have presented a serious industrial plan,"" said Mr Barot. ""We now have to verify certain aspects to confirm that this plan contains no state aid. I would like our analysis to be completed swiftly.""

The matter of possible state aid was brought to the Commission's attention by eight of Alitalia's rivals, including Germany's Lufthansa, British Airways and Spain's Iberia. While Alitalia needs to restructure to bring itself back to profitability, the rival carriers say it has both violated state aid rules and threatened competition. Alitalia lost 330m euros in 2003 as it struggled to get to grips with high costs, spiralling oil prices, competition from budget carriers and reduced demand. It plans to split into AZ Fly and AZ Services, which will handle air and ground services respectively. Alitalia already enjoyed state aid in 1997. EU rules prevent that from happening again in what is known as the ""one time, last time"" rule for airlines. Otherwise, EU regulations on state aid stipulate that governments may help companies financially, but only on the same terms as a commercial investor. The airline declined to comment on the Commission decision.
","The European Commission has officially launched an in-depth investigation into whether Italian airline Alitalia is receiving illegal state aid.Both the Italian government and Alitalia have repeatedly denied that the money - part of a vital restructuring plan - is state aid.Alitalia already enjoyed state aid in 1997.While Alitalia needs to restructure to bring itself back to profitability, the rival carriers say it has both violated state aid rules and threatened competition.""We now have to verify certain aspects to confirm that this plan contains no state aid.Otherwise, EU regulations on state aid stipulate that governments may help companies financially, but only on the same terms as a commercial investor.The matter of possible state aid was brought to the Commission's attention by eight of Alitalia's rivals, including Germany's Lufthansa, British Airways and Spain's Iberia."
1933,"Home phones face unclear future

The fixed line phone in your home could soon be an endangered species.

Research by handset maker Nokia shows that more and more people are using their mobile phone for every call they make or take. According to the study, more than 45 million people in the UK, Germany, US and South Korea now only use a mobile. It showed that people keep their fixed line phone because call charges are lower, but most of those questioned said the future was definitely mobile.

The Nokia-sponsored research showed that mobiles and fixed phones were used for different purposes. Home phones were used for longer calls but conversations on mobiles tended to be shorter, between mobiles and to friends. In the UK 69% of those questioned said they turned to their fixed phone because it was still cheaper to use than a mobile. However, when pressed few could say with accuracy how tariffs on fixed and mobile phones compared. In the US and Germany many of those interviewed said they used the fixed phone because it was more reliable than a mobile handset and let them get access to the net at relatively high speeds. In all the countries where interviews were carried out, older people were more likely to use a fixed line phone more than a mobile. Women aged 50 or above almost never use a mobile phone, the research found.

The move to mobile was most pronounced in South Korea where 65% of those questioned said they already make most of their calls from a mobile. 18% said they would not get a landline if they moved house.

Many of those questioned said they had an emotional connection to their fixed phone that drew on its position in the home and the ""cosiness"" of making a call there. Nokia said these findings had implications for mobile operators who must work hard to ensure that mobiles are seen as cheap, reliable and providing good call quality. The survey also showed that it is not just voice calls that are going wireless. Some of those questioned said they were looking to use a mobile or wireless service to get net access within the next couple of years. Polling firm Mori interviewed more than 6,000 people in the UK, US, Germany and South Korea for the survey.
","It showed that people keep their fixed line phone because call charges are lower, but most of those questioned said the future was definitely mobile.In the UK 69% of those questioned said they turned to their fixed phone because it was still cheaper to use than a mobile.The move to mobile was most pronounced in South Korea where 65% of those questioned said they already make most of their calls from a mobile.In the US and Germany many of those interviewed said they used the fixed phone because it was more reliable than a mobile handset and let them get access to the net at relatively high speeds.Home phones were used for longer calls but conversations on mobiles tended to be shorter, between mobiles and to friends.In all the countries where interviews were carried out, older people were more likely to use a fixed line phone more than a mobile.The Nokia-sponsored research showed that mobiles and fixed phones were used for different purposes.Research by handset maker Nokia shows that more and more people are using their mobile phone for every call they make or take."
2033,"Man auctions ad space on forehead

A 20-year-old US man is selling advertising space on his forehead to the highest bidder on website eBay.

Andrew Fisher, from Omaha, Nebraska, said he would have a non-permanent logo or brand name tattooed on his head for 30 days. ""The way I see it I'm selling something I already own; after 30 days I get it back,"" he told the BBC Today programme. Mr Fisher has received 39 bids so far, with the largest bid currently at more than $322 (£171). ""The winner will be able to send me a tattoo or have me go to a tattoo parlour and get a temporary ink tattoo on my forehead and this will be something they choose, a company name or domain name, perhaps their logo,"" he told the Radio 4 programme.

On the online auction, Mr Fisher describes himself as an ""average American Joe, give or take"". His sales pitch adds: ""Take advantage of this radical advertising campaign and become a part of history."" Mr Fisher said that while he would accept any brand name or logo, ""I wouldn't go around with a swastika or anything racial"". He added: ""I wouldn't go around with 666, the mark of the beast. ""Other than that I wouldn't promote anything socially unacceptable such as adult websites or stores."" He said he would use the money to pay college - he is planning to study graphic design. The entrepreneur said his mother was initially surprised by his decision but following all the media attention she felt he was ""thinking outside the box"".
","Mr Fisher said that while he would accept any brand name or logo, ""I wouldn't go around with a swastika or anything racial"".Andrew Fisher, from Omaha, Nebraska, said he would have a non-permanent logo or brand name tattooed on his head for 30 days.""The winner will be able to send me a tattoo or have me go to a tattoo parlour and get a temporary ink tattoo on my forehead and this will be something they choose, a company name or domain name, perhaps their logo,"" he told the Radio 4 programme.On the online auction, Mr Fisher describes himself as an ""average American Joe, give or take"".He added: ""I wouldn't go around with 666, the mark of the beast."
25,"Yukos loses US bankruptcy battle

A judge has dismissed an attempt by Russian oil giant Yukos to gain bankruptcy protection in the US.

Yukos filed for Chapter 11 protection in Houston in an unsuccessful attempt to halt the auction of its Yugansk division by the Russian authorities. The court ruling is a blow to efforts to get damages for the sale of Yugansk, which Yukos claims was illegally sold. Separately, former Yukos boss Mikhail Khodorkovsky began testimony on Friday in his trial for fraud and tax evasion.

Mr Khodorkovsky - who has been in jail for more than a year - pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him and denied involvement in any criminal activities. ""I pride myself on heading for 15 years a number of successful companies and helping other enterprises rise from their knees,"" he told a Russian court.

Yugansk was auctioned to help pay off $27.5bn (£14.5bn) in unpaid taxes. It was bought for $9.4bn by a previously-unknown group, which was in turn bought up almost immediately by state-controlled oil company Rosneft.

Texas Judge Letitia Clark said Yukos did not have enough of a US presence to establish US jurisdiction. ""The vast majority of the business and financial activities of Yukos continue to occur in Russia,"" Judge Clark said in her ruling. ""Such activities require the continued participation of the Russian government."" Yukos had argued that a US court was entitled to declare it bankrupt before its Yugansk unit was sold, since it has local bank accounts and its chief finance officer Bruce Misamore lives in Houston. Yukos claimed it sought help in the US because other forums - Russian courts and the European Court of Human Rights - were either unfriendly or offered less protection. Russia had indicated it would in any case not abide by the rulings of the US courts.

In her ruling, the judge acknowledged that ""it appears likely that agencies of the Russian government have acted in a manner that would be considered confiscatory under United States law"". But she said her role was simply to decide on jurisdiction. The US court's jurisdiction had been challenged by Deutsche Bank and Gazpromneft, a former unit of Russian gas monopoly Gazprom which is due to merge with Rosneft. Analysts said the ability of Gazprom and Rosneft to trade freely overseas had been stifled while the ownership of Yugansk remained unclear.

Yukos said it would consider its options in light of the ruling. However, it claimed that the court had backed its argument in four out of five key issues. ""We believe the merits of our case are strong and simple,"" said chief executive Steven Theede. ""Our assets were illegally seized. We want them back or damages paid.""
","The court ruling is a blow to efforts to get damages for the sale of Yugansk, which Yukos claims was illegally sold.Yukos had argued that a US court was entitled to declare it bankrupt before its Yugansk unit was sold, since it has local bank accounts and its chief finance officer Bruce Misamore lives in Houston.A judge has dismissed an attempt by Russian oil giant Yukos to gain bankruptcy protection in the US.Texas Judge Letitia Clark said Yukos did not have enough of a US presence to establish US jurisdiction.Yukos claimed it sought help in the US because other forums - Russian courts and the European Court of Human Rights - were either unfriendly or offered less protection.Yukos said it would consider its options in light of the ruling.""The vast majority of the business and financial activities of Yukos continue to occur in Russia,"" Judge Clark said in her ruling.Yukos filed for Chapter 11 protection in Houston in an unsuccessful attempt to halt the auction of its Yugansk division by the Russian authorities.The US court's jurisdiction had been challenged by Deutsche Bank and Gazpromneft, a former unit of Russian gas monopoly Gazprom which is due to merge with Rosneft.Russia had indicated it would in any case not abide by the rulings of the US courts."
40,"Umbro profits lifted by Euro 2004

UK sportswear firm Umbro has posted a 222% rise in annual profit after sales of replica England football kits were boosted by the Euro 2004 tournament.

Pre-tax profit for 2004 was £15.4m ($29.4m). Umbro, which recently lost sponsorship deals with Chelsea and Celtic, said on Thursday it had signed a new four-year agreement with Scottish club Rangers. It hopes 2005 sales will benefit from the launch of a new England replica shirt ahead of the 2006 World Cup. In January, Umbro announced its sponsorship agreement with Chelsea, which gave Umbro the lucrative right to make replica shirts, would end in 2006, five years earlier than expected. The firm, which is to receive a payment from Chelsea of £24.5m, said it is ""appraising a number of additional investment opportunities as a result of this compensation"" . Chief executive Peter McGuigan said the firm plans to grow sales both in the UK and internationally.

The firm, reporting its first annual results since listing on the London Stock Exchange in June, said the UK market had seen sales growth of 8% last year. It said the launch of its Evolution X fashion range had boosted sales. Umbro supplies more than 150 teams across the world including the national sides of Ireland, Sweden and Norway. Shares in Umbro were up 1.76% at 115.5 pence in morning trade.
","UK sportswear firm Umbro has posted a 222% rise in annual profit after sales of replica England football kits were boosted by the Euro 2004 tournament.Umbro, which recently lost sponsorship deals with Chelsea and Celtic, said on Thursday it had signed a new four-year agreement with Scottish club Rangers.In January, Umbro announced its sponsorship agreement with Chelsea, which gave Umbro the lucrative right to make replica shirts, would end in 2006, five years earlier than expected.The firm, reporting its first annual results since listing on the London Stock Exchange in June, said the UK market had seen sales growth of 8% last year.Chief executive Peter McGuigan said the firm plans to grow sales both in the UK and internationally."
508,"HealthSouth ex-boss goes on trial

The former head of US medical services firm HealthSouth overstated earnings and assets to boost the company's share price, it was claimed in court.

Richard Scrushy, 52, is accused of ""directing"" a $2.7bn (£1.4bn) accounting fraud at the company he co-founded in Alabama in 1984. Prosecutors said he was motivated by wealth - spending about $200m between 1996 and 2002 while earning much less. Defence lawyers said Mr Scrushy had been deceived by other executives. Several former HealthSouth employees have already pleaded guilty to fraud and are expected to give evidence against Mr Scrushy.

""We will present evidence that Richard Scrushy knew about the conspiracy, that he participated in the conspiracy and that he profited,"" prosecutor Alice Martin told the court. Mr Scrushy is the first chief executive to be tried for breaching the Sarbanes Oxley Act - a law introduced in the wake of the Enron and WorldCom frauds which obliges corporate bosses to vouch for the accuracy of their companies' results. Among the charges he faces are conspiracy to commit fraud, filing false statements and money laundering. After federal agents raided HealthSouth's offices in March 2003, the company said none of its past financial statements could be relied on. The firm has since reorganised its board and management team and currently operates about 1,400 health clinics.
","Several former HealthSouth employees have already pleaded guilty to fraud and are expected to give evidence against Mr Scrushy.Defence lawyers said Mr Scrushy had been deceived by other executives.Richard Scrushy, 52, is accused of ""directing"" a $2.7bn (£1.4bn) accounting fraud at the company he co-founded in Alabama in 1984.""We will present evidence that Richard Scrushy knew about the conspiracy, that he participated in the conspiracy and that he profited,"" prosecutor Alice Martin told the court."
2138,"Junk e-mails on relentless rise

Spam traffic is up by 40%, putting the total amount of e-mail that is junk up to an astonishing 90%.

The figures, from e-mail management firm Email Systems, will alarm firms attempting to cope with the amount of spam in their in-boxes. While virus traffic has slowed down, denial of service attacks are on the increase according to the firm. Virus mail accounts for just over 15% of all e-mail traffic analysis by the firm has found.

It is no longer just multi-nationals that are in danger of so-called denial of service attacks, in which websites are bombarded by requests for information and rendered inaccessible. Email Systems refers to a small UK-based engineering firm, which received a staggering 12 million e-mails in January. The type of spam currently being sent has subtlety altered in the last few months, according to Email Systems analysis. Half of spam received since Christmas has been health-related with gambling and porn also on the increase. Scam mails, offering ways to make a quick buck, have declined by 40%. ""January is clearly a month when consumers are less motivated to purchase financial products or put money into dubious financial opportunities,"" said Neil Hammerton, managing director of Email Systems. ""Spammers seem to have adapted their output to reflect this, focussing instead on medically motivated and pornographic offers, presumably intentionally intended to coincide with what is traditionally considered to be the bleakest month in the calendar,"" he said.
","The figures, from e-mail management firm Email Systems, will alarm firms attempting to cope with the amount of spam in their in-boxes.Virus mail accounts for just over 15% of all e-mail traffic analysis by the firm has found.Email Systems refers to a small UK-based engineering firm, which received a staggering 12 million e-mails in January.While virus traffic has slowed down, denial of service attacks are on the increase according to the firm.The type of spam currently being sent has subtlety altered in the last few months, according to Email Systems analysis."
1299,"Voters 'don't trust politicians'

Eight out of 10 voters do not trust politicians to tell the truth, a new poll conducted for the BBC suggests.

And 87% of the 1,000 adults quizzed by ICM for BBC News 24 said politicians did not deliver what they promised. The poll comes after Foreign Secretary Jack Straw predicted trust would be ""the key choice"" at the next election. Both the Tories and the Lib Dems are keen to emphasise a perceived lack of trust in Tony Blair, following his claims over Iraqi weapons.

But according to the BBC poll, 61% said the issue of trust made no difference to whether or not they would vote at the next election, widely expected on 5 May. The poll also looked at what lay behind the lack of trust in politicians. Some 87% said politicians did not keep the promises they made before elections, while 92% said they never gave ""a straight answer"". Just under three-quarters of respondents (73%) said politicians had shown themselves to be dishonest too often.

Mr Straw told activists in Blackburn on Thursday that voters would have to decide at the next election which party ""best deserves"" their ""future trust"". ""That in the end is the key choice at the next election.""

He acknowledged that the public had lost faith in Labour, but suggested it could persuade people to ""reinvest their trust with us"" if the party could overcome Tory attempts to spread cynicism in politics. The Conservatives are keen to highlight the trust issue. During his response to Gordon Brown's Budget statement on Tuesday, Michael Howard compared the chancellor's figures to the prime minister's claims about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

The Lib Dems are also keen to highlight the trust issue, with Charles Kennedy has claiming voters had a ""fundamental lack of trust in the prime minister"". And the Green Party unveiled a billboard opposite the Palace of Westminster accusing the government of lying over the Iraq war.

Former education secretary Estelle Morris told BBC News 24 that there was a ""real problem of trust"" between the public and the politicians. She said she did not feel her own colleagues could be trusted, but suggested the ""three-cornered relationship"" between the press, politicians and the public had a hand in the issue. The public was often turned off by sitting on the sidelines in ""the battle of words"" between the politician and the journalist, she added. Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman Menzies Campbell said the Iraq war had hit trust in politicians hard. ""Issues of war and peace, life and death do have a very damaging effect on the credibility of politicians"". Martin Bell, who won the Tatton seat from Tory Neil Hamilton on anti-corruption platform, said politicians often failed to see themselves as others did. ""We need public figures we trust to tell the truth and who can see themselves as others see them.""
","But according to the BBC poll, 61% said the issue of trust made no difference to whether or not they would vote at the next election, widely expected on 5 May.Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman Menzies Campbell said the Iraq war had hit trust in politicians hard.The Lib Dems are also keen to highlight the trust issue, with Charles Kennedy has claiming voters had a ""fundamental lack of trust in the prime minister"".Eight out of 10 voters do not trust politicians to tell the truth, a new poll conducted for the BBC suggests.The poll comes after Foreign Secretary Jack Straw predicted trust would be ""the key choice"" at the next election.The Conservatives are keen to highlight the trust issue.Former education secretary Estelle Morris told BBC News 24 that there was a ""real problem of trust"" between the public and the politicians.The poll also looked at what lay behind the lack of trust in politicians.Mr Straw told activists in Blackburn on Thursday that voters would have to decide at the next election which party ""best deserves"" their ""future trust""."
1530,"Kerr frustrated at victory margin

Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr admitted he was frustrated his side did not score more than one goal in their friendly win over Croatia.

Robbie Keane took his Republic record to 24 with a first-half goal which proved enough for victory. ""We had more good chances. It is just a shame we did not take them against such a technically gifted team,"" said Kerr. ""But, given the conditions and the standard of the Croatian team, we should be very happy with the win."" The Republic side kept a clean sheet for the eighth time in 11 matches and are unbeaten in 14 home games since Kerr succeeded Mick McCarthy. Kerr applauded the decisive move which earned the victory. ""It was a brilliant goal, fantastic skill by Damien Duff. Robbie might have scuffed it a little but it was a good goal."" Matchwinner Keane was another full of praise for Duff's role in the goal. ""It was great play from Damien,"" said the Tottenham striker.

""I always try to be sniffing around because you know nine times out of 10 Duffer is going to get it in the box. ""Playing three up was something different. Brian Kerr wanted to try it out and it was good to see young Stephen Elliott getting a run-out. ""The conditions were difficult but he did well and is definitely one for the future. It is nice to see young players coming through."" Man-of-the-match Duff explained what went wrong when he fluffed a chance to make it 2-0 midway through the second half. He opted to bring Steve Finnan's cross down and shoot against the bar when a close-range header looked the best option. ""I would have headed that every time but I completely lost it in the lights,"" said the Chelsea star. ""I was desperate to get on the scoresheet myself but the result is the important thing. ""We have had a good year and are going nicely in the qualifiers. Hopefully that can continue in 2005.""
","Brian Kerr wanted to try it out and it was good to see young Stephen Elliott getting a run-out.Robbie might have scuffed it a little but it was a good goal.""Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr admitted he was frustrated his side did not score more than one goal in their friendly win over Croatia.""It was a brilliant goal, fantastic skill by Damien Duff.""It was great play from Damien,"" said the Tottenham striker.Matchwinner Keane was another full of praise for Duff's role in the goal.""I was desperate to get on the scoresheet myself but the result is the important thing.""Playing three up was something different.It is just a shame we did not take them against such a technically gifted team,"" said Kerr."
1145,"No election TV debate, says Blair

Tony Blair has said he will not take part in a TV debate with his political rivals ahead of the next election.

""We answer this every election campaign and, for the reasons I have given before, the answer is no,"" he said at his monthly news conference. In October Tory leader Michael Howard said Mr Blair would be running scared if he refused calls to go head-to-head. In recent years the leader of the opposition has always called for a debate, although it has never happened. Before the 2001 election, plans for a debate between Mr Blair, William Hague and Charles Kennedy collapsed. In 1997 a debate between Mr Blair and John Major was also cancelled when a format could not be agreed. Televised debates have become the high point of the US presidential election campaigns.
","Tony Blair has said he will not take part in a TV debate with his political rivals ahead of the next election.Before the 2001 election, plans for a debate between Mr Blair, William Hague and Charles Kennedy collapsed.In 1997 a debate between Mr Blair and John Major was also cancelled when a format could not be agreed."
124,"Bargain calls widen Softbank loss

Japanese communications firm Softbank has widened losses after heavy spending on a new cut-rate phone service.

The service, launched in December and dubbed ""Otoku"" or ""bargain"", has had almost 900,000 orders, Softbank said. The firm, a market leader in high-speed internet, had an operating loss for the three months to December of 7.5bn yen ($71.5m; £38.4m). But without the Otoku marketing spend it would have made a profit - and expects to move into the black in 2006. The firm did not give a figure for the extent of profits it expected to make next year. It was born in the 1990s tech boom, investing widely and becoming a fast-rising star, till the end of the tech bubble hit it hard. Its recent return to a high profile came with the purchase of Japan Telecom, the country's third-biggest fixed-line telecoms firm. The acquisition spurred its broadband internet division to pole position in the Japanese market, with more than 5.1 million subscribers at the end of December.
","The firm, a market leader in high-speed internet, had an operating loss for the three months to December of 7.5bn yen ($71.5m; £38.4m).Japanese communications firm Softbank has widened losses after heavy spending on a new cut-rate phone service.The service, launched in December and dubbed ""Otoku"" or ""bargain"", has had almost 900,000 orders, Softbank said.The acquisition spurred its broadband internet division to pole position in the Japanese market, with more than 5.1 million subscribers at the end of December."
428,"Karachi stocks hit historic high

The Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) has recorded its largest single day gain, surging 3.5% to a new high.

The index rose 225.79 points in four hours of furious trading, with many investors optimistic that political stability could bring an economic boom. The KSE index closed at 6709.93 - an overall gain of nearly 400 points in the first two trading days of the week. Energy and telecommunication stocks performed particularly well, recording an 8%-10% rise since Monday morning.

In 2002, the KSE was the world's best performing stock market, with the index rising 112%.

Pakistani investors are expecting the KSE to repeat, if not improve on, its 2002 performance. Jubilant investors danced on the streets as the market closed for the day on Tuesday, confident that the boom will continue at least until the public holiday on 22 January. Others, however, who had stayed out fearing an imminent collapse because of prices overheating, continued to warn that the ""bubble may burst any time"". ""That's rubbish,"" KSE chairman Yaseen Lakhani told the BBC News website. ""Whenever the market reflects Pakistan's true economic reality, it is described as a bubble."" Mr Lakhani feels that the market has risen on the basis of solid economic growth and its current level rests on sound foundations.

Market analysts are inclined to agree with Mr Lakhani, arguing that there are a number of major factors behind the KSE's performance. Analysts argue that a steady improvement in Pakistan's credit ratings by international credit rating agencies has finally begun to register in the market. Standard & Poor's upgraded Pakistan a few weeks ago. There are indications of yet another upgrade by the end of February.

Then, say analysts, there is corporate profitability in the current fiscal year, which has gone up by 27% from last year. ""Coupled with the 7% GDP growth expected by June this year, I am least surprised at the market's performance,"" says Mr Lakhani. One leading Karachi broker said the real reasons may be political. ""If you file a $1.3 trillion case against Saudi money after 9/11, Arab money will not go to the US any more."" A lot of Arab money, he says, has already gone to Malaysia and Indonesia. Pakistanis are now hoping that energy and telecoms, two of the strongest sectors in Pakistan, draw some of the Arab money to the KSE.

Locally, too, say analysts, recent political developments have worked to the market's advantage.

An anti-Musharraf campaign threatened by the MMA, a countrywide alliance of religious parties, has fizzled out. The release of Asif Zardari, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's husband, has eased political tensions between the military-backed government and the opposition Pakistan People's Party. Most importantly, say analysts, the failure of talks between India and Pakistan on the Baglihar dam in Indian-administered Kashmir has not automatically led to heightened tensions. This, they say, indicates that neither country is interested in raising the temperature at this stage, irrespective of the state of their disagreements. The market is abuzz with speculation that substantial investment may now start to flow in from the US, a country seen locally as deeply interested in defusing tensions between the South Asian neighbours. ""You can call it a peace dividend,"" smiles one broker. ""Let us see how long one can reap its benefits.""
","Mr Lakhani feels that the market has risen on the basis of solid economic growth and its current level rests on sound foundations.The Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) has recorded its largest single day gain, surging 3.5% to a new high.In 2002, the KSE was the world's best performing stock market, with the index rising 112%.Pakistanis are now hoping that energy and telecoms, two of the strongest sectors in Pakistan, draw some of the Arab money to the KSE.Then, say analysts, there is corporate profitability in the current fiscal year, which has gone up by 27% from last year.The KSE index closed at 6709.93 - an overall gain of nearly 400 points in the first two trading days of the week.""Coupled with the 7% GDP growth expected by June this year, I am least surprised at the market's performance,"" says Mr Lakhani.One leading Karachi broker said the real reasons may be political.Most importantly, say analysts, the failure of talks between India and Pakistan on the Baglihar dam in Indian-administered Kashmir has not automatically led to heightened tensions.A lot of Arab money, he says, has already gone to Malaysia and Indonesia.Locally, too, say analysts, recent political developments have worked to the market's advantage.Analysts argue that a steady improvement in Pakistan's credit ratings by international credit rating agencies has finally begun to register in the market."
1163,"UKIP's secret weapon?

By any measure, New Yorker Dick Morris is that thing Americans love over everything else - a winner.

This is the man who, some pundits believe, was almost single-handedly responsible for Bill Clinton's sensational 1992 comeback victory. But Morris is no ideologue. He has worked as election strategist for any number of Republicans as well and, more recently, politicians from Mexico to Uruguay. Now he is back in London as the UK Independence Party's not-so-secret electoral weapon after returning from the Ukraine where he helped - you guessed it - opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko. If there is one regular criticism levelled at Morris, it is that he is too ready to switch allegiances. That he enjoys the game more than the politics.

So why Britain and why UKIP which, despite its recent EU election successes, is not likely to pull off a sensational victory in the looming general election. On this subject, Morris appears almost evangelical.

""I was on a cruise in the Mediterranean and, coincidentally, so was UKIP leader Roger Knapman. ""I had just written a piece saying how the English Channel was now wider than the Atlantic which he liked and it went from there"". But what is it about UKIP that particularly attracts him? Many might think it is simply another chance to practice his art, irrespective of the politics. ""I think the greatest threat to democracy in the world is not terrorism but bureaucratism"". A great soundbite, but a surprise coming from a New Yorker post 11 September. ""It is the growth of these bodies composed of experts who know better, who don't believe in letting democracy govern but believe in letting the correct solution be determined. ""That's international bankers, the World Trade Organisation, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and, primarily, the European Union"".

So he is out to help UKIP take Britain out of this organisation which he believes is unreformable and inherently undemocratic. And he is scathing of the Tory party which he also appears to believe is unreformable. ""The Tory party is schizophrenic about Europe. But until somebody says they are willing to leave the EU they can't possibly re-negotiate anything (as Michael Howard is pledged to do). ""It's like walking into a liquor store with a gun to rob it and saying: 'before I can proceed with the robbery I want to make clear I am not going to shoot anybody'"". Possibly a very American analogy, but another great soundbite. ""The basic point is that the EU seeks political integration to move the entire nexus of decision making away from Britain - and we oppose that and the Tories cannot be trusted to oppose it"".

So is UKIP's job to destroy the Tories, as former member Robert Kilroy-Silk once notoriously declared? ""No. The aim of UKIP is to withdraw from the EU and if it has any relation to the Tories it is to stiffen the Tories' spine on the issue by having a large enough UKIP vote so that we move the Tories in the direction they are refusing to move.

""But it's not just to shift the Tories. I think UKIP had a huge amount to do with Tony Blair's decision to hold a referendum on the European constitution and I think it had a huge amount to do with his refusal to go into the euro"". And, while we are on the subject of Mr Kilroy-Silk, Mr Morris despatches him with another of his neat soundbites. ""Robert Kilroy Silk is not a team player - it is a good idea our party stands for some thing and not some one"".

So what is the big plan for the general election. How will he achieve the breakthrough? ""Look, we are not going to be forming the next government,"" he said. Neither does UKIP have to fight every seat. As with the 2004 US presidential election, he says, the outcome will be decided by a small number of swing seats - just as he believes it will in Britain. So, with limited resources, the aim is to target those seats and end the day with a significant group in the Commons. He also believes it is possible the internet could have a big part in the poll. ""The internet was a decisive factor in the 2004 presidential election - through blogs (individuals posting their views in online diaries). People just did it"". ""Anything can happen in the next general election. There is an inherent instability at the moment. ""Labour and the Tories have drawn the consensus so tightly and to the left there is room for another voice"".

That might, he suggests, lead to a hung parliament with UKIP and others holding the balance of power. It is a huge task, surely. But there is undoubtedly a sense that the next general election may indeed produce some surprises - even while most still believe it is Labour's for the taking. UKIP's performance in last year's European elections was just such a shocker and showed that Mr Morris may have a point about the new consensus. And after all, he has a reputation to sustain.
","So why Britain and why UKIP which, despite its recent EU election successes, is not likely to pull off a sensational victory in the looming general election.UKIP's performance in last year's European elections was just such a shocker and showed that Mr Morris may have a point about the new consensus.The aim of UKIP is to withdraw from the EU and if it has any relation to the Tories it is to stiffen the Tories' spine on the issue by having a large enough UKIP vote so that we move the Tories in the direction they are refusing to move.""Anything can happen in the next general election.So what is the big plan for the general election.But there is undoubtedly a sense that the next general election may indeed produce some surprises - even while most still believe it is Labour's for the taking.As with the 2004 US presidential election, he says, the outcome will be decided by a small number of swing seats - just as he believes it will in Britain.So he is out to help UKIP take Britain out of this organisation which he believes is unreformable and inherently undemocratic.I think UKIP had a huge amount to do with Tony Blair's decision to hold a referendum on the European constitution and I think it had a huge amount to do with his refusal to go into the euro"".And he is scathing of the Tory party which he also appears to believe is unreformable.""I was on a cruise in the Mediterranean and, coincidentally, so was UKIP leader Roger Knapman.And, while we are on the subject of Mr Kilroy-Silk, Mr Morris despatches him with another of his neat soundbites.On this subject, Morris appears almost evangelical.""The internet was a decisive factor in the 2004 presidential election - through blogs (individuals posting their views in online diaries).But what is it about UKIP that particularly attracts him?Neither does UKIP have to fight every seat.But Morris is no ideologue.Many might think it is simply another chance to practice his art, irrespective of the politics.""Labour and the Tories have drawn the consensus so tightly and to the left there is room for another voice"".He has worked as election strategist for any number of Republicans as well and, more recently, politicians from Mexico to Uruguay."
1303,"Boateng to step down at election

Paul Boateng, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, is to step down as a Labour MP at the forthcoming general election.

Mr Boateng, 53, is to become the UK's high commissioner to South Africa. He was the UK's first black cabinet minister when appointed to his post in 2002, promoted from the Home Office, where he had been prisons minister. Mr Boateng served on the Greater London Council before being elected to Parliament in 1987, declaring ""today Brent South, tomorrow Soweto"". He will succeed the previous High Commissioner, Ann Grant, shortly after the next election, which is widely expected to be held on 5 May. The appointment is dependent on Labour's re-election.

Prime Minister Tony Blair said: ""Paul has been both a valued colleague and a trusted friend for many years. ""He has made an immense contribution to public life in Britain and I am delighted that he has agreed to continue that service to the people of Britain by acting as their representative in South Africa."" Chancellor Gordon Brown said: ""Over the past eight years Paul's contribution to the Treasury and the government has been exceptional - and it has been my privilege to have worked closely with him closely at the Treasury. ""I congratulate Paul on his new appointment. ""He has displayed huge dedication to the cause of African development for many years and it is fitting that, in this year of challenge and opportunity for the African continent, Paul has been given such a pivotal role in our fight against poverty and injustice. ""I look forward to continuing to work with Paul on this vital agenda.""

Mr Boateng said: ""I am honoured to be asked to take on this role, especially as it comes at such an integral time for our relationship with South Africa and the African continent. ""There shall be many new challenges and opportunities ahead and I look forward to embracing them with great anticipation."" Asked if he was appointed as the result of a ""fair and open"" competition, he replied: ""I have been appointed as a result of a process that's been used before by Labour and Conservative governments to appoint people of all parties who have relevant experience."" Mr Boateng also laughed off suggestions that his re-election in Brent South seat had been in danger saying it was ""one of the safest Labour seats in the country"". Shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram said that, if in government, he would refuse to approve either Mr Boateng's appointment or that of ex-Cabinet minister Helen Liddell as high commissioner to Australia. ""Mr Blair's appointment of Paul Boateng is the latest example of a worrying trend of failed Tony's cronies being appointed to senior diplomatic posts,"" he said.
","Mr Boateng, 53, is to become the UK's high commissioner to South Africa.""Mr Blair's appointment of Paul Boateng is the latest example of a worrying trend of failed Tony's cronies being appointed to senior diplomatic posts,"" he said.Mr Boateng said: ""I am honoured to be asked to take on this role, especially as it comes at such an integral time for our relationship with South Africa and the African continent.Shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram said that, if in government, he would refuse to approve either Mr Boateng's appointment or that of ex-Cabinet minister Helen Liddell as high commissioner to Australia.Prime Minister Tony Blair said: ""Paul has been both a valued colleague and a trusted friend for many years.""I congratulate Paul on his new appointment.Paul Boateng, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, is to step down as a Labour MP at the forthcoming general election.Mr Boateng also laughed off suggestions that his re-election in Brent South seat had been in danger saying it was ""one of the safest Labour seats in the country""."
226,"McDonald's to sponsor MTV show

McDonald's, the world's largest restaurant chain, is to sponsor a programme on music channel MTV as part of its latest youth market promotion.

The show Advance Warning highlights new talent and MTV reckons it will give McDonald's access to nearly 400 million homes in 162 countries. McDonald's golden arches, name and ""I'm loving it"" catchphrase will be used throughout the half-hour programme. The move comes amid growing concerns about obesity in Europe and the US.

The European Union has called on the food industry to reduce the number of adverts aimed at young children, warning that legislation would be introduced. unless voluntary steps were taken. In the US, food group Kraft is among firms that already have cut back on promoting sugar and fattening products to the young. McDonalds has also been taking steps to improve its junk food reputation, revamping its menu and providing clients with health-related products such as pedometers. As well as burgers like the Big Mac and Quarter Pounder with Cheese, the company now sells healthier options such as salads and fresh fruit. Chief executive Jim Skinner attributed an 8.3% increase in January worldwide sales to the ""vitality of our menu"", among other things.

Hooking up with MTV is expected to add extra momentum to McDonald's recent revival. MTV, which played a key role in the emergence of the music video, is to show Advance Warning on all 25 of its channels across the world. The programme can at present only been seen in the US, where it has featured artists like British stars Joss Stone and Franz Ferdinand. McDonald's has targeted the youth market in the past with its advertisements, signing up stars like jelly-legged dancer Justin Timberlake and all-woman singing group Destiny's Child.
","McDonalds has also been taking steps to improve its junk food reputation, revamping its menu and providing clients with health-related products such as pedometers.McDonald's, the world's largest restaurant chain, is to sponsor a programme on music channel MTV as part of its latest youth market promotion.McDonald's has targeted the youth market in the past with its advertisements, signing up stars like jelly-legged dancer Justin Timberlake and all-woman singing group Destiny's Child.The show Advance Warning highlights new talent and MTV reckons it will give McDonald's access to nearly 400 million homes in 162 countries.The programme can at present only been seen in the US, where it has featured artists like British stars Joss Stone and Franz Ferdinand.In the US, food group Kraft is among firms that already have cut back on promoting sugar and fattening products to the young."
896,"Buffy creator joins Wonder Woman

The creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is to take on a new female superhero after signing up to write and direct the Wonder Woman movie.

Joss Whedon described the DC Comics character as ""the most iconic female heroine of our time"". ""In a way, no one has met her yet,"" he said. ""What I love most about icons is finding out what's behind them, exploring the price of their power."" Linda Carter played the character in the 1970s TV series. The character of Wonder Woman, famed for her red and gold costume, was born on Paradise Island, and was blessed with the powers of strength and flight. The film is being produced by Joel Silver, producer of the Matrix trilogy.

""There's no one better than Joss to adapt the legendary Wonder Woman comic book character created in the 1940s into a dynamic feature film for 21st Century audiences,"" said Silver. ""Wonder Woman was the first great female superhero to emerge from comic books and later inspire millions of fans in her television incarnation... but this groundbreaking heroine has yet to be reinvented for the feature film arena."" Whedon created the character of Buffy in the screenplay for the 1992 film. He distanced himself from the movie because of the direction it eventually took, and the film bombed. But he did not give up on the Slayer and went on to write and executive produce seven seasons of the cult TV series. He also produced the spin-off Angel series. He is currently directing the film Serenity, based on his short-lived sci-fi series Firefly.
","""There's no one better than Joss to adapt the legendary Wonder Woman comic book character created in the 1940s into a dynamic feature film for 21st Century audiences,"" said Silver.Whedon created the character of Buffy in the screenplay for the 1992 film.""Wonder Woman was the first great female superhero to emerge from comic books and later inspire millions of fans in her television incarnation... but this groundbreaking heroine has yet to be reinvented for the feature film arena.""Linda Carter played the character in the 1970s TV series.The character of Wonder Woman, famed for her red and gold costume, was born on Paradise Island, and was blessed with the powers of strength and flight.The creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is to take on a new female superhero after signing up to write and direct the Wonder Woman movie."
237,"Britannia members' £42m windfall

More than 800,000 Britannia Building Society members are to receive a profit share worth on average £52 each.

Members of the UK's second largest building society will share £42m, with 100,000 receiving a windfall of more than £100. Depending on how much they borrow or invest, members earn ""reward"" points which entitle them to a share of the society's profits. The payouts are bigger than last year, because of stricter eligibility rules. Last year, Britannia members shared £42m, but the average payment was only £38.

To qualify for this year's payment, customers must have been members for at least two years on 31 December 2004. Britannia has also stopped making payments to members if they are worth less than £5.

To qualify for the profit share, members must have either a mortgage, or an investment account other than a deposit account. Customers can also qualify if they have Permanent Interest Bearing Shares (PIBS). The profit share scheme was introduced in 1997 and has paid out more than £370m. Britannia will unveil its results on Wednesday.
","More than 800,000 Britannia Building Society members are to receive a profit share worth on average £52 each.Last year, Britannia members shared £42m, but the average payment was only £38.Britannia has also stopped making payments to members if they are worth less than £5.To qualify for the profit share, members must have either a mortgage, or an investment account other than a deposit account.To qualify for this year's payment, customers must have been members for at least two years on 31 December 2004."
469,"IMF agrees fresh Turkey funding

Turkey has agreed a draft proposal with the International Monetary Fund to borrow $10bn (£5.19bn), extending its ongoing financial support until 2007.

Turkey's current $18.6bn loan agreement with the IMF expires in February and the new deal would see it receive added support between 2005 and 2007. In return for the funding, Turkey would be expected to keep inflation under control and introduce market reforms. Turkey's economy has steadily recovered from a severe crisis in 2001.

Economic growth has average 6-7% in the past three years, ahead of IMF forecasts, while inflation fell below 10% this year for the first time in 30 years. However, Turkey has a huge debt burden - already owing $23bn to the IMF - while its current account deficit has swelled to $10.7bn this year.

The Turkish economics minister, Ali Babacan, said the two sides had reached general agreement on a new three year funding program. Rodrigo de Rato, the IMF's managing director, said the loan agreement would help to improve Turkish economic prospects by cutting its debt and stimulating growth. ""I believe the new programme, if implemented successfully, will help Turkey create the conditions for sustained growth and employment creation, reduce inflation toward European level and enhance the economy's resilience,"" he said. The agreement must still be ratified by IMF directors at a meeting expected to take place next month.

The agreement would also enable Turkey to defer payments on previous loans worth $3.7m until 2006.

As part of the draft agreement, Turkey has signed a ""letter of intent"" stating its determination to push through far-reaching reforms to its tax and benefits system and its banking sector. Such reforms are considered vital for Turkey if it is to fulfil its ambition of joining the European Union. The EU will decide on 17 December whether to begin entry talks with Turkey. The US, the largest of the IMF's 184 members, is a strong supporter of continued financial support for Turkey.
","However, Turkey has a huge debt burden - already owing $23bn to the IMF - while its current account deficit has swelled to $10.7bn this year.Turkey's current $18.6bn loan agreement with the IMF expires in February and the new deal would see it receive added support between 2005 and 2007.The agreement would also enable Turkey to defer payments on previous loans worth $3.7m until 2006.Turkey has agreed a draft proposal with the International Monetary Fund to borrow $10bn (£5.19bn), extending its ongoing financial support until 2007.As part of the draft agreement, Turkey has signed a ""letter of intent"" stating its determination to push through far-reaching reforms to its tax and benefits system and its banking sector.In return for the funding, Turkey would be expected to keep inflation under control and introduce market reforms."
1554,"Hamm bows out for US

Women's football legend Mia Hamm has played her final game.

Hamm, 32, who officially retired after this year's Athens Olympics, took to the field for the last time to help the US claim a 5-0 win over Mexico. Hamm ends her career as the most prolific scorer - male or female - in international football, with 158 goals in 276 games for the US. She was twice Fifa women's player of the year and won the World Cup in 1991 and 1999 and two Olympic golds. On her retirement, Hamm said: ""There are mixed emotions. There are things in your life that you have had to put on the back-burner and you can focus more time and energy on that now. ""I have to see what is out there and not commit to everything at the beginning."" The friendly also saw the end of Julie Foudy and Joy Fawcett's US careers. Hamm will now embark on a new life with husband, Chicago Cubs shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, who was in the stands to watch her final game. He has just agreed a new deal with the Cubs after joining them in July.
","Women's football legend Mia Hamm has played her final game.Hamm will now embark on a new life with husband, Chicago Cubs shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, who was in the stands to watch her final game.Hamm ends her career as the most prolific scorer - male or female - in international football, with 158 goals in 276 games for the US.Hamm, 32, who officially retired after this year's Athens Olympics, took to the field for the last time to help the US claim a 5-0 win over Mexico."
1206,"MPs issued with Blackberry threat

MPs will be thrown out of the Commons if they use Blackberries in the chamber Speaker Michael Martin has ruled.

The £200 handheld computers can be used as a phone, pager or to send e-mails. The devices gained new prominence this week after Alastair Campbell used his to accidentally send an expletive-laden message to a Newsnight journalist. Mr Martin revealed some MPs had been using their Blackberries during debates and he also cautioned members against using hidden earpieces.

The use of electronic devices in the Commons chamber has long been frowned on. The sound of a mobile phone or a pager can result in a strong rebuke from either the Speaker or his deputies. The Speaker chairs debates in the Commons and is charged with ensuring order in the chamber and enforcing rules and conventions of the House. He or she is always an MP chosen by colleagues who, once nominated, gives up all party political allegiances.
","MPs will be thrown out of the Commons if they use Blackberries in the chamber Speaker Michael Martin has ruled.The use of electronic devices in the Commons chamber has long been frowned on.The Speaker chairs debates in the Commons and is charged with ensuring order in the chamber and enforcing rules and conventions of the House.The £200 handheld computers can be used as a phone, pager or to send e-mails."
1642,"Umaga ready for ""fearsome"" Lions

All Blacks captain Tama Umaga has warned the British and Irish Lions will be his most fearsome opponents yet ahead of their summer tour.

But Umaga, in England for Saturday's IRB Rugby Aid match, also backed New Zealand to win the three-Test series against the Lions. He told BBC Sport: ""It's potentially the most fearsome line-up I've ever come up against. They're awesome. ""But I'd back us all the way to beat them when they come over."" Lions boss Sir Clive Woodward is set to announce his squad for the June-July tour next month.

When Woodward was appointed last year, it was widely believed he would rely heavily on his former England players. But Umaga said: ""He'd be hard pushed to do that now considering the shape of the Six Nations. ""Don't get me wrong, England have got a lot of talented guys and I'm sure there are some of them who'll make the Lions Test XV. ""But you can't disguise Wales and Ireland in particular. Some of the tries they've scored have been great. I'll admit it'll be fairly awesome lining up against the likes of Brian O'Driscoll.""

Umaga will meet O'Driscoll in Saturday's Rugby Aid match at Twickenham, with the Irish captain leading the Northern Hemisphere side. O'Driscoll is among a host of players in the Northern Hemisphere squad, coached by Woodward, that are tipped for Lions call-ups. ""It'll be good for us to get an early idea of some of these guys, although a lot can change between now and June,"" Umaga said. The 31-year-old admitted interest in the Lions tour was immense, calling it ""the biggest thing to hit New Zealand since Lord of the Rings"". He added: ""As players, it's enough for us to be driven by the rarity of playing the Lions. In fact, it's not just us All Blacks - it's the talk of the country.""

Umaga admitted the fear of injury weighed on his mind ahead of Saturday's charity game, which features a host of big names including George Gregan, Andrew Mehrtens and Chris Latham. But he admitted the value of the cause - proceeds of the match will go to aiding victims of the tsunami - easily won him over. ""The second [Southern Hemisphere coach] Rod Macqueen made the approach, I didn't hesitate. It was great when New Zealand Rugby then gave me the all clear. ""Thankfully I didn't know anyone that was involved in the tragedy of the tsunami but you couldn't miss all the horrific reports on the news. ""There are so many people that were affected, are still affected and will be affected for a long time. It's just good to know we can do something minor to help out.""

- The match will be televised on BBC One at 1400 GMT on Saturday.
","But Umaga, in England for Saturday's IRB Rugby Aid match, also backed New Zealand to win the three-Test series against the Lions.Umaga will meet O'Driscoll in Saturday's Rugby Aid match at Twickenham, with the Irish captain leading the Northern Hemisphere side.All Blacks captain Tama Umaga has warned the British and Irish Lions will be his most fearsome opponents yet ahead of their summer tour.The 31-year-old admitted interest in the Lions tour was immense, calling it ""the biggest thing to hit New Zealand since Lord of the Rings"".""It'll be good for us to get an early idea of some of these guys, although a lot can change between now and June,"" Umaga said.O'Driscoll is among a host of players in the Northern Hemisphere squad, coached by Woodward, that are tipped for Lions call-ups.It was great when New Zealand Rugby then gave me the all clear.He added: ""As players, it's enough for us to be driven by the rarity of playing the Lions.Lions boss Sir Clive Woodward is set to announce his squad for the June-July tour next month.When Woodward was appointed last year, it was widely believed he would rely heavily on his former England players.""Thankfully I didn't know anyone that was involved in the tragedy of the tsunami but you couldn't miss all the horrific reports on the news."
778,"Black Sabbath top rock album poll

Black Sabbath have topped a list of the best British rock albums of all time.

The band once fronted by Ozzy Osbourne led a poll of Kerrang! magazine readers with their 1970 self-titled debut. The band have three more efforts on the list, including fifth-placed Paranoid. Osbourne appears more than any other act, with two solo records featured. The top five includes Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden and Sex Pistols. Queen, Muse, Manic Street Preachers and The Clash complete the top 10. A mix of heavy metal, punk, glam rock and even dance music makes up the list. Motorhead, Judas Priest and Prodigy are included along with newer acts like The Darkness and Lostprophets.

Kerrang! editor Ashley Bird said: ""It's amazing to see so many incredible homegrown albums in one list, and without any of the abysmal fashion bands that currently clog up the music scene. ""These are the real opinions of proper rock fans.""

Formed by four teenage friends in the West Midlands in the late 1960s, Black Sabbath are one of Britain's most successful heavy rock bands. Their debut was a UK top 10 hit in 1970 and sold more than a million copies in the US. Osbourne said the band's success in the Kerrang! poll was a triumph for British rock. He said: ""Back then you'd hear: 'If you go to San Francisco, be sure to wear a flower in your hair'. ""We lived in Aston, Birmingham. The only flowers I ever saw were on a gravestone in our local cemetery."" Despite being disliked by many critics, Black Sabbath's subsequent albums included multi-million sellers but internal rows led to Osbourne leaving in 1979. The band continued without Osbourne, who went on to solo success but also had to battle alcoholism and legal action over his music allegedly inciting teenagers to commit suicide. He was eventually cleared of the charges. Osbourne, who bit off the head of a live bat on stage in 1982, rejoined the band to play the Live Aid charity concert in 1985. After many changes in line-up, the original four members reunited to play live dates in 1997. Black Sabbath have reunited regularly in recent years while Osbourne has gone on to wider fame with his family through MTV documentary series The Osbournes.
","The band once fronted by Ozzy Osbourne led a poll of Kerrang!Osbourne said the band's success in the Kerrang!Black Sabbath have topped a list of the best British rock albums of all time.poll was a triumph for British rock.Despite being disliked by many critics, Black Sabbath's subsequent albums included multi-million sellers but internal rows led to Osbourne leaving in 1979.editor Ashley Bird said: ""It's amazing to see so many incredible homegrown albums in one list, and without any of the abysmal fashion bands that currently clog up the music scene.Their debut was a UK top 10 hit in 1970 and sold more than a million copies in the US.The band continued without Osbourne, who went on to solo success but also had to battle alcoholism and legal action over his music allegedly inciting teenagers to commit suicide.Formed by four teenage friends in the West Midlands in the late 1960s, Black Sabbath are one of Britain's most successful heavy rock bands.Osbourne, who bit off the head of a live bat on stage in 1982, rejoined the band to play the Live Aid charity concert in 1985."
1027,"Peace demo appeal rejected

Peace protestors have lost a landmark appeal over police actions in stopping an anti-war demonstration days after the start of the Iraq war.

They had appealed against a High Court decision that it was not unlawful for police to forcibly turn protestors away near RAF Fairford, Glos, in 2003. The police had also sought to overturn a breach of human rights ruling arising from the same case. Sitting on Wednesday, three Appeal Court judges dismissed both appeals. They were challenging decisions by two judges in the High Court in February this year. It followed action by police, when three coachloads of people were searched and detained on the way to RAF Fairford and forced to return to London under police escort. The demonstrators appealed against a finding by Lord Justice May and Mr Justice Harrison that it was not unlawful for the police to turn the passengers away.

The police were urging Lord Chief Justice and Lord Justices Clarke and Rix to overturn the ruling that they had breached the protestors' human rights by detaining them in the coaches. Craig Mackey, assistant chief constable of Gloucestershire Police, said: ""We have always considered that our responses were proportionate and all our decisions on the day were based on intelligence."" He said no one on the coaches accepted responsibility for items found on the coaches including body armour, a smoke bomb and five shields. ""Given these circumstances, and the fact that RAF Fairford, and other military installations in the UK, had been the scene of increasingly destructive disorder in the weeks preceding this incident, the police commander on the ground made the decision to turn back the coaches. ""From day one we have vigorously defended this decision, which was made out of a genuine concern that if the coaches were allowed to proceed it would have resulted in disorder and criminal damage at RAF Fairford."" Fairford Coach Action, representing more than 80 people who appealed against the police actions, say they are prepared to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights. Their action is supported by Amnesty International and Liberty.
","They had appealed against a High Court decision that it was not unlawful for police to forcibly turn protestors away near RAF Fairford, Glos, in 2003.Fairford Coach Action, representing more than 80 people who appealed against the police actions, say they are prepared to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights.It followed action by police, when three coachloads of people were searched and detained on the way to RAF Fairford and forced to return to London under police escort.The police were urging Lord Chief Justice and Lord Justices Clarke and Rix to overturn the ruling that they had breached the protestors' human rights by detaining them in the coaches.""Given these circumstances, and the fact that RAF Fairford, and other military installations in the UK, had been the scene of increasingly destructive disorder in the weeks preceding this incident, the police commander on the ground made the decision to turn back the coaches.Peace protestors have lost a landmark appeal over police actions in stopping an anti-war demonstration days after the start of the Iraq war."
1739,"Young debut cut short by Ginepri

Fifteen-year-old Donald Young's first appearance in an ATP tennis tournament proved brief as the teenager went out in round one of the San Jose Open.

Young shot to the top of the junior world rankings when he won the boys' singles at January's Australian Open. But the wildcard entry was dispatched by fellow American Robby Ginepri in straight sets, 6-2 6-2, in California. Despite that he was happy with his Tour debut. ""It was fun. I had my chances, but they didn't come through,"" he said. Young, who beat two players ranked in the top 200 when he was just 14, was only 2-1 down in the first set before losing 10 of the next 13 games. And Ginepri - six years older than the youngest player to ever win a junior slam and top the global standings - admitted he was impressed.

""He's very talented,"" said Ginepri. ""He's got a long future ahead of him. ""Being left-handed, he was very quick around the court. ""His serve is a little deceptive. He came into the net and volleyed better than I thought."" Earlier, South Korean Hyung-Taik Lee defeated American Jan-Michael Gambill 6-3 7-6 (7-4). American Kevin Kim defeated Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic 7-5 6-3, Canadian qualifier Frank Dancevic downed American Jeff Morrison 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-0, and Denmark's Kenneth Carlsen beat Irakli Labadze of the Republic of Georgia 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-3. Top seed Andy Roddick launches his defence of the title on Wednesday against qualifier Paul Goldstein. Second seed Andre Agassi opens his campaign on Tuesday against wildcard Bobby Reynolds, last year's US collegiate champion. Agassi has won the San Jose five times, but his run of three straight titles ended last year when he fell to Mardy Fish in the semi-finals. Fish went on to lose to Roddick in the final.
","Young, who beat two players ranked in the top 200 when he was just 14, was only 2-1 down in the first set before losing 10 of the next 13 games.But the wildcard entry was dispatched by fellow American Robby Ginepri in straight sets, 6-2 6-2, in California.""It was fun.And Ginepri - six years older than the youngest player to ever win a junior slam and top the global standings - admitted he was impressed.""He's very talented,"" said Ginepri.Despite that he was happy with his Tour debut.""Being left-handed, he was very quick around the court.Top seed Andy Roddick launches his defence of the title on Wednesday against qualifier Paul Goldstein."
1239,"Labour's Cunningham to stand down

Veteran Labour MP and former Cabinet minister Jack Cunningham has said he will stand down at the next election.

One of the few Blair-era ministers to serve under Jim Callaghan, he was given the agriculture portfolio when Labour regained power in 1997. Mr Cunningham went on to become Tony Blair's ""cabinet enforcer"". He has represented the constituency now known as Copeland since 1970. Mr Blair said he was a ""huge figure"" in Labour and a ""valued, personal friend"".

During Labour's long period in opposition, Mr Cunningham held a number of shadow roles including foreign affairs, the environment and as trade spokesman. As agriculture minister he caused controversy when he decided to ban beef on the bone in the wake of fears over BSE. He quit the government in 1999 and in recent years has served as the chairman of the all-party committee on Lords reform and has been a loyal supporter of the government from the backbenches.
","Veteran Labour MP and former Cabinet minister Jack Cunningham has said he will stand down at the next election.Mr Blair said he was a ""huge figure"" in Labour and a ""valued, personal friend"".One of the few Blair-era ministers to serve under Jim Callaghan, he was given the agriculture portfolio when Labour regained power in 1997.Mr Cunningham went on to become Tony Blair's ""cabinet enforcer""."
190,"Consumers drive French economy

France's economic growth accelerated in the last three months of 2004, driven by consumer spending, a report shows.

Gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.8% in the fourth quarter compared with the previous three month period, the statistical office INSEE said. That expansion pushed annual growth to 2.3%, the fastest rate in two years. Consumer spending was up by 1.2% in the fourth quarter, and there also was a rebound in business investment that gave the recovery an extra shove.

Analysts warned that France still was facing challenges and was unlikely to keep expanding at its current pace.

""France still has a strong economic growth,"" said Marc Toutai, an economist at Natexis Banques Populaires. ""But, if we check the figures in detail, there's a problem."" ""Consumer spending is still high. But French households have spent their savings to consume. ""France can't sustain a high growth rate without an improvement in the job market. There's too much of a gap between growth and employment."" Unemployment levels are currently stuck at about 10%, and is proving difficult to bring down despite government efforts. Another worry is that demand in Germany and Italy, two of France's main trading partners, is sluggish.

Despite the concerns, analysts pointed out that France was outperforming the majority of its European counterparts and that its economy was looking more robust than in previous years. As well as strong domestic demand, exports climbed by 1.3% in the fourth quarter - the biggest increase in foreign sales for a year. ""It's an economic growth that seems well balanced,"" said Nicolas Claquin, an analyst at CCF. ""In the beginning of 2004, growth was mainly driven by consumer spending. Here it gets contributions from investment and exports, though household consumption is still strong. ""But we expect overall economic growth to fall to 2.0 percent in 2005.""
","""In the beginning of 2004, growth was mainly driven by consumer spending.France's economic growth accelerated in the last three months of 2004, driven by consumer spending, a report shows.""France still has a strong economic growth,"" said Marc Toutai, an economist at Natexis Banques Populaires.Consumer spending was up by 1.2% in the fourth quarter, and there also was a rebound in business investment that gave the recovery an extra shove.""Consumer spending is still high.""It's an economic growth that seems well balanced,"" said Nicolas Claquin, an analyst at CCF.There's too much of a gap between growth and employment.""Despite the concerns, analysts pointed out that France was outperforming the majority of its European counterparts and that its economy was looking more robust than in previous years."
2162,"Looks and music to drive mobiles

Mobile phones are still enjoying a boom time in sales, according to research from technology analysts Gartner.

More than 674 million mobiles were sold last year globally, said the report, the highest total sold to date. The figure was 30% more than in 2003 and surpassed even the most optimistic predictions, Gartner said. Good design and the look of a mobile, as well as new services such as music downloads, could go some way to pushing up sales in 2005, said analysts. Although people were still looking for better replacement phones, there was evidence, according to Gartner, that some markets were seeing a slow-down in replacement sales.

""All the markets grew apart from Japan which shows that replacement sales are continuing in western Europe,"" mobile analyst Carolina Milanesi told the BBC News website. ""Japan is where north America and western European markets can be in a couple of years' time. ""They already have TV, music, ringtones, cameras, and all that we can think of on mobiles, so people have stopped buying replacement phones.""

But there could be a slight slowdown in sales in European and US markets too, according to Gartner, as people wait to see what comes next in mobile technology. This means mobile companies have to think carefully about what they are offering in new models so that people see a compelling reason to upgrade, said Gartner. Third generation mobiles (3G) with the ability to handle large amounts of data transfer, like video, could drive people into upgrading their phones, but Ms Milanesi said it was difficult to say how quickly that would happen. ""At the end of the day, people have cameras and colour screens on mobiles and for the majority of people out there who don't really care about technology the speed of data to a phone is not critical."" Nor would the rush to produce two or three megapixel camera phones be a reason for mobile owners to upgrade on its own. The majority of camera phone models are not at the stage where they can compete with digital cameras which also have flashes and zooms.

More likely to drive sales in 2005 would be the attention to design and aesthetics, as well as music services. The Motorola Razr V3 phone was typical of the attention to design that would be more commonplace in 2005, she added. This was not a ""women's thing"", she said, but a desire from men and women to have a gadget that is a form of self-expression too. It was not just about how the phone functioned, but about what it said about its owner. ""Western Europe has always been a market which is quite attentive to design,"" said Ms Milanesi.

""People are after something that is nice-looking, and together with that, there is the entertainment side. ""This year music will have a part to play in this."" The market for full-track music downloads was worth just $20 million (£10.5 million) in 2004, but is set to be worth $1.8 billion (£94 million) by 2009, according to Juniper Research. Sony Ericsson just released its Walkman branded mobile phone, the W800, which combines a digital music player with up to 30 hours' battery life, and a two megapixel camera. In July last year, Motorola and Apple announced a version of iTunes online music downloading service would be released which would be compatible with Motorola mobile phones. Apple said the new iTunes music player would become Motorola's standard music application for its music phones. But the challenge will be balancing storage capacity with battery life if mobile music hopes to compete with digital music players like the iPod. Ms Milanesi said more models would likely be released in the coming year with hard drives. But they would be more likely to compete with the smaller capacity music players that have around four gigabyte storage capacity, which would not put too much strain on battery life.
","Apple said the new iTunes music player would become Motorola's standard music application for its music phones.Third generation mobiles (3G) with the ability to handle large amounts of data transfer, like video, could drive people into upgrading their phones, but Ms Milanesi said it was difficult to say how quickly that would happen.Good design and the look of a mobile, as well as new services such as music downloads, could go some way to pushing up sales in 2005, said analysts.In July last year, Motorola and Apple announced a version of iTunes online music downloading service would be released which would be compatible with Motorola mobile phones.But the challenge will be balancing storage capacity with battery life if mobile music hopes to compete with digital music players like the iPod.Sony Ericsson just released its Walkman branded mobile phone, the W800, which combines a digital music player with up to 30 hours' battery life, and a two megapixel camera.This means mobile companies have to think carefully about what they are offering in new models so that people see a compelling reason to upgrade, said Gartner.It was not just about how the phone functioned, but about what it said about its owner.But there could be a slight slowdown in sales in European and US markets too, according to Gartner, as people wait to see what comes next in mobile technology.Nor would the rush to produce two or three megapixel camera phones be a reason for mobile owners to upgrade on its own.Ms Milanesi said more models would likely be released in the coming year with hard drives.More likely to drive sales in 2005 would be the attention to design and aesthetics, as well as music services."
2173,"Broadband set to revolutionise TV

BT is starting its push into television with plans to offer TV over broadband.

As a telecoms company, BT is moving to a content distribution strategy, Andrew Burke, chief of BT's new Entertainment unit told the IPTV World Forum. ""We want to be an entertainment facilitator,"" he said on the opening day of the London conference. The BBC is also trialling a service to play programmes over the net and has not ruled out offering it to non-licence fee payers overseas. The corporation's Interactive Media Player (iMP) is its first foray into broadband TV - known as IPTV (Internet Protocol TV).

""We see several opportunities for delivering the type of content that normally broadcasters find it difficult to get to viewers,"" said BT's Andrew Burke.

With more people on broadband, and connection speeds increasing, telcos around the world are looking for new ways to make money from it. Increased competition between net service providers, encouraged by Ofcom, has eroded BT's position in the market. It is looking for a good return on its investment in the technology which has made broadband over ADSL a reality. It also sees delivering TV over broadband as a way of getting high-definition (HD) content to people sooner than they will be able to get it through conventional, regular broadcasts. The BBC's iMP has just finished successful technical trials and is set for much larger consumer trials later in 2005. Before it officially launches, the BBC must show the government how it offers value for money. Delivering programmes over broadband offers clear public value, says the BBC, because it gives people more control, and more choice.

IPTV is a similar idea to VoIP services, like Skype. Both use broadband net connections to carry information, like video and voice, in packets of data instead of conventional means. Since it uses internet technology, IPTV could mean more choice of programmes, more, more interactivity, tailored programming, and more localised content outside of conventional satellite, digital cable, and terrestrial broadcasts.

It is all part of the larger changing TV technology landscape and, like personal digital video recorders (PVRs), gives people much more control over TV. Broadcasters see IPTV and PVRs as both as a threat and an opportunity. The BBC recognises that TV over broadband is a reality and aims to innovate with it, said Rahul Chakkara, controller of BBCi's 24/7 interactive TV services. The iMP is based on peer-to-peer technology, and lets people download programmes the BBC owns the rights to for up to seven days after broadcast. ""IPTV enables us to take back that programme to our audience at different times,"" said Mr Chakkara.

""So we can tell our audience that that programme they paid for [via the licence fee], they can access it any time they want."" It helps, said Mr Burke, that people are more au fait with terms like ""digital"", ""interactive"", now that digital TV reaches more than 56% of UK homes. According to Benoit Joly from broadband telecoms firm Thales, 30% of Europe cannot get satellite TV or digital TV. They could get IPTV though. Analysts say that IPTV will account for 10% of the digital TV market in Europe alone by the end of the decade. What needs to happen now, agree analysts, is for connection speeds to be bumped up to handle the service; 20Mbps connections would be ideal. BT does not see itself as a broadcaster of IPTV services, rather as an ""enabler"", said Mr Burke. Its strategy is a ""hybrid"" approach, he explained, where over-the-air conventional broadcasts are supplemented with content over broadband.

Initially appealing to niche markets, like sports fans, it will widen out. But IPTV could be used for home-monitoring, ""pet cams"", localised news services, and local authority TV, too says BT. It even suggests that it could target those households in the UK that do not own a computer, 40% of the country.

Broadband to them would not be about data and the net - that could come later for them - but about cheap phone calls and more choice of TV programmes. Home Choice already offers 10,000 hours of shows and channels, delivered over broadband to homes in London. With a broadband net subscription, you can also get your TV and phone service. Through content deals and partnerships, it offers satellite as well as terrestrial channels, and bespoke channels based on what viewers pick and choose from its catalogues. It aims to expand nationally, but is seeing a lot of success with what it offers its 15,000 subscribers now, and aims to double uptake as well as reach by the summer. Although still at a very early stage, IPTV is another application for broadband that underlines its growing prominence as a backbone network - another utility like electricity.
","With a broadband net subscription, you can also get your TV and phone service.The BBC recognises that TV over broadband is a reality and aims to innovate with it, said Rahul Chakkara, controller of BBCi's 24/7 interactive TV services.The corporation's Interactive Media Player (iMP) is its first foray into broadband TV - known as IPTV (Internet Protocol TV).It also sees delivering TV over broadband as a way of getting high-definition (HD) content to people sooner than they will be able to get it through conventional, regular broadcasts.According to Benoit Joly from broadband telecoms firm Thales, 30% of Europe cannot get satellite TV or digital TV.Broadband to them would not be about data and the net - that could come later for them - but about cheap phone calls and more choice of TV programmes.BT is starting its push into television with plans to offer TV over broadband.Delivering programmes over broadband offers clear public value, says the BBC, because it gives people more control, and more choice.It is all part of the larger changing TV technology landscape and, like personal digital video recorders (PVRs), gives people much more control over TV.It helps, said Mr Burke, that people are more au fait with terms like ""digital"", ""interactive"", now that digital TV reaches more than 56% of UK homes.But IPTV could be used for home-monitoring, ""pet cams"", localised news services, and local authority TV, too says BT.Analysts say that IPTV will account for 10% of the digital TV market in Europe alone by the end of the decade.BT does not see itself as a broadcaster of IPTV services, rather as an ""enabler"", said Mr Burke.They could get IPTV though.Since it uses internet technology, IPTV could mean more choice of programmes, more, more interactivity, tailored programming, and more localised content outside of conventional satellite, digital cable, and terrestrial broadcasts.Both use broadband net connections to carry information, like video and voice, in packets of data instead of conventional means."
1133,"Kilroy unveils immigration policy

Ex-chatshow host Robert Kilroy-Silk has attacked UK policy on immigration saying Britain's open door approach is hitting low wage ""indigenous"" workers.

The Veritas leader said the only people to benefit from immigrants from places like Poland were employers, landlords, members of the 'metropolitan elite'. The MEP said his party would only admit foreigners who were required because they had specific skills to offer. And he argued asylum cost £2bn a year for 14,000 successful applicants.

Mr Kilroy-Silk said that worked out at £143,000 per successful asylum seeker. He said Veritas wanted to grant an amnesty for all those in Britain claiming asylum and who have children and deport everyone else. Britain should take its fair share of asylum seekers under the United Nations Convention on Human Rights, he argued. And Mr Kilroy-Silk said he wanted to spend an extra £500m a year to help provide for refugees abroad.
","Mr Kilroy-Silk said that worked out at £143,000 per successful asylum seeker.He said Veritas wanted to grant an amnesty for all those in Britain claiming asylum and who have children and deport everyone else.And Mr Kilroy-Silk said he wanted to spend an extra £500m a year to help provide for refugees abroad.And he argued asylum cost £2bn a year for 14,000 successful applicants."
2220,"New consoles promise big problems

Making games for future consoles will require more graphic artists and more money, an industry conference has been told.

Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo will debut their new consoles at the annual E3 games Expo in Los Angeles in May. These so-called ""next generation"" machines will be faster than current consoles, and capable of displaying much higher-quality visuals. For gamers, this should make for better, more immersive games. In a pre-recorded video slot during Microsoft's keynote address at the Game Developers Conference, held last week in San Francisco, famed director James Cameron revealed he is making a game in tandem with his next film - believed to be Battle Angel Alita. The game's visual quality would be ""like a lucid dream,"" said Mr Cameron. But numerous speakers warned that creating such graphics will require more artists, and so next generation console games will be much more expensive to develop. The first new console, Microsoft's Xbox 2, is not expected to reach the shops until the end of 2005. Games typically take at least 18 months to create, however, so developers are grappling with the hardware today.

According to Robert Walsh, head of Brisbane-based game developer Krome Studios, next generation games will cost between $10-25m to make, with teams averaging 80 staff in size taking two years to complete a title. Such sums mean it will be difficult for anyone to start a new game studio, said Mr Walsh. ""If you're a start-up, I doubt that a publisher is going to walk in and give you a cheque for $10m, however good you are,"" he said. Mr Walsh suggested that new studios should make games for mobile phones and handheld consoles like the Sony PSP and the Nintendo DS, since they are cheaper and easier to create than console games.

One developer bucking the trend towards big art teams is Will Wright, the creator of the best-selling The Sims games. The founder of California's Maxis studio surprised the conference with a world exclusive preview of his next game, Spore. Spore will allow players to experiment with the evolution of digital creatures. Starting with an amoeba-sized organism, the player will guide the physical development of their creature by selecting how its limbs, jaws and other body parts evolve.

Eventually the creature will become capable of establishing cities, trading and fighting, and even building space ships. Advanced players will visit the home planets of creatures created by other Spore players. These worlds will be automatically swapped across the Internet. Mr Wright said that enabling players to devise and share their creatures would make them care more about the game. ""I don't want to put the player in the role of Luke Skywalker or Frodo Baggins - I want them to be George Lucas or Dr Seuss,"" explained Mr Wright. Few games have hinted at the scope of Spore, but Mr Wright explained that he has nevertheless kept his development team small by hiring expert programmers. Instead of employing lots of artists to create 3D models of the digital creatures, Spore generates and displays the creatures according to rules devised by the programmers. ""The thing I am coming away with [from the conference] is that next generation content is going to be really expensive, and creating it will drive the smaller players out of the market,"" said Mr Wright. ""I'd like to offer an alternative to that.""

New development tools will be another important aid in making next generation games, and dozens of companies demonstrated their latest products at the conference.

Oxford-based Natural Motion launched Endorphin v2.0, which enables artists to direct a 3D 'virtual actor'. The actor is realistically modelled according to the laws of physics. Endorphin simulates how the actor falls down stairs, for instance, or crumples up after a gunshot. Artists can blend together these visual sequences, and include the results in their games. The process is much quicker than having an artist animate each movement by hand, and so lessens the need for larger art teams. Another British company aiming to reduce the workload of artists is Manchester start-up Genemation. Its latest tool, GenCrowd, enables artists to create unique, photo-realistic human faces for games involving lots of people. GenCrowd works by blending together elements of an in-built supply of stock faces of differing ages and ethnicities. The software can create up to 2,000 new heads an hour.

One area not yet dominated by graphical blockbusters is mobile phone games. Even the latest phones are not as powerful as the consoles of a decade ago, so smaller teams of half a dozen people can still create complete games for the devices.

The Game Developers Conference included a special two-day summit dedicated to creating mobile games. A niche attraction for a few dozen conference attendees when it began five years ago, GDC's Mobile summit this year drew several hundred delegates. Mobile games are a fast-growing sector because newer phones have better graphics and sound, and are thus more suitable for playing games. Furthermore, the adoption of mobile phones continues to spread across the world. It's predicted that by 2006 two billion people will own a mobile phone. The growing importance of mobile gaming was reflected by a keynote given by John Batter, general manager at EA Mobile. EA Mobile is a division of Electronic Arts, the biggest games publisher. Until recently Electronic Arts had been dismissive of games for phones. ""The last time you checked, EA wasn't in this business,"" Mr Batter admitted. But he said EA now planned on dominating the market by releasing mobile versions of its most popular franchises. EA plans to release up to 20 mobile games over the next 12 months. The first will be a version of its Need for Speed racing game, created by EA Mobile's 30-person development team. Mr Batter predicted that by 2006, mobile phones would be capable of running games of comparable quality to those on Sony's upcoming PSP handheld console.

Owain Bennallack is the editor of Develop magazine.
","Mr Walsh suggested that new studios should make games for mobile phones and handheld consoles like the Sony PSP and the Nintendo DS, since they are cheaper and easier to create than console games.EA plans to release up to 20 mobile games over the next 12 months.Mr Batter predicted that by 2006, mobile phones would be capable of running games of comparable quality to those on Sony's upcoming PSP handheld console.Mr Wright said that enabling players to devise and share their creatures would make them care more about the game.The Game Developers Conference included a special two-day summit dedicated to creating mobile games.Mobile games are a fast-growing sector because newer phones have better graphics and sound, and are thus more suitable for playing games.EA Mobile is a division of Electronic Arts, the biggest games publisher.According to Robert Walsh, head of Brisbane-based game developer Krome Studios, next generation games will cost between $10-25m to make, with teams averaging 80 staff in size taking two years to complete a title.But numerous speakers warned that creating such graphics will require more artists, and so next generation console games will be much more expensive to develop.Even the latest phones are not as powerful as the consoles of a decade ago, so smaller teams of half a dozen people can still create complete games for the devices.Making games for future consoles will require more graphic artists and more money, an industry conference has been told.Such sums mean it will be difficult for anyone to start a new game studio, said Mr Walsh.Its latest tool, GenCrowd, enables artists to create unique, photo-realistic human faces for games involving lots of people.The founder of California's Maxis studio surprised the conference with a world exclusive preview of his next game, Spore.Few games have hinted at the scope of Spore, but Mr Wright explained that he has nevertheless kept his development team small by hiring expert programmers.New development tools will be another important aid in making next generation games, and dozens of companies demonstrated their latest products at the conference.""The thing I am coming away with [from the conference] is that next generation content is going to be really expensive, and creating it will drive the smaller players out of the market,"" said Mr Wright.The first will be a version of its Need for Speed racing game, created by EA Mobile's 30-person development team.In a pre-recorded video slot during Microsoft's keynote address at the Game Developers Conference, held last week in San Francisco, famed director James Cameron revealed he is making a game in tandem with his next film - believed to be Battle Angel Alita.The game's visual quality would be ""like a lucid dream,"" said Mr Cameron.One area not yet dominated by graphical blockbusters is mobile phone games."
1880,"Sporting rivals go to extra time

The current slew of sports games offers unparalleled opportunities for fans who like to emulate on-field action without ever moving from the couch.

The two giants in the field - ESPN and EA Sports - have been locked in a heavyweight battle for years. The latter is the world's largest games manufacturer. Years of experience mean that the titles in their steady flow of sport sims are finely honed, massively entertaining and ooze flair. Sports broadcaster ESPN, meanwhile, has leant its name to a series of games that are similarly classy but lower in profile and price. But that status quo was changed forever - or for the next 15 years at least - by a deal earlier this year when ESPN sold EA the rights to its TV branding and on-air talent, meaning the ESPN games presently developed by Sega will have to come to and end in their present form.

It was a massive-money deal that not only raised eyebrows but stirred active indignation in many quarters, with fans concerned that it is set to enable EA to monopolise the sports gaming landscape to an unhealthy degree. Some particularly disgruntled fans set up an online petition that notched more than 18,000 virtual signatures. Many of those clicking to complain were already rankled, for the ESPN coup happened just weeks after EA had pulled off another enormous licensing deal, controversially giving them exclusive rights to teams and personnel from America¿s National Football League (NFL). So, will the Sega - ESPN range be missed? A key reason for answering ""yes"" is that liking or disliking a sports game regularly comes down to personal taste, and having some options available always proves hugely handy. Online soccer fans will testify to that, between bouts of arguing over which high-profile title rules supreme out of the similar-yet-hugely-different FIFA 2005 and Pro Evolution Soccer 4. On the same note, the ESPN 2k5 and EA sports games have so little to choose between them that picking favourites will come down to players' personal preferences and spending budget rather than any technical elements. Taking hockey and basketball as examples, both publishers' efforts are phenomenally entertaining and fairly accessible. They also both look awesome, with the Sega / ESPN versions perhaps shading things on a graphical front.

In terms of gameplay, I marginally preferred EA's NBA Live 2005 for basketball, and was more satisfied ice hockey-wise by ESPN's NHL 2K5. The ESPN games are a touch more arcade-like in look and feel and are slightly easier to get into, although like their rivals, they also offer a dizzyingly-extensive array of in-game tricks and overall challenge modes that should be enough to quench thirsts of even the most die-hard of sports fans. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the ESPN deal will be seeing how it affects the presentation of EA's future titles. The front-end decoration of EA's games has become something of an art-form in itself, loaded with slick visuals and oodles of licensed music. They are also immediately identifiable as coming from the EA stable, and the inevitable compulsion to add an ESPN look will no doubt change that in various ways. What is a shame is that the ESPN titles took similar care about framing the gameplay with an authentic setting - their preambles look and sound much like they would on TV. They are neat and excellent-value games in their current form, and combining them with EA's own established brand should produce a truly formidable beast.
","But that status quo was changed forever - or for the next 15 years at least - by a deal earlier this year when ESPN sold EA the rights to its TV branding and on-air talent, meaning the ESPN games presently developed by Sega will have to come to and end in their present form.On the same note, the ESPN 2k5 and EA sports games have so little to choose between them that picking favourites will come down to players' personal preferences and spending budget rather than any technical elements.The ESPN games are a touch more arcade-like in look and feel and are slightly easier to get into, although like their rivals, they also offer a dizzyingly-extensive array of in-game tricks and overall challenge modes that should be enough to quench thirsts of even the most die-hard of sports fans.Sports broadcaster ESPN, meanwhile, has leant its name to a series of games that are similarly classy but lower in profile and price.So, will the Sega - ESPN range be missed?They also both look awesome, with the Sega / ESPN versions perhaps shading things on a graphical front.The current slew of sports games offers unparalleled opportunities for fans who like to emulate on-field action without ever moving from the couch.The two giants in the field - ESPN and EA Sports - have been locked in a heavyweight battle for years.Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the ESPN deal will be seeing how it affects the presentation of EA's future titles."
1460,"SFA awaits report over Mikoliunas

The Scottish Football Association is awaiting referee Hugh Dallas's report before acting against Hearts winger Saulius Mikoliunas.

Mikoliunas, 20, barged linesman Andy Davis, who had advised Dallas to award Rangers an injury-time penalty in Hearts's 2-1 defeat at Tynecastle. ""He was sent off for violent conduct in the 90th minute but we don't know if he did something else after the whistle. ""We don't know how many red cards he was shown,"" said an SFA statement. Hearts could also face action after three fans were arrested for throwing coins on the pitch. Rangers' striker Dad Prso was also sent off during the same incident when he received a second yellow card for wrestling the ball away from Craig Gordon and leaving the Hearts keeper on the ground. The SFA said: ""Once the referee's report comes in then we'll immediately look at things.

""We don't normally get the reports until a couple of days after the game but we're well aware of what happened here. ""Prso was sent off for two cautions, and that will just be a one-match suspension."" The SFA is certain to come down hard on Mikoliunas after Southampton's David Prutton was banned for 10-games on Wednesday by the English FA for shoving referee Alan Wiley. Hearts' boss John Robertson said: ""Mikoliunas has thrown his chest against the assistant referee's chest and got a red card for it. ""The officials have got to take into account the fact he's a young lad. ""But people have got to take into account why he was incensed. Why were 10,000 Hearts fans incensed? ""Why did nobody from the Rangers' bench claim for a penalty kick?"" Rangers' boss Alex McLeish accepted referee Dallas had no option but to send Prso off. McLeish said: ""I'm glad to see the spirit of the players fighting to the very end - literally with Dado trying to get the ball back from Craig Gordon. ""But it was over-zealousness and I don't think Hugh had any option.""
","""We don't know how many red cards he was shown,"" said an SFA statement.Rangers' striker Dad Prso was also sent off during the same incident when he received a second yellow card for wrestling the ball away from Craig Gordon and leaving the Hearts keeper on the ground.""But people have got to take into account why he was incensed.""But it was over-zealousness and I don't think Hugh had any option.""Hearts' boss John Robertson said: ""Mikoliunas has thrown his chest against the assistant referee's chest and got a red card for it.""He was sent off for violent conduct in the 90th minute but we don't know if he did something else after the whistle.""Prso was sent off for two cautions, and that will just be a one-match suspension.""Rangers' boss Alex McLeish accepted referee Dallas had no option but to send Prso off."
697,"Double eviction from Big Brother

Model Caprice and Holby City actor Jeremy Edwards have both left the Celebrity Big Brother house in a surprise double eviction on Friday.

Caprice, who left in the scheduled fourth eviction having gained just 5% of the public vote, afterwards said: ""I am so happy, I am so glad I'm out."" Edwards then left in a surprise eviction, with 12% of the vote. Nineteen-year-old Blazin' Squad singer Kenzie is currently favourite to win the £50,000 charity prize. Caprice had been the pre-show favourite to be voted out of the house, with bookmakers Ladbrokes offering odds of 1/5 on her departure. Ladbrokes spokesman Warren Lush had said she was ""the hottest eviction favourite so far this series"".

Odds on Kenzie's victory have been slashed from 4/6 to 1/2, although bookmakers have said they are not ruling out a late rally from former Happy Mondays star Bez. The other remaining housemate is actress Brigitte Nielsen. DJ Lisa I'Anson became the third housemate to be voted out on Wednesday when she became the victim of a surprise eviction during a game of hide-and-seek on the Channel 4 show. I'Anson said she was ""glad to be out"" and predicted that Kenzie would emerge as the winner. The winner is due to be announced on Sunday night.
","Caprice, who left in the scheduled fourth eviction having gained just 5% of the public vote, afterwards said: ""I am so happy, I am so glad I'm out.""Edwards then left in a surprise eviction, with 12% of the vote.Ladbrokes spokesman Warren Lush had said she was ""the hottest eviction favourite so far this series"".Model Caprice and Holby City actor Jeremy Edwards have both left the Celebrity Big Brother house in a surprise double eviction on Friday.I'Anson said she was ""glad to be out"" and predicted that Kenzie would emerge as the winner."
1599,"Yachvili savours France comeback

France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili praised his team after they fought back to beat England 18-17 in the Six Nations clash at Twickenham.

Yachvili kicked all of France's points as they staged a second-half revival. ""We didn't play last week against Scotland and we didn't play in the first half against England,"" he said. ""But we're very proud to beat England at Twickenham. We were just defending in the first half and we said we had to put them under pressure. We did well."" Yachvili admitted erratic kicking from England's Charlie Hodgson and Olly Barkley, who missed six penalties and a drop goal chance between them, had been decisive. ""I know what it's like with kicking. When you miss some it's very hard mentally, but it went well for us,"" he said. France captain Fabien Pelous insisted his side never doubted they could secure their first win against England at Twickenham since 1997. France were 17-6 down at half-time, but Pelous said: ""No-one was down at half-time, we were still confident. ""We said we only had 11 points against us, which was not much. ""The plan was to keep hold of possession and pressure England to losing their composure."" France coach Bernard Laporte accepted his side had not played well. ""We know we have to play better to defend the title,"" he said. ""I'm not happy we didn't score a try but we're happy because we won.""
","""We didn't play last week against Scotland and we didn't play in the first half against England,"" he said.""We said we only had 11 points against us, which was not much.When you miss some it's very hard mentally, but it went well for us,"" he said.France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili praised his team after they fought back to beat England 18-17 in the Six Nations clash at Twickenham.""We know we have to play better to defend the title,"" he said.We were just defending in the first half and we said we had to put them under pressure.France were 17-6 down at half-time, but Pelous said: ""No-one was down at half-time, we were still confident."
28,"Strong demand triggers oil rally

Crude oil prices surged back above the $47 a barrel mark on Thursday after an energy market watchdog raised its forecasts for global demand.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) warned demand for Opec's crude in the first quarter would outstrip supply. The IEA raised its estimate of 2005 oil demand growth by 80,000 barrels a day to 84 million barrels a day. US light crude rose $1.64 to $47.10, while Brent crude in London gained $1.32 to $44.45.

The Paris-based IEA watchdog, which advises industrialized nations on energy policy, said the upward revision was due to stronger demand from China and other Asian countries. The fresh rally in crude prices followed gains on Wednesday which were triggered by large falls in US crude supplies following a cold spell in North America in January. The US Department of Energy reported that crude stockpiles had fallen 1m barrels to 294.3m. On top of that, ongoing problems for beleaguered Russian oil giant Yukos have also prompted the IEA to revise its output estimates from Russia - a major non-Opec supplier. ""I think that prices are now beginning to set a new range and it looks like the $40 to $50 level,"" said energy analyst Orin Middleton of Barclays Capital.
","Crude oil prices surged back above the $47 a barrel mark on Thursday after an energy market watchdog raised its forecasts for global demand.The US Department of Energy reported that crude stockpiles had fallen 1m barrels to 294.3m.The International Energy Agency (IEA) warned demand for Opec's crude in the first quarter would outstrip supply.The IEA raised its estimate of 2005 oil demand growth by 80,000 barrels a day to 84 million barrels a day."
1748,"Mirza shocks Kuznetsova

Sania Mirza continued her remarkable rise with victory over US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova at the Dubai Championships on Tuesday.

The 18-year-old Indian, who is already a huge star in her home country, won 6-4 6-2 in front of a delirious crowd. It was Mirza's sixth straight victory following her first WTA tournament win in Hyderabad last month. Earlier, Daniela Hantuchova built on her improving form with a 7-6 6-2 win over sixth seed Alicia Molik. Mirza needed attention to an ankle injury after the second game against Kuznetsova.

She quickly slipped 4-0 down but staged a dramatic comeback that thrilled the large Indian contingent in the crowd. ""I really didn't expect that after my ankle turn,"" said Mirza. ""I played a great match and I think (the crowd) did it again. I knew that I had to play an all-round game and that's what happened. ""I did everything well but I wasn't missing the ball - I don't know how that happened."" Mirza plays Silvia Farina Elia or Jelena Jankovic next. Hantuchova has risen from 31 in the world at the turn of the year to number 22, having reached the quarter-finals and semi-finals at her last two events. ""It was such a tough first-round match and I am glad to come through,"" said Hantuchova. ""She was serving so well. I just decided to hang in there and keep fighting."" The Slovakian will meet Elena Likhovtseva in the second round after the Russian struggled past Tunisian wild card Selima Sfar 2-6 6-2 7-6. Likhovtseva needed nine match points before seeing off Sfar, who got a point penalty for swearing in the third set. Seventh seed Nathalie Dechy and Elena Bovina were among other first-round winners on Tuesday.
","""It was such a tough first-round match and I am glad to come through,"" said Hantuchova.Mirza needed attention to an ankle injury after the second game against Kuznetsova.""I really didn't expect that after my ankle turn,"" said Mirza.""I played a great match and I think (the crowd) did it again.It was Mirza's sixth straight victory following her first WTA tournament win in Hyderabad last month.""She was serving so well.Sania Mirza continued her remarkable rise with victory over US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova at the Dubai Championships on Tuesday.Mirza plays Silvia Farina Elia or Jelena Jankovic next."
743,"Elvis fans hold birthday bash

Elvis fans around the world have been marking the legendary singer's 70th birthday on Saturday.

A three-day Elvis convention took place in Blackpool, England, over the weekend with the aim of finding the best European Elvis impersonator. His Graceland, Tennessee, home was the focus for US celebrations with four days of events including a concert by the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. Elvis' single Jailhouse Rock became the UK's number one on Sunday. Fans in France celebrated with a tribute concert by Elvis cover bands and a special exhibition of memorabilia is on display in Bonn, Germany.

Jailhouse Rock is now the 999th number one single in UK pop history. Record company SonyBMG are releasing Elvis' 18 number one singles at the rate of one a week in Britain, complete with original artwork and a collector's box. Hit single One Night will follow next week - with the chance of becoming the 1,000th number one as interest surrounding Elvis' birthday grows. HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said: ""It would be a fantastic and truly fitting way to celebrate Elvis' landmark birthday.""
","Elvis' single Jailhouse Rock became the UK's number one on Sunday.Hit single One Night will follow next week - with the chance of becoming the 1,000th number one as interest surrounding Elvis' birthday grows.Record company SonyBMG are releasing Elvis' 18 number one singles at the rate of one a week in Britain, complete with original artwork and a collector's box.Jailhouse Rock is now the 999th number one single in UK pop history."
620,"Rap boss arrested over drug find

Rap mogul Marion ""Suge"" Knight has been arrested for violating his parole after he was allegedly found with marijuana.

He was arrested in Barstow, California, on Saturday following an alleged traffic offence. He is expected to be transferred to a state prison while a decision is made on whether he should be released. Mr Knight, founder of Death Row Records, served a 10-month jail term in 2004 for punching a man while on parole for an assault conviction. Police said Mr Knight was stopped on Saturday after performing an illegal U-turn and a search of his car allegedly found marijuana.

He is also accused of not having insurance. A 18-year-old woman in the car was arrested for providing false information and having a fake ID card. She was later released. It was his second alleged violation, having previously served half of a nine-year sentence for breaking the terms of his parole. Mr Knight, 39, was jailed in October 1996 following his involvement in a fight with a rival gang just hours before rapper Tupac Shakur was killed in a Las Vegas drive-by shooting. He was driving Shakur's car at the time and was shot in the head. At the time he was on probation for assaulting two musicians. Mr Knight, a former bodyguard, set up Death Row records in the early 1990s with Shakur and Dr Dre among his protegees. But the label has always been dogged by allegations it supports gang culture and fuels the east and west coast rap rivalry.
","He was driving Shakur's car at the time and was shot in the head.She was later released.Rap mogul Marion ""Suge"" Knight has been arrested for violating his parole after he was allegedly found with marijuana.Mr Knight, 39, was jailed in October 1996 following his involvement in a fight with a rival gang just hours before rapper Tupac Shakur was killed in a Las Vegas drive-by shooting.Police said Mr Knight was stopped on Saturday after performing an illegal U-turn and a search of his car allegedly found marijuana.He was arrested in Barstow, California, on Saturday following an alleged traffic offence."
1939,"Pompeii gets digital make-over

The old-fashioned audio tour of historical places could soon be replaced with computer-generated images that bring the site to life.

A European Union-funded project is looking at providing tourists with computer-augmented versions of archaeological attractions. It would allow visitors a glimpse of life as it was originally lived in places such as Pompeii. It could pave the way for a new form of cultural tourism.

The technology would allow digital people and other computer-generated elements to be combined with the actual view seen by tourists as they walk around an historical site.

The Lifeplus project is part of the EU's Information Society Technologies initiative aimed at promoting user-friendly technology and enhancing European cultural heritage. Engineers and researchers working in the Europe-wide consortium have come up with a prototype augmented-reality system. It would require the visitor to wear a head-mounted display with a miniature camera and a backpack computer. The camera captures the view and feeds it to software on the computer where the visitor's viewpoint is combined with animated virtual elements. At Pompeii for example, the visitor would not just see the frescos, taverns and villas that have been excavated, but also people going about their daily life. Augmented reality has been used to create special effects in films such as Troy and Lord of the Rings and in computer gaming.

""This technology can now be used for much more than just computer games,"" said Professor Nadia Magnenat-Thalman of the Swiss research group MiraLab.

""We are, for the first time, able to run this combination of software processes to create walking, talking people with believable clothing, skin and hair in real-time,"" she said. Unlike virtual reality, which delivers an entirely computer-generated scene to the viewer, the Lifeplus project is about combining digital and real views. Crucial to the technique is the software that interprets the visitor's view and provides an accurate match between the real and virtual elements. The software capable of doing this has been developed by a UK company, 2d3. Andrew Stoddart, chief scientist at 2d3, said that the EU project has been driven by a new desire to bring the past to life. ""The popularity of television documentaries and dramatisations using computer-generated imagery to recreate scenes from ancient history demonstrates the widespread appeal of bringing ancient cultures to life,"" he said.
","The technology would allow digital people and other computer-generated elements to be combined with the actual view seen by tourists as they walk around an historical site.The camera captures the view and feeds it to software on the computer where the visitor's viewpoint is combined with animated virtual elements.Andrew Stoddart, chief scientist at 2d3, said that the EU project has been driven by a new desire to bring the past to life.It would allow visitors a glimpse of life as it was originally lived in places such as Pompeii.Unlike virtual reality, which delivers an entirely computer-generated scene to the viewer, the Lifeplus project is about combining digital and real views.The old-fashioned audio tour of historical places could soon be replaced with computer-generated images that bring the site to life.At Pompeii for example, the visitor would not just see the frescos, taverns and villas that have been excavated, but also people going about their daily life.Crucial to the technique is the software that interprets the visitor's view and provides an accurate match between the real and virtual elements."
1552,"Beckham relief as Real go through

David Beckham expressed his relief at Real Madrid's passage to the Champions League knockout phase.

After Real's 3-0 win at Roma, the England skipper admitted another season of under-achievement would not be tolerated at the Bernabeu stadium. Beckham said: ""It's expected of Madrid to get through, but it's a relief for the club and players to have won. ""We lost momentum last season but we cannot afford to to go another season without winning anything."" Real's finish as runners-up in their Champions League group means they cannot face his old club Manchester United in the next round. But Real could be drawn against other Premiership hopefuls, Arsenal or Chelsea, who won their respective groups. ""It's going to be great whoever we play, even if we don't get either of the two English teams.""
","David Beckham expressed his relief at Real Madrid's passage to the Champions League knockout phase.Beckham said: ""It's expected of Madrid to get through, but it's a relief for the club and players to have won.Real's finish as runners-up in their Champions League group means they cannot face his old club Manchester United in the next round."
203,"'Standoff' on Deutsche's LSE bid

Deutsche Boerse investors unhappy with its London Stock Exchange bid will have no chance to throw out the exchange's management until May, Reuters says.

The Sunday Times reported that hedge funds TCI and Atticus were planning to demand the removal of the group's chairman and chief executive. But Deutsche Boerse told news agency Reuters such a move would have to wait until May's annual general meeting. Investors want Deutsche to return cash to shareholders rather than bid. ""We are long-term investors and are experienced in removing management. We are not scared to take this to its conclusion this time,"" Atticus' David Slager told the Sunday Times. However, Deutsche Boerse told Reuters: ""TCI's request for the removal of the supervisory board will be considered at the annual general meeting on May 25.""

The Sunday Times reported that TCI had been drawing up a list of heavyweight executives to replace Deutsche's chairman Rolf Breuer and chief executive Werner Seifert. The group owns more than 5% of Deutsche - more than enough to demand an extraordinary general meeting to call on shareholders to oust the German exchange's management. Under German law Deutsche does not need investor backing to make a takeover bid. TCI and Atticus have opposed the LSE bid for some time saying it would destroy shareholder value, and would be better spent on a share buyback. Deutsche is in competition with pan-European bourse Euronext to take over the London exchange. Many commentators have suggested a bidding war between the two could break out. However, any such move would have to wait until March when the Office of Fair Trading completes an investigation into the competition aspects of the pair's takeover proposals.
","Deutsche Boerse investors unhappy with its London Stock Exchange bid will have no chance to throw out the exchange's management until May, Reuters says.But Deutsche Boerse told news agency Reuters such a move would have to wait until May's annual general meeting.However, Deutsche Boerse told Reuters: ""TCI's request for the removal of the supervisory board will be considered at the annual general meeting on May 25.""The group owns more than 5% of Deutsche - more than enough to demand an extraordinary general meeting to call on shareholders to oust the German exchange's management.Under German law Deutsche does not need investor backing to make a takeover bid.The Sunday Times reported that hedge funds TCI and Atticus were planning to demand the removal of the group's chairman and chief executive."
973,"Brown names 16 March for Budget

Chancellor Gordon Brown will deliver his Budget to the House of Commons on 16 March, the Treasury has announced.

The Budget, likely to be the last before the General Election, will be at 1230 GMT on that Wednesday, just after Prime Minister's question time. The annual event is when the chancellor outlines the government's taxation and broader economic predictions. It is likely to set out much of the tax and spending battleground for the election, widely expected on 5 May.

Next month's Budget will be Mr Brown's eighth since Labour came to power in 1997. If a May election is called, there could be as little as 18 days between the Budget and the announcement of a date for the election. A shortened Finance Bill would have to be rushed through Parliament with all-party support to allow the Government to continue collecting revenue. The full Finance Bill, with the Budget measures in it, would then be returned to the Commons after the election, if Labour secures another term in office. As Mr Brown announced the Budget date in a short ministerial statement, accountancy firm Ernst & Young urged him to put politics aside and focus on the long-term requirements of the economy. ""In the Budgets that were given immediately before the last six elections, taxes were cut by the incumbent chancellor and, in many cases, taxes were increased soon after the election result,"" said Aidan O'Carroll, E&Y's UK head of tax.
","The full Finance Bill, with the Budget measures in it, would then be returned to the Commons after the election, if Labour secures another term in office.If a May election is called, there could be as little as 18 days between the Budget and the announcement of a date for the election.The Budget, likely to be the last before the General Election, will be at 1230 GMT on that Wednesday, just after Prime Minister's question time.Chancellor Gordon Brown will deliver his Budget to the House of Commons on 16 March, the Treasury has announced."
476,"Saudi NCCI's shares soar

Shares in Saudi Arabia's National Company for Cooperative Insurance (NCCI) soared on their first day of trading in Riyadh.

They were trading 84% above the offer price on Monday, changing hands at 372 riyals ($99; £53) after topping 400 early in the day. Demand for the insurer's debut shares was strong - 12 times what was on sale. The listing was part of the country's plans to open up its insurance market and boost demand in the sector. Deregulation is expected to boost demand for accident and damage cover.

Previously, only NCCI has been legally allowed to offer insurance products within Saudi Arabia. However, the authorities have turned a blind eye to the many other firms selling insurance. Saudi Arabia now wants a fully functioning insurance industry and is introducing legislation that will clamp down on unauthorised companies. Policy-makers also want to make having insurance more of a requirement, but first have to take steps to boost public confidence in the system, analysts said. As a result, NCCI is being developed as the industry's flagship firm - publicly-listed, with audited accounts. Saudi Arabia sold 7 million NCCI shares, or about 70% of the company's total capital last month. More than 800,000 applicants got 9 shares each for 205 riyals apiece.
","Shares in Saudi Arabia's National Company for Cooperative Insurance (NCCI) soared on their first day of trading in Riyadh.Previously, only NCCI has been legally allowed to offer insurance products within Saudi Arabia.The listing was part of the country's plans to open up its insurance market and boost demand in the sector.Saudi Arabia now wants a fully functioning insurance industry and is introducing legislation that will clamp down on unauthorised companies.Saudi Arabia sold 7 million NCCI shares, or about 70% of the company's total capital last month."
1908,"Nintendo handheld given Euro date

Nintendo's new handheld console, the DS, will launch in Europe on 11 March, the company has announced.

The portable games machine, which features touch-screen control, will retail for £99 in the UK (149 euros). Nintendo said 15 games would be available in the UK at launch, with prices ranging from £19 to £29. More than 2.8 million DS consoles have been sold since it first appeared in the US and Japan at the end of 2004. Rival Sony has said it will launch its first handheld console, the PSP, in the US and Europe before the end of March. The PSP is expected to compete for a large part of the same handheld market, despite Sony's assertion that the machines are aimed at different consumers.

The 15 games available on the European launch date will include Nintendo's Super Mario 64 DS, as well as titles from third-party developers such as Ubisoft's Rayman DS.

More than 120 games are in development for the new console, Nintendo has said. The DS is backwards compatible with the Game Boy Advance, allowing the earlier machine's back catalogue of 700 games to be played. Additionally, a short-range wireless link for multiplayer gaming is built in to the DS, with a ""download play"" option which allows a group to play against each other, even if just one person owns a copy. Other features include a short-range messaging application called Pictochat, and a built-in microphone which is used in Sega's launch title Project Rub. Nintendo has also announced a media adapter, which will allow the console to play music and video on the move.

The launch price of £99 (149 euros) compares favourably with the US price of $149, according to John Houlihan, editor of the Computerandvideogames.com magazine. ""It's a very, very competitive price point. There are some innovative features, and Nintendo has created quite a buzz,"" he says. ""However, the line-up of games could have been stronger. Everyone wanted to see the eight-player Mario Kart DS, for example.""

Mr Houlihan believes that there is likely to be an audience for both the Nintendo DS and Sony's new PSP, with the former aimed largely at a younger audience and the latter expected to be marketed as a multimedia device. ""The PSP is a sexy bit of kit, but Sony's attitude to the PSP has been very understated in Europe, so far,"" Mr Houlihan said. The worldwide handheld software market had an estimated worth of $2.6bn at the end of 2004, according to industry analysts Screen Digest.

In the past, games consoles and handhelds have generally launched much later in Europe than in other parts of the world. However Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said the company was ""pleased to have offered such a short period of time between the US and European launch"". ""Europe is an extremely important market for Nintendo,"" Mr Iwata added. Nintendo raised its sales targets for the DS console last December after selling a million in the US and Japan in just a few weeks.
","More than 120 games are in development for the new console, Nintendo has said.Nintendo's new handheld console, the DS, will launch in Europe on 11 March, the company has announced.Rival Sony has said it will launch its first handheld console, the PSP, in the US and Europe before the end of March.Nintendo said 15 games would be available in the UK at launch, with prices ranging from £19 to £29.The 15 games available on the European launch date will include Nintendo's Super Mario 64 DS, as well as titles from third-party developers such as Ubisoft's Rayman DS.Nintendo raised its sales targets for the DS console last December after selling a million in the US and Japan in just a few weeks.More than 2.8 million DS consoles have been sold since it first appeared in the US and Japan at the end of 2004.However Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said the company was ""pleased to have offered such a short period of time between the US and European launch"".Mr Houlihan believes that there is likely to be an audience for both the Nintendo DS and Sony's new PSP, with the former aimed largely at a younger audience and the latter expected to be marketed as a multimedia device.Nintendo has also announced a media adapter, which will allow the console to play music and video on the move."
2092,"IBM frees 500 software patents

Computer giant IBM says 500 of its software patents will be released into the open development community.

The move means developers will be able to use the technologies without paying for a licence from the company. IBM described the step as a ""new era"" in how it dealt with intellectual property and promised further patents would be made freely available. The patents include software for a range of practices, including text recognition and database management. Traditional technology business policy is to amass patents and despite IBM's announcement the company continues to follow this route.

IBM was granted 3,248 patents in 2004, more than any other firm in the US, the New York Times reports. For each of the past 12 years IBM has been granted more US patents than any other company. IBM has received 25,772 US patents in that period and reportedly has more than 40,000 current patents. In a statement, Dr John E. Kelly, IBM senior vice president, Technology and Intellectual Property, said: ""True innovation leadership is about more than just the numbers of patents granted. It's about innovating to benefit customers, partners and society.

""Our pledge today is the beginning of a new era in how IBM will manage intellectual property."" In the past, IBM has supported the non-commercial operating system Linux although critics have said this was done only as an attempt to undermine Microsoft.

The company said it wanted to encourage other firms to release patents into what it called a ""patent commons"". Adam Jollans, IBM's world-wide Linux strategy manager, said the move was a genuine attempt to encourage innovation. ""We believe that releasing these patents will result in innovation moving more quickly. ""This is about encouraging collaboration and following a model much like academia."" Mr Jollans likened the plan for a patent commons to the way the internet was developed and said everyone could take advantage of the result of collaboration. ""The internet's impact has been on everyone. The benefits are there for everyone to take advantage of."" Stuart Cohen, chief executive of US firm Open Source Development Labs, said the move could mean a change in the way companies deal with patents.

""I think other companies will follow suit,"" he said. But not everyone was as supportive. Florian Mueller, campaign manager of a group lobbying toprevent software patents becoming legal in the European Union,dismissed IBM's move as insubstantial. ""It's just diversionary tactics,"" wrote Mr Mueller, who leadsnosoftwarepatents.com, in a message on the group's website. ""Let's put this into perspective: We're talking aboutroughly one percent of IBM's worldwide patent portfolio. They filethat number of patents in about a month's time,"" he added. IBM will continue to hold the 500 patents but it has pledged to seek no royalties from the patents. The company said it would not place any restrictions on companies, groups or individuals who use them in open-source projects. Open source software is developed by programmers who offer the source code - the origins of the program - for free and allow others to adapt or improve the software. End users have the right to modify and redistribute the software, as well as the right to package and sell the software. Other areas covered by the patents released by IBM include storage management, simultaneous multiprocessing, image processing, networking and e-commerce.
","For each of the past 12 years IBM has been granted more US patents than any other company.The company said it wanted to encourage other firms to release patents into what it called a ""patent commons"".Mr Jollans likened the plan for a patent commons to the way the internet was developed and said everyone could take advantage of the result of collaboration.IBM was granted 3,248 patents in 2004, more than any other firm in the US, the New York Times reports.IBM has received 25,772 US patents in that period and reportedly has more than 40,000 current patents.Computer giant IBM says 500 of its software patents will be released into the open development community.IBM will continue to hold the 500 patents but it has pledged to seek no royalties from the patents.In a statement, Dr John E. Kelly, IBM senior vice president, Technology and Intellectual Property, said: ""True innovation leadership is about more than just the numbers of patents granted.IBM described the step as a ""new era"" in how it dealt with intellectual property and promised further patents would be made freely available.Florian Mueller, campaign manager of a group lobbying toprevent software patents becoming legal in the European Union,dismissed IBM's move as insubstantial.Traditional technology business policy is to amass patents and despite IBM's announcement the company continues to follow this route.The patents include software for a range of practices, including text recognition and database management.In the past, IBM has supported the non-commercial operating system Linux although critics have said this was done only as an attempt to undermine Microsoft."
619,"Band Aid retains number one spot

The charity single by Band Aid 20 has held on the chart top spot for a second week, strengthening its chances of becoming the Christmas number one.

Do They Know It's Christmas, featuring artists including Chris Martin and Jamelia, held off Kylie Minogue to remain the week's biggest single. Next week's chart will reveal who will have the festive chart-topper Minogue's latest release I Believe in You went in at number two, pushing down Ice Cube's You Can Do It to three. Destiny's Child also slipped one place to four with Lose My Breath, followed by Girls Aloud at five with the Children in Need record I'll Stand By You.

The only other new entry in the top 10 came from Robbie Williams track Misunderstood, a new track written for his Greatest Hits album. There were no new releases in the entire top 40 album charts as record companies put out all the big releases early hoping to cash in on the lucrative Christmas market. U2's How to Dismantle a Bomb remains at number one for a third week in a row, followed by Williams' Greatest Hits. Opera band Il Divo have moved up one place with their eponymous album to number three. Maroon 5's album Songs About Jane has moved up to number seven despite being released 47 weeks ago. And the Abba Gold greatest hits album has crept back into the top 40 more than nine years after it was first released.
","The charity single by Band Aid 20 has held on the chart top spot for a second week, strengthening its chances of becoming the Christmas number one.Opera band Il Divo have moved up one place with their eponymous album to number three.Maroon 5's album Songs About Jane has moved up to number seven despite being released 47 weeks ago.U2's How to Dismantle a Bomb remains at number one for a third week in a row, followed by Williams' Greatest Hits."
618,"Media seek Jackson 'juror' notes

Reporters covering singer Michael Jackson's trial in California have asked to see questionnaires completed by potential jurors.

Lawyers for news organisations said it was ""really vital"" for the responses of 250 potential jurors to be made public ""to serve as a check on the process"". Santa Barbara County Superior Court is due to consider the request on Monday. Mr Jackson denies child molestation. It is estimated his trial will cost Santa Barbara county up to $4m (£2.13m).

Meanwhile Michael Jackson's mother has said she is ""100% certain"" her son did not commit the child abuse charges he faces. The court is currently selecting 12 jurors and eight stand-by jurors for the trial, a process delayed until at least Thursday after a member of the star's legal team was hit by family illness. Defence lawyers argued against the bid by Associated Press and other news organisations to have potential jurors' responses made public.

""The release of the completed jury questionnaires does not serve any purpose other than to add to the sensationalist coverage of this case,"" a motion by Mr Jackson's lawyers stated. The estimated total costs of the trial, expected to last five months, range from $2.5m (£1.33m) to $4m (£2.13m) of local taxpayers' money. Those estimates do not include costs to the city of Santa Maria, the Superior Court or for the investigation and prosecution of the case. The cost of security and other needs around the courthouse has been estimated at $40,000 (£21,000) per day, said Jason Stilwell, a special projects manager at the county administrator's office.

Mr Jackson, 46, denies plying a boy with alcohol and molesting him. His mother Katherine Jackson told US TV network Fox News on Sunday that her pop star son told her he was innocent. ""I believe that for one reason - I know his character,"" she said. ""He loves children. You don't molest anything that you love."" Describing Mr Jackson as ""a good person"", the mother-of-nine said she feared he would not be given a fair trial. ""I can't sleep thinking about what these wicked people might try to do to him,"" she said.
","It is estimated his trial will cost Santa Barbara county up to $4m (£2.13m).Describing Mr Jackson as ""a good person"", the mother-of-nine said she feared he would not be given a fair trial.Lawyers for news organisations said it was ""really vital"" for the responses of 250 potential jurors to be made public ""to serve as a check on the process"".Mr Jackson denies child molestation.The cost of security and other needs around the courthouse has been estimated at $40,000 (£21,000) per day, said Jason Stilwell, a special projects manager at the county administrator's office.Meanwhile Michael Jackson's mother has said she is ""100% certain"" her son did not commit the child abuse charges he faces.Reporters covering singer Michael Jackson's trial in California have asked to see questionnaires completed by potential jurors.""He loves children."
733,"Singer Ferguson 'facing eviction'

Three Degrees star Sheila Ferguson is the favourite to be evicted from ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here on Monday.

Bookmakers Ladbrokes says the singer has even odds of being the first contestant to be voted off the show. ""It's going to be close but Sheila is favourite as she has shown herself to be a bit of a troublemaker,"" said Ladbrokes' Warren Lush. Comic Joe Pasquale remains odds on favourite to win the reality show. Mr Lush added that Nancy Sorrell's chances of an early departure had increased since the surprise arrival of husband Vic Reeves in the jungle camp last Wednesday. Notwithstanding, comedian Reeves remains 3/1 favourite to win the show, after Pasquale.

Huggy Bear actor Antonio Fargas also remains a contender for eviction having ""done nothing to live up to the pre-show hype"". ""There has been a big gamble on Natalie [Appleton] to go... but bookies fancy the millions at home will keep piling on the misery by putting her through more bushtucker trials,"" added Mr Lush. The former All Saint star has performed dismally in bushtucker trials which have seen her plunged into glass tanks containing putrid waste and challenged to eat fish eyes. On Friday, Ladbrokes suspended betting after singer Brian Harvey quit the show folllowing a blazing row with Janet Street-Porter. Harvey, who entered the camp a day later than other contestants after learning that his grandmother had died, reached the end of his tether following days of meagre rations and rows.
","Notwithstanding, comedian Reeves remains 3/1 favourite to win the show, after Pasquale.Comic Joe Pasquale remains odds on favourite to win the reality show.Bookmakers Ladbrokes says the singer has even odds of being the first contestant to be voted off the show.""It's going to be close but Sheila is favourite as she has shown herself to be a bit of a troublemaker,"" said Ladbrokes' Warren Lush.On Friday, Ladbrokes suspended betting after singer Brian Harvey quit the show folllowing a blazing row with Janet Street-Porter."
440,"US trade deficit widens sharply

The gap between US exports and imports has widened to more than $60bn (£31.7bn), an all-time record.

Figures from the Commerce Department for November showed exports down 2.3% to $95.6bn, while imports grew 1.3% to $155.8bn on rising consumer demand. Part of the expanding deficit came from high prices for oil imports. But the numbers suggested the sliding dollar - which makes exports less expensive - has had little impact, and could indicate slowing economic growth.

The trade deficit - far bigger than the $54bn widely expected on Wall Street - prompted a rapid response from the currency markets.

By 1650 GMT, the dollar was trading against the euro at $1.3280, almost a cent and a half weaker than before the announcement. Against the pound, the dollar was down about 0.7% at $1,8923. ""The dollar's fall has been sudden, violent and appropriate given this number,"" said Brian Taylor of Wells Fargo in Minneapolis. ""Recent exchange rate movements certainly haven't had any impact yet."" Treasury Secretary John Snow put a brave face on the news, saying it was a sign of strong economic expansion. ""The economy is growing at such a fast rate that it is generating lots of disposable income... some of which is used to buy goods from our trading partners.""

Although the White House officially still backs the US's traditional ""strong dollar"" policy, it has tacitly indicated that it would be happy if the slide continued. The dollar has fallen by 50% against the euro - as well as by 30% against the yen - in the past three years. The main catalyst, most economists accept, is the large budget deficit on the one hand, and the current account deficit - the difference between the flow of money in and out of the US - on the other. The trade deficit is a large part of the latter. In November, the fall in exports was largely due to a decline in sales of industrial supplies and materials such as chemicals, as well as of cars, consumer goods and food. One small bright spot for US policy-makers was a slight decline in the deficit with China, often blamed for job losses and other economic woes. Although China's overall trade surplus is expanding, according to Chinese government figures, the Commerce Department revealed the US's deficit with China was $19.6bn in November, down from $19.7bn the month before. But the deficit with Japan was at its worst in more than four years.
","Although China's overall trade surplus is expanding, according to Chinese government figures, the Commerce Department revealed the US's deficit with China was $19.6bn in November, down from $19.7bn the month before.Against the pound, the dollar was down about 0.7% at $1,8923.But the deficit with Japan was at its worst in more than four years.The gap between US exports and imports has widened to more than $60bn (£31.7bn), an all-time record.One small bright spot for US policy-makers was a slight decline in the deficit with China, often blamed for job losses and other economic woes.By 1650 GMT, the dollar was trading against the euro at $1.3280, almost a cent and a half weaker than before the announcement.But the numbers suggested the sliding dollar - which makes exports less expensive - has had little impact, and could indicate slowing economic growth.The trade deficit is a large part of the latter."
977,"Tory backing for ID cards

The Tories are to back controversial government plans to introduce ID cards.

The shadow cabinet revealed its support ahead of next week's Commons vote on a bill to introduce compulsory ID. The decision follows a ""tough meeting"" where some senior Tories argued vociferously against the move, party sources told the BBC. The bill, which ministers claim will tackle crime, terrorism and illegal immigration, is expected to be opposed by the Liberal Democrats.

They have said the scheme is ""deeply flawed"" and a waste of money. Sources within the Conservative Party told the BBC Michael Howard has always been in favour of ID cards, and tried to introduce them when he was Home Secretary. The party has been ""agnostic"" on the issue until now but had now decided to come off the fence, the Tory source said. Despite giving their backing to ID cards, the Conservatives insisted they would hold ministers to account over the precise purpose of the scheme.

They said they would also press Labour over whether objectives could be met and whether the Home Office would deliver them. And they pledged to assess the cost effectiveness of ID cards and whether people's privacy would be properly protected. ""It is important to remember that this bill will take a decade to come into full effect,"" a spokesman said. ""It will do nothing to solve the immediate problems of rising crime and uncontrolled immigration.""

Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten said: ""This has all the signs of Michael Howard overruling colleagues' concerns over ID cards. ""The Tories should have the courage to try and change public opinion not follow it."" The new chairman of the Bar Council, Guy Mansfield QC warned there was a real risk that people on the ""margins of society"" would be driven into the hands of extremists. ""What is going to happen to young Asian men when there has been a bomb gone off somewhere? They are going to be stopped. If they haven't [ID cards] they are going to be detained.""
","If they haven't [ID cards] they are going to be detained.""Sources within the Conservative Party told the BBC Michael Howard has always been in favour of ID cards, and tried to introduce them when he was Home Secretary.Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten said: ""This has all the signs of Michael Howard overruling colleagues' concerns over ID cards.The Tories are to back controversial government plans to introduce ID cards.Despite giving their backing to ID cards, the Conservatives insisted they would hold ministers to account over the precise purpose of the scheme.The party has been ""agnostic"" on the issue until now but had now decided to come off the fence, the Tory source said.They said they would also press Labour over whether objectives could be met and whether the Home Office would deliver them.And they pledged to assess the cost effectiveness of ID cards and whether people's privacy would be properly protected."
1579,"Benitez 'to launch Morientes bid'

Liverpool may launch an £8m January bid for long-time target Fernando Morientes, according to reports.

The Real Madrid striker has been linked with a move to Anfield since the summer and is currently behind Raul, Ronaldo and Michael Owen at the Bernabeu. Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is keen to bolster his forward options with Djibril Cisse out until next season. ""If there is an attractive propostition it could be I would be keen to leave,"" admitted the 28-year-old Morientes. He added: ""Unfortunately, I'm not in control of the situation. I'm under contract to Real and they will make any decisions."" The fee could put Liverpool off a prospective deal but Real are keen to net the cash as they are reported to be preparing a massive summer bid for Inter Milan striker Adriano. The Reds are currently sixth in the Premiership, 15 points behind leaders Chelsea.
","The fee could put Liverpool off a prospective deal but Real are keen to net the cash as they are reported to be preparing a massive summer bid for Inter Milan striker Adriano.The Real Madrid striker has been linked with a move to Anfield since the summer and is currently behind Raul, Ronaldo and Michael Owen at the Bernabeu.I'm under contract to Real and they will make any decisions.""""If there is an attractive propostition it could be I would be keen to leave,"" admitted the 28-year-old Morientes."
2151,"Millions buy MP3 players in US

One in 10 adult Americans - equivalent to 22 million people - owns an MP3 player, according to a survey.

A study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that MP3 players are the gadget of choice among affluent young Americans. The survey did not interview teenagers but it is likely that millions of under-18s also have MP3 players. The American love affair with digital music players has been made possible as more and more homes get broadband.

Of the 22 million Americans who own MP3 players, 59% are men compared to 41% of women. Those on high income - judged to be $75,000 (£39,000) or above - are four times more likely to have players than those earning less than $30, 000 ( £15,000). Broadband access plays a big part in ownership too. Almost a quarter of those with broadband at home have players, compared to 9% of those who have dial-up access. MP3 players are still the gadget of choice for younger adults. Almost one in five US citizens aged under 30 have one. This compares to 14% of those aged 30-39 and 14% of those aged 40-48. The influence of children also plays a part. Sixteen percent of parents living with children under 18 have digital players compared to 9% of those who don't. The ease of use and growth of music available on the net are the main factors for the upsurge in ownership, the survey found. People are beginning to use them as instruments of social activity - sharing songs and taking part in podcasting - the survey found. ""IPods and MP3 players are becoming a mainstream technology for consumers"" said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project. ""More growth in the market is inevitable as new devices become available, as new players enter the market, and as new social uses for iPods/MP3 players become popular,"" he added.
","One in 10 adult Americans - equivalent to 22 million people - owns an MP3 player, according to a survey.A study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that MP3 players are the gadget of choice among affluent young Americans.The survey did not interview teenagers but it is likely that millions of under-18s also have MP3 players.MP3 players are still the gadget of choice for younger adults.Of the 22 million Americans who own MP3 players, 59% are men compared to 41% of women.""IPods and MP3 players are becoming a mainstream technology for consumers"" said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project.The American love affair with digital music players has been made possible as more and more homes get broadband."
568,"Berlin hails European cinema

Organisers say this year's Berlin Film Festival, which opens on Thursday with period epic Man to Man, will celebrate a revitalised European cinema.

Of the 21 films in competition for the Golden and Silver Bear awards, more than half are from Europe with France particularly well represented. Festival director Dieter Kosslick says this strong showing signals ""a new consciousness for European films"". ""They're on an incredible winning streak,"" he told the Reuters agency. ""This isn't to say there aren't any good American films,"" he continued. ""It's just that there are more good European films.""

However, Mr Kosslick refused to accept that widespread opposition to the Iraq war had turned audiences against Hollywood imports. ""There is no anti-American mood,"" he said. Some 350 films will be screened at this year's festival, with a further 300 shown at the European Film Market that runs alongside it. More than a dozen celebrities are scheduled to attend, among them Will Smith, Kevin Spacey and Keanu Reeves. But Mr Kosslick says more would be coming had the Academy Awards not been brought forward to 27 February. ""I'm not worried that we won't be able to fill the red carpet with stars,"" he said, though he admitted the festival may be moved to January next year to avoid a similar clash. The 10-day Berlinale runs until 20 February.
","Festival director Dieter Kosslick says this strong showing signals ""a new consciousness for European films"".Some 350 films will be screened at this year's festival, with a further 300 shown at the European Film Market that runs alongside it.""It's just that there are more good European films.""Organisers say this year's Berlin Film Festival, which opens on Thursday with period epic Man to Man, will celebrate a revitalised European cinema.But Mr Kosslick says more would be coming had the Academy Awards not been brought forward to 27 February.""This isn't to say there aren't any good American films,"" he continued."
722,"Little Britain two top comic list

Little Britain stars Matt Lucas and David Walliams have been named the most powerful people in TV comedy, in a poll by listings magazine Radio Times.

The duo kept Phoenix Nights creator Peter Kay at number two and The Office star Ricky Gervais in third place. A Radio Times panel compiled the list, taking the comedians' critical acclaim and financial success into account. Newcomers to the annual list included Nighty Night star Julia Davis at seven and Black Books' Tamsin Greig at 19.

Lucas and Walliams won numerous awards for Little Britain in 2004, including National Television, Royal Television Society and British Comedy awards. More than 1.8 million people watched the first episode of the latest series of Little Britain on BBC Three in October, giving the digital channel its highest rating ever.

They topped the Radio Times list after rising from 10th position last year. Other big risers over the past year included presenting duo Ant and Dec at five, up from 13 in 2004, Stephen Fry rising nine places to 15 and BBC Three controller Stuart Murphy, who moves to number 18 from 32 last year. Last year's winner, chat show host Graham Norton, fell to number 16 following relatively few television appearances in 2004. Production companies also featured in the top 50, including Steve Coogan's Baby Cow, which created Nighty Night among others, Hat Trick - behind The Kumars at Number 42 - and The Vicar of Dibley production company Tiger Aspect.
","Little Britain stars Matt Lucas and David Walliams have been named the most powerful people in TV comedy, in a poll by listings magazine Radio Times.They topped the Radio Times list after rising from 10th position last year.Other big risers over the past year included presenting duo Ant and Dec at five, up from 13 in 2004, Stephen Fry rising nine places to 15 and BBC Three controller Stuart Murphy, who moves to number 18 from 32 last year.Lucas and Walliams won numerous awards for Little Britain in 2004, including National Television, Royal Television Society and British Comedy awards."
499,"China Aviation seeks rescue deal

Scandal-hit jet fuel supplier China Aviation Oil has offered to repay its creditors $220m (£117m) of the $550m it lost on trading in oil futures.

The firm said it hoped to pay $100m now and another $120m over eight years. With assets of $200m and liabilities totalling $648m, it needs creditors' backing for the offer to avoid going into bankruptcy. The trading scandal is the biggest to hit Singapore since the $1.2bn collapse of Barings Bank in 1995. Chen Jiulin, chief executive of China Aviation Oil (CAO), was arrested by at Changi Airport by Singapore police on 8 December. He was returning from China, where he had headed when CAO announced its trading debacle in late-November. The firm had been betting heavily on a fall in the price of oil during October, but prices rose sharply instead.

Among the creditors whose backing CAO needs for its restructuring plan are banking giants such as Barclay's Capital and Sumitomo Mitsui, as well as South Korean firm SK Energy. Of the immediate payment, the firm - China's biggest jet fuel supplier - said it would be paying $30m out of its own resources. The rest would come from its parent company, China Aviation Oil Holding Company in Beijing. The holding company, owned by the Chinese government, holds most of CAO's Singapore-listed shares. It cut its holding from 75% to 60% on 20 October.
","The rest would come from its parent company, China Aviation Oil Holding Company in Beijing.Scandal-hit jet fuel supplier China Aviation Oil has offered to repay its creditors $220m (£117m) of the $550m it lost on trading in oil futures.Chen Jiulin, chief executive of China Aviation Oil (CAO), was arrested by at Changi Airport by Singapore police on 8 December.Of the immediate payment, the firm - China's biggest jet fuel supplier - said it would be paying $30m out of its own resources.The firm had been betting heavily on a fall in the price of oil during October, but prices rose sharply instead."
710,"Celebrities get to stay in jungle

All four contestants still remain in I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here as no evictions were made on the television show on Saturday.

Contestants Paul Burrell, Joe Pasquale, Janet Street-Porter and Fran Cosgrave were told by hosts Ant and Dec. Natalie Appleton's decision to quit the show last Monday had given them all a stay of execution, the group were told. Model Sophie Anderton was the last person to be voted off the ITV1 show, set in the Australian jungle. The four remaining stars will do a joint Bushtucker Trial on Sunday.

Former All Saints singer Natalie Appleton,31, walked out of the show after learning she would face a fifth so-called Bushtucker Trial. The celebrities are chosen by the viewers to pass trials in order to win food for the rest of the camp. Appleton had endured a torrid time during the programme, including a well-publicised row with Sophie Anderton. And on 26 November singer Brian Harvey quit as a contestant after he had a blazing row with Janet Street-Porter.
","Former All Saints singer Natalie Appleton,31, walked out of the show after learning she would face a fifth so-called Bushtucker Trial.All four contestants still remain in I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here as no evictions were made on the television show on Saturday.And on 26 November singer Brian Harvey quit as a contestant after he had a blazing row with Janet Street-Porter.Model Sophie Anderton was the last person to be voted off the ITV1 show, set in the Australian jungle."
1810,"Slovakia reach Hopman Cup final

Slovakia will play Argentina in the final of the Hopman Cup after beating Group B rivals the Netherlands 3-0.

Daniela Hantuchova defeated Michaella Krajicek 6-4 6-2 to give the Slovaks the perfect start before Dutchman Peter Wessels retired against Dominik Hrbaty. Wessels was unable to compete in the mixed doubles but Slovakia had already booked their place in the final for the second year running. Argentina claimed top spot in Group A with three wins from three matches. In the other Group B match, the United States defeated Australia 2-1.

Meghann Shaughnessy lost the opening match against Alicia Molik but James Blake levelled the tie with a 6-3 6-4 win over Paul Baccanello, who came in as a replacement for the injured Mark Philippoussis. Blake and Shaughnessy then beat Molik and Baccanello in a tense mixed doubles contest to take the win. Hantuchova, who did not win a Hopman Cup singles match in 2004, has been in good form during this year's event and has won two of her three matches. ""I feel like it's really deserved this time as I've helped Dominik to get through,"" she said. ""I think if I keep going the way I have been in the past few matches then I will be okay. ""I was really pleased with my last two singles, even the first one, which was a really high standard. ""You can't ask for a better preparation than to play a few matches here for the Australian Open.""
","Hantuchova, who did not win a Hopman Cup singles match in 2004, has been in good form during this year's event and has won two of her three matches.In the other Group B match, the United States defeated Australia 2-1.Slovakia will play Argentina in the final of the Hopman Cup after beating Group B rivals the Netherlands 3-0.Meghann Shaughnessy lost the opening match against Alicia Molik but James Blake levelled the tie with a 6-3 6-4 win over Paul Baccanello, who came in as a replacement for the injured Mark Philippoussis.Argentina claimed top spot in Group A with three wins from three matches."
1097,"Howard rejects BNP's claim

Tory leader Michael Howard has dismissed claims that his immigration policy was ""moving onto the turf"" of the British National Party (BNP).

BNP leader Nick Griffin told the Independent he expected some BNP voters to switch to the Tories over the issue. But Mr Howard said he rejected the idea that the Tories and BNP appealed to the same voting instincts. Asked if he would welcome BNP voters he told the BBC: ""I don't want anybody to vote for these extremist parties"". He added, on BBC Radio 4's Today programme: ""If you want good community relations in this country...then you have to have firm, fair immigration controls.""

The Tories have promised an upper limit on the number of people allowed into Britain with the slogan: ""It's not racist to impose limits on immigration"". All parties are stepping up campaiging in the run-up to the general election, widely expected to be called for 5 May. Labour has unveiled its own ""points system"" for ensuring migrants who want to work in the UK have skills that are required, but have rejected immigration quotas. The Liberal Democrats have warned both parties against ""pandering to prejudice"".

Mr Griffin told the Independent the Tories' plans were ""a definite move onto our turf"". He said: ""I quite freely accept that on a nationwide basis, the Tories will con enough people to make a significant hole in our vote."" Asked whether he was comfortable with the perception that the Conservatives and the BNP appeal to the same voting instincts, Mr Howard told the BBC: ""I reject that entirely"". He said he found BNP's policies ""abhorrent"" but he said the UK had to take a different approach to immigration, which he said was out of control. ""The government doesn't want to limit it in any way, we do, there's a legitimate difference between us there which we can discuss in a calm, rational and reasonable way,"" he said. He again rejected newspaper speculation that his own father entered Britain illegally.
","But Mr Howard said he rejected the idea that the Tories and BNP appealed to the same voting instincts.BNP leader Nick Griffin told the Independent he expected some BNP voters to switch to the Tories over the issue.Tory leader Michael Howard has dismissed claims that his immigration policy was ""moving onto the turf"" of the British National Party (BNP).Asked whether he was comfortable with the perception that the Conservatives and the BNP appeal to the same voting instincts, Mr Howard told the BBC: ""I reject that entirely"".Asked if he would welcome BNP voters he told the BBC: ""I don't want anybody to vote for these extremist parties"".Mr Griffin told the Independent the Tories' plans were ""a definite move onto our turf""."
1187,"'Super union' merger plan touted

Two of Britain's big trade unions could merge to form a ""super union"" of two million members.

The move by Amicus and the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) would be a seen as a bid to carry more weight with ministers and employers. Amicus has 1.2 million members and the TGWU has 800,000. Any merger would have to be approved by the unions' executives and their membership. It is understood meetings will be held on Wednesday about the proposal. Along with the GMB and Unison, the TGWU and Amicus worked closely together in the last year to hammer out a 56-point deal with Labour's leadership over equality at work, holidays and pensions - the Warwick Agreement. Both unions are remaining tight-lipped about the merger rumours, but one insider pointed out to the BBC News website that ""nobody is denying suggestions a merger could be on the agenda"" when the two unions' executives hold their meetings on Wednesday. Amicus's executive was due to meet in any case although the TGWU is holding specially scheduled talks.
","Both unions are remaining tight-lipped about the merger rumours, but one insider pointed out to the BBC News website that ""nobody is denying suggestions a merger could be on the agenda"" when the two unions' executives hold their meetings on Wednesday.The move by Amicus and the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) would be a seen as a bid to carry more weight with ministers and employers.Any merger would have to be approved by the unions' executives and their membership.Amicus has 1.2 million members and the TGWU has 800,000."
1851,"Warning over tsunami aid website

Net users are being told to avoid a scam website that claims to collect cash on behalf of tsunami victims.

The site looks plausible because it uses an old version of the official Disasters Emergency Committee webpage. However, DEC has no connection with the fake site and says it has contacted the police about it. The site is just the latest in a long list of scams that try to cash in on the goodwill generated by the tsunami disaster.

The link to the website is contained in a spam e-mail that is currently circulating. The message's subject line reads ""Urgent Tsunami Earthquake Appeal"" and its text bears all the poor grammar and bad spelling that characterises many other phishing attempts. The web address of the fake site is decuk.org which could be close enough to the official www.dec.org.uk address to confuse some people keen to donate. Patricia Sanders, spokeswoman for the Disaster Emergency Committee said it was aware of the site and had contacted the Computer Crime Unit at Scotland Yard to help get it shut down. She said the spam e-mails directing people to the site started circulating two days ago shortly after the domain name of the site was registered. It is thought that the fake site is being run from Romania. Ms Sanders said DEC had contacted US net registrars who handle domain ownership and the net hosting firm that is keeping the site on the web.

DEC was going to push for all cash donated via the site to be handed over to the official organisation. BT and DEC's hosting company were also making efforts to get the site shut down, she said.

Ms Sanders said sending out spam e-mail to solicit donations was not DEC's style and that it would never canvass support in this way. She said that DEC hoped to get the fake site shut down as soon as possible. All attempts by the BBC News website to contact the people behind the site have failed. None of the e-mail addresses supplied on the site work and the real owner of the domain is obscured in publicly available net records. This is not the first attempt to cash in on the outpouring of goodwill that has accompanied appeals for tsunami aid. One e-mail sent out in early January came from someone who claimed that he had lost his parents in the disaster and was asking for help moving an inheritance from a bank account in the Netherlands. The con was very similar to the familiar Nigerian forward fee fraud e-mails that milk money out of people by promising them a cut of a much larger cash pile. Other scam e-mails included a link to a website that supposedly let people donate money but instead loaded spyware on their computers that grabbed confidential information. In a monthly report anti-virus firm Sophos said that two e-mail messages about the tsunami made it to the top 10 hoax list during January. Another tsunami-related e-mail is also circulating that carries the Zar worm which tries to spread via the familiar route of Microsoft's Outlook e-mail program. Anyone opening the attachment of the mail will have their contact list plundered by the worm keen to find new addresses to send itself to.
","She said the spam e-mails directing people to the site started circulating two days ago shortly after the domain name of the site was registered.She said that DEC hoped to get the fake site shut down as soon as possible.The site is just the latest in a long list of scams that try to cash in on the goodwill generated by the tsunami disaster.Patricia Sanders, spokeswoman for the Disaster Emergency Committee said it was aware of the site and had contacted the Computer Crime Unit at Scotland Yard to help get it shut down.Ms Sanders said DEC had contacted US net registrars who handle domain ownership and the net hosting firm that is keeping the site on the web.DEC was going to push for all cash donated via the site to be handed over to the official organisation.None of the e-mail addresses supplied on the site work and the real owner of the domain is obscured in publicly available net records.All attempts by the BBC News website to contact the people behind the site have failed.BT and DEC's hosting company were also making efforts to get the site shut down, she said.The web address of the fake site is decuk.org which could be close enough to the official www.dec.org.uk address to confuse some people keen to donate."
538,"Potter director signs Warner deal

Harry Potter director Alfonso Cuaron has signed a three-year deal with Hollywood studio Warner Brothers, according to Variety trade magazine.

The Mexican film-maker, who directed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, will produce mainstream movies and smaller Spanish-language films. ""We had a wonderful experience with Alfonso on Harry Potter,"" Warner producer Jeff Robinov told Variety. Cuaron's other films include Mexican movie Y Tu Mama Tambien.

The 2001 rites-of-passage drama about two teenage boys who embark on a relationship with an older woman, brought Cuaron international attention - and box office glory.

It also won him and his brother Carlos, with whom he co-wrote the screenplay, an Oscar nomination for best original screenplay. Warner will distribute Cuaron's films in several languages outside the US. ""This deal will give us the opportunity to collaborate with Alfonso on movies that make the most of his artistry and vision, and continue to offer him the mainstream worldwide audiences that our studio provides so successfully,"" said Mr Robinov.

His first film for Warner Brothers was 1995's family fantasy movie A Little Princess. Based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, A Little Princess tells the story of a young girl who is sent to live in a New York boarding school when her widowed father enlists for war. After the erotic nature of Y Tu Mama Tambien, Cuaron was a surprise choice to direct the third Harry Potter film but his dark interpretation was received well by the public and critics alike.
","His first film for Warner Brothers was 1995's family fantasy movie A Little Princess.Harry Potter director Alfonso Cuaron has signed a three-year deal with Hollywood studio Warner Brothers, according to Variety trade magazine.Cuaron's other films include Mexican movie Y Tu Mama Tambien.After the erotic nature of Y Tu Mama Tambien, Cuaron was a surprise choice to direct the third Harry Potter film but his dark interpretation was received well by the public and critics alike.""We had a wonderful experience with Alfonso on Harry Potter,"" Warner producer Jeff Robinov told Variety."
2116,"Microsoft debuts security tools

Microsoft is releasing tools that clean up PCs harbouring viruses and spyware.

The virus-fighting program will be updated monthly and is a precursor to Microsoft releasing dedicated anti-virus software. Also being released is a software utility that will help users find and remove any spyware on their home computer. Although initially free it is thought that soon Microsoft will be charging users for the anti-spyware tool.

The anti-spyware tool is available now and the anti-virus utility is expected to be available later this month. Microsoft's Windows operating system has long been a favourite of people who write computer viruses because it is so ubiquitous and has many loopholes that can be exploited. It has proved such a tempting target that there are now thought to be more than 100,000 viruses and other malicious programs in existence. Latest research suggests that new variants of viruses are being cranked out at a rate of up to 200 per week. Spyware is surreptitious software that sneaks on to home computers, often without users' knowledge. In its most benign form it just bombards users with pop-up adverts or hijacks web browser settings. The most malicious forms steal confidential information or log every keystroke that users make. Surveys have shown that most PCs are infested with spyware. Research by technology firms Earthlink and Webroot revealed that 90% of Windows machine have the malicious software on board and, on average, each one harbours 28 separate spyware programs. Before now Microsoft has left the market for PC security software to specialist firms such as Symantec, McAfee, Trend Micro and many others. It said that its virus cleaning program would not stop machines being infected nor remove the need for other anti-virus programs. On spyware freely available programs such as Ad-Aware and Spybot have become widely used by people keen to keep the latest variants at bay. Microsoft's two security tools have emerged as a result of acquisitions the company has made over the last two years. In 2003 it bought Romanian firm GeCAD Software to get hold of its anti-virus technology. In December 2004 it bought New York-based anti-spyware firm Giant Company Software. Last year Microsoft also released the SP2 upgrade for Windows XP that closed many security loopholes in the software and made it easier for people to manage their anti-virus and firewall programs.
","Microsoft is releasing tools that clean up PCs harbouring viruses and spyware.Also being released is a software utility that will help users find and remove any spyware on their home computer.Last year Microsoft also released the SP2 upgrade for Windows XP that closed many security loopholes in the software and made it easier for people to manage their anti-virus and firewall programs.Research by technology firms Earthlink and Webroot revealed that 90% of Windows machine have the malicious software on board and, on average, each one harbours 28 separate spyware programs.The virus-fighting program will be updated monthly and is a precursor to Microsoft releasing dedicated anti-virus software.Before now Microsoft has left the market for PC security software to specialist firms such as Symantec, McAfee, Trend Micro and many others.In 2003 it bought Romanian firm GeCAD Software to get hold of its anti-virus technology.In December 2004 it bought New York-based anti-spyware firm Giant Company Software."
1980,"File-swappers ready new network

Legal attacks on websites that help people swap pirated films have forced the development of a system that could be harder to shut down.

One site behind the success of the BitTorrent file-swapping system is producing its own software that avoids the pitfalls of the earlier program. A test version of the new Exeem program will be released in late January. But doubts remain about the new networks ability to ensure files being swapped are ""quality copies"".

In late December movie studios launched a legal campaign against websites that helped people swap pirated movies using the BitTorrent network. The legal campaign worked because of the way that BitTorrent is organised. That file-sharing system relies on links called ""trackers"" that point users to others happy to share the file they are looking for. Shutting down sites that listed trackers crippled the BitTorrent network. One of the sites shut down by the legal campaign was suprnova.org which helped boost the popularity of the BitTorrent system by checking that trackers led to the movies or TV programmes they claimed to.

Now the man behind suprnova.org, who goes by the nickname Sloncek, is preparing to release software for a new file-swapping network dubbed Exeem. In an interview with Novastream web radio, Sloncek said Exeem would combine ideas from the BitTorrent and Kazaa file-sharing systems. Like BitTorrent, Exeem will have trackers that help point people toward the file they want. Like Kazaa these trackers will be held by everyone. There will be no centrally maintained list. This, said Sloncek, should make the system less vulnerable to legal action aimed at stopping people swapping pirated movies and music. The Exeem software has been under development for a few months and is currently being tested by a closed group of users. An early public version of the software should be available before February. Sloncek said that currently only a Windows version of the software was in development. There were no plans for a Linux or Mac version. He said that costs of writing the software will be paid for by adverts appearing in the finished version of the program. Despite Suprnova administrator Sloncek's involvement with Exeem, the basic technology appears to have been developed by a firm called Swarm Systems that is based on Caribbean island Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Users of the Exeem system will be able to rate files being swapped to help stop the spread of fake files, Sloncek told Novastream.

Dr Johan Pouwelse, a researcher at the Delft University of Technology who studies peer-to-peer networks, said Exeem was the next evolution in file-sharing systems. But, he said, it would struggle to be as popular as BitTorrent and Suprnova because early versions were not taking enough care to make sure good copies of files were being shared. ""Exeem cannot prevent pollution,"" he said. ""The rating system in Exeem seems flawed because it is easy to insert both fake files and fake ratings,"" he said. Studies have shown that organisations working for record labels and movie studios have worked to undermine Kazaa by putting in fakes. By contrast moderators on Suprnova made sure files being shared were high quality. ""The moderators are the difference between having a system that works and one that's full of crap like Kazaa,"" he said. ""There is a fundamental tension between distribution and integrity,"" he said. Mr Pouwelse said that future versions of file-sharing systems are likely to incorporate some kind of distributed reputation system that lets moderators prove who they are to the network and rate which files are worth downloading. When big files were being shared moderation systems were key, said Mr Pouwelse. He added that the legal attacks on BitTorrent had driven people away from sites such as Suprnova but many users had simply migrated to other tracker listing sites many of which have seen huge increases in traffic. ""It's hard to compete with free,"" he said. No-one from the Motion Picture Association of America was immediately available for comment on the file-sharing development.
","Sloncek said that currently only a Windows version of the software was in development.Mr Pouwelse said that future versions of file-sharing systems are likely to incorporate some kind of distributed reputation system that lets moderators prove who they are to the network and rate which files are worth downloading.In an interview with Novastream web radio, Sloncek said Exeem would combine ideas from the BitTorrent and Kazaa file-sharing systems.Like BitTorrent, Exeem will have trackers that help point people toward the file they want.But, he said, it would struggle to be as popular as BitTorrent and Suprnova because early versions were not taking enough care to make sure good copies of files were being shared.When big files were being shared moderation systems were key, said Mr Pouwelse.""The rating system in Exeem seems flawed because it is easy to insert both fake files and fake ratings,"" he said.This, said Sloncek, should make the system less vulnerable to legal action aimed at stopping people swapping pirated movies and music.One of the sites shut down by the legal campaign was suprnova.org which helped boost the popularity of the BitTorrent system by checking that trackers led to the movies or TV programmes they claimed to.""The moderators are the difference between having a system that works and one that's full of crap like Kazaa,"" he said.Users of the Exeem system will be able to rate files being swapped to help stop the spread of fake files, Sloncek told Novastream.""Exeem cannot prevent pollution,"" he said.He said that costs of writing the software will be paid for by adverts appearing in the finished version of the program.One site behind the success of the BitTorrent file-swapping system is producing its own software that avoids the pitfalls of the earlier program."
1328,"UK Athletics agrees new kit deal

UK Athletics has agreed a new deal with adidas to supply Great Britain squads of all ages with their kit for the next four years.

The German-based firm kitted out Team GB at the 2004 Olympics and has deals with 20 other national Olympic bodies. UK Athletics chief David Moorcroft said: ""The Athens experience can now be extended to more major championships. ""In the year ahead these include the European indoor and World outdoor championships. We are delighted."" Moorcroft added: ""It is hugely beneficial to the sport that the adidas commitment will also provide for officials and other personnel at our world-class series of live televised events."" This week, UK Athletics also agreed a four-year deal with energy drink company, Red Bull, who will be supplying the product to athletics at major domestic meetings and in high performance centres.
","UK Athletics has agreed a new deal with adidas to supply Great Britain squads of all ages with their kit for the next four years.This week, UK Athletics also agreed a four-year deal with energy drink company, Red Bull, who will be supplying the product to athletics at major domestic meetings and in high performance centres.UK Athletics chief David Moorcroft said: ""The Athens experience can now be extended to more major championships."
911,"Talks held on Gibraltar's future

Two days of talks on the future of Gibraltar begin at Jack Straw's country residence later on Wednesday.

Officials at the two-day summit at the foreign secretary's official Kent house, Chevening, will plan a new forum on the Rock's future. In October, Mr Straw and his Spanish counterpart Miguel Moratinos agreed to establish a body that would give Gibraltarians a voice in their future. Most Gibraltarians said in a referendum they wanted to remain British.

Gibraltar's Chief Minister Peter Caruana will represent the British citizens living on the Rock, while Britain's Europe Director Dominick Chilcott will represent the UK. Madrid is being represented by Spain's director general for Europe, Jose Maria Pons. The initiative follows Spain's socialist government's decision to put its long-standing sovereignty ambitions on hold. Gibraltarians rejected plans for the Rock's sovereignty to be shared between Britain and Spain in a referendum organised by Gibraltar government.
","Gibraltarians rejected plans for the Rock's sovereignty to be shared between Britain and Spain in a referendum organised by Gibraltar government.Most Gibraltarians said in a referendum they wanted to remain British.In October, Mr Straw and his Spanish counterpart Miguel Moratinos agreed to establish a body that would give Gibraltarians a voice in their future.Officials at the two-day summit at the foreign secretary's official Kent house, Chevening, will plan a new forum on the Rock's future."
1863,"Security warning over 'FBI virus'

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation is warning that a computer virus is being spread via e-mails that purport to be from the FBI.

The e-mails show that they have come from an fbi.gov address and tell recipients that they have accessed illegal websites. The messages warn that their internet use has been monitored by the FBI's Internet Fraud Complaint Center. An attachment in the e-mail contains the virus, the FBI said. The message asks recipients to click on the attachment and answer some questions about their internet use. But rather than being a questionnaire, the attachment contains a virus that infects the recipient's computer, according to the agency. It is not clear what the virus does once it has infected a computer. Users are warned never to open attachment from unsolicited e-mails or from people they do not know.

""Recipients of this or similar solicitations should know that the FBI does not engage in the practice of sending unsolicited e-mails to the public in this manner,"" the FBI said in a statement. The bureau is investigating the phoney e-mails. The agency earlier this month shut down fbi.gov accounts, used to communicate with the public, because of a security breach. A spokeswoman said the two incidents appear to be unrelated.
","An attachment in the e-mail contains the virus, the FBI said.The US Federal Bureau of Investigation is warning that a computer virus is being spread via e-mails that purport to be from the FBI.""Recipients of this or similar solicitations should know that the FBI does not engage in the practice of sending unsolicited e-mails to the public in this manner,"" the FBI said in a statement.But rather than being a questionnaire, the attachment contains a virus that infects the recipient's computer, according to the agency.Users are warned never to open attachment from unsolicited e-mails or from people they do not know."
1159,"How political squabbles snowball

It's become commonplace to argue that Blair and Brown are like squabbling school kids and that they (and their supporters) need to grow up and stop bickering.

But this analysis in fact gets it wrong. It's not just children who fight - adults do too. And there are solid reasons why even a trivial argument between mature protagonists can be hard to stop once its got going. The key feature of an endless feud is that everyone can agree they'd be better off if it ended - but everyone wants to have the last word.

Each participant genuinely wants the row to stop, but thinks it worth prolonging the argument just a tiny bit to ensure their view is heard. Their successive attempts to end the argument with their last word ensure the argument goes on and on and on. (In the case of Mr Blair and Mr Brown, successive books are published, ensuring the issues never die.) Now this isn't because the participants are stupid - it's actually each individual behaving entirely rationally, given the incentives facing them. Indeed, there's even a piece of economic theory that explains all this. Nothing as obscure as ""post-neo-classical endogenous growth theory"" which the chancellor himself once quoted - but a ubiquitous piece of game theory which all respectable policy wonks are familiar with.

It's often referred to as the ""prisoner's dilemma"", based on a parable much told in economics degree courses... about a sheriff and two prisoners. The story goes that two prisoners are jointly charged with a heinous crime, and are locked up in separate cells. But the sheriff desperately needs a confession from at least one of them, to provide enough evidence to convict them of the crime. Without a confession, the prisoners will get a minimal sentence on some trumped up charge.

Clearly the prisoners' best strategy is to keep their mouths shut, and take the short sentence, but the clever sheriff has an idea to induce them to talk. He tells each prisoner separately, that if they confess - and they are the only one to confess - they'll be let off their crime. And he tells them that if they don't confess - and they are the only one not to confess - they'll get life. Now, if you are prisoner confronted with this choice, your best bet is to confess. If your partner doesn't confess, you'll get off completely. And if your partner does confess, you'd better confess to ensure you don't get life. The result is of course, both prisoners confess, so the sheriff does not have to let either one off. Both prisoners' individual logic was to behave that way, even though both would have been better if they had somehow agreed to shut up. Don't worry if you don't entirely follow it - you can to look it up on Google, where there are 283,000 entries on it.

The prisoners' dilemma and all its ramifications have truly captured economists in the last couple of decades. It is a parable used to describe any situation where there is an obvious sensible choice to be taken collectively, but where the only rational choice individually is to behave selfishly.

A cold war arms race for example - a classic case where both Russia and America would be better off with just a few arms, rather than a lot of arms. But as long as each wants just a few more arms than the other, an arms race ensues with the results that the individually logical decision to buy more arms, results in arms levels that are too high. What economics tells us is that once you're in a prisoners' dilemma - unless you are repeating the experience many times over - it's hard to escape the perverse logic of it. It's no good just exhorting people to stop buying arms, or to stop arguing when all their incentives encourage them to carry on. Somehow, the incentives have to change.

In the case of the Labour Party, if you believe the rift between Blair and Brown camps is as bad as the reports suggest, Solomon's wisdom needs to be deployed to solve the problem. Every parent knows there are ingenious solutions to arguments, solutions which affect the incentives of the participants. An example, is the famous rule that ""one divides, the other chooses"" as a way of allocating a piece of cake to be sliced up between greedy children. In the case of an apparently endless argument, if you want it to come to an end, you have to ensure the person who has the last word is one who loses rather than the one who wins the row. The cost of prolonging the row by even one more briefing, or one more book for that matter, has to exceed the benefit of having the last word, and getting your point in. If the rest of the party can enforce that, they'll have the protagonists retreating pretty quickly.
","And he tells them that if they don't confess - and they are the only one not to confess - they'll get life.He tells each prisoner separately, that if they confess - and they are the only one to confess - they'll be let off their crime.And if your partner does confess, you'd better confess to ensure you don't get life.In the case of an apparently endless argument, if you want it to come to an end, you have to ensure the person who has the last word is one who loses rather than the one who wins the row.The result is of course, both prisoners confess, so the sheriff does not have to let either one off.The cost of prolonging the row by even one more briefing, or one more book for that matter, has to exceed the benefit of having the last word, and getting your point in.Now, if you are prisoner confronted with this choice, your best bet is to confess.Both prisoners' individual logic was to behave that way, even though both would have been better if they had somehow agreed to shut up.Their successive attempts to end the argument with their last word ensure the argument goes on and on and on.If your partner doesn't confess, you'll get off completely.Each participant genuinely wants the row to stop, but thinks it worth prolonging the argument just a tiny bit to ensure their view is heard.But the sheriff desperately needs a confession from at least one of them, to provide enough evidence to convict them of the crime.And there are solid reasons why even a trivial argument between mature protagonists can be hard to stop once its got going.It's no good just exhorting people to stop buying arms, or to stop arguing when all their incentives encourage them to carry on.It's often referred to as the ""prisoner's dilemma"", based on a parable much told in economics degree courses... about a sheriff and two prisoners."
1111,"New rules tackle 'sham weddings'

New rules on marriage for foreign nationals living in the UK are coming into force.

From Tuesday, most non-EU citizens will need Home Office approval to marry. The Home Office says the new rules are aimed at reducing the number of sham marriages, of which there are estimated to be up to 15,000 a year. But immigrants' group the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) says the rules breach human rights law and it may mount a legal challenge. When the changes were unveiled last year, immigration minister Des Browne said: ""Our aim is to avoid unnecessary disruption of genuine marriages, while providing firm controls to prevent abuse."" Under the previous regulations anybody wishing to get married in the UK only had to produce evidence they had been resident in the country for a week and give 15 days notice of the wedding at the local register office.

But from Tuesday all non-EU nationals, apart from citizens of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland or Norway, intending to wed in the UK must either obtain a visa allowing them to get married before they enter the country or apply for a Home Office 'certificate of marriage approval'. To get a certificate, costing £135, applicants will have to send proof that they have a legal right to be in the UK. Those without a settled status, such as asylum seekers awaiting a decision on their application, will have no right to marry in the UK.

Once they have the necessary documentation, those subject to immigration controls wishing to get married in England or Wales must register their intention to marry at one of 76 specially-designated register offices. They can, however, marry at the register office or church of their choice. Rhian Beynon of the JCWI said the new rules were ""not proportionate"" and ""discriminatory"".

""These rules means in some cases the Home Secretary is going to be a marriage registrar of last resort. ""We're currently taking a legal opinion on this. We'll be looking for people whose right to marry is breached and we'll be looking at taking a case on this to the Human Rights Court,"" Ms Beynon said. The new rules have also been called into question by the parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights. In a report published last July the cross-party committee stated there was a ""significant risk"" the new procedures were incompatible with the right to marry because they introduced restrictions which were ""disproportionate"". The committee believed the new laws might be incompatible with the Human Rights Act on the grounds of religion, belief and nationality, the report added.

Over the last year immigration service operations against marriages of convenience have been stepped up resulting in a growing number of convictions. In January 25 people who took part in a sham marriage network based in Leicester were jailed for a total of 35 years. And last November Samuel Amoah, a Belgian national who set up two sham weddings for couples who wanted to remain in the UK, was jailed for three years. Several other cases are currently going through the courts. The role of registrars who under the Asylum and Immigration Act 1999 were obliged to report suspected sham marriages to the Home Office, has been key in many prosecutions. Registrars' spokesman, Mark Rimmer, said they welcomed the new marriage regulations and believed they would be an significant deterrent. ""They will effectively remove most of the blatant cases. Certainly those who are illegals in this country, of which we had quite a few, will no longer be getting married,"" Mr Rimmer said. Mr Rimmer, the service director for registrations of marriages at Brent Council in north-west London, said he did not consider the new law to be an infringement of civil liberties. ""It may be seen to be far more draconian than it has been but certainly it's still not as difficult to marry in the UK than it is to marry, for example, in Holland, Germany or France. ""I think it's a proportionate response by government to what was a very large problem,"" Mr Rimmer said.
","New rules on marriage for foreign nationals living in the UK are coming into force.The Home Office says the new rules are aimed at reducing the number of sham marriages, of which there are estimated to be up to 15,000 a year.""These rules means in some cases the Home Secretary is going to be a marriage registrar of last resort.Rhian Beynon of the JCWI said the new rules were ""not proportionate"" and ""discriminatory"".But from Tuesday all non-EU nationals, apart from citizens of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland or Norway, intending to wed in the UK must either obtain a visa allowing them to get married before they enter the country or apply for a Home Office 'certificate of marriage approval'.Mr Rimmer, the service director for registrations of marriages at Brent Council in north-west London, said he did not consider the new law to be an infringement of civil liberties.Registrars' spokesman, Mark Rimmer, said they welcomed the new marriage regulations and believed they would be an significant deterrent.In a report published last July the cross-party committee stated there was a ""significant risk"" the new procedures were incompatible with the right to marry because they introduced restrictions which were ""disproportionate"".The role of registrars who under the Asylum and Immigration Act 1999 were obliged to report suspected sham marriages to the Home Office, has been key in many prosecutions.We'll be looking for people whose right to marry is breached and we'll be looking at taking a case on this to the Human Rights Court,"" Ms Beynon said.From Tuesday, most non-EU citizens will need Home Office approval to marry.The new rules have also been called into question by the parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights."
1627,"O'Driscoll saves Irish blushes

Two moments of magic from Brian O'Driscoll guided Ireland to a workmanlike victory against Italy.

A pair of classic outside breaks from the Ireland captain set up tries for Geordan Murphy and Peter Stringer. Italy led 9-8 early in the second half but Stringer's try gave Ireland a lead they never lost. The hosts cut the gap to 18-12 with 10 minutes left and nearly scored through Ludovico Nitoglia, but Denis Hickie's try ensured an Irish victory. Italy came flying out of the blocks and took the lead through a Luciano Orquera penalty after seven minutes.

It could have been better for the hosts but the fly-half missed two kickable penalties and Ireland drew level with a Ronan O'Gara penalty midway through the first half. The Italians were driving at the heart of the Irish defence and, for the first quarter, the Irish pack struggled to secure any ball for their talented backs.

When they finally did, just before the half-hour mark, O'Driscoll promptly created a sparkling try for Murphy. The Ireland captain ran a dummy scissors and made a magical outside break before drawing the full-back and putting the diving Murphy in at the corner. O'Gara missed the twice-taken conversion and the visitors found themselves trailing once again. Roland de Marigny took over the kicking duties for Italy from the hapless Orquera, and he landed a penalty either side of the break to edge Italy into a 9-8 lead.

The only Ireland player offering a real threat was O'Driscoll, and it was his break that set up the second try for the visitors. Shane Horgan threw an overhead pass as he was about to be forced into touch and Stringer scooted over, with O'Gara landing the tricky conversion. A penalty apiece saw Ireland leading 18-12 as the game entered the final quarter, but they were lucky to survive when Italy launched a series of attacks. Winger Nitoglia dropped the ball as he reached for the line and Italy nearly rumbled over from a driving maul.

An O'Gara penalty put Ireland more than a converted try ahead and they made the game safe when Hickie latched onto an inside pass from Murphy and crossed for a converted try. O'Driscoll limped off late on, joining centre partner Gordon D'Arcy on the sidelines, and the final word went to Italy. Prop Martin Castrogiovanni powered over for a try which was fitting reward for an Italian pack which had kept the Irish under pressure throughout.

De Marigny; Mi Bergamasco, Canale, Masi, Nitoglia; Orquera, Troncon; Lo Cicero, Ongaro, Castrogiovanni; Dellape, Bortolami; Persico, Ma Bergamasco, Parisse.

Perugini, Intoppa, Del Fava, Dal Maso, Griffen, Pozzebon, Robertson.

Murphy, Horgan, O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Hickie, O'Gara, Stringer, Corrigan, Byrne, Hayes, O'Kelly, O'Connell, S Easterby, Leamy, Foley.

Sheahan, Horan, O'Callaghan, Miller, G Easterby, Humphreys, Dempsey.

P O'Brien (New Zealand)
","An O'Gara penalty put Ireland more than a converted try ahead and they made the game safe when Hickie latched onto an inside pass from Murphy and crossed for a converted try.A pair of classic outside breaks from the Ireland captain set up tries for Geordan Murphy and Peter Stringer.The only Ireland player offering a real threat was O'Driscoll, and it was his break that set up the second try for the visitors.Italy led 9-8 early in the second half but Stringer's try gave Ireland a lead they never lost.Roland de Marigny took over the kicking duties for Italy from the hapless Orquera, and he landed a penalty either side of the break to edge Italy into a 9-8 lead.Two moments of magic from Brian O'Driscoll guided Ireland to a workmanlike victory against Italy.It could have been better for the hosts but the fly-half missed two kickable penalties and Ireland drew level with a Ronan O'Gara penalty midway through the first half.Murphy, Horgan, O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Hickie, O'Gara, Stringer, Corrigan, Byrne, Hayes, O'Kelly, O'Connell, S Easterby, Leamy, Foley.A penalty apiece saw Ireland leading 18-12 as the game entered the final quarter, but they were lucky to survive when Italy launched a series of attacks.When they finally did, just before the half-hour mark, O'Driscoll promptly created a sparkling try for Murphy."
1103,"February poll claim 'speculation'

Reports that Tony Blair is planning a snap general election for February 2005 have been described as ""idle speculation"" by Downing Street.

A spokesman said he had ""no idea"" where the reports in the Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph had come from. The papers suggest ministers believe the government could benefit from a ""Baghdad bounce"" following successful Iraq elections in January. A British general election was last held in February in 1974. In that election, Edward Heath lost and failed to build a coalition with the Liberals. Harold Wilson took over and increased his majority later in the year in a second election

The latest speculation suggests the prime minister favours a February poll in order to exploit his current opinion poll lead over Conservative leader Michael Howard. But that strategy could prompt criticism he was seeking to ""cut and run"" after less then four years of a parliamentary term. The papers report that Alan Milburn, Labour's head of elections strategy, has played a key role in the plan for a February election, which would include a New Year advertising blitz. New Labour's campaign, both newspapers said, would be centred around the slogan ""Britain is Working"". A Labour Party spokesman said the election date was ultimately a matter for Mr Blair, but he was unaware of anything to suggest it would be in February. Most commentators have been expecting an election on 5 May. The last election was in June 2001.
","A British general election was last held in February in 1974.The last election was in June 2001.A Labour Party spokesman said the election date was ultimately a matter for Mr Blair, but he was unaware of anything to suggest it would be in February.The papers report that Alan Milburn, Labour's head of elections strategy, has played a key role in the plan for a February election, which would include a New Year advertising blitz.Most commentators have been expecting an election on 5 May."
191,"US regulator to rule on pain drug

US food and drug regulators will decide on Friday whether to recommend the sale of painkillers that have been linked to a high risk of heart attack and stroke.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel will give its verdict after hearing evidence for three days. The painkillers - called COX-2 inhibitors - are sold under brand names such as Celebrex and Vioxx. Vioxx was withdrawn from shops last year but Merck said it would consider selling it if it gets FDA approval. The FDA has been asked to decide if the benefits to patients justify the increased risks.

Putting Vioxx back on the shelves is likely to boost profits at Merck and make easier any legal battles with people who claim to have been injured by the drug, analysts said.

Merck voluntarily stopped sales of Vioxx on 30 September, a move which caused the firm's fourth-quarter earnings to slide to $1.1bn (£581m), from $1.4bn a year earlier. Merck's shares tumbled more than 10% on the news and the company has had to set aside millions of dollars to cover the cost of Vioxx-related litigation. Alarm bells were rung by a research note called Approve which showed that the risk of heart attack and stroke doubled in patients who had been taking the drug for at least 18 months. The Cox-2 inhibitors were developed by drug companies, including Merck and Pfizer, because they cause users fewer stomach problems than other painkillers.

Pfizer is still selling its Celebrex and Bextra products, though investigations have suggested that they may also be harmful to the heart. Merck's announcement of a possible reintroduction of Vioxx caught analysts by surprise. Merck's head of research Peter Kim said that it withdrew Vioxx ""based on the information that was available to us at the time, knowing there were alternative therapies"". He went on to say that things have since changed in the light of new reports. ""Given this new information, its is not clear that the cardiovascular risk observed in Approve makes Vioxx unique in the class of similar drugs marketed in the US,"" Mr Kim explained.

On Thursday, David Graham from the FDA's Office of Drug Safety told the advisory panel that ""there really doesn't appear to be a need for Cox-2"" inhibitors. According to calculations presented to the US Senate by Dr Graham in November, Vioxx may be linked to as many as to 56,000 American deaths. Facing stem criticism for its handling of the Vioxx case, the FDA said on Tuesday that it will create an independent body to oversee the safety of drugs already in the market place. European regulators, meanwhile, ruled on Thursday that patients who have had heart disease or a stroke should not take Cox-2 inhibitors. The European Medicines Agency also said doctors should be ""cautious"" about giving the drugs to patients who have risk factors for heart disease.
","The European Medicines Agency also said doctors should be ""cautious"" about giving the drugs to patients who have risk factors for heart disease.""Given this new information, its is not clear that the cardiovascular risk observed in Approve makes Vioxx unique in the class of similar drugs marketed in the US,"" Mr Kim explained.US food and drug regulators will decide on Friday whether to recommend the sale of painkillers that have been linked to a high risk of heart attack and stroke.Putting Vioxx back on the shelves is likely to boost profits at Merck and make easier any legal battles with people who claim to have been injured by the drug, analysts said.Facing stem criticism for its handling of the Vioxx case, the FDA said on Tuesday that it will create an independent body to oversee the safety of drugs already in the market place.Vioxx was withdrawn from shops last year but Merck said it would consider selling it if it gets FDA approval.Alarm bells were rung by a research note called Approve which showed that the risk of heart attack and stroke doubled in patients who had been taking the drug for at least 18 months.The painkillers - called COX-2 inhibitors - are sold under brand names such as Celebrex and Vioxx."
792,"Rap feud in 50 Cent's G-Unit crew

US rap star 50 Cent has said he has thrown protege The Game out of his G-Unit gang in a feud that has apparently involved two shootings.

In a radio interview on Monday, 50 Cent said the newcomer was disloyal in conflicts with other rappers. A man was shot in the thigh outside New York's Hot 97 studios while 50 Cent was on air. More shots were fired outside his management offices two hours later. 50 Cent appeared on The Game's debut album, which was number one in the US. 50 Cent, whose second album is about to be released after his debut made him one of hip-hop's biggest stars, has been involved in recent rivalries with fellow artists including Fat Joe, Nas and Jadakiss.

He has claimed credit for the success of The Game, who has become the hottest new star on the rap scene. Both were drug dealers and were shot before turning to music.

In an interview with Hot 97 on Saturday, The Game described some of 50 Cent's rivals as ""my friends"" and said he would not turn on them. ""Nas is one of my friends, and Jada's really a homie,"" he said. ""50's beef is 50's beef and I really don't know where all this stems from."" When 50 Cent appeared on the same station two days later, he said The Game was no longer a member of G-Unit. ""Every record he's selling is based on me being on his record with him,"" he said. When the shooting took place outside the studio, the interview was ended and the rapper was escorted out of the building by security personnel.

An unidentified 24-year-old Los Angeles man is stable with a gunshot wound to the upper thigh. Police say The Game's associates may have heard the interview and gone to the studio, where they confronted 50 Cent's entourage. Officers are also investigating a later shooting in which eight bullets were fired into the door of 50 Cent's management company, Violator. No arrests have been made in relation to either incident. 50 Cent's second album, The Massacre, is released on Thursday, five weeks after The Game's debut, Documentary, went to number one.

Elliott Wilson, editor-in-chief of hip-hop magazine XXL, said the feud would boost publicity for 50 Cent's release. ""It helps him obviously in terms of exposure. You can't ask for better promotion,"" he said. But he added: ""I think he's making more and more enemies. ""You definitely feel like is he doing too much of a Tupac spiral, like me against the world. You bring more people wanting to see you fail."" Tupac Shakur was shot dead in 1996.
","A man was shot in the thigh outside New York's Hot 97 studios while 50 Cent was on air.When 50 Cent appeared on the same station two days later, he said The Game was no longer a member of G-Unit.50 Cent appeared on The Game's debut album, which was number one in the US.In a radio interview on Monday, 50 Cent said the newcomer was disloyal in conflicts with other rappers.US rap star 50 Cent has said he has thrown protege The Game out of his G-Unit gang in a feud that has apparently involved two shootings.In an interview with Hot 97 on Saturday, The Game described some of 50 Cent's rivals as ""my friends"" and said he would not turn on them.Tupac Shakur was shot dead in 1996.""Nas is one of my friends, and Jada's really a homie,"" he said.When the shooting took place outside the studio, the interview was ended and the rapper was escorted out of the building by security personnel.50 Cent, whose second album is about to be released after his debut made him one of hip-hop's biggest stars, has been involved in recent rivalries with fellow artists including Fat Joe, Nas and Jadakiss.50 Cent's second album, The Massacre, is released on Thursday, five weeks after The Game's debut, Documentary, went to number one."
270,"Oil prices reach three-month low

Oil prices have fallen heavily for a second day, closing at three-month lows after news that US crude stocks have improved ahead of winter.

London Brent crude closed at $40.15 on Thursday - a drop of 5.1% - having dived below $40 a barrel for the first time since mid-September. US light crude traded in New York lost more than $2 to $43.25, its lowest close since 10 September. The price of both benchmark crudes has dropped 12% in two days. The falls were triggered when the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday that US crude stocks were 3.5% higher than a year ago. The news calmed worries about winter shortages. Weak US fuel and heating oil stocks have been a persistent factor in pushing up oil prices. ""It's amazing how quickly sentiment changed,"" said Rick Mueller, an analyst at Energy Security Analysis. Analysts also attributed the fall to mild early-winter weather, which has tempered demand for heating oil.

The stronger fuel inventories helped boost US stock markets to nine-month highs on Wednesday, though only the Nasdaq index had hung onto those gains by the end of Thursday.

In London, the FTSE 100 index closed 15 points higher at 4,751. The long-awaited drop in oil prices helped to ease persistent investor jitters over the impact of energy costs on company profits and economic growth. However, traders warned that the fall could be short-lived if there is a cold snap in North America this winter or any major supply problems in other parts of the world.

The price of crude is still up about 30% on the start of 2004, but has fallen from the record of $55.67 set in late October. Opec nations have increased production to 25-year highs to meet global demand and this has helped rebuild US stocks hit by supply disruptions after Hurricane Ivan in September. Traders were also encouraged by comments on Wednesday from the energy minister of Opec member Algeria. Chakib Khelil said the cartel was likely to keep output unchanged when it meets next week. However, some analysts believe the sharp fall in crude prices may harden Opec's attitude to over-production, leading to a scaling back of oil output.

Fears still remain over the level of US heating oil stocks, which are rising but remain down on 2004 levels. A cold spell in north America would start to deplete supplies and could spark further price rises. Analysts, however, say prices will fall further if inventories continue to rise. ""Mother Nature is going to be huge in the next several weeks,"" said Kyle Cooper, at Citigroup Global Markets. ""Long term I think we're headed to $30-35 but I don't think we're doing that yet. We have a lot of winter left."" John Person, president of National Futures Advisory Services, said the EIA data indicated there should be adequate supplies for the next three months in the US. .
","Oil prices have fallen heavily for a second day, closing at three-month lows after news that US crude stocks have improved ahead of winter.The falls were triggered when the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday that US crude stocks were 3.5% higher than a year ago.However, some analysts believe the sharp fall in crude prices may harden Opec's attitude to over-production, leading to a scaling back of oil output.Weak US fuel and heating oil stocks have been a persistent factor in pushing up oil prices.Opec nations have increased production to 25-year highs to meet global demand and this has helped rebuild US stocks hit by supply disruptions after Hurricane Ivan in September.The price of crude is still up about 30% on the start of 2004, but has fallen from the record of $55.67 set in late October.The price of both benchmark crudes has dropped 12% in two days.Analysts also attributed the fall to mild early-winter weather, which has tempered demand for heating oil.The long-awaited drop in oil prices helped to ease persistent investor jitters over the impact of energy costs on company profits and economic growth.Analysts, however, say prices will fall further if inventories continue to rise.However, traders warned that the fall could be short-lived if there is a cold snap in North America this winter or any major supply problems in other parts of the world."
411,"Tsunami cost hits Jakarta shares

The stock market in Jakarta has seen its biggest slide in a month, after the country doubled the likely cost of rebuilding from the Asian tsunami.

The fall came as Indonesia said it expected debt repayments of up to 30 trillion rupiah ($3.2bn; £1.7bn) to be frozen to help pay for the recovery. By Monday's close, the Jakarta Stock Exchange was down 2.1% at 1,011.15. Bar a slight dip at the New Year, The JSE had risen steadily by 4.7% since the tsunami hit on 26 December. Construction and property companies in particular have gained ground, although banks were among the main fallers on Monday.

So far, more than 100,000 people are believed to have been killed in Indonesia, the country closest to the earthquake which triggered the great wave.

On Friday, the government said its five-year estimate of rebuilding costs for Banda Aceh province - much of which was flattened by the quake and the tsunami - was 20 trillion rupiah ($2.2bn; £1.1bn), twice what it had previously estimated. That cost could be defrayed by temporary debt relief. On Monday, Indonesian economy minister Aburizal Bakrie told reporters that the Paris Club group of creditor countries was expected to freeze 20-30bn rupiah in payments due in 2005 and 2006. ""We hope we can resume the repayments at least from 2007,"" Mr Bakrie said. French finance minister Herve Gaymard said on Sunday that the Paris Club had already agreed to a moratorium on repayments for tsunami-hit countries ahead of its meeting on 12 January.
","On Friday, the government said its five-year estimate of rebuilding costs for Banda Aceh province - much of which was flattened by the quake and the tsunami - was 20 trillion rupiah ($2.2bn; £1.1bn), twice what it had previously estimated.On Monday, Indonesian economy minister Aburizal Bakrie told reporters that the Paris Club group of creditor countries was expected to freeze 20-30bn rupiah in payments due in 2005 and 2006.The fall came as Indonesia said it expected debt repayments of up to 30 trillion rupiah ($3.2bn; £1.7bn) to be frozen to help pay for the recovery.The stock market in Jakarta has seen its biggest slide in a month, after the country doubled the likely cost of rebuilding from the Asian tsunami.French finance minister Herve Gaymard said on Sunday that the Paris Club had already agreed to a moratorium on repayments for tsunami-hit countries ahead of its meeting on 12 January."
999,"Minimum rate for foster parents

Foster carers are to be guaranteed a minimum allowance to help cover their costs, the government has announced.

Payment levels vary from area to area, with some carers getting just £50 a week for clothes, food and other costs. Minister for Children, Young People and Families Margaret Hodge said new plans will ensure fosterers' allowances would be as fair as possible. However local authorities, which set and pay the allowances, are concerned about how the extra cash will be found. About 50,000 children live with foster families in the UK and carers have said they need more money to make ends meet.

Ms Hodge said: ""Foster carers must not be out of pocket when meeting the costs of caring for a looked after child - a crucial role in society. ""We need to make sure that arrangements for paying foster carers are as fair and transparent as possible. ""Our proposal for a national minimum rate shows we are serious about creating a better deal for foster carers and about encouraging more people to come forward and consider fostering as a worthwhile and rewarding opportunity."" The government is seeking to amend the Children Bill, which passes through the Commons next week, to establish a national minimum payment.

Fostering Network executive director Robert Tapsfield criticised the existing system. ""There is just no logic to a system which values children differently depending on where they live. ""And with a shortage of over 8,000 foster carers in England, it's not a sustainable situation to expect carers to fund foster care from their own pockets."" The charity recommends a weekly payment of £108.49 for looking after a baby. In a survey, it discovered that rates paid by neighbouring authorities could vary by as much as £100 per week.

The Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS) said it agreed in principle with the government's plans. Tony Hunter, the organisation's president, said: ""There are many devils and lots of details hidden within the Government's proposals. ""But ADSS fully supports proper remuneration for valued foster carers and looks forward to working with ministers, local government and the fostering organisations themselves in order to make sure a sensible and practicable policy emerges.""
","About 50,000 children live with foster families in the UK and carers have said they need more money to make ends meet.""And with a shortage of over 8,000 foster carers in England, it's not a sustainable situation to expect carers to fund foster care from their own pockets.""""We need to make sure that arrangements for paying foster carers are as fair and transparent as possible.Foster carers are to be guaranteed a minimum allowance to help cover their costs, the government has announced.""But ADSS fully supports proper remuneration for valued foster carers and looks forward to working with ministers, local government and the fostering organisations themselves in order to make sure a sensible and practicable policy emerges.""Ms Hodge said: ""Foster carers must not be out of pocket when meeting the costs of caring for a looked after child - a crucial role in society.""Our proposal for a national minimum rate shows we are serious about creating a better deal for foster carers and about encouraging more people to come forward and consider fostering as a worthwhile and rewarding opportunity."""
1651,"Moody joins up with England

Lewis Moody has flown to Dublin to join England's camp ahead of their RBS Six Nations game against Ireland on Sunday.

Despite joining the squad, the Leicester flanker only has a ""slim"" chance of playing because of an infection in his finger. A decision will be taken on Saturday as to whether the 26-year-old will be declared fit. If he fails to recover in time for the game, his place at the back of the pack will be taken by Andy Hazell. Chris Jones will then start the game on the bench. ""The chances of him playing are very slim,"" said coach Andy Robinson. ""The infection is deeper than was thought.""

Moody had to be put on a drip in an attempt to force antibiotics through his infected finger. He suffered the cut playing against France at Twickenham and it became infected during a 10-minute outing as a replacement for Leicester against Newcastle last Saturday. ""The mud got into it,"" Robinson added. ""He has had a big course of antibiotics but they haven't done the job we hoped they would."" Robinson has already been forced to make one change to the starting line-up with Bath prop Matt Stevens coming in for the injured Phil Vickery.

The 22-year-old has only made 10 starts for his club but has made 49 appearances from the bench. ""It can be frustrating but I've had a lot more game time this season and I'm ready for it,"" Stevens said. ""I've been on tour with these boys and I've been in the England set-up for two years so I know the calls and the way they play."" Stevens will be winning his third cap on Sunday after coming on twice as a replacement on the tour to New Zealand last year.

Robinson has confirmed that fly-half Charlie Hodgson will be the first-choice kicker despite his three missed penalties and a drop goal against France. ""Charlie's state of mind is very good,"" said Robinson. ""Obviously, we are all disappointed we lost the French game and the circumstances in which we did. ""But he responded well last week in his goalkicking for Sale and he will be our first-choice kicker this week.""

Robinson also admits his side must improve their line-out work against Irish duo Malcolm O'Kelly and Paul O'Connell, one of the most effective partnerships in the game. ""In each game we've missed a number of line-outs,"" he added. ""It cost us the game against Wales but it has improved. ""It was better against France and will have to go up another notch against Ireland. It will be a huge battle. ""Look at the way they tore us apart last year. If it doesn't function, we will be in for a torrid time.""
","""It cost us the game against Wales but it has improved.""It can be frustrating but I've had a lot more game time this season and I'm ready for it,"" Stevens said.Robinson has confirmed that fly-half Charlie Hodgson will be the first-choice kicker despite his three missed penalties and a drop goal against France.Despite joining the squad, the Leicester flanker only has a ""slim"" chance of playing because of an infection in his finger.Lewis Moody has flown to Dublin to join England's camp ahead of their RBS Six Nations game against Ireland on Sunday.""The chances of him playing are very slim,"" said coach Andy Robinson.The 22-year-old has only made 10 starts for his club but has made 49 appearances from the bench.If he fails to recover in time for the game, his place at the back of the pack will be taken by Andy Hazell.Chris Jones will then start the game on the bench.""In each game we've missed a number of line-outs,"" he added.Robinson has already been forced to make one change to the starting line-up with Bath prop Matt Stevens coming in for the injured Phil Vickery."
1688,"Dallaglio his own man to the end

Controversy and Lawrence Dallaglio have never been very far away from each other throughout a glittering international career.

Even the end of his nine-year career came out of the blue, just four days before the start of the season. But then Dallaglio has always been his own man. Ever since emerging onto the international scene Dallaglio has polarised opinions. To supporters of England, Dallaglio could do no wrong. An integral part of a sustained period of success for England, Dallaglio's crowning glory was his part in the side that won the Rugby World Cup in 2003.

Rival fans, meanwhile, have tended to take an alternative view, seeing Dallaglio as the epitome of the less agreeable characteristics of English rugby. Never afraid to speak his mind, be it to the referee or the opposition on the pitch, or his coach or the media off it, Dallaglio has sometimes rubbed people up the wrong way. Dallaglio arrived as part of the unheralded England side which became the shock winners of the first Rugby Sevens World Cup in 1993. It took him another two years to graduate to the full England XV, but once there he proved to the manor born. Displaying maturity and physical power beyond his years, Dallaglio rapidly established himself as an automatic choice able to play any one of the three back-row positions at international standard.

Within two years of his debut, Dallaglio was offered the England captain's band, and his career continued to go from strength to strength as he made the 1997 Lions tour to South Africa. Although overlooked for the captaincy in favour of England team-mate Martin Johnson, he played a massive role in the 2-1 series victory. But after building up a seemingly unstoppable momentum, Dallaglio's career hit the buffers at speed in 1999.

First came the last-minute defeat to Wales in which Dallaglio's decision not to kick for goal in the dying minutes was blamed for costing England a Grand Slam. Worse was to follow though as an infamous newspaper sting cost him his treasured England captaincy. With sensational allegations of drug use - of which he was subsequently cleared - splashed across the front pages, a devastated Dallaglio stepped down as England skipper. But he bounced back, getting his head down at club level before returning to the England fold, albeit now as a lieutenant to new captain Johnson. As a member of a new-look England side on the long road to World Cup glory - a journey not without mishaps as a succession of Grand Slams opportunities were spurned - Dallaglio emerged as a key performer once again.

Yet another setback arrived in 2001 as a serious knee injury cut short Dallaglio's involvement on the Lions tour to Australia.

Rumours began to circulate that his career was over but, in typical Dallaglio style, he embarked on a punishing schedule of rehabilitation to return an even more fearsome physical specimen. One effect of the injury was to rob Dallaglio of much of his pace, but ever the pragmatist, he reinvented himself as a close quarters number eight of the highest calibre.

The only player to play every minute of England's World Cup triumph in Australia, Dallaglio could hardly have done more to secure England's historic win, and for that he will always be held in the highest esteem by England supporters. Following Johnson's retirement, Dallaglio's career came full circle as Woodward restored him as England captain. While England did not hit the heights in Dallaglio's second spell as captain, losing five of their eight post-World Cup Tests, Dallaglio led by example, leaving him as one of the few members of a squad lacking many World Cup stars to live up to expectations. Dallaglio walks away from the international game safe in the knowledge that he will go down as one of England's most accomplished players, if not one of the great captains despite his evident pride in leading his country.

The problem now for England is how to replace the almost irreplaceable. The likes of Matt Dawson, Jonny Wilkinson, Phil Vickery and Hill have all been mentioned as contenders for Dallaglio's role as captain. But it is as a player that England will really struggle to replace the 32-year-old. Although players like Joe Worsley and Chris Jones are more than capable of stepping up, the fact that there is no stand-out candidate speaks volumes about Dallaglio's massive influence on English rugby.
","To supporters of England, Dallaglio could do no wrong.Dallaglio arrived as part of the unheralded England side which became the shock winners of the first Rugby Sevens World Cup in 1993.While England did not hit the heights in Dallaglio's second spell as captain, losing five of their eight post-World Cup Tests, Dallaglio led by example, leaving him as one of the few members of a squad lacking many World Cup stars to live up to expectations.Following Johnson's retirement, Dallaglio's career came full circle as Woodward restored him as England captain.An integral part of a sustained period of success for England, Dallaglio's crowning glory was his part in the side that won the Rugby World Cup in 2003.Within two years of his debut, Dallaglio was offered the England captain's band, and his career continued to go from strength to strength as he made the 1997 Lions tour to South Africa.The only player to play every minute of England's World Cup triumph in Australia, Dallaglio could hardly have done more to secure England's historic win, and for that he will always be held in the highest esteem by England supporters.As a member of a new-look England side on the long road to World Cup glory - a journey not without mishaps as a succession of Grand Slams opportunities were spurned - Dallaglio emerged as a key performer once again.With sensational allegations of drug use - of which he was subsequently cleared - splashed across the front pages, a devastated Dallaglio stepped down as England skipper.But then Dallaglio has always been his own man.First came the last-minute defeat to Wales in which Dallaglio's decision not to kick for goal in the dying minutes was blamed for costing England a Grand Slam.Controversy and Lawrence Dallaglio have never been very far away from each other throughout a glittering international career."
1457,"Souness delight at Euro progress

Boss Graeme Souness felt Newcastle were never really in danger of going out of the Uefa Cup against Heerenveen.

An early own goal followed by an Alan Shearer strike earned them a 2-1 win and a place in the Uefa Cup last 16. ""Obviously with winning in the first leg it gave us a great advantage,"" he said after the 4-2 aggregate victory. ""We got our goals early and in the minds of some players the job was done but then they got a goal and perhaps made us a bit nervous."" Shearer's goal moved him within 12 of Jackie Milburn's club scoring record of 200 for the Magpies. But Souness said he did not think beating the record would have any bearing on his decision to retire at the end of the season. ""I think if he got it this year he would want to stay next year anyway,"" he added.

""He struck the ball very well - he always has done - and I think it was the power and pace that beat the goalkeeper."" Souness also paid tribute to Laurent Robert, who was at the heart of much of United's attacking play. ""In the first half he did really well and did everything you want from a wide player. More of the same in future please,"" he said.
","""We got our goals early and in the minds of some players the job was done but then they got a goal and perhaps made us a bit nervous.""But Souness said he did not think beating the record would have any bearing on his decision to retire at the end of the season.""In the first half he did really well and did everything you want from a wide player.""He struck the ball very well - he always has done - and I think it was the power and pace that beat the goalkeeper.""""I think if he got it this year he would want to stay next year anyway,"" he added."
1448,"Israeli club look to Africa

Four African players, including Zimbabwe goalkeeper Energy Murambadoro, are all ready to play for Israeli club Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin in the Uefa Cup.

Bnei Sakhnin are the first Arab side ever to play in European competition and will play English Premiership side Newcastle United in the first round. Warriors' goalkeeper Murambadoro, who made a name for himself at the African Nations Cup finals in Tunisia, helped Bnei Sakhnin overcome Albania's Partizani Tirana 6-1 in the previous round. Murambadoro moved to Israel recently after a brief stint with South African club Hellenic. The club won the Israeli Cup final last season and are based in Sakhnin, which is near Haifa. The club have a strong ethic and are high profile promoters of peace and co-operation within Israel. The three other Africans at the club are former Cameroon defender Ernest Etchi, DR Congo's Alain Masudi and Nigerian midfielder Edith Agoye, who had a stint with Tunisian side Esperance.
","Four African players, including Zimbabwe goalkeeper Energy Murambadoro, are all ready to play for Israeli club Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin in the Uefa Cup.The club won the Israeli Cup final last season and are based in Sakhnin, which is near Haifa.Murambadoro moved to Israel recently after a brief stint with South African club Hellenic."
1291,"Blair ready to call election

Tony Blair seems certain to end weeks of phoney war on Monday and announce there will be a general election on 5 May.

The date has been pencilled into the diaries of politicians and political journalists for many months and, despite occasional panics that the prime minister was on the verge of calling a snap poll, it has not shifted. Over the weeks, there have been any number of signs that 050505 was going to be the day Mr Blair would go for an historic third term. And the calling of a special political cabinet meeting has only added to the belief that the announcement is imminent. The prime minister and his campaign boss Alan Milburn have already insisted the election will be fought on the economy and what they claim is a stark choice between Labour's stability and investment against Tory cuts and boom and bust.

And Chancellor Gordon Brown has stepped into the front line of the campaign - to the relief of many of his supporters in Westminster - to underline that economic message. And it is certain one of the big arguments at the centre of the election battle will be around the big parties' tax and spend policies.

During the phoney campaign, Labour got into trouble over its central claim that Michael Howard was planning £35 bn cuts in public services. The prime minister found himself struggling to explain how a smaller, slower increase in spending planned by the Tories compared to Labour's plans was a cut. And it looked like the Labour campaign - which was already being criticised for being thrown into defensive mode by Mr Howard on issues such as immigration and health - was on the rocks. Then deputy Conservative Chairman Howard Flight was reported to have suggested Mr Howard was secretly planning even bigger ""cuts"".

He was sacked for his gaffe, but the damage had been done and the faltering Labour campaign was back on track. A second central argument will be over taxation, with the Tories claiming the Chancellor has to fill a black hole at the centre of his finances and will be forced to raise taxes if Labour wins again. Mr Brown slaps that aside, claiming his forecasts are accurate and that previous claims of looming economic disaster have proved inaccurate. As usual, the Liberal Democrats will have to fight to get their voice heard over the sounds of battle between the two big parties. But leader Charles Kennedy believes he has set out a distinctive manifesto with plans for a tax rise for the wealthiest to finance extra spending and the abolition of the council tax in favour of a local income tax. Other issues are certain to play a part - immigration and asylum, the war on Iraq, law and order and education, for example. But, as ever, it will be the economy that will almost certainly decide the outcome. And, whatever that outcome, 2005 is set to be a far more lively, even bitter campaign than 2001's non-event.
","And it looked like the Labour campaign - which was already being criticised for being thrown into defensive mode by Mr Howard on issues such as immigration and health - was on the rocks.During the phoney campaign, Labour got into trouble over its central claim that Michael Howard was planning £35 bn cuts in public services.He was sacked for his gaffe, but the damage had been done and the faltering Labour campaign was back on track.Then deputy Conservative Chairman Howard Flight was reported to have suggested Mr Howard was secretly planning even bigger ""cuts"".The date has been pencilled into the diaries of politicians and political journalists for many months and, despite occasional panics that the prime minister was on the verge of calling a snap poll, it has not shifted.And it is certain one of the big arguments at the centre of the election battle will be around the big parties' tax and spend policies.A second central argument will be over taxation, with the Tories claiming the Chancellor has to fill a black hole at the centre of his finances and will be forced to raise taxes if Labour wins again.The prime minister and his campaign boss Alan Milburn have already insisted the election will be fought on the economy and what they claim is a stark choice between Labour's stability and investment against Tory cuts and boom and bust."
32,"Japanese banking battle at an end

Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Financial has withdrawn its takeover offer for rival bank UFJ Holdings, enabling the latter to merge with Mitsubishi Tokyo.

Sumitomo bosses told counterparts at UFJ of its decision on Friday, clearing the way for it to conclude a 3 trillion yen ($29bn) deal with Mitsubishi. The deal would create the world's biggest bank with assets of about 189 trillion yen ($1.8 trillion). Sumitomo's exit ends the most high profile fight in Japanese bank history.

UFJ Holdings, Japan's fourth-largest bank, has been at the centre of a fierce bid battle over the last year. Sumitomo, Japan's third-largest bank, tabled a higher offer for UFJ than its rival, valuing the company at $35bn.

However, UFJ's management was known to prefer the offer from Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group (MTFG), Japan's second-largest bank. Concerns were also raised about Sumitomo's ability to absorb UFJ and the former has now admitted defeat. ""We believe the market and most investors accept a UFJ-MTFG merger,"" Sumitomo said in a statement. ""Given the ongoing integration of UFJ and MTFG operations, persisting with our proposal may not be in the best interests of our shareholders or UFJ's.""

Mitsubishi's takeover of UFJ - which will be Japan's largest-ever takeover deal - will still have to be approved by shareholders of the two firms. However, this is expected to be a formality. Sumitomo may now turn its attention to deepening its ties with Daiwa Securities, another Japanese financial firm. The two are set to merge their venture capital operations and there has been speculation that this could lead to a full-blown merger. Japanese banks are increasingly seeking alliances to boost profits.
","Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Financial has withdrawn its takeover offer for rival bank UFJ Holdings, enabling the latter to merge with Mitsubishi Tokyo.Sumitomo, Japan's third-largest bank, tabled a higher offer for UFJ than its rival, valuing the company at $35bn.However, UFJ's management was known to prefer the offer from Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group (MTFG), Japan's second-largest bank.UFJ Holdings, Japan's fourth-largest bank, has been at the centre of a fierce bid battle over the last year.Sumitomo bosses told counterparts at UFJ of its decision on Friday, clearing the way for it to conclude a 3 trillion yen ($29bn) deal with Mitsubishi.Mitsubishi's takeover of UFJ - which will be Japan's largest-ever takeover deal - will still have to be approved by shareholders of the two firms."
49,"BMW cash to fuel Mini production

Less than four years after the new Mini was launched, German car maker BMW has announced £100m of new investment.

Some 200 new jobs are to be created at the Oxford factory, including modernised machinery and a new body shell production building. The result of the investment could be to raise output to more than 200,000 cars from 2007. The rise, from 189,000 last year, is a response to rapidly-rising demand and could help wipe out waiting lists. Before Wednesday's announcement, BMW had invested some £280m in Mini production.

Since its launch during summer 2001, the new Mini has gone from strength to strength.

Last year, almost one in six cars sold by the BMW group was a Mini. The company admits that the success of the brand came despite scepticism from many in the industry. ""Our decision to produce a new Mini was not received well right away,"" said Norbert Reithofer, a member of the BMW management board. Initially, BMW said it would produce 100,000 Mini models a year at its vast Cowley factory on the outskirts of Oxford, but the target was quickly reached, then raised, time and time again. Not everyone is convinced that the boom can continue. ""The risk is that after they've invested massively in the brand, demand tapers off like it did with the new VW Beetle,"" said Brad Wernle, from Automotive News Europe.

The price of the car has also gone up. When it was launched, the cheapest Mini cost just more than £10,000. These days, buyers will have to fork out almost £11,500 to own a new Mini One, or even more for the Cooper S which costs up to £17,730. The Mini Convertible, which was launched last spring, costs up to £15,690 for the top model, and there is even a waiting list. Second-hand Minis are not cheap either. A Mini One bought when the model was launched should still fetch at least £8,000 for the cheapest model, while a used Cooper S is likely to be priced from £12,556, according to the-car buying website Parker's. The consumers' association Which operates with slightly different numbers, yet it confirms that the Mini Cooper 1.6 depreciates slower than any other car, other than the Mercedes Benz C180 SE and the BMW 1 Series 116i SE.

The Cowley factory, which initially seemed far too large a production plant for just 100,000 Minis, is increasingly being put to good use.

There are plans to tear down old buildings and build new ones and there are rumours that a new paint shop could be included in the plans. BMW's Mini adventure has made good much of what went wrong during its stewardship of the UK car maker Rover which it sold for £10 five years ago to the Phoenix consortium. In 1999, when BMW still owned Rover, the Oxford factory was producing the award-winning Rover 75. During that year, 3,500 people produced 56,000 cars. Last year, in the same factory, almost four times as many vehicles were produced by just 4,500 Mini-workers. The Mini factory's current output is equally impressive when compared with the main Rover factory in Longbridge, which in 1999 produced 180,000 Rover cars. Last year, MG Rover, which employs more than 6,000 people, produced just 110,000 cars, though it hopes to land a deal with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) that could help double the number of cars produced at Longbridge. Indeed, Mini is not only producing more cars than MG Rover does; it remains ahead even when the current sales of Land Rovers and Range Rovers (which are made by the former Rover unit that BMW sold to Ford) are taken into account.
","Less than four years after the new Mini was launched, German car maker BMW has announced £100m of new investment.Last year, almost one in six cars sold by the BMW group was a Mini.Initially, BMW said it would produce 100,000 Mini models a year at its vast Cowley factory on the outskirts of Oxford, but the target was quickly reached, then raised, time and time again.When it was launched, the cheapest Mini cost just more than £10,000.These days, buyers will have to fork out almost £11,500 to own a new Mini One, or even more for the Cooper S which costs up to £17,730.The Mini Convertible, which was launched last spring, costs up to £15,690 for the top model, and there is even a waiting list.Last year, MG Rover, which employs more than 6,000 people, produced just 110,000 cars, though it hopes to land a deal with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) that could help double the number of cars produced at Longbridge.The Mini factory's current output is equally impressive when compared with the main Rover factory in Longbridge, which in 1999 produced 180,000 Rover cars.BMW's Mini adventure has made good much of what went wrong during its stewardship of the UK car maker Rover which it sold for £10 five years ago to the Phoenix consortium.""Our decision to produce a new Mini was not received well right away,"" said Norbert Reithofer, a member of the BMW management board.In 1999, when BMW still owned Rover, the Oxford factory was producing the award-winning Rover 75.Before Wednesday's announcement, BMW had invested some £280m in Mini production."
451,"Winemaker rejects Foster's offer

Australian winemaker Southcorp has rejected a takeover offer worth 3.1bn Australian dollars ($2.3bn; £1.8bn) from brewing giant Foster's Group.

Southcorp, whose brands include Penfolds, Rosemount and Lindemans, dismissed the offer as inadequate. The two companies held four days of talks after Foster's bought an 18.8% stake in Southcorp on 13 January. A merger would create a global player with worldwide annual sales of 39m cases and revenues of A$2.6bn.

Southcorp said Foster's A$4.17-a-share takeover proposal offered a ""excellent strategic fit"" but undervalued the company. ""Southcorp's board has informed Foster's that it is not prepared to recommend the offer as it does not adequately reflect the strategic value of the company,"" said Southcorp chairman Brian Finn.

Southcorp said Foster's takeover offer was ""opportunistic"". However, it said that the offer may represent an 'opening bid', opening up the possibility of Foster's returning with an improved offer.

Foster's said a combination of the two companies would create a global player with an ""unrivalled"" collection of premium wine brands. Despite being best known for brewing Foster's Lager, Foster's is already one of Australia's largest wine producers, owning the Beringer and Wolf Blass brands among others. ""The combination of Foster's and Southcorp will transform the global wine industry and significantly enhance Australia's competitive position on the global stage,"" said Trevor O'Hoy, Foster's chief executive officer. Foster's spent A$584m on buying an 18.8% stake in Southcorp from the Oatley family, which founded the Rosemount Estates business and later merged it into Southcorp. Shares in both companies were suspended while the two held talks about a deal. Southcorp's shares rose 12% to A$4.76 on news of the offer but Foster's shares fell 3.7% to A$5.44.
","Southcorp said Foster's takeover offer was ""opportunistic"".The two companies held four days of talks after Foster's bought an 18.8% stake in Southcorp on 13 January.Foster's said a combination of the two companies would create a global player with an ""unrivalled"" collection of premium wine brands.Southcorp said Foster's A$4.17-a-share takeover proposal offered a ""excellent strategic fit"" but undervalued the company.""Southcorp's board has informed Foster's that it is not prepared to recommend the offer as it does not adequately reflect the strategic value of the company,"" said Southcorp chairman Brian Finn.""The combination of Foster's and Southcorp will transform the global wine industry and significantly enhance Australia's competitive position on the global stage,"" said Trevor O'Hoy, Foster's chief executive officer."
265,"Troubled Marsh under SEC scrutiny

The US stock market regulator is investigating troubled insurance broker Marsh & McLennan's shareholder transactions, the firm has said.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has asked for information about transactions involving holders of 5% or more of the firm's shares. Marsh has said it is co-operating fully with the SEC investigation. Marsh is also the focus of an inquiry the New York attorney-general into whether insurers rigged the market. Since that inquiry was launched in October, Marsh has replaced its chief executive and held a boardroom shake-out to meet criticism by lessening the number of company executives on the board. Prosecutors allege that Marsh - the world's biggest insurance broker - and other US insurance firms may have fixed bids for corporate cover. This is the issue at the heart of the inquiry by New York's top law officer, Eliot Spitzer, and a separate prosecution of five insurers by the State of California. The SEC's investigation into so-called related party transactions includes dealings in the Trident Funds, managed by MMC Capital, the company's private equity firm. Marsh's new chief executive, Michael Cherkasky, is trying to negotiate a settlement with Mr Spitzer. Mr Spitzer has built up a reputation as a fierce critic and campaigner against corporate America's misdeeds.

The uncertainty unleashed by the scandal has prompted three credit rating agencies - Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch - to downgrade Marsh in recent weeks. According to the Financial Times, insurance analysts are now questioning whether Marsh will be able to maintain its strong record of earning growth as they draw up forecasts for the first quarter of next year. Doubts also exist over how much the company may have to pay regulators and lawyers to put the scandal behind.
","The US stock market regulator is investigating troubled insurance broker Marsh & McLennan's shareholder transactions, the firm has said.Marsh has said it is co-operating fully with the SEC investigation.Marsh is also the focus of an inquiry the New York attorney-general into whether insurers rigged the market.Since that inquiry was launched in October, Marsh has replaced its chief executive and held a boardroom shake-out to meet criticism by lessening the number of company executives on the board.Prosecutors allege that Marsh - the world's biggest insurance broker - and other US insurance firms may have fixed bids for corporate cover.The uncertainty unleashed by the scandal has prompted three credit rating agencies - Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch - to downgrade Marsh in recent weeks."
601,"Wine comedy wins critics' award

Quirky comedy Sideways was named the best film of the year by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.

The US movie also picked up four other accolades including best director for Alexander Payne and supporting actor for Thomas Haden Church. British actress Imelda Staunton has again been recognised for her role in Vera Drake, winning best actress, while Liam Neeson won best actor for Kinsey. The awards will be handed out on 13 January at a ceremony in Las Vegas.

Sideways tells the story of two men who take a road trip through California's wine regions and also stars Paul Giamatti. Virginia Madsen was also named best supporting actress for her performance in the film. House of Flying Daggers, directed by Yimou Zhang, was named best foreign language film, while the animation award went to The Incredibles. Unusually, the runners-up in categories were also named with Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby just missing out on the best film award. The best director runner-up was Martin Scorsese for The Aviator. A career achievement award will be handed to veteran actor and comic Jerry Lewis at the ceremony next year.
","Virginia Madsen was also named best supporting actress for her performance in the film.Unusually, the runners-up in categories were also named with Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby just missing out on the best film award.Quirky comedy Sideways was named the best film of the year by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.House of Flying Daggers, directed by Yimou Zhang, was named best foreign language film, while the animation award went to The Incredibles."
2084,"Apple unveils low-cost 'Mac mini'

Apple has unveiled a new, low-cost Macintosh computer for the masses, billed as the Mac mini.

Chief executive Steve Jobs showed off the new machine at his annual MacWorld speech, in San Francisco. The $499 Macintosh, sold for £339 in the UK, was described by Jobs as the ""most important Mac"" made by Apple. Mr Jobs also unveiled the iPod shuffle, a new music player using cheaper flash memory rather than hard drives, which are used in more expensive iPods.

The new computer shifts the company into new territory - traditionally, the firm is known as a design and innovation-led firm rather than as a mass-market manufacturer. The Mac mini comes without a monitor, keyboard and mouse, and a second version with a larger hard drive will also be sold for $599.

The machine - which will be available from 22 January - was described by Jobs as ""BYODKM... bring your own display, keyboard, and mouse"". In an attempt to win over Windows PC customers, Mr Jobs said it would appeal to people thinking of changing operating systems. ""People who are thinking of switching will have no more excuses,"" he said. ""It's the newest and most affordable Mac ever."" The new computer has been the subject of speculation for several weeks and while few people will be surprised by the announcement many analysts had already said it was a sensible move. In January, Apple sued a website after it published what it said were specifications for the new computer. Ian Harris, deputy editor of UK magazine Mac Format, said the machine would appeal to PC-owning consumers who had purchased an iPod.

""They want a further taste of Mac because they like what they have seen with iPod."" Harris added: ""Everybody thought that Apple was happy to remain a niche maker of luxury computers, and moving into a market dominated by low margin manufacturers like Dell is a bold move. ""But it shows that Apple is keen to capitalise on the mass market success it's had with the iPod. The Mac mini will appeal to PC users looking for an attractive, 'no fuss' computer."" The new iPod shuffle comes in two versions - one offering 512mb of storage for $99 (£69 in the Uk) and a second with one gigabyte of storage for $149 (£99) - and went on sale Tuesday. The music player has no display and will play songs either consecutively or shuffled. The smaller iPod will hold about 120 songs, said Mr Jobs. Mr Jobs told the delegates at MacWorld that iPod already had a 65% market share of all digital music players.
","Apple has unveiled a new, low-cost Macintosh computer for the masses, billed as the Mac mini.The $499 Macintosh, sold for £339 in the UK, was described by Jobs as the ""most important Mac"" made by Apple.The smaller iPod will hold about 120 songs, said Mr Jobs.Mr Jobs also unveiled the iPod shuffle, a new music player using cheaper flash memory rather than hard drives, which are used in more expensive iPods.In January, Apple sued a website after it published what it said were specifications for the new computer.Ian Harris, deputy editor of UK magazine Mac Format, said the machine would appeal to PC-owning consumers who had purchased an iPod.The new computer has been the subject of speculation for several weeks and while few people will be surprised by the announcement many analysts had already said it was a sensible move.Mr Jobs told the delegates at MacWorld that iPod already had a 65% market share of all digital music players.In an attempt to win over Windows PC customers, Mr Jobs said it would appeal to people thinking of changing operating systems."
88,"Metlife buys up Citigroup insurer

US banking giant Citigroup has sold its Travelers Life & Annuity insurance arm to Metlife for $11.5bn (£6.1bn).

The sale is a further move by Citigroup away from its 1990s strategy of offering every financial service - insurance, broking and banking. Profit growth in the insurance market has not matched expansion at Citigroup's other businesses. For Metlife, the US's leading insurance company, the purchase gives it access to a much larger distribution network.

Robert Benmosche, Metlife's chairman and chief executive, said that it was a ""great opportunity for the brand of Metlife to be distributed through Citigroup"". Under the agreement, Metlife will be able to sell its products through Citigroup over the next 10 years. The deal includes Smith Barney retail brokerages and Citibank branches. The company will pay between $1bn and $3bn in Metlife stock with the rest being made up of cash. Travelers had sales of $5.2bn in 2004 and made a profit of $901m. It has total net assets of $96bn. ""This deal employs some of Metlife's excess capital in a potentially higher-return business and gives it more distribution,"" said Stuart Quint, an analyst at Gartmore.
","US banking giant Citigroup has sold its Travelers Life & Annuity insurance arm to Metlife for $11.5bn (£6.1bn).The company will pay between $1bn and $3bn in Metlife stock with the rest being made up of cash.Travelers had sales of $5.2bn in 2004 and made a profit of $901m.For Metlife, the US's leading insurance company, the purchase gives it access to a much larger distribution network.It has total net assets of $96bn."
1463,"Jol joy at 'professional' Cup win

Tottenham manager Martin Jol acclaimed his players for their patience in their 3-0 FA Cup fifth-round victory over a determined Nottingham Forest side.

""We had the initiative but it wasn't easy. It was a professional sort of performance,"" the Dutchman said. ""Forest played with a lot of players behind the ball in the first half, but at 2-0 they were dead and buried."" Looking ahead to the quarter-final, Jol said: ""Newcastle have got a very good side and they are always difficult."" However, he added that his side, who are four places above the Magpies in the Premiership, were ""not afraid of anyone"". Robbie Keane, skipper for the night and scorer of the crucial second goal, echoed his manager's sentiments on the last-eight match. ""They're on a high, but we're confident and in the last few games we've played well and hopefully we can go there and get the win,"" he said.

He conceded the win over Forest, which included goals from Noe Pamarot and Mido, was not pretty to watch. ""It wasn't the best display but it's all about the result,"" the Irishman said. ""We knew it was going to be difficult with the conditions. The pitch wasn't the best but we still tried to pass it. ""We dug in and the gaffer said to us at half-time to keep being patient and that the goal will come."" Forest manager Gary Megson conceded his team did not deserve anything after a poor performance. ""If you play like we did and concede two goals from corners you're going to have an uphill battle against a very good team,"" he said. ""If we defend in the Championship like we did we'll not get another point. ""We were organised but I felt at times we thought the system would be enough but we didn't look like scoring.""
","""If you play like we did and concede two goals from corners you're going to have an uphill battle against a very good team,"" he said.""It wasn't the best display but it's all about the result,"" the Irishman said.It was a professional sort of performance,"" the Dutchman said.Looking ahead to the quarter-final, Jol said: ""Newcastle have got a very good side and they are always difficult.""He conceded the win over Forest, which included goals from Noe Pamarot and Mido, was not pretty to watch.""They're on a high, but we're confident and in the last few games we've played well and hopefully we can go there and get the win,"" he said.""We dug in and the gaffer said to us at half-time to keep being patient and that the goal will come."""
782,"Musical treatment for Capra film

The classic film It's A Wonderful Life is to be turned into a musical by the producer of the controversial hit show Jerry Springer - The Opera.

Frank Capra's 1946 movie starring James Stewart, is being turned into a £7m musical by producer Jon Thoday. He is working with Steve Brown, who wrote the award-winning musical Spend Spend Spend. A spokeswoman said the plans were in the ""very early stages"", with no cast, opening date or theatre announced.

A series of workshops have been held in London, and on Wednesday a cast of singers unveiled the musical to a select group of potential investors. Mr Thoday said the idea of turning the film into a musical had been an ambition of his for almost 20 years. It's a Wonderful Life was based on a short story, The Greatest Gift, by Philip van Doren Stern. Mr Thoday managed to buy the rights to the story from Van Doren Stern's family in 1999, following Mr Brown's success with Spend Spend Spend. He later secured the film rights from Paramount, enabling them to use the title It's A Wonderful Life.
","The classic film It's A Wonderful Life is to be turned into a musical by the producer of the controversial hit show Jerry Springer - The Opera.Mr Thoday said the idea of turning the film into a musical had been an ambition of his for almost 20 years.Mr Thoday managed to buy the rights to the story from Van Doren Stern's family in 1999, following Mr Brown's success with Spend Spend Spend.He is working with Steve Brown, who wrote the award-winning musical Spend Spend Spend."
1623,"Wales make two changes for France

Wales coach Mike Ruddock has made two changes from the team that beat Italy 38-8 for Saturday's trip to France.

Kevin Morgan takes over from his injured Newport-Gwent Dragons colleague Hal Luscombe on the right wing. And in the pack Neath-Swansea Ospreys forward Ryan Jones is preferred at blindside flanker to Jonathan Thomas. Thomas, a try-scorer in Rome, drops down to the bench instead of Ian Gough, while Cardiff back Rhys Williams steps up in place of Morgan. Luscombe is sidelined by a hamstring problem sustained during the Six Nations game against Italy last weekend.

However, the experienced and in-form Morgan was already pushing hard for a start at Stade de France. ""Due to his impressive performances from the bench, Kevin was very much in the selection mix anyway, and the unfortunate injury to Hal gives him the chance to start,"" said Ruddock. ""Now that Ryan Jones has recovered from injury, we have increased the options in the back row. ""Jonathan Thomas is unlucky to lose his spot after performing well against Italy and scoring a try, but such is the competition for places that every position is debated in detail. ""For this particular game, we felt we might not always be afforded the open spaces out wide we were able to exploit against Italy, so an extra big ball-carrier in the back-row is thought to be necessary on this occasion. ""Obviously, it's a 22-man game these days, and there is every chance that Jonathan will be making an impact from the bench."" Wales have beaten France on two of their last three visits to Paris, and another victory this time around would keep them firmly on course for a first Five or Six Nations title triumph since 1994. ""Graham Henry (former Wales coach) said a couple of years ago that we should 'be bold' when going to France, and he was proved right,"" said Ruddock. ""That is a great way to approach the game, and something we will further endorse with the players this week.""

G Thomas (Toulouse, capt); K Morgan (Newport-Gwent), T Shanklin (Cardiff), G Henson (Neath-Swansea), S Williams (Neath-Swansea); S Jones (Clermont Auvergne), D Peel (Llanelli); G Jenkins (Cardiff), M Davies (Gloucester), A Jones; (Neath-Swansea), B Cockbain (Neath-Swansea), R Sidoli (Cardiff); R Jones (Neath-Swansea), M Williams (Cardiff), M Owen (Newport-Gwent).

Replacements: R McBryde (Llanelli), J Yapp (Cardiff), J Thomas (Neath-Swansea), R Sowden-Taylor (Cardiff), G Cooper (Newport-Gwent), C Sweeney Newport-Gwent), R Williams (Cardiff).
","G Thomas (Toulouse, capt); K Morgan (Newport-Gwent), T Shanklin (Cardiff), G Henson (Neath-Swansea), S Williams (Neath-Swansea); S Jones (Clermont Auvergne), D Peel (Llanelli); G Jenkins (Cardiff), M Davies (Gloucester), A Jones; (Neath-Swansea), B Cockbain (Neath-Swansea), R Sidoli (Cardiff); R Jones (Neath-Swansea), M Williams (Cardiff), M Owen (Newport-Gwent).Thomas, a try-scorer in Rome, drops down to the bench instead of Ian Gough, while Cardiff back Rhys Williams steps up in place of Morgan.Replacements: R McBryde (Llanelli), J Yapp (Cardiff), J Thomas (Neath-Swansea), R Sowden-Taylor (Cardiff), G Cooper (Newport-Gwent), C Sweeney Newport-Gwent), R Williams (Cardiff).Wales coach Mike Ruddock has made two changes from the team that beat Italy 38-8 for Saturday's trip to France.Luscombe is sidelined by a hamstring problem sustained during the Six Nations game against Italy last weekend.""Due to his impressive performances from the bench, Kevin was very much in the selection mix anyway, and the unfortunate injury to Hal gives him the chance to start,"" said Ruddock.And in the pack Neath-Swansea Ospreys forward Ryan Jones is preferred at blindside flanker to Jonathan Thomas."
816,"Bangkok film festival battles on

Organisers of the third Bangkok International Film Festival have been determined to carry on with this year's event despite the ravages of the Asian tsunami disaster.

The festivities have been scaled down, red carpets have been mothballed and profits from ticket sales are being donated to the tsunami relief fund. Apart from this, however, the festival has continued as originally planned. ""When the disaster happened, we naturally asked ourselves if we should cancel,"" said the festival's executive director, Craig Prater. ""The decision was made that we would continue, but that the focus would change.

""Our premieres became fundraisers, the opening night was visibly toned down and 10% of every ticket sold goes to the disaster fund,"" he continued. ""But we feel like we've turned a page. We've acknowledged our position, and now it's business as usual.""

Mr Prater's sentiments were echoed by Christine Rush, director of the festival's sister event, the Bangkok Film Market. ""We have been careful to be respectful of the Thai nation's recovery from this terrible disaster,"" she said.

""However, the nation's recovery very much depends upon it continuing its economic life. ""We are encouraging attendees to keep the victims in mind and aggressively support the aid organisations helping out,"" she added. Given the conspicuously low audience figures, that support may be more symbolic than significant. However, poor ticket sales have less to do with any fallout from the disaster and more to do with administrative and promotional difficulties.

The eclectic programme contains a wide range of titles, including such Oscar hopefuls as Ray Charles biopic Ray and Mike Leigh's abortion drama Vera Drake. That said, the absence of Thai subtitles on most film prints might have proved offputting to local cinemagoers.

On a more positive note, the celebrity guests attending the event have generated huge media interest in this busy capital city. Problems securing air transport, the clash with last Sunday's Golden Globes ceremony in Los Angeles and other factors have forced some big names to cancel.

But the festival has still attracted such Hollywood directors as Oliver Stone and Joel Schumacher, alongside such screen stars as Michael Douglas, Jeremy Irons and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Irons, whose film Being Julia is in competition for the festival's Golden Kinnaree awards, said he had wondered whether he should attend after December's catastrophe. ""I questioned whether I should come when such a tragedy had happened,"" the British actor said. ""I thought it might be in rather bad taste. But then I spoke to the organisers and I was encouraged to let life go on. ""Now I've come here I'm very glad. What impresses me about Thai culture is they get over these things far quicker than we do in the West,"" he continued. ""Basically I was invited here by Thailand. If they still want you to come, you should.""

Now in its third year, Bangkok is a relatively recent addition to the hectic film festival calendar. And while it has yet to attain the stature of more established events held in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Pusan in South Korea, Mr Prater predicts it will soon become their equal. ""It's grown awfully fast in three years - maybe too fast,"" he concedes. ""We've had some bumps in the road, but that's only because the festival is still a baby. ""I have no doubt in my mind that in five years, this will be the top Asian film festival in the world."" The Golden Kinnarees will be awarded on Friday. The festival itself runs until 24 January.
","Organisers of the third Bangkok International Film Festival have been determined to carry on with this year's event despite the ravages of the Asian tsunami disaster.""I have no doubt in my mind that in five years, this will be the top Asian film festival in the world.""Now in its third year, Bangkok is a relatively recent addition to the hectic film festival calendar.""We've had some bumps in the road, but that's only because the festival is still a baby.Apart from this, however, the festival has continued as originally planned.""When the disaster happened, we naturally asked ourselves if we should cancel,"" said the festival's executive director, Craig Prater.""We have been careful to be respectful of the Thai nation's recovery from this terrible disaster,"" she said.Irons, whose film Being Julia is in competition for the festival's Golden Kinnaree awards, said he had wondered whether he should attend after December's catastrophe.""Our premieres became fundraisers, the opening night was visibly toned down and 10% of every ticket sold goes to the disaster fund,"" he continued.That said, the absence of Thai subtitles on most film prints might have proved offputting to local cinemagoers.Mr Prater's sentiments were echoed by Christine Rush, director of the festival's sister event, the Bangkok Film Market.The festival itself runs until 24 January.""I questioned whether I should come when such a tragedy had happened,"" the British actor said.But the festival has still attracted such Hollywood directors as Oliver Stone and Joel Schumacher, alongside such screen stars as Michael Douglas, Jeremy Irons and Jean-Claude Van Damme."
1315,"O'Sullivan could run in Worlds

Sonia O'Sullivan has indicated that she would like to participate in next month's World Cross Country Championships in St Etienne.

Athletics Ireland have hinted that the 35-year-old Cobh runner may be included in the official line-up for the event in France on 19-20 March. Provincial teams were selected after last Saturday's Nationals in Santry and will be officially announced this week. O'Sullivan is at present preparing for the London marathon on 17 April. The participation of O'Sullivan, currentily training at her base in Australia, would boost the Ireland team who won the bronze three years agio. The first three at Santry last Saturday, Jolene Byrne, Maria McCambridge and Fionnualla Britton, are automatic selections and will most likely form part of the long-course team. O'Sullivan will also take part in the Bupa Great Ireland Run on 9 April in Dublin.
","The participation of O'Sullivan, currentily training at her base in Australia, would boost the Ireland team who won the bronze three years agio.O'Sullivan will also take part in the Bupa Great Ireland Run on 9 April in Dublin.O'Sullivan is at present preparing for the London marathon on 17 April."
837,"Kidman wins photographer battle

Actress Nicole Kidman has won a restraining order against two paparazzi photographers who she claims left her fearful of leaving her Sydney mansion.

The Oscar-winning star took action against Jamie Fawcett and Ben McDonald after a bugging device was found outside her home earlier this week. Lawyers for the pair denied allegations they had planted the device. The Australian actress is currently in Sydney to film her latest movie, Eucalyptus, with Russell Crowe. Kidman was prompted to take action following a reported high-speed car chase with members of the paparazzi in Sydney last weekend.

According to local newspaper the Daily Telegraph, the incident involved paparazzi driving through red lights and on the wrong side of the road in pursuit of Kidman's vehicle. Lawyers for Mr Fawcett and Mr McDonald denied that the pair were involved in the chase. Kidman sought the ""apprehended violence"" orders - normally used in Australia in cases of domestic violence and similar incidents - after being advised to do so by local police. ""Nicole would like to make it clear that she acknowledges she is a public figure and that reporters and photographers have a job to do and she respects that,"" said Kidman's publicist Wendy Day. ""However, these are specific actions against two individuals who, over a period of time, have caused her to feel threatened, intimidated and unable to leave her home without fearing for her safety."" Magistrate Lee Gilmore, who issued the restraining order at Waverley Local Court in Sydney, said she understood the photographers were entitled to earn a living but there had to be limits to their behaviour. ""Miss Kidman says she's willing to put up with some of it, but it's gone beyond that,"" she said. ""I do believe the allegation in relation to the driving is a serious issue.""
","Actress Nicole Kidman has won a restraining order against two paparazzi photographers who she claims left her fearful of leaving her Sydney mansion.Kidman was prompted to take action following a reported high-speed car chase with members of the paparazzi in Sydney last weekend.Magistrate Lee Gilmore, who issued the restraining order at Waverley Local Court in Sydney, said she understood the photographers were entitled to earn a living but there had to be limits to their behaviour.Lawyers for Mr Fawcett and Mr McDonald denied that the pair were involved in the chase.Lawyers for the pair denied allegations they had planted the device.According to local newspaper the Daily Telegraph, the incident involved paparazzi driving through red lights and on the wrong side of the road in pursuit of Kidman's vehicle."
503,"India's Maruti sees profits jump

India's biggest carmaker Maruti has reported a sharp increase in quarterly profit after a booming economy and low interest rates boosted demand.

Net profit surged 70% to 2.39bn rupees ($54.98m; £29.32m) in the last three months of 2004 compared with 1.41bn rupees a year earlier. Total sales were 30.1bn rupees, up 27% from the same 2004 period. Maruti accounts for half of India's domestic car sales, luring consumers with cheap, fuel-efficient vehicles.

Demand in India also has been driven by the poor state of public transport and the very low level of car ownership, analysts said.

Figures show that only eight people per thousand are car owners. Maruti beat market expectations despite an increase in raw materials costs. The company, majority-owned by Japan's Suzuki, said an increase in steel and other raw material prices was partially offset by cost cutting. Sales in the fiscal third quarter, including vans and utility vehicles, rose by 17.8% to 136.069 units. Maruti is not the only company benefiting as Indian's economic growth gives consumer greater spending power. Utility vehicle and tractor maker Mahindra has reported a 52% rise in net profit during the last three months of 2004. Profit was 1.33bn rupees compared with 874.2m rupees a year earlier.
","Net profit surged 70% to 2.39bn rupees ($54.98m; £29.32m) in the last three months of 2004 compared with 1.41bn rupees a year earlier.Profit was 1.33bn rupees compared with 874.2m rupees a year earlier.India's biggest carmaker Maruti has reported a sharp increase in quarterly profit after a booming economy and low interest rates boosted demand.Maruti accounts for half of India's domestic car sales, luring consumers with cheap, fuel-efficient vehicles.Utility vehicle and tractor maker Mahindra has reported a 52% rise in net profit during the last three months of 2004."
2111,"Text message record smashed

UK mobile owners continue to break records with their text messaging, with latest figures showing that 26 billion texts were sent in total in 2004.

The figures collected by the Mobile Data Association (MDA) showed that 2.4 billion were fired off in December alone, the highest monthly total ever. That was 26% more than in December 2003. The records even surpassed the MDA's own predictions, it said. Every day 78 million messages are sent and there are no signs of a slow down. Before December's bumper text record, the previous highest monthly total was in October 2004, when 2.3 billion were sent. Text messaging is set to smash more records in 2005 too, said the MDA, with forecasts suggesting a total of 30 billion for the year.

Even though mobiles are becoming increasingly sophisticated with much more multimedia applications, texting is still one of the most useful functions of mobiles. People are using SMS to do much more too. Booking cinema tickets, text voting, and news or sports text alerts are growing popular. Mobile owners have also given the chance to donate to the Disasters Emergency Committee's (DEC) Asian Tsunami fund by texting ""Donate"" to a simple short code number. Looking further ahead in the year, the MDA's chairman Mike Short, has predicted that more people will go online through their mobiles, estimating 15 billion WAP page impressions. Handsets with GPRS capability - an ""always on"" net connection - will rise to 75%, while 3G mobile ownership growing to five million by the end of 2005. These third generation mobiles offer a high-speed connection which means more data like video can be received on the phone. Globally, mobile phone sales passed 167 million in the third quarter of 2004, according to a recent report from analysts Gartner. That was 26% more than the previous year. It is predicted that there would be two billion handsets in use worldwide by the end of 2005.
","Before December's bumper text record, the previous highest monthly total was in October 2004, when 2.3 billion were sent.UK mobile owners continue to break records with their text messaging, with latest figures showing that 26 billion texts were sent in total in 2004.Text messaging is set to smash more records in 2005 too, said the MDA, with forecasts suggesting a total of 30 billion for the year.The figures collected by the Mobile Data Association (MDA) showed that 2.4 billion were fired off in December alone, the highest monthly total ever.Looking further ahead in the year, the MDA's chairman Mike Short, has predicted that more people will go online through their mobiles, estimating 15 billion WAP page impressions.That was 26% more than the previous year.Handsets with GPRS capability - an ""always on"" net connection - will rise to 75%, while 3G mobile ownership growing to five million by the end of 2005."
1835,"UK net users leading TV downloads

British TV viewers lead the trend of illegally downloading US shows from the net, according to research.

New episodes of 24, Desperate Housewives and Six Feet Under, appear on the web hours after they are shown in the US, said a report. Web tracking company Envisional said 18% of downloaders were from within the UK and that downloads of TV programmes had increased by 150% in the last year. About 70% were using file-sharing program BitTorrent, the firm said. ""It's now as easy to download a pirate TV show as it is to programme a VCR,"" said Ben Coppin from Envisional. A typical episode of 24 was downloaded by about 100,000 people globally, said the report, and an estimated 20,000 of those were from within the UK.

Fans of many popular US TV programmes, like 24, usually have to wait weeks or months until the latest series is shown in the UK. But in some cases, said the report, people were able to watch the new episodes in Britain before US audiences on the west coast of the country. ""Missing a television show presents little problem to anyone with a basic knowledge of the internet,"" explained Mr Coppin.

""Two clicks and your favourite programme is downloading. In effect, the internet is now a global video recorder."" Exact figures are difficult to pin down, but it is thought that about 80,000 to 100,000 people in the UK download TV programmes. Some may just want the odd episode, others are downloading regularly. Many broadcast analysts agree that the net is radically altering the way people get content, like TV programmes. This presents a challenge to broadcasters who are concerned that channel schedules may become less important to people. It is also of concern to them because advertisements are usually cut out of the downloaded programmes. The industry has coined the term ""time-shifting"" to describe this trend of being able to watch what you want, when you want. The increased popularity of personal digital video recorders, TiVo-type boxes which automatically record programmes like Sky+, have also contributed to the trend. There are also numerous programs available on the net which automatically search and store TV programmes for viewers, effectively creating a personal video recorder on a computer.

Within half an hour, recorded episodes can be uploaded - or posted - onto file-sharing networks or other download sites. Because they tend to be shorter then full-length films, they can be processed - digitised - quickly. More people with high-speed broadband connections in the UK also means that episodes can be downloaded quickly.

According to Jupiter Research 40% of homes with broadband say it helps them pick and choose the programmes they want to see or that friends have recommended. The Envisional reports said that the TV industry should consider offering a legal way to download shows. The BBC ran a trial of what it calls the Interactive Media Player (iMP) last year, which was based on a peer-to-peer distribution model. It let people download programmes it held the rights to up to eight days after they had already aired. It is looking to do a more expansive trial later this year. The BBC already allows radio fans to hear programmes they missed online up to a week after broadcast. About six million people in the UK now have a fast, always-on net connection via cable or phone lines.
","Web tracking company Envisional said 18% of downloaders were from within the UK and that downloads of TV programmes had increased by 150% in the last year.A typical episode of 24 was downloaded by about 100,000 people globally, said the report, and an estimated 20,000 of those were from within the UK.""It's now as easy to download a pirate TV show as it is to programme a VCR,"" said Ben Coppin from Envisional.More people with high-speed broadband connections in the UK also means that episodes can be downloaded quickly.Exact figures are difficult to pin down, but it is thought that about 80,000 to 100,000 people in the UK download TV programmes.But in some cases, said the report, people were able to watch the new episodes in Britain before US audiences on the west coast of the country.There are also numerous programs available on the net which automatically search and store TV programmes for viewers, effectively creating a personal video recorder on a computer.The Envisional reports said that the TV industry should consider offering a legal way to download shows.Many broadcast analysts agree that the net is radically altering the way people get content, like TV programmes.It let people download programmes it held the rights to up to eight days after they had already aired.British TV viewers lead the trend of illegally downloading US shows from the net, according to research.Fans of many popular US TV programmes, like 24, usually have to wait weeks or months until the latest series is shown in the UK."
1622,"Murphy: That was a bruising battle

That's what I call a tough game. It was very physical and fair play to the Italians they made us work very hard for our victory.

Their organisation was very, very good and they proved again that they are getting better and better as the years go by. It is by far the strongest Italian team that we have faced. We knew all along that we would be a huge threat particularly the first game in the Championship. It was not like the days gone by when you could get scores on the board early. We had to work our socks off and try and build our scores gradually. It was really hard work out there and the players have plenty of bumps and bruises to prove it. I'm not too bad, but there are one or two others who will be feeling it a bit on Monday morning. In the backs, we were not frustrated at such, but the new rucking laws were a little bit problematical. The different interpretations between the referee and the players was a little difficult. But we managed to get the ball in our hands and I got a try near the end of the first half. It's always good to score. It was great work by Brian and I always knew I had scored even though it went upstairs to the video referee. Eddie (O'Sullivan) was very calm at half-time even though we were only 8-6 ahead. He spelled out what we needed to do and advocated getting the ball out of our own territory.

That new ruck law made it a bit more difficult to get out of our own half. We were penalised a lot at the breakdown, and if they had kicked all their chances at goal we would have been behind at the break. So really we went back to playing a territory game and simplifying things and having more patience on the ball. Every one was a little down after the game following the injuries to Brian and Gordon. As yet we do not know the full extent of the injuries, but it does not that good. Now we have to focus on Scotland and only six days to recover. It's a big ask after such a bruising encounter. I was very impressed the way the Scots played against the French on Saturday. It could so easily have gone their way but for a couple of decisions. We will be under no illusions it is going to be tough for us. In the meantime, when in Rome ... .
","It was not like the days gone by when you could get scores on the board early.Every one was a little down after the game following the injuries to Brian and Gordon.It was great work by Brian and I always knew I had scored even though it went upstairs to the video referee.The different interpretations between the referee and the players was a little difficult.It was really hard work out there and the players have plenty of bumps and bruises to prove it.It was very physical and fair play to the Italians they made us work very hard for our victory.Their organisation was very, very good and they proved again that they are getting better and better as the years go by.That new ruck law made it a bit more difficult to get out of our own half.I was very impressed the way the Scots played against the French on Saturday.Eddie (O'Sullivan) was very calm at half-time even though we were only 8-6 ahead.So really we went back to playing a territory game and simplifying things and having more patience on the ball."
867,"Aviator and Vera take Bafta glory

Hollywood blockbuster The Aviator and low-budget British movie Vera Drake have shared the main honours at the 2005 Bafta film awards. The Aviator was declared best film, and its star Cate Blanchett won best supporting actress. But Vera Drake scored best director for Mike Leigh while Imelda Staunton took the hotly contested best actress award. Jamie Foxx won best actor for Ray, while British actor Clive Owen took best supporting actor for Closer. The two actors have repeated their success at the Golden Globes in January. But big British hope Kate Winslet walked away empty-handed on Saturday despite two nominations for best actress. Celebrating his win, the Oscar-nominated Owen told reporters: ""The whole award season is new to me because I haven't won anything before. All of that is a bit overwhelming."" Blanchett, who won a Bafta in 1999 for her leading role in Elizabeth, said: ""Winning a Bafta means an enormous amount to me."" She thanked the woman she played, Katharine Hepburn, for paving the way for women to work in film. ""Thank you very much, I'm sure you're pleased, although you're not able to see this,"" she said.

The Aviator took four awards in all, also collecting best make-up and hair and production design, while Vera Drake also scooped best costume design. Staunton, who is up for an Oscar for her role in Vera Drake, arrived wearing a green silk and chiffon beaded evening dress. ""Thank you very much. I'm so thrilled and so grateful and I'm delighted that the success of Vera Drake has boosted sales of hair nets and pinnies, which is very good,"" she said on accepting her award. Her director Leigh, who beat Martin Scorsese to the best director award, told the audience: ""We always say it was a surprise and sometimes I've said it and not meant it. On this occasion, given the other names, it's a real surprise and an extraordinary honour. ""It's an immense privilege to have been allowed the freedom to make as uncompromising a film as I think Vera Drake is and an epic with such a small budget."" Best actor Foxx could not make the ceremony, but actress Helen Mirren read out his acceptance speech. ""I'm honoured and proud to receive this Bafta. I'd like to thank the late Ray Charles himself."" He apologised for not being in London, joking: ""Unfortunately I'm stuck driving a car in LA at gunpoint and I can't get away."" DiCaprio, who lost out on the best actor Bafta to Foxx, will face him again at the Academy Awards in two weeks' time.

""It's the first time I've come to the Baftas because it's the first time I've been nominated,"" he told reporters on the red carpet. ""I've appreciated British cinema for a long time and to be recognised like this is a special honour."" Other winners included The Motorcycle Diaries which took best foreign film and best music, while Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind won best original screenplay and best editing. Best British film was My Summer of Love, the story of two young women and their developing relationship, while Foxx's movie Ray, a bio-pic of late singer Ray Charles, also took best sound. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban won the Orange Film Of The Year, voted for by the public.

The Orange British Academy Film Awards are being shown on BBC One from 2010 GMT.
","But Vera Drake scored best director for Mike Leigh while Imelda Staunton took the hotly contested best actress award.Best British film was My Summer of Love, the story of two young women and their developing relationship, while Foxx's movie Ray, a bio-pic of late singer Ray Charles, also took best sound.The Aviator was declared best film, and its star Cate Blanchett won best supporting actress.Jamie Foxx won best actor for Ray, while British actor Clive Owen took best supporting actor for Closer.DiCaprio, who lost out on the best actor Bafta to Foxx, will face him again at the Academy Awards in two weeks' time.Other winners included The Motorcycle Diaries which took best foreign film and best music, while Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind won best original screenplay and best editing.Hollywood blockbuster The Aviator and low-budget British movie Vera Drake have shared the main honours at the 2005 Bafta film awards.The Aviator took four awards in all, also collecting best make-up and hair and production design, while Vera Drake also scooped best costume design.Her director Leigh, who beat Martin Scorsese to the best director award, told the audience: ""We always say it was a surprise and sometimes I've said it and not meant it.But big British hope Kate Winslet walked away empty-handed on Saturday despite two nominations for best actress.I'm so thrilled and so grateful and I'm delighted that the success of Vera Drake has boosted sales of hair nets and pinnies, which is very good,"" she said on accepting her award.Best actor Foxx could not make the ceremony, but actress Helen Mirren read out his acceptance speech."
979,"Hague 'given up' his PM ambition

Former Conservative leader William Hague says he will not stand for the leadership again, having given up his ambition to be prime minister.

Mr Hague, 43, told the Daily Telegraph he would now find a life dominated by politics too ""boring"" and unfulfilling. Mr Hague, who stepped down after his party's 2001 election defeat, does not rule out a return to the front bench. He also told the paper he hopes to remain MP for Richmond, North Yorks, and start a family with wife Ffion. Mr Hague, who recently had published the biography of William Pitt the Younger, also said he wanted to continue writing books and speech-writing.

He told the newspaper: ""I don't know whether I will ever go back on to the front, but don't rush me."" Asked if he would stand for the leadership again, Mr Hague replied: ""No. Definitely not."" His determination to stay away from a central role will disappoint some senior Conservative members, who say the party needs him. Tim Collins, the shadow education secretary, said last week it would be a ""huge boost"" to the party if Mr Hague returned to the front bench. Mr Hague became an MP at 27 and Leader of the Opposition at 36. He said: ""I feel fortunate that, by the age of 40, I had crammed in an entire political career. ""I had been in the Cabinet and been leader of the party, so now I can branch out into other things...it is a very liberating feeling."" Mr Hague added that he may have misjudged his own ambition to be prime minister. ""Maybe I wasn't as driven by politics as I thought I was,"" he said.
","Mr Hague became an MP at 27 and Leader of the Opposition at 36.Tim Collins, the shadow education secretary, said last week it would be a ""huge boost"" to the party if Mr Hague returned to the front bench.Asked if he would stand for the leadership again, Mr Hague replied: ""No.Mr Hague, 43, told the Daily Telegraph he would now find a life dominated by politics too ""boring"" and unfulfilling.Mr Hague added that he may have misjudged his own ambition to be prime minister.Former Conservative leader William Hague says he will not stand for the leadership again, having given up his ambition to be prime minister."
1166,"Defection timed to hit tax pledge

With impeccable and precisely-calculated timing, Tory defector Robert Jackson and his new Labour bosses have attempted to overshadow Michael Howard's latest announcement on taxation and spending.

With just about everyone in Westminster now working towards a May general election, Mr Howard is eager to map out some clear and distinctive policies aimed at finally shifting the Tories' resolutely depressing poll showings. The big idea is his £35bn savings on waste and bureaucracy which Mr Howard has pledged to plough back into public services and tax cuts. And it was virtually certain his pledge on tax cuts was meant to be the core message from his interview on the BBC One's Breakfast with Frost programme. He and his shadow Chancellor Oliver Letwin have been edging towards an announcement on this front for some months now, but without any concrete pledges. But Mr Howard announced that, of the £35bn he has earmarked from savings, £12bn will be used to plug Labour's claimed financial black hole with any left over going to tax cuts in Mr Letwin's first budget. He would not be precise, but there are already suggestions he is set to announce lifting the threshold on income tax and reforming or abolishing inheritance tax. But he did, for the first time, say there would be such tax cuts.

""At this election, people will have a clear choice between Mr Blair who will waste more and tax more and the Conservative party which will give value for money and tax less"". It is the Tories' attempt to open that famed ""clear blue water"" between them and the Labour party and return to a traditional Tory agenda that will both reassure the middle England voters who have abandoned him and appeal to core Conservative voters. So it is a pretty safe bet to assume that, when Robert Jackson finally decided to jump ship and swim over to the Labour benches, his new masters decided to time the announcement for the greatest possible impact. Mr Howard, however, was dismissive. ""These things happen from time to time. There are disagreements between Robert Jackson and me.

""The election is not going to be decided on what Robert Jackson did,"" he added. And that is certainly true. The election will be decided on ""the economy stupid"". Other issues like the Iraq war and the ""trust"" thing will also play a major part. But it is the economy that will probably be the greatest influence over the way people finally vote. And many on the Tory benches have been crying out for Mr Howard to get back onto the old Tory tax cuts agenda. Mr Howard knows that risks accusations that, as a result, he would slash public services, so he has attempted to shoot that fox first. With polls suggesting voters would rather any government cash surpluses were spent on schools and hospitals before tax cuts, he has suggested that is exactly what he will do. Whether this will finally be enough to shift those polls remains to be seen.
","But he did, for the first time, say there would be such tax cuts.""At this election, people will have a clear choice between Mr Blair who will waste more and tax more and the Conservative party which will give value for money and tax less"".So it is a pretty safe bet to assume that, when Robert Jackson finally decided to jump ship and swim over to the Labour benches, his new masters decided to time the announcement for the greatest possible impact.The big idea is his £35bn savings on waste and bureaucracy which Mr Howard has pledged to plough back into public services and tax cuts.""The election is not going to be decided on what Robert Jackson did,"" he added.But Mr Howard announced that, of the £35bn he has earmarked from savings, £12bn will be used to plug Labour's claimed financial black hole with any left over going to tax cuts in Mr Letwin's first budget.And many on the Tory benches have been crying out for Mr Howard to get back onto the old Tory tax cuts agenda.With just about everyone in Westminster now working towards a May general election, Mr Howard is eager to map out some clear and distinctive policies aimed at finally shifting the Tories' resolutely depressing poll showings.Mr Howard knows that risks accusations that, as a result, he would slash public services, so he has attempted to shoot that fox first.Mr Howard, however, was dismissive."
240,"Economy 'strong' in election year

UK businesses are set to prosper during the next few months - but this could trigger more interest rate rises, according to a report.

Optimism is at its highest since 1997 and business will reap the benefits of a continuing rise in public spending, say researchers at BDO Stoy Hayward. The Bank of England is expected to keep rates on hold this week - but they could go up later in the year. Rates are likely to rise after the anticipated general election in May. The BDO optimism index - a leading indicator of GDP growth two quarters ahead edged up in January to 102.5, from 102.2 in October. The rise is due, in part, to an increase in public spending and increased merger and acquisition activity.

The only thing blighting business optimism this year will be uncertainties associated with the general election, BDO said. Its BDO's output index - which predicts GDP movements a quarter in advance - remained at 100.8 for January, implying GDP growth at 2.9% in the second quarter of 2005. However, the output index is being held back by recent interest rate rises, sterling's strength against the dollar and high oil prices, the group noted. Its inflation index, which has risen continuously over the last 8 months, climbed to 110.0 in January from 108.0 in October last year. ""The UK is looking strong going into the general election, but businesses need to prepare themselves for a jolt ahead as the Bank of England reacts to growth and inflationary pressures,"" said Peter Hemington, partner at BDO Stoy Hayward. ""Growth will probably slow by the end of 2005 and it is likely that we will see higher interest rates or a sharp drop in demand for products and services.""
","The BDO optimism index - a leading indicator of GDP growth two quarters ahead edged up in January to 102.5, from 102.2 in October.The only thing blighting business optimism this year will be uncertainties associated with the general election, BDO said.""The UK is looking strong going into the general election, but businesses need to prepare themselves for a jolt ahead as the Bank of England reacts to growth and inflationary pressures,"" said Peter Hemington, partner at BDO Stoy Hayward.Optimism is at its highest since 1997 and business will reap the benefits of a continuing rise in public spending, say researchers at BDO Stoy Hayward.UK businesses are set to prosper during the next few months - but this could trigger more interest rate rises, according to a report."
1979,"Games win for Blu-ray DVD format

The next-generation DVD format Blu-ray is winning more supporters than its rival, according to its backers.

Blu-ray, backed by 100 firms including Sony, is competing against Toshiba and NEC-backed HD-DVD to be the format of choice for future films and games. The Blu-Ray Association said on Thursday that games giants Electronic Arts and Vivendi would both support its DVD format. The next generation of DVDs will hold high-definition video and sound. This offers incredible 3D-like quality of pictures which major Hollywood studios and games publishers are extremely keen to exploit in the coming year. In a separate press conference at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Toshiba announced that DVD players for its technology would be on the market by the end of 2005.

""As we move from standard definition video images to high-definition images, we have a much greater need for storage,"" Richard Doherty, from Panasonic's Hollywood Laboratories, one of the pioneers of Blu-ray, told the BBC news website. ""So by utilising blue laser-based technology we can make an optical laser disc that can hold six times as much as today's DVD."" A Blu-ray disc will be able to store 50GB of high-quality data, while Toshiba's HD-DVD will hold 30GB. Mr Doherty added that it was making sure the discs could satisfy all high-definition needs, including the ability to record onto the DVDs and smaller discs to fit into camcorders. Both Toshiba and Blu-ray are hopeful that the emerging DVD format war, akin to the Betamax and VHS fight in the 1980s, can be resolved over the next year when next-generation DVD players start to come out. When players do come out, they will be able to play standard DVDs too, which is good news for those who have huge libraries of current DVDs.

But the support from Vivendi and Electronics Arts is a big boost to Blu-ray in the battle for supremacy.

Gaming is a $20 billion industry worldwide, so is as crucial as the film industry in terms of money to be made. ""The technical requirement for game development today demands more advanced optical-disc technologies,"" said Michael Heilmann, chief technology officer for Vivendi Universal. ""Blu-ray offers the capacity, performance and high-speed internet connectivity to take us into the future of gaming."" EA, a leading games developer and publisher, added that the delivery of high-definition games of the future was vital and Blu-ray had the capacity, functionality and interactivity needed for the kinds of projects it was planning. Sony recently announced it would be using the technology in its next generation of PlayStations. Mr Doherty said gamers were ""ravenous"" for high-quality graphics and technology for the next generation of titles. ""Gamers, especially those working on PCs, are always focused on more capacity to deliver textures, deeper levels, for delivering higher-resolution playback.""

He added: ""The focus for games moving forward on increased immersion.

""Gaming companies really like to focus on creating a world which involves creating complicated 3D models and textures and increasing the resolution, increasing the frame rate - all of these are part of getting a more immersive experience."" Fitting these models on current DVD technologies means compressing the graphics so much that much of this quality is lost. As games move to more photo-real capability, the current technology is limiting. ""They are thrilled at the advanced capacity to start to build these immersive environments,"" said Mr Doherty. Currently, graphics-intensive PC games also require multiple discs for installation. High-definition DVDs will cut down on that need. Likewise, consoles rely on single discs, so DVDs that can hold six times more data mean much better, high-resolution games. Blu-ray has already won backing from major Hollywood studios, such as MGM Studios, Disney, and Buena Vista, as well as top technology firms like Dell, LG, Samsung and Phillips amongst others. While Toshiba's HD-DVD technology has won backing from Paramount, Universal and Warner Bros. ""The real world benefits (of HD-DVD) are apparent and obvious,"" said Jim Cardwell, president of Warner Home Video. Mr Cardwell added that rapid time to market and dependability were significant factors in choosing to go with HD-DVD. Both formats are courting Microsoft to be the format of choice for the next generation Xbox, but discussions are still on-going. Next generation DVDs will also be able to store images and other data. CES is the largest consumer electronics show in the world, and runs from 6 to 9 January.
","The Blu-Ray Association said on Thursday that games giants Electronic Arts and Vivendi would both support its DVD format.Mr Doherty said gamers were ""ravenous"" for high-quality graphics and technology for the next generation of titles.The next generation of DVDs will hold high-definition video and sound.Both Toshiba and Blu-ray are hopeful that the emerging DVD format war, akin to the Betamax and VHS fight in the 1980s, can be resolved over the next year when next-generation DVD players start to come out.Next generation DVDs will also be able to store images and other data.EA, a leading games developer and publisher, added that the delivery of high-definition games of the future was vital and Blu-ray had the capacity, functionality and interactivity needed for the kinds of projects it was planning.Blu-ray, backed by 100 firms including Sony, is competing against Toshiba and NEC-backed HD-DVD to be the format of choice for future films and games.A Blu-ray disc will be able to store 50GB of high-quality data, while Toshiba's HD-DVD will hold 30GB.""So by utilising blue laser-based technology we can make an optical laser disc that can hold six times as much as today's DVD.""Sony recently announced it would be using the technology in its next generation of PlayStations.In a separate press conference at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Toshiba announced that DVD players for its technology would be on the market by the end of 2005.Fitting these models on current DVD technologies means compressing the graphics so much that much of this quality is lost.As games move to more photo-real capability, the current technology is limiting.Mr Doherty added that it was making sure the discs could satisfy all high-definition needs, including the ability to record onto the DVDs and smaller discs to fit into camcorders."
2014,"First look at PlayStation 3 chip

Some details of the chip inside Sony's PlayStation 3 have been revealed.

Sony, IBM and Toshiba have released limited data about the so-called Cell chip that will be able to carry out trillions of calculations per second. The chip will be made of several different processing cores that work on tasks together. The PlayStation 3 is expected in 2006 but developers are expecting to get prototypes early next year to tune games that will appear on it at launch.

The three firms have been working on the chip since 2001 but before now few details have been released about how it might function. In a joint statement the three firms gave hints about how the chip will work but fuller details will be released in February next year at the International Solid State Circuits Conference in San Francisco.

The three firms claim that the Cell chip will be up to 10 times more powerful than existing processors. When put inside powerful computer servers, the Cell consortium expects it to be capable of handling 16 trillion floating point operations, or calculations, every second. The chip has also been refined to be able to handle the detailed graphics common in games and the data demands of films and broadband media. IBM said it would start producing the chip in early 2005 at manufacturing plants in the US. The first machines off the line using the Cell processor will be computer workstations and servers. A working version of the PS3 is due to be shown off in May 2005 but a full launch of the next generation console is not expected to start until 2006. As well as being inside the PlayStation 3, the chip will also be used inside high-definition TVs and powerful computers. ""In the future, all forms of digital content will be converged and fused onto the broadband network,"" said Ken Kutaragi, Chief Operating Officer of Sony. ""Current PC architecture is nearing its limits.""
","Some details of the chip inside Sony's PlayStation 3 have been revealed.The three firms claim that the Cell chip will be up to 10 times more powerful than existing processors.The three firms have been working on the chip since 2001 but before now few details have been released about how it might function.Sony, IBM and Toshiba have released limited data about the so-called Cell chip that will be able to carry out trillions of calculations per second.As well as being inside the PlayStation 3, the chip will also be used inside high-definition TVs and powerful computers.In a joint statement the three firms gave hints about how the chip will work but fuller details will be released in February next year at the International Solid State Circuits Conference in San Francisco."
579,"Foxx and Swank take actors awards

Jamie Foxx and Hilary Swank have won the Screen Actors Guild Awards for best male and female film actors, boosting their Oscars hopes this month.

Foxx's portrayal of late soul-singer Ray Charles in Ray had already earned him a prestigious Golden Globe award. Swank triumphed for playing a gutsy female boxer in Million Dollar Baby. Modest wine country comedy Sideways knocked out favourites Million Dollar Baby and The Aviator by taking the top prize for best cast performance.

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) represents US film and TV actors. Its winners often go on to win Oscars. In other nominations, Cate Blanchett triumphed as the best supporting actress for her role as Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator. Veteran actor Morgan Freeman took the best supporting actor award for playing a prize-fighter turned gym manager in Million Dollar Baby.

""Thank you for Ray Charles for just living so complex and so interesting, and making us all just come together,"" said Foxx, accepting his award in Los Angeles on Saturday.

He also praised the film director: ""Thank you for Taylor Hackford for taking a chance with an African-American film. Taylor, you're my director of the year."" Swank, too, was full of praise for her director and co-star Clint Eastwood. ""I bow down to you,"" Swank said to the 74-year-old Eastwood. ""You are a talent beyond compare. If I'm half the person you are and half the talent you are when I'm 74, I will know that I've accomplished something great.""

Both Foxx and Swank are now considered to be among the favourites to get Oscars - the Hollywood's ultimate prize. However, Swank has to overcome a strong challenge from Annette Bening, a nominee for the theatre farce Being Julia. Meanwhile, ballots for Oscars - the Hollywood's top honours - were mailed earlier this week to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The voting is due to end on 22 February - five days before the ceremony.
","Jamie Foxx and Hilary Swank have won the Screen Actors Guild Awards for best male and female film actors, boosting their Oscars hopes this month.Swank triumphed for playing a gutsy female boxer in Million Dollar Baby.Both Foxx and Swank are now considered to be among the favourites to get Oscars - the Hollywood's ultimate prize.Swank, too, was full of praise for her director and co-star Clint Eastwood.Modest wine country comedy Sideways knocked out favourites Million Dollar Baby and The Aviator by taking the top prize for best cast performance.""I bow down to you,"" Swank said to the 74-year-old Eastwood.Veteran actor Morgan Freeman took the best supporting actor award for playing a prize-fighter turned gym manager in Million Dollar Baby.He also praised the film director: ""Thank you for Taylor Hackford for taking a chance with an African-American film."
1364,"IAAF to rule on Greek sprint pair

Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou are expected to find out on Wednesday if they will be banned for missing drugs tests this summer.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) council held a conference call on Tuesday and are set to announce their decision. Kenteris and Thanou could be suspended for up to two years. The duo withdrew from the Olympics after missing a test but claimed they had suffered a motorcycle crash. The Greek authorities have also brought criminal charges against the sprinters for avoiding a drugs test and faking an accident. Their former coach Christos Tzekos is also facing charges and all three are awaiting a trial date.

However, the IAAF will determine the sprinters' future on the track after carefully considering all the evidence. The sport's ruling body is expected to direct the Greek federation in what action it should take against the sprinters. Kenteris and Thanou can appeal against any decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The sprinters both sent written explanations to the IAAF, which have been taken into account. The IAAF sent an official warning to the sprinters and coach Tzekos after they were discovered training in Qatar rather than in Crete, where they had said they would be. But Kenteris and Thanou then went on to skip tests in Tel Aviv and Chicago, when they decided to fly back to Greece early. Just before the Olympics, the pair dramatically missed another test in Athens before withdrawing from the Games. Kenteris, 31, won gold in the 200m at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, where Thanou, 29, won silver in the 100m.
","Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou are expected to find out on Wednesday if they will be banned for missing drugs tests this summer.Kenteris, 31, won gold in the 200m at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, where Thanou, 29, won silver in the 100m.The Greek authorities have also brought criminal charges against the sprinters for avoiding a drugs test and faking an accident.But Kenteris and Thanou then went on to skip tests in Tel Aviv and Chicago, when they decided to fly back to Greece early.Kenteris and Thanou can appeal against any decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.Kenteris and Thanou could be suspended for up to two years."
2197,"Software watching while you work

Software that can not only monitor every keystroke and action performed at a PC but also be used as legally binding evidence of wrong-doing has been unveiled.

Worries about cyber-crime and sabotage have prompted many employers to consider monitoring employees. The developers behind the system claim it is a break-through in the way data is monitored and stored. But privacy advocates are concerned by the invasive nature of such software.

The system is a joint venture between security firm 3ami and storage specialists BridgeHead Software. They have joined forces to create a system which can monitor computer activity, store it and retrieve disputed files within minutes. More and more firms are finding themselves in deep water as a result of data misuse. Sabotage and data theft are most commonly committed from within an organisation according to the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) A survey conducted on its behalf by NOP found evidence that more than 80% of medium and large companies have been victims of some form of cyber-crime. BridgeHead Software has come up with techniques to prove, to a legal standard, that any stored file on a PC has not been tampered with. Ironically the impetus for developing the system came as a result of the Freedom of Information Act, which requires companies to store all data for a certain amount of time.

The storage system has been incorporated into an application developed by security firm 3ami which allows every action on a computer to be logged. Potentially it could help employers to follow the trail of stolen files and pinpoint whether they had been emailed to a third party, copied, printed, deleted or saved to CD, floppy disk, memory stick or flash card. Other activities the system can monitor include the downloading of pornography, the use of racist or bullying language or the copying of applications for personal use. Increasingly organisations that handle sensitive data, such as governments, are using biometric log-ins such as fingerprinting to provide conclusive proof of who was using a particular machine at any given time. Privacy advocates are concerned that monitoring at work is not only damaging to employee's privacy but also to the relationship between employers and their staff. ""That is not the case,"" said Tim Ellsmore, managing director of 3ami. ""It is not about replacing dialogue but there are issues that you can talk through but you still need proof,"" he said. ""People need to recognise that you are using a PC as a representative of a company and that employers have a legal requirement to store data,"" he added.
","The storage system has been incorporated into an application developed by security firm 3ami which allows every action on a computer to be logged.""People need to recognise that you are using a PC as a representative of a company and that employers have a legal requirement to store data,"" he added.The system is a joint venture between security firm 3ami and storage specialists BridgeHead Software.Ironically the impetus for developing the system came as a result of the Freedom of Information Act, which requires companies to store all data for a certain amount of time.BridgeHead Software has come up with techniques to prove, to a legal standard, that any stored file on a PC has not been tampered with.They have joined forces to create a system which can monitor computer activity, store it and retrieve disputed files within minutes.The developers behind the system claim it is a break-through in the way data is monitored and stored.Software that can not only monitor every keystroke and action performed at a PC but also be used as legally binding evidence of wrong-doing has been unveiled."
1624,"Ireland surge past Scots

Ireland maintained their Six Nations Grand Slam ambitions with an impressive victory over Scotland at Murrayfield.

Hugo Southwell's try gave the Scots an early 8-0 lead but scores from locks Malcolm O'Kelly and Paul O'Connell put the visitors in command by half-time. A third try from wing Denis Hickie and third penalty from Ronan O'Gara, who kicked 13 points, extended the lead. Jon Petrie scored a second try for Scotland but late scores from John Hayes and Gavin Duffy sealed victory. After two hard-earned away victories, Eddie O'Sullivan' side can now look forward to welcoming England to Lansdowne Road in a fortnight. Scotland will try to give their coach Matt Williams a first Six Nations victory when Italy come to Edinburgh, but they again struggled to turn pressure into points. The home side started with tremendous intensity and dominated territory and possession in the opening 10 minutes. A powerful charge from flanker Jason White was carried on by Ali Hogg and when Ireland conceded a penalty close to their own line, Scotland kicked it to touch. The Irish defence foiled the home side on that occasion, but a stray hand in a ruck allowed Paterson to stroke over a penalty in the eighth minute.

If that was a paltry reward for their early pressure, Scotland got the try they deserved when Paterson's searing break and Andy Craig's pass sent Southwell streaking to the right corner. Paterson was off target with the conversion and fly-half Dan Parks then missed a presentable drop-goal attempt. Ireland got themselves on the scoreboard with an O'Gara penalty and by the 24th minute the visitors were ahead. Stuart Grimes pulled down O'Kelly at a line-out, Ireland kicked the penalty to touch and from the set-piece, the big lock was driven over by the rest of his pack.

O'Gara added the conversion and a further penalty, after Shane Horgan almost grabbed a second try from O'Gara's chip to the corner, only for the ball to spill from his hand. But Ireland still delivered a hammer blow to Scotland's hopes just before the interval. O'Connell - skipper in the absence of Brian O'Driscoll - powered through Parks' weak tackle after a free-kick from a scrummage to burrow over.

Scotland suffered a further blow on the resumption when Ireland flanker Johnny O'Connor won another vital turnover, and O'Gara's basketball pass sent Hickie over in the left corner. O'Gara converted and then thumped over a 40m penalty to give the visitors a commanding 28-8 advantage. Scotland looked bereft of ideas but a half-break from Paterson sparked them back to life just before the hour. Stuart Grimes won a line-out and a well-worked move saw Petrie scuttle round the side of the ruck to dive over in the left corner. But it proved a false dawn, and Ireland reasserted their authority in the final 10 minutes. Peter Stringer and O'Kelly combined to put giant prop Hayes over in the right corner before replacement Gavin Duffy scorched away on the left, David Humphreys adding the final flourish with a touchline conversion.

: C Paterson; S Danielli, A Craig, H Southwell, S Lamont; D Parks, C Cusiter; T Smith, G Bulloch (capt), G Kerr; S Grimes, S Murray; J White, A Hogg, J Petrie.

R Russell, B Douglas, N Hines, J Dunbar, M Blair, G Ross, B Hinshelwood.

G Murphy; G Dempsey, S Horgan, K Maggs, D Hickie, R O'Gara, P Stringer; R Corrigan, S Byrne, J Hayes, M O'Kelly, P O'Connell, S Easterby, J O'Connor, A Foley.

F Sheahan, M Horan, D O'Callaghan, E Miller, G Easterby, D Humphreys, G Duffy.

Joel Jutge (France)
","Ireland got themselves on the scoreboard with an O'Gara penalty and by the 24th minute the visitors were ahead.A powerful charge from flanker Jason White was carried on by Ali Hogg and when Ireland conceded a penalty close to their own line, Scotland kicked it to touch.Stuart Grimes pulled down O'Kelly at a line-out, Ireland kicked the penalty to touch and from the set-piece, the big lock was driven over by the rest of his pack.G Murphy; G Dempsey, S Horgan, K Maggs, D Hickie, R O'Gara, P Stringer; R Corrigan, S Byrne, J Hayes, M O'Kelly, P O'Connell, S Easterby, J O'Connor, A Foley.Scotland suffered a further blow on the resumption when Ireland flanker Johnny O'Connor won another vital turnover, and O'Gara's basketball pass sent Hickie over in the left corner.O'Gara added the conversion and a further penalty, after Shane Horgan almost grabbed a second try from O'Gara's chip to the corner, only for the ball to spill from his hand.Jon Petrie scored a second try for Scotland but late scores from John Hayes and Gavin Duffy sealed victory.If that was a paltry reward for their early pressure, Scotland got the try they deserved when Paterson's searing break and Andy Craig's pass sent Southwell streaking to the right corner.: C Paterson; S Danielli, A Craig, H Southwell, S Lamont; D Parks, C Cusiter; T Smith, G Bulloch (capt), G Kerr; S Grimes, S Murray; J White, A Hogg, J Petrie.A third try from wing Denis Hickie and third penalty from Ronan O'Gara, who kicked 13 points, extended the lead.Ireland maintained their Six Nations Grand Slam ambitions with an impressive victory over Scotland at Murrayfield."
1375,"Brizzel to run AAA's in Sheffield

Ballymena sprinter Paul Brizzel will be among eight of Ireland's European Indoor hopefuls competing in this weekend's AAA's Championships.

US-based Alistair Cragg and Mark Carroll are the only Irish athletes selected so far for the Europeans who will not run in Sheffield. Brizzel will defend his 200m title in the British trials. In-form James McIlroy will hope to confirm his place in the British team for Madrid by winning the 800m title. McIlroy has been in tremendous form on the European circuit in recent weeks. He is one of the fastest 800m runners in the world this winter and already seems assured of a place in Madrid. Corkman Mark Carroll confirmed in midweek that he would join Cragg in the European Championships. Carroll is ranked number three in the world 3000m ranking at the moment with Cragg occupying top spot. Meanwhile, nine-times champion Dermot Donnelly will not be coming out of retirement to compete in the Northern Ireland Cross Country Championships in Coleraine on Saturday. An injury crisis in the Annadale Striders squad led to Donnelly being entered by coach John McLaughlin but the athlete told BBC Sport on Friday evening that he would not be running. Willowfield's Paul Rowan will go in as individual favourite but Annadale could have a tough job holding on to their team title as Andrew Dunwoody and Noel Pollock are unlikely to run.
",Corkman Mark Carroll confirmed in midweek that he would join Cragg in the European Championships.In-form James McIlroy will hope to confirm his place in the British team for Madrid by winning the 800m title.US-based Alistair Cragg and Mark Carroll are the only Irish athletes selected so far for the Europeans who will not run in Sheffield.Ballymena sprinter Paul Brizzel will be among eight of Ireland's European Indoor hopefuls competing in this weekend's AAA's Championships.Brizzel will defend his 200m title in the British trials.