ids,articles,summary
442,"Lesotho textile workers lose jobs

Six foreign-owned textile factories have closed in Lesotho, leaving 6,650 garment workers jobless, union officers told the AP news agency.

Factory Workers Union secretary general Billy Macaefa blamed the closures on the end of worldwide textile quotas. The quotas for developing nations, ended on 1 January, gave them a set share of the rich countries' markets. They also limited the amount countries like China could export to the big markets of the United States and EU.

""We understand that some (owners)... were complaining that the South African rand was strong against the US dollar, and they were losing when exporting textiles and clothing to the United States,"" Mr Macaefa said at a news briefing in the capital, Maseru. Lesotho's currency, the maloti, is fixed to the rand. ""But we suspect that they left the country unceremoniously because of the end of quotas introduced by the World Trade Organization."" He said the six factories were Leisure Garments, Modern Garments, Precious Six Garments, TW Garments, Lesotho Hats and Vogue Landmark. The owners - two from Taiwan, two from China, one from Mauritius and one from Malaysia - left over the December holiday period without informing or paying their employees, he said.

Union leaders and trade campaigners have been warning that developing nations such as Lesotho, Sri Lanka, and Bangaldesh could lose thousands of jobs once the quotas were lifted. In the mountainous country surrounded by South Africa, it is feared as many as 50,000 textile workers could lose their jobs, and Mr Mafeca said he expected more companies to leave. The assistance of a US law had given Lesotho's textiles duty-free access to North American markets. The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), gave sub-Saharan countries preferential access to the US market for apparel and textile products as well as a wide range of other goods. A Lesotho government news briefing is expected on Wednesday.
","""We understand that some (owners)... were complaining that the South African rand was strong against the US dollar, and they were losing when exporting textiles and clothing to the United States,"" Mr Macaefa said at a news briefing in the capital, Maseru.In the mountainous country surrounded by South Africa, it is feared as many as 50,000 textile workers could lose their jobs, and Mr Mafeca said he expected more companies to leave.Six foreign-owned textile factories have closed in Lesotho, leaving 6,650 garment workers jobless, union officers told the AP news agency.The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), gave sub-Saharan countries preferential access to the US market for apparel and textile products as well as a wide range of other goods.Union leaders and trade campaigners have been warning that developing nations such as Lesotho, Sri Lanka, and Bangaldesh could lose thousands of jobs once the quotas were lifted.The assistance of a US law had given Lesotho's textiles duty-free access to North American markets."
505,"China now top trader with Japan

China overtook the US to become Japan's biggest trading partner in 2004, according to numbers released by Japan's Finance Ministry on Wednesday.

China accounted for 20.1% of Japan's trade in 2004, compared with 18.6% for the US. In 2003, the US was ahead with 20.5% and China came second with 19.2%. The change highlights China's growing importance as an economic powerhouse. In 2004, Japan's imports from and exports to China (and Hong Kong) added up to 22,201bn yen ($214.6bn;£114.5bn). This is the highest figure for Japanese trade with China since records began in 1947. It compares with 20,479.5bn yen in trade with the US.

Trade with the US during 2004 was hurt by one-off factors, including a 13-month ban on US beef imports following the discovery of a cow infected with mad cow disease (BSE) in the US. However, economists predict China will become an even more important Japanese trading partner in the coming years. On Tuesday, figures showed China's economy grew by 9.5% in 2004 and experts say the overall growth picture remains strong. Analysts see two spurs to future growth as being China's membership of the World Trade Organisation and lower trade tariffs. During 2004, Japan's trade surplus grew 17.9% to 12.011 trillion yen, with more than half the surplus, 6.962 trillion yen, accounted for by its trade with the US. In December, the surplus grew 1.8% on a year ago to 1.14 trillion yen thanks to stronger-than-expected exports.
","China accounted for 20.1% of Japan's trade in 2004, compared with 18.6% for the US.During 2004, Japan's trade surplus grew 17.9% to 12.011 trillion yen, with more than half the surplus, 6.962 trillion yen, accounted for by its trade with the US.It compares with 20,479.5bn yen in trade with the US.China overtook the US to become Japan's biggest trading partner in 2004, according to numbers released by Japan's Finance Ministry on Wednesday.This is the highest figure for Japanese trade with China since records began in 1947.In 2003, the US was ahead with 20.5% and China came second with 19.2%."
2181,"Have hackers recruited your PC?

More than one million computers on the net have been hijacked to attack websites and pump out spam and viruses.

The huge number was revealed by security researchers who have spent months tracking more than 100 networks of remotely-controlled machines. The largest network of so-called zombie networks spied on by the team was made up of 50,000 hijacked home computers. Data was gathered using machines that looked innocent but which logged everything hackers did to them.

The detailed look at zombie or 'bot nets of hijacked computers was done by the Honeynet Project - a group of security researchers that gather information using networks of computers that act as ""honey pots"" to attract hackers and gather information about how they work. While 'bot nets have been known about for some time, estimates of how widespread they are from security firms have varied widely.

To gather its information the German arm of the Honeynet Project created software tools to log what happened to the machines they put on the web. Getting the machines hijacked was worryingly easy. The longest time a Honeynet machine survived without being found by an automatic attack tool was only a few minutes. The shortest compromise time was only a few seconds. The research found that, once compromised machines tend to report in to chat channels on IRC servers and wait instructions from the malicious hacker behind the tools used to recruit the machine. Many well-known vulnerabilities in the Windows operating system were exploited by 'bot net controllers to find and take over target machines. Especially coveted were home PCs sitting on broadband connections that are never turned off.

The months of surveillance revealed that the different 'bot nets - which involve a few hundred to tens of thousands of machines - are used for a variety of purposes. Many are used as relays for spam, to route unwanted adverts to PC users or as launch platforms for viruses. But the research team found that many are put to very different uses. During the monitoring period, the team saw 'bot nets used to launch 226 distributed denial-of-service attacks on 99 separate targets. These attacks bombard websites with data in an attempt to overwhelm the target. Using a 'bot net of machines spread around different networks and nations makes such attacks hard to defend against. One DDoS attack was used by one firm to knock its competitors offline. Other 'bot nets were used to abuse the Google Adsense program that rewards websites for displaying adverts from the search engine. Some networks were used to abuse or manipulate online polls and games. Criminals also seem to be starting to use 'bot nets for mass identity theft, to host websites that look like those of banks so confidential information can be gathered and to peep into online traffic to steal sensitive data. ""Leveraging the power of several thousand bots, it is viable to take down almost any website or network instantly,"" said the researchers. ""Even in unskilled hands, it should be obvious that 'bot nets are a loaded and powerful weapon.""
","Using a 'bot net of machines spread around different networks and nations makes such attacks hard to defend against.The detailed look at zombie or 'bot nets of hijacked computers was done by the Honeynet Project - a group of security researchers that gather information using networks of computers that act as ""honey pots"" to attract hackers and gather information about how they work.The months of surveillance revealed that the different 'bot nets - which involve a few hundred to tens of thousands of machines - are used for a variety of purposes.During the monitoring period, the team saw 'bot nets used to launch 226 distributed denial-of-service attacks on 99 separate targets.More than one million computers on the net have been hijacked to attack websites and pump out spam and viruses.The longest time a Honeynet machine survived without being found by an automatic attack tool was only a few minutes.Other 'bot nets were used to abuse the Google Adsense program that rewards websites for displaying adverts from the search engine.The largest network of so-called zombie networks spied on by the team was made up of 50,000 hijacked home computers.Getting the machines hijacked was worryingly easy.While 'bot nets have been known about for some time, estimates of how widespread they are from security firms have varied widely."
1015,"Lord Scarman, 93, dies peacefully

Distinguished lawyer Lord Scarman, who conducted the inquiry into the 1981 Brixton riots, has died aged 93.

The peer enjoyed a celebrated judicial career, serving as Law Commission chairman in its first seven years. He also chaired the 1969 tribunal set up to investigate civil disturbances in Northern Ireland. Paying tribute, the Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer said Lord Scarman was one of the ""great advocates of our generation"".

""His legacy from his decisions in the Lords and the Court of Appeal is substantial. ""His work in the wake of the Brixton riots and his commitment to the vulnerable and dispossessed was second to none.

""A great judge, a great lawyer and a great man."" Lord Scarman's nephew George Ritchie said the peer, who passed away peacefully on Wednesday, would be ""sadly missed"".

The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf, who is the most senior judge in England and Wales, said it was Lord Scarman's ""pioneering work"" which paved the way for the Human Rights Act 1998. ""He was a lawyer and a judge who had a remarkable insight into human nature, and an exceptional sensitivity to the needs of a healthy society,"" he said. ""He was, personally, totally charming and he will be remembered with great affection and admiration by all who came into contact with him.""

Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, the president of the Family Justice Division, said Lord Scarman was a ""good and humane judge"" and one of the greatest figures of the late 20th century. Lord Scarman will be remembered for the public inquiry he led into a string of race riots which began in Brixton when racial tensions rose after a police crackdown on street robbery. During the following three days of disturbances that spread to the Midlands, Merseyside, Bristol and Leeds, nearly 400 people were injured and buildings and vehicles were set alight.

The inquiry famously settled on the so-called ""rotten apples"" theory, which argued that only a few police officers were racist, saying most were not. It spawned new law enforcement practices and led to the creation of the Police Complaints Authority. Trevor Phillips, chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, praised Lord Scarman's ""ability to listen"". He said: ""When Lord Scarman toured the streets of Brixton his presence was electrifying. ""A community which had been systematically ignored by everyone else was suddenly embraced by the epitome of the English establishment. ""His great quality was the ability to listen to young people of all backgrounds, many of whose language he could barely understand, genuinely to hear what they had to say and to talk to them as human beings. ""He never lost the special combination of wisdom, humanity and the spark of radicalism that marked his watershed report into the Brixton riots.""
","Paying tribute, the Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer said Lord Scarman was one of the ""great advocates of our generation"".He said: ""When Lord Scarman toured the streets of Brixton his presence was electrifying.The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf, who is the most senior judge in England and Wales, said it was Lord Scarman's ""pioneering work"" which paved the way for the Human Rights Act 1998.Lord Scarman will be remembered for the public inquiry he led into a string of race riots which began in Brixton when racial tensions rose after a police crackdown on street robbery.Distinguished lawyer Lord Scarman, who conducted the inquiry into the 1981 Brixton riots, has died aged 93.Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, the president of the Family Justice Division, said Lord Scarman was a ""good and humane judge"" and one of the greatest figures of the late 20th century.""He was a lawyer and a judge who had a remarkable insight into human nature, and an exceptional sensitivity to the needs of a healthy society,"" he said.Trevor Phillips, chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, praised Lord Scarman's ""ability to listen"".Lord Scarman's nephew George Ritchie said the peer, who passed away peacefully on Wednesday, would be ""sadly missed""."
2066,"PC ownership to 'double by 2010'

The number of personal computers worldwide is expected to double by 2010 to 1.3 billion machines, according to a report by analysts Forrester Research.

The growth will be driven by emerging markets such as China, Russia and India, the report predicted. More than a third of all new PCs will be in these markets, with China adding 178 million new PCs by 2010, it said. Low-priced computers made by local companies are expected to dominate in such territories, Forrester said. The report comes less than a week after IBM, a pioneer of the PC business, sold its PC hardware division to China's number one computer maker Lenovo.

The $1.75bn (£900m) deal will make the combined operation the third biggest PC vendor in the world. ""Today's products from Western PC vendors won't dominate in those markets in the long term,"" Simon Yates, a senior analyst for Forrester, said. ""Instead local PC makers like Lenovo Group in China and Aquarius in Russia that can better tailor the PC form factor, price point and applications to their local markets will ultimately win the market share battle,"" he said. There are currently 575 million PCs in use globally. The United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific are expected to add 150 million new PCs by 2010, according to the study. The report forecast that there will be 80 million new PC users in India by 2010 and 40 million new users in Indonesia.
","More than a third of all new PCs will be in these markets, with China adding 178 million new PCs by 2010, it said.The report forecast that there will be 80 million new PC users in India by 2010 and 40 million new users in Indonesia.The United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific are expected to add 150 million new PCs by 2010, according to the study.""Instead local PC makers like Lenovo Group in China and Aquarius in Russia that can better tailor the PC form factor, price point and applications to their local markets will ultimately win the market share battle,"" he said.""Today's products from Western PC vendors won't dominate in those markets in the long term,"" Simon Yates, a senior analyst for Forrester, said."
131,"Russian oil merger excludes Yukos

The merger of Russian gas giant Gazprom and oil firm Rosneft is to go ahead, but will not include Yugansk, which was controversially bought last year.

The merger, backed by Russian authorities, will allow foreigners to trade in Gazprom shares. Gazprom chief Alexei Miller confirmed Rosneft-owned Yugansk was not part of the deal and will instead be spun off. Under the agreement, the state will get a controlling share of Gazprom in exchange for Rosneft. The state wanted to control Gazprom before allowing foreigners to trade. Speaking on NTV television, which is controlled by Gazprom, Mr Miller added that Yugansk, which was swallowed up by Rosneft late last year, will operate as a separate, state-owned oil firm headed by current Rosneft chief Sergei Bogdanchikov. According to reports from Russian News Agency Interfax, the deal should go through in the next two to three months.

""Obtaining majority control over Gazprom is the beginning of the liberalisation of the market in Gazprom shares,"" Mr Miller added. By opening up trading in Gazprom to foreigners, the firm will become a top emerging market play for traders. Currently, foreigners can only trade in Gazprom via a small issue of London-listed proxy shares. ""This is positive news for the international investment community,"" Global Asset Management investment chief David Smith said. ""The majority of investors are going to be happy,"" he added.

However, analysts were disappointed that Yugansk would not be included in the deal. ""Yugansk is a heavy cashflow generator and would have been a much better asset for Gazprom,"" Renaissance Capital energy analyst Adam Landes told Reuters news agency. But he said the latest development was simply an interim step to allow foreigners to trade in Gazprom. ""Ultimately and industrially, Gazprom needs Yugansk,"" he added. Analysts said the deal would give Gazprom control of 8% of Russia's total oil production, an improvement on its current 2.5%, but still far less than the 20% share it would have gained had it also taken over Yugansk. However, the merged group will still remain outside Russia's top five oil producers - led by Lukoil with 11% of the market , followed by TNK-BP which is half owned by BP, and Surgutneftegaz. Instead, the merged Gazprom-Rosneft group will rank alongside Sibneft with 7% of the market. Yugansk was sold to a little-known shell company in a disputed auction in December, following what many thought was a politically-motivated attack on Yukos. The shell company was then snapped up by Rosneft. Yukos unsuccessfully sought to halt the auction by applying for bankruptcy through the US courts. The unit was auctioned by Russian authorities to help pay off a $27.5bn back-tax bill.
","""Obtaining majority control over Gazprom is the beginning of the liberalisation of the market in Gazprom shares,"" Mr Miller added.The merger of Russian gas giant Gazprom and oil firm Rosneft is to go ahead, but will not include Yugansk, which was controversially bought last year.Gazprom chief Alexei Miller confirmed Rosneft-owned Yugansk was not part of the deal and will instead be spun off.Speaking on NTV television, which is controlled by Gazprom, Mr Miller added that Yugansk, which was swallowed up by Rosneft late last year, will operate as a separate, state-owned oil firm headed by current Rosneft chief Sergei Bogdanchikov.""Ultimately and industrially, Gazprom needs Yugansk,"" he added.But he said the latest development was simply an interim step to allow foreigners to trade in Gazprom.The merger, backed by Russian authorities, will allow foreigners to trade in Gazprom shares.The state wanted to control Gazprom before allowing foreigners to trade.Analysts said the deal would give Gazprom control of 8% of Russia's total oil production, an improvement on its current 2.5%, but still far less than the 20% share it would have gained had it also taken over Yugansk.Yugansk was sold to a little-known shell company in a disputed auction in December, following what many thought was a politically-motivated attack on Yukos."
1928,"Games 'deserve a place in class'

Computer games could enhance learning and have a legitimate place in the classroom, say researchers.

Academics from the Institute of Education at London University found that ""games literacy"" was a key skill for youngsters. As well as being used in different areas of the curriculum, games are a legitimate area of study in their own right, researchers say. Pupils should also be able to create their own games, they say.

""Like all games, computer and video games entertain while promoting social development, and playing and talking about games is an important part of young people's lives,"" said project manager Caroline Pelletier.

""Games literacy is a way of investigating how games are means of expression and representation, just like writing or drawing,"" she said. The researchers conducted two studies into the impact of games on education, the first looking at how they can be used in different curriculum subjects to enhance learning. Researchers found that girls were often excluded from the male-dominated world of game playing. ""Without first-hand experience of how much fun a game can be, they have little motivation to play and remain disengaged from an engrossing and sociable activity,"" said research fellow Diane Carr.

The second project looked at how games can be integrated into media education and concluded that writing games should be a core part of studying them. Sixth-form teacher Barney Oram already teaches computer games alongside the more traditional study of film, TV and popular music at the A-level course he runs at Long Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge.

For parents, the idea that computer games could be brought into the classroom environment, could cause controversy. Dr Andrew Burn, associate director of the Institute of Education's Centre for the Study of Children, Youth and Media moved to reassure anxious parents. ""Games are a legitimate cultural form that deserve critical analysis in schools just as film, television and literature do,"" he said. ""But we also want to argue that full understanding only comes when children have the tools to create their own games."" The games industry welcomed the report, saying it showed how games had a positive impact on children. ""At a time of hysterical and inaccurate reporting it is heartening to see the cultural, social and educational value of computer and video games being assessed intelligently,"" said Roger Bennett, director general of the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association. ""This report is further evidence, if it were needed, about the excellence and imagination that thrives in gaming. They have much to offer to the education of our children and they have much to offer as a career."" The three-year research project, which is being presented at a seminar on Tuesday in London, was partly funded by the Department of Trade and Industry.
","""Like all games, computer and video games entertain while promoting social development, and playing and talking about games is an important part of young people's lives,"" said project manager Caroline Pelletier.The games industry welcomed the report, saying it showed how games had a positive impact on children.Computer games could enhance learning and have a legitimate place in the classroom, say researchers.The second project looked at how games can be integrated into media education and concluded that writing games should be a core part of studying them.""Games literacy is a way of investigating how games are means of expression and representation, just like writing or drawing,"" she said.The researchers conducted two studies into the impact of games on education, the first looking at how they can be used in different curriculum subjects to enhance learning.As well as being used in different areas of the curriculum, games are a legitimate area of study in their own right, researchers say.For parents, the idea that computer games could be brought into the classroom environment, could cause controversy."
1597,"Hodgson shoulders England blame

Fly-half Charlie Hodgson admitted his wayward kicking played a big part in England's 18-17 defeat to France.

Hodgson failed to convert three penalties and also missed a relatively easy drop goal attempt which would have given England a late win. ""I'm very disappointed with the result and with my myself,"" Hodgson said. ""It is very hard to take but it's something I will have to get through and come back stronger. My training's been good but it just didn't happen."" Hodgson revealed that Olly Barkley had taken three penalties because they were ""out of my range"" but the centre could not convert his opportunities either, particularly the drop goal late on. ""It wasn't a good strike,"" he added. ""I felt as soon as it hit my boot it had missed. It's very disappointing, but I must recover."" Andy Robinson said he would ""keep working on the kicking"" with his squad. However, the England coach added that he would take some positives from the defeat.

""We went out to play and played some very good rugby and what have France done?"" he said. ""They won the game from kicking penalties from our 10m line. ""It's very frustrating. The lads showed a lot of ambition in the first half, they went out to sustain it in the second but couldn't build on it. ""We took the ball into contact, and you know when you do that it is a lottery whether the referee is going to give the penalty to your side or the other side. ""We have lost a game we should have won. There is a fine line between winning and losing, and for the second week we've been on the wrong side of that line and it hurts.""

England went in at half-time with a 17-6 lead but they failed to score in the second half and Dimitri Yachvili slotted over four penalties as France overhauled the deficit. England skipper Jason Robinson admitted his side failed to cope with France's improved second-half display.

""We controlled the game in the first half but we knew that they would come out and try everything after half-time,"" he said. ""We made a lot of mistakes in the second half and they punished us. They took their chances when they came. ""It's very disappointing. Last week we lost by two points, now one point.""
","""We controlled the game in the first half but we knew that they would come out and try everything after half-time,"" he said.Hodgson failed to convert three penalties and also missed a relatively easy drop goal attempt which would have given England a late win.""They won the game from kicking penalties from our 10m line.England went in at half-time with a 17-6 lead but they failed to score in the second half and Dimitri Yachvili slotted over four penalties as France overhauled the deficit.Andy Robinson said he would ""keep working on the kicking"" with his squad.However, the England coach added that he would take some positives from the defeat.""I'm very disappointed with the result and with my myself,"" Hodgson said.he said.Fly-half Charlie Hodgson admitted his wayward kicking played a big part in England's 18-17 defeat to France.""We went out to play and played some very good rugby and what have France done?""The lads showed a lot of ambition in the first half, they went out to sustain it in the second but couldn't build on it."
2209,"Beckham virus spotted on the net

Virus writers are trading on interest in David Beckham to distribute their malicious wares.

Messages are circulating widely that purport to have evidence of the England captain in a compromising position. But anyone visiting the website mentioned in the message will not see pictures of Mr Beckham but will have their computer infected by a virus. The pernicious program opens a backdoor on a computer so it can be controlled remotely by malicious hackers.

The appearance of the Beckham Windows trojan is just another example in a long line of viruses that trade on interest in celebrities in an attempt to fuel their spread. Tennis player Anna Kournikova, popstars Britney Spears and Avril Lavigne as well as Arnold Schwarzenegger have all been used in the past to try to con people into opening infected files. The huge amount of interest in Mr Beckham and his private life and the large number of messages posted to discussion groups on the net might mean that the malicious program catches a lot of people out. ""The public's appetite for salacious gossip about the private life of the Beckhams might lead some into an unpleasant computer infection,"" said Graham Cluley from anti-virus firm Sophos. Simply opening the message will not infect a user's PC. But anyone visiting the website it mentions who then downloads and opens the fake image file stored on that site will be infected. The program that installs itself is called the Hackarmy trojan and it tries to recruit PCs into so-called 'bot networks that are often used to distribute spam mail messages or to launch attacks across the web. Computers running Microsoft Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT and XP are vulnerable to this trojan. Many anti-virus programs have been able to detect this trojan since it first appeared early this year and have regularly been updated to catch new variants.
",But anyone visiting the website mentioned in the message will not see pictures of Mr Beckham but will have their computer infected by a virus.The huge amount of interest in Mr Beckham and his private life and the large number of messages posted to discussion groups on the net might mean that the malicious program catches a lot of people out.The appearance of the Beckham Windows trojan is just another example in a long line of viruses that trade on interest in celebrities in an attempt to fuel their spread.Virus writers are trading on interest in David Beckham to distribute their malicious wares.The program that installs itself is called the Hackarmy trojan and it tries to recruit PCs into so-called 'bot networks that are often used to distribute spam mail messages or to launch attacks across the web.The pernicious program opens a backdoor on a computer so it can be controlled remotely by malicious hackers.
970,"BNP leader Nick Griffin arrested

The leader of the British National Party has been arrested as part of a police inquiry following the screening of a BBC documentary.

A party spokesman said Nick Griffin was arrested on Tuesday morning on suspicion of incitement to commit racial hatred. West Yorkshire police confirmed they had arrested a 45-year-old man from outside their area. BNP founding chairman John Tyndall was arrested on Sunday on the same charge.

In July, the BBC documentary Secret Agent featured covertly-filmed footage of BNP activists. Mr Griffin is the twelfth man to be arrested following the documentary. Nine men from West Yorkshire and another man from Leicester have been arrested and freed on bail. Seven of the men had been held variously in connection with suspected racially aggravated public order offences, conspiracy to commit criminal damage and possession of a firearm. Two men, both from Keighley, were arrested in September on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage. A 24-year-old man from Leicester was detained on Monday on suspicion of incitement to commit racial hatred. A BNP spokesperson said Mr Tyndall, from Brighton, was arrested following a speech he made in Burnley, Lancashire, and was released on police bail.
","Mr Griffin is the twelfth man to be arrested following the documentary.A party spokesman said Nick Griffin was arrested on Tuesday morning on suspicion of incitement to commit racial hatred.A BNP spokesperson said Mr Tyndall, from Brighton, was arrested following a speech he made in Burnley, Lancashire, and was released on police bail.Two men, both from Keighley, were arrested in September on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage.Nine men from West Yorkshire and another man from Leicester have been arrested and freed on bail."
42,"UK Coal plunges into deeper loss

Shares in UK Coal have fallen after the mining group reported losses had deepened to £51.6m in 2004 from £1.2m.

The UK's biggest coal producer blamed geological problems, industrial action and ""operating flaws"" at its deep mines for its worsening fortunes. The South Yorkshire company, led by new chief executive Gerry Spindler, said it hoped to return to profit in 2006. In early trade on Thursday, its shares were down 10% at 119 pence. UK Coal said it was making ""significant progress"" in shaking up the business. It had introduced new wage structures, a new daily maintenance regime for machinery at its mines and methods to continue mining in adverse conditions. The company said these actions should ""significantly uplift earnings"". It expected 2005 to be a ""transitional year"" and to return to profitability in 2006.

The recent rise in coal prices has failed to benefit the company as most of its output had already been sold, it said. Total production costs were £1.30 per gigajoule, UK Coal said, but the average selling price was just £1.18 per gigajoule. ""We have a long journey ahead to fix these issues. We continue to make progress and great strides have already been made,"" said Mr Spindler. UK Coal operates 15 deep and surface mines across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Yorkshire, the West Midlands, Northumberland and Durham.
","UK Coal said it was making ""significant progress"" in shaking up the business.The recent rise in coal prices has failed to benefit the company as most of its output had already been sold, it said.The South Yorkshire company, led by new chief executive Gerry Spindler, said it hoped to return to profit in 2006.Total production costs were £1.30 per gigajoule, UK Coal said, but the average selling price was just £1.18 per gigajoule.The company said these actions should ""significantly uplift earnings"".UK Coal operates 15 deep and surface mines across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Yorkshire, the West Midlands, Northumberland and Durham."
1921,"Web helps collect aid donations

The web is helping aid agencies gather resources to help cope with the aftermath of the tsunami disaster.

Many people are making donations via websites or going online to see how they can get involved with aid efforts. High-profile web portals such as Google, Yahoo, Ebay and Amazon are gathering links that lead people to aid and relief organisations. So many were visiting some aid-related sites that some webpages were struggling to cope with the traffic. An umbrella organisation called the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has been set up by a coalition of 12 charities and has been taking many donations via its specially created website. It urged people to go online where possible to help because donations could be processed more quickly than cash donated in other ways, meaning aid could be delivered as quickly as possible. The site has so far received almost £8 million, with more than 11,000 donations being made online every hour.

Telco BT stepped in to take over the secure payments on the DEC site and provided extra logistical support for phone and online appeals after it was initially crippled with online donations. It has also provided space in London's BT tower for one of the call centres dealing with donations.

Some of the web's biggest firms are also helping to channel help by modifying their homepages to include links to aid agencies and organisations collecting resources. On its famously sparse homepage Google has placed a link that leads users to a list of sites where donations can be made. Among the 17 organisations listed are Oxfam, Medecins sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) and Network for Good. Many of the sites that Google lists are also taking online donations. Online retailer Amazon has put a large message on its start page that lets people donate money directly to the American Red Cross that will be used with relief efforts. Auction site eBay is giving a list of sites that people can either donate directly to, divert a portion of their profits from anything they sell on eBay to the listed organisations or simply buy items that direct cash to those in the list. Yahoo is proving links direct to charities for those that want to donate. The Auction Drop website is asking people to donate old digital cameras, computers and other gadgets they no longer want that can be auction to raise cash for the aid effort. Sadly, the outpouring of goodwill has also encouraged some conmen to try to cash in. Anti-fraud organisations are warning about e-mails that are starting to circulate which try to convince people to send money directly to them rather than make donations via aid agencies. Those wanting to give cash were urged to use legitimate websites of charities and aid agencies.
","Many of the sites that Google lists are also taking online donations.Many people are making donations via websites or going online to see how they can get involved with aid efforts.On its famously sparse homepage Google has placed a link that leads users to a list of sites where donations can be made.Auction site eBay is giving a list of sites that people can either donate directly to, divert a portion of their profits from anything they sell on eBay to the listed organisations or simply buy items that direct cash to those in the list.An umbrella organisation called the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has been set up by a coalition of 12 charities and has been taking many donations via its specially created website.The site has so far received almost £8 million, with more than 11,000 donations being made online every hour.High-profile web portals such as Google, Yahoo, Ebay and Amazon are gathering links that lead people to aid and relief organisations.Anti-fraud organisations are warning about e-mails that are starting to circulate which try to convince people to send money directly to them rather than make donations via aid agencies."
110,"Japanese growth grinds to a halt

Growth in Japan evaporated in the three months to September, sparking renewed concern about an economy not long out of a decade-long trough.

Output in the period grew just 0.1%, an annual rate of 0.3%. Exports - the usual engine of recovery - faltered, while domestic demand stayed subdued and corporate investment also fell short. The growth falls well short of expectations, but does mark a sixth straight quarter of expansion.

The economy had stagnated throughout the 1990s, experiencing only brief spurts of expansion amid long periods in the doldrums. One result was deflation - prices falling rather than rising - which made Japanese shoppers cautious and kept them from spending.

The effect was to leave the economy more dependent than ever on exports for its recent recovery. But high oil prices have knocked 0.2% off the growth rate, while the falling dollar means products shipped to the US are becoming relatively more expensive.

The performance for the third quarter marks a sharp downturn from earlier in the year. The first quarter showed annual growth of 6.3%, with the second showing 1.1%, and economists had been predicting as much as 2% this time around. ""Exports slowed while capital spending became weaker,"" said Hiromichi Shirakawa, chief economist at UBS Securities in Tokyo. ""Personal consumption looks good, but it was mainly due to temporary factors such as the Olympics. ""The amber light is flashing."" The government may now find it more difficult to raise taxes, a policy it will have to implement when the economy picks up to help deal with Japan's massive public debt.
","The growth falls well short of expectations, but does mark a sixth straight quarter of expansion.The first quarter showed annual growth of 6.3%, with the second showing 1.1%, and economists had been predicting as much as 2% this time around.The effect was to leave the economy more dependent than ever on exports for its recent recovery.The economy had stagnated throughout the 1990s, experiencing only brief spurts of expansion amid long periods in the doldrums.Growth in Japan evaporated in the three months to September, sparking renewed concern about an economy not long out of a decade-long trough.But high oil prices have knocked 0.2% off the growth rate, while the falling dollar means products shipped to the US are becoming relatively more expensive."
1661,"Owen set for skipper role

Wales number eight Michael Owen says replacing Gareth Thomas as Wales' captain will be straightforward because of the leadership quality in the squad.

""You dream about playing for Wales, but it never enters your head that you will one day captain your country,"" he said. ""It's an easy job really because there are so many experienced players in the side, but it will be a massive honour."" Coach Mike Ruddock says the 24-year-old should take the armband from broken thumb victim Thomas against Scotland. Ruddock praised Owen's contribution as vice-captain and pack leader in this year's wins over England, Italy and France, notably his role in the second-half in Paris following Thomas' injury. The 22-cap Dragons man says that Thomas will be badly missed, though. ""Gareth is going to be a massive loss because he is a brilliant player and he has done a fantastic job since he has been captain,"" said Owen. ""He has put his own unique stamp on things. We are going to miss him but the strength of the squad is shown when you have someone like Kevin Morgan to step in.""

Owen admitted the Grand Slam had been mentioned within the squad but that no-one was getting carried away with the three victories over England, Italy and France. ""We can't get ahead of ourselves,"" he said. ""We have a massive game next up and we are just looking forward to preparing for that. ""Scotland are improving all the time. Like us they did well in France and were unlucky not to get a win. ""Against Ireland they played fantastically well in the first 15 minutes before falling away. ""They are probably going on a similar journey to the one we have been on in the last couple of years.""
","""Gareth is going to be a massive loss because he is a brilliant player and he has done a fantastic job since he has been captain,"" said Owen.Wales number eight Michael Owen says replacing Gareth Thomas as Wales' captain will be straightforward because of the leadership quality in the squad.Like us they did well in France and were unlucky not to get a win.Ruddock praised Owen's contribution as vice-captain and pack leader in this year's wins over England, Italy and France, notably his role in the second-half in Paris following Thomas' injury.Coach Mike Ruddock says the 24-year-old should take the armband from broken thumb victim Thomas against Scotland.""You dream about playing for Wales, but it never enters your head that you will one day captain your country,"" he said.Owen admitted the Grand Slam had been mentioned within the squad but that no-one was getting carried away with the three victories over England, Italy and France."
1722,"O'Connell rejects Lions rumours

Ireland and Munster lock Paul O'Connell has dismissed media reports linking him to the captaincy of the Lions tour to New Zealand this summer.

O'Connell is rumoured to be among the front-runners for the job, but says he is totally focused on Sunday's Six Nations crunch clash with England. ""I honestly don't think about these reports,"" he told BBC Sport. ""The Lions thing is all speculation and newspaper talk, nothing more. I just ignore it and get on with my job."" He added: ""The only thing that annoys me after reading some reports is what the opposition locks think. ""I can just imagine them saying 'I'm going to show this guy what's what about second row play'. That's the one thing that makes me cringe."" O'Connell, who made a try-scoring international debut against Wales two years ago, is enjoying his meteoric rise into rugby's shop window - but refuses to be drawn on the Lions.

""I have spoken to Sir Clive Woodward a few times, but not for very long, certainly nothing about summer holidays,"" he joked. He also said he remains wary of wounded England's abilities coming into Sunday's game after two straight defeats, dismissing predictions of a certain Irish victory. ""It's very dangerous to think that. This England team has so much experience and skill. You do not become a bad team overnight. ""They have two world class game-breakers in Josh Lewsey and Jason Robinson, while Charlie Hodgson is just ready to click into place."" He insisted Ireland will not make the mistake of being over-confident. ""That's not going to happen in our squad. No Ireland team lining up to play England will ever fall into that trap,"" he said. ""Every time we play England we know what a big task it is. Look at what they did to us two years ago. I remember that game all too well, and it was not a good feeling. ""I came on as a replacement and we were losing 13-6, and ended up getting hammered 42-6, so I know what can happen when England come to Dublin. ""They could so easily have been coming to Dublin with two wins and staring a Grand Slam in the face as well.""
","No Ireland team lining up to play England will ever fall into that trap,"" he said.This England team has so much experience and skill.He added: ""The only thing that annoys me after reading some reports is what the opposition locks think.Ireland and Munster lock Paul O'Connell has dismissed media reports linking him to the captaincy of the Lions tour to New Zealand this summer.O'Connell, who made a try-scoring international debut against Wales two years ago, is enjoying his meteoric rise into rugby's shop window - but refuses to be drawn on the Lions.""Every time we play England we know what a big task it is.That's the one thing that makes me cringe.""O'Connell is rumoured to be among the front-runners for the job, but says he is totally focused on Sunday's Six Nations crunch clash with England.""I came on as a replacement and we were losing 13-6, and ended up getting hammered 42-6, so I know what can happen when England come to Dublin.Look at what they did to us two years ago."
1860,"Microsoft seeking spyware trojan

Microsoft is investigating a trojan program that attempts to switch off the firm's anti-spyware software.

The spyware tool was only released by Microsoft in the last few weeks and has been downloaded by six million people. Stephen Toulouse, a security manager at Microsoft, said the malicious program was called Bankash-A Trojan and was being sent as an e-mail attachment. Microsoft said it did not believe the program was widespread and recommended users to use an anti-virus program. The program attempts to disable or delete Microsoft's anti-spyware tool and suppress warning messages given to users.

It may also try to steal online banking passwords or other personal information by tracking users' keystrokes.

Microsoft said in a statement it is investigating what it called a criminal attack on its software. Earlier this week, Microsoft said it would buy anti-virus software maker Sybari Software to improve its security in its Windows and e-mail software. Microsoft has said it plans to offer its own paid-for anti-virus software but it has not yet set a date for its release. The anti-spyware program being targeted is currently only in beta form and aims to help users find and remove spyware - programs which monitor internet use, causes advert pop-ups and slow a PC's performance.
","Microsoft is investigating a trojan program that attempts to switch off the firm's anti-spyware software.Microsoft said it did not believe the program was widespread and recommended users to use an anti-virus program.Stephen Toulouse, a security manager at Microsoft, said the malicious program was called Bankash-A Trojan and was being sent as an e-mail attachment.Microsoft said in a statement it is investigating what it called a criminal attack on its software."
206,"Standard Life cuts policy bonuses

Standard Life, Europe's largest mutual life insurer, has cut bonuses for with-profit policyholders.

Annual bonus rates on its with-profits life policies were cut from 2.5% to 2%, while bonuses on pension policies were reduced from 3.25% to 2.5%. It is the sixth time in three years Standard Life has made cuts to bonus rates, despite an 8.7% rise in the value of the with-profits fund in 2004. The insurer blamed the cuts on poor share returns and low interest rates.

With-profits policies are designed to smooth out the peaks and troughs of stock market volatility. Profits made in good years are kept in reserve to pay investors an annual bonus even when the stock market performs badly. Slumping share prices throughout 2001 and 2002 forced most firms to trim bonus rates on their policies. Standard Life came in for criticism for sticking with stock market investments during 2001 and 2002. The insurer argued that shares outperformed other investments over the long term and that policyholders would feel the benefit when the stock market recovered. Recently, Norwich Union and Axa Sun Life both cut their with-profit bonus rates.

John Gill, managing director of the insurer's life and pensions division, said that a strong stock market recovery in the past two years had only ""partly compensated for losses during 2001 and 2002"". In addition, low interest rates meant that ""long-term investment returns are well below historic levels"", Mr Gill added. However, Mr Gill maintained that with-profits continued to perform well over the long term. ""Our payouts continue to stand up well against other types of long-term investments over similar periods,"" he said. Standard Life has an estimated 2.4 million with-profits policyholders. Last year, the company announced that it was looking to float on the stock market in 2006.
","Standard Life, Europe's largest mutual life insurer, has cut bonuses for with-profit policyholders.It is the sixth time in three years Standard Life has made cuts to bonus rates, despite an 8.7% rise in the value of the with-profits fund in 2004.Standard Life came in for criticism for sticking with stock market investments during 2001 and 2002.Annual bonus rates on its with-profits life policies were cut from 2.5% to 2%, while bonuses on pension policies were reduced from 3.25% to 2.5%.Standard Life has an estimated 2.4 million with-profits policyholders.Recently, Norwich Union and Axa Sun Life both cut their with-profit bonus rates.John Gill, managing director of the insurer's life and pensions division, said that a strong stock market recovery in the past two years had only ""partly compensated for losses during 2001 and 2002""."
1952,"Commodore finds new lease of life

The once-famous Commodore computer brand could be resurrected after being bought by a US-based digital music distributor.

New owner Yeahronimo Media Ventures has not ruled out the possibility of a new breed of Commodore computers. It also plans to develop a ""worldwide entertainment concept"" with the brand, although details are not yet known. The groundbreaking Commodore 64 computer elicits fond memories for those who owned one back in the 1980s.

In the chronology of home computing, Commodore was one of the pioneers.

The Commodore 64, launched in 1982, was one of the first affordable home PCs. It was followed a few years later by the Amiga. The Commodore 64 sold more than any other single computer system, even to this day. The brand languished somewhat in the 1990s. Commodore International filed for bankruptcy in 1994 and was sold to Dutch firm Tulip Computers. In the late 1980s the firm was a great rival to Atari, which produced its own range of home computers and is now a brand of video games, formerly known as Infogrames.

Tulip Computers sold several products under the Commodore name, including portable USB storage devices and digital music players. It had planned to relaunch the brand, following an upsurge of nostalgia for 1980s-era games. Commodore 64 enthusiasts have written emulators for Windows PC, Apple Mac and even PDAs so that the original Commodore games can be still run. The sale of Commodore is expected to be complete in three weeks in a deal worth over £17m.
","In the chronology of home computing, Commodore was one of the pioneers.The Commodore 64, launched in 1982, was one of the first affordable home PCs.Commodore International filed for bankruptcy in 1994 and was sold to Dutch firm Tulip Computers.The once-famous Commodore computer brand could be resurrected after being bought by a US-based digital music distributor.The Commodore 64 sold more than any other single computer system, even to this day.In the late 1980s the firm was a great rival to Atari, which produced its own range of home computers and is now a brand of video games, formerly known as Infogrames."
650,"Rock band U2 break ticket record

U2 have smashed Irish box office records with ticket sales for their Dublin concerts, after more than 150,000 were sold within 50 minutes.

Tickets for the two concerts at the city's Croke Park stadium were released at 8am on Friday morning. ""Nothing like it has ever been seen in Ireland before,"" said Justin Green, spokesman for organisers MCD Promoters. ""We could have sold a million tickets."" The Dublin dates on June 24 and 25 form part of the worldwide Vertigo tour. The tour begins in San Diego on 28 March and will cover 13 US cities. The band will also play 24 European gigs, finishing in Lisbon in August.

Mr Green said that ticket outlets had been ""bombarded"" by U2 fans. ""Unfortunately there's thousands and thousands of disappointed fans all over the country which is disappointing, but there's only two dates confirmed,"" he said. Many fans camped on the streets of the Irish capital for three days to ensure they were first in line at Ticketmaster in St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, where the tickets went on sale on Friday. However the majority of tickets, priced at between 59.50 and 80 euro each, were sold online. Earlier this week, Bono announced that the band would play two shows at the venue, which holds almost 80,000 people, due to the phenomenal demand for tickets.
","""We could have sold a million tickets.""U2 have smashed Irish box office records with ticket sales for their Dublin concerts, after more than 150,000 were sold within 50 minutes.Mr Green said that ticket outlets had been ""bombarded"" by U2 fans.However the majority of tickets, priced at between 59.50 and 80 euro each, were sold online.Earlier this week, Bono announced that the band would play two shows at the venue, which holds almost 80,000 people, due to the phenomenal demand for tickets."
497,"FBI agent colludes with analyst

A former FBI agent and an internet stock picker have been found guilty of using confidential US government information to manipulate stock prices.

A New York court ruled that former FBI man Jeffrey Royer, 41, fed damaging information to Anthony Elgindy, 36. Mr Elgindy then drove share prices lower by spreading negative publicity via his newsletter. The Egyptian-born analyst would extort money from his targets in return for stopping the attacks, prosecutors said. ""Under the guise of protecting investors from fraud, Royer and Elgindy used the FBI's crime-fighting tools and resources actually to defraud the public,"" said US Attorney Roslynn Mauskopf.

Mr Royer was convicted of racketeering, securities fraud, obstruction of justice and witness tampering. Mr Elgindy was convicted of racketeering, securities fraud and extortion.

The charges carry sentences of up to 20 years. When the guilty verdict was announced by the jury foreman, Mr Elgindy dropped his face into his hands and sobbed, the Associated Press news agency reported. He was led weeping from the court room by US marshals, AP said. Defense lawyers contended that Mr Royer had been feeding information to Mr Elgindy and another trader in an attempt to expose corporate fraud. Mr Elgindy's team claimed that he also was fighting against corporate wrongdoing. ""Elgindy's conviction marks the end of his public charade as a crusader against fraud in the market,"" said Ms Mauskopf. One of the more bizarre aspects of the trial focused on the claims that Mr Elgindy may have had foreknowledge of the 11 September terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Mr Elgindy had been trying to sell stock prior to the attack and had predicted a slump in the market. No charges were brought in relation to these allegations.
","Mr Elgindy was convicted of racketeering, securities fraud and extortion.Defense lawyers contended that Mr Royer had been feeding information to Mr Elgindy and another trader in an attempt to expose corporate fraud.Mr Royer was convicted of racketeering, securities fraud, obstruction of justice and witness tampering.Mr Elgindy had been trying to sell stock prior to the attack and had predicted a slump in the market.""Under the guise of protecting investors from fraud, Royer and Elgindy used the FBI's crime-fighting tools and resources actually to defraud the public,"" said US Attorney Roslynn Mauskopf.When the guilty verdict was announced by the jury foreman, Mr Elgindy dropped his face into his hands and sobbed, the Associated Press news agency reported.The charges carry sentences of up to 20 years."
1054,"Petrol duties frozen, Brown says

Chancellor Gordon Brown has announced a freeze on fuel duty in his pre-budget speech to the Commons on Thursday.

Mr Brown told the House that government policy is to raise fuel duty at least in line with inflation each year to fulfil environmental commitments. But this financial year, because of ""volatility in the oil market"", he said the duty would be frozen. During 2000 many motorists campaigned against the rises but environmentalists believe less duty means more pollution. He said: ""It is our policy that each year fuel duties should rise at least in line with inflation as we seek to meet our targets for reducing polluting emmissions and fund our public services. ""But this financial year because of the sustained volatility in the oil market I propose to match the freeze in car vehicle licence duty with a continuation on the freeze on the main road fuel duties.""

The RAC welcomed the news, calling it an ""early Christmas present"" for motorists. But the organisation urged drivers to continue to shop around to get the best price for petrol. Environmental group Transport 2000 said the freeze sends the wrong message to motorists. ""We are concerned that although Britain leads the world in rhetoric about climate change it often fails in practical action,"" said a spokesman. In 2000 the People's Fuel Lobby caused chaos by blocking roads with slow-moving convoys after Mr Brown threatened to raise fuel taxes. The chancellor did not raise duty that year, but despite threats of more protests in 2003, he added 1.28p per litre.
","Mr Brown told the House that government policy is to raise fuel duty at least in line with inflation each year to fulfil environmental commitments.""But this financial year because of the sustained volatility in the oil market I propose to match the freeze in car vehicle licence duty with a continuation on the freeze on the main road fuel duties.""He said: ""It is our policy that each year fuel duties should rise at least in line with inflation as we seek to meet our targets for reducing polluting emmissions and fund our public services.But this financial year, because of ""volatility in the oil market"", he said the duty would be frozen.Chancellor Gordon Brown has announced a freeze on fuel duty in his pre-budget speech to the Commons on Thursday."
1193,"Mandelson warns BBC on Campbell

The BBC should steer away from ""demonising"" ex-Downing Street media chief Alastair Campbell, Peter Mandelson has said.

The European commissioner and former Labour minister was speaking amid claims that Mr Campbell is part of a Labour ""dirty tricks"" campaign. That charge was denied by Mr Mandelson, who said the Tories were afraid of Mr Campbell's campaigning skills. He warned the BBC that attacking Mr Campbell had brought it trouble before. That was a reference to the Hutton inquiry following a BBC story claiming Downing Street ""sexed up"" Iraq's weapons of mass destruction dossier.

The affair prompted the resignation of BBC chairman Gavyn Davies, director-general Greg Dyke and reporter Andrew Gilligan. Labour has attracted media criticism for using new freedom of information laws to dig up information about Tory leader Michael Howard's past.

Mr Mandelson, a former Labour communications director, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: ""I understand why the Tories will be gunning for Alastair Campbell because they fear his campaigning skills. ""What I understand less is why the BBC should be joining with the Tories in driving that agenda. ""In my experience of these things, parties which shout about dirty tricks and the like tend to do so because they fear a direct hit in some vulnerable part of their political anatomy. ""I suggest the BBC concentrates on the issues and helps the public to understand the policies and the choices that are at stake in the election rather than engages in the process politics, the trivialisation of the campaign. ""I think the BBC would be much better advised to leave all this stuff well alone, concentrate on the issues as I say, not resume their demonisation of Alastair Campbell - we all know where that led before.""

Mr Campbell is acting as an adviser for Labour, which denies engaging in personal campaigning. Conservative co-chairman Liam Fox said Mr Campbell's return and Labour poster plans attacking Mr Howard - recently withdrawn from the party's website - were a sign of ""abusive politics"". ""The government, despite the fact that they would say want to go forward, not back, seem intent on talking about history rather than their own record or even more importantly, about the future,"" he said on Sunday. Labour peer Baroness Kennedy, who is chairing the Power Inquiry into political disengagement, said people already thought politicians engaged in dirty tricks. ""This feeling of distrust is going to be enlarged if this campaigning on all sides is conducted in the way that it looks as if it just might,"" she said.
","Mr Mandelson, a former Labour communications director, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: ""I understand why the Tories will be gunning for Alastair Campbell because they fear his campaigning skills.That charge was denied by Mr Mandelson, who said the Tories were afraid of Mr Campbell's campaigning skills.He warned the BBC that attacking Mr Campbell had brought it trouble before.The European commissioner and former Labour minister was speaking amid claims that Mr Campbell is part of a Labour ""dirty tricks"" campaign.Mr Campbell is acting as an adviser for Labour, which denies engaging in personal campaigning.The BBC should steer away from ""demonising"" ex-Downing Street media chief Alastair Campbell, Peter Mandelson has said.Conservative co-chairman Liam Fox said Mr Campbell's return and Labour poster plans attacking Mr Howard - recently withdrawn from the party's website - were a sign of ""abusive politics""."
1171,"Howard dismisses Tory tax fears

Michael Howard has dismissed fears from some Conservatives that his plans for £4bn tax cuts are too modest.

He defended the package, saying it was a plan for the Tories' first Budget and he hoped to be able to go further. The Tories on Monday highlighted £35bn in ""wasteful"" spending they would stop to allow tax cuts, reduced borrowing and more spending on key services. Labour and the Liberal Democrats say the party's sums do not add up and claim it would cut frontline services. The Tory tax plan follows complaints from some of the party's MPs that Mr Howard and shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin have taken too long to unveil the proposals. Now they have promised a figure but have yet to reveal which taxes would be targeted.

Tory backbencher Edward Leigh said the proposals were a step in the right direction but he told the Financial Times: ""I would come up sooner with much greater tax cuts."" Interviewed on BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show, Mr Howard said: ""It is perfectly true that I am being attacked on one side by people who think we ought to be promising much, much bigger tax cuts and spending cuts.

""On the other side, there are people who say we won't be able to achieve these tax cuts. ""I think we have got it about right."" Mr Howard said voters faced a clear choice at the next election between more waste and more tax under Labour and Tory value for money and lower taxes. He added: ""I would like to be able to do more, and over time I am sure we will be able to do more, but at the start, we have got to recognise there is a limit to what we can do in one go, in our first Budget. ""I have got to be responsible about this.""

The latest Tory plans came as campaigning for the election - widely expected in May - gathered pace. The Liberal Democrats launched their pre-election platform, with leader Charles Kennedy saying his party was the ""authentic opposition"", particularly on the Iraq war, council tax and university tuition fees. Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable also branded the Tory plans as ""fantasy economics"". Labour hit back at the Tory proposals even before their publication with election coordinator Alan Milburn accusing Mr Howard of producing a ""fraudulent prospectus"". The party on Tuesday challenged the Tories to publish the full report from David James, the trouble-shooter they asked to identify possible savings. But the Tories are in turn demanding that Tony Blair spell out which taxes he would raise if he wins the election.
","Tory backbencher Edward Leigh said the proposals were a step in the right direction but he told the Financial Times: ""I would come up sooner with much greater tax cuts.""Mr Howard said voters faced a clear choice at the next election between more waste and more tax under Labour and Tory value for money and lower taxes.The Tory tax plan follows complaints from some of the party's MPs that Mr Howard and shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin have taken too long to unveil the proposals.But the Tories are in turn demanding that Tony Blair spell out which taxes he would raise if he wins the election.Interviewed on BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show, Mr Howard said: ""It is perfectly true that I am being attacked on one side by people who think we ought to be promising much, much bigger tax cuts and spending cuts.""On the other side, there are people who say we won't be able to achieve these tax cuts.Michael Howard has dismissed fears from some Conservatives that his plans for £4bn tax cuts are too modest.The Tories on Monday highlighted £35bn in ""wasteful"" spending they would stop to allow tax cuts, reduced borrowing and more spending on key services."
1882,"BT boosts its broadband packages

British Telecom has said it will double the broadband speeds of most of its home and business customers.

The increased speeds will come at no extra charge and follows a similar move by internet service provider AOL. Many BT customers will now have download speeds of 2Mbps, although there are usage allowances of between one gigabyte and 30 gigabytes a month. The new speeds start to come into effect on 17 February for home customers and 1 April for businesses. ""Britain is now broadband Britain,"" said Duncan Ingram, BT's managing director, broadband and internet services. He added: ""Ninety percent of our customers will see real increases in speed.

""These speed increases will give people the opportunity to do a lot more with their broadband connections,"" he said. Upload speeds - the speed at which information is sent from a PC via broadband - will remain at the same speed, said Mr Ingram. Despite the increases, BT will continue to have usage allowances for home customers. ""The allowances are extremely generous,"" said Mr Ingram ""For what we are seeing in the market place - they are really not an issue."" BT will begin enforcing the allowances in the summer. Customers who exceed the amounts will either be able to pay for a bigger allowance or see their download speeds reduced. BT now has a 36% share of the broadband market - down from 39% - which is becoming increasingly competitive. In the last few months, many rival ISPs have begun to offer 2Mbps services, including AOL, Plusnet and UK Online.

But Britain continues to lag behind some countries - especially Japan and South Korea - which offer broadband speeds of up to 40Mbps. But Mr Ingram said it was important to ""separate hype from reality"". He said that a limited number of people with those connections consistently received speeds of 40Mbps. Customers will not see their connections double immediately on 17 February. Mr Ingram said there would be a roll out across the network in order to prevent any problems.
","Upload speeds - the speed at which information is sent from a PC via broadband - will remain at the same speed, said Mr Ingram.British Telecom has said it will double the broadband speeds of most of its home and business customers.""These speed increases will give people the opportunity to do a lot more with their broadband connections,"" he said.He said that a limited number of people with those connections consistently received speeds of 40Mbps.Many BT customers will now have download speeds of 2Mbps, although there are usage allowances of between one gigabyte and 30 gigabytes a month.Customers who exceed the amounts will either be able to pay for a bigger allowance or see their download speeds reduced.""Britain is now broadband Britain,"" said Duncan Ingram, BT's managing director, broadband and internet services.But Britain continues to lag behind some countries - especially Japan and South Korea - which offer broadband speeds of up to 40Mbps."
935,"'Hitler' row over Welsh arts cash

An artist critical of Welsh arts funding being brought under assembly government control has denied comparing the idea with dictatorships in Russia and Germany.

Shani Rhys James is worried that the Arts Council of Wales may be taken over by the Welsh Assembly Government. Culture Minister Alun Pugh said it would be ""crass and ignorant"" to liken a quango review to Hitler's Germany. But Ms James emphasised she had actually said artists needed freedom. The future of the Arts Council of Wales has been in question since it was announced that most Welsh quangos would eventually be abolished.

It was announced last July that three Welsh quangos, education and training body Elwa, the Wales Tourist Board and the Welsh Development Agency, would be brought under assembly government control. The Arts Council of Wales may be among the next to come under the assembly government's umbrella. But Ms James, who won the £30,000 Jerwood painting prize in 2003, said arts funding should be separate from government. Ms James told BBC Radio Wales: ""It's quite dangerous when you involve politicians because it's not like the health service and it's not like the railways. ""Free expression is absolutely vital in a democratic society. You need distance, you do not need government interference because it could be taken the wrong way.""

But she said reports that she had likened the assembly government to totalitarian regimes were inaccurate.

She told Good Morning Wales: ""Just to put the record straight, that business in the paper where it said I likened the government to Bolshevik Russia or Hitler's Germany, the actual quote I gave was: 'It is vital to a civilised society that we allow artists to express themselves without government control'. ""As we know from past European history, i.e. Russia and Germany in the early 20th Century, artists will go underground or leave the country or rather than compromise their expression'. ""Artists need a free voice to express themselves - they reflect a truth through their own art forms.'"" She said the assembly government was not best placed to run the arts in Wales.

She added: ""It would be a momentous change and devastating to the arts. It would set the arts scene back 60 years, because I really don't think the government has the expertise. ""If you have the National Assembly taking control, I fear you are going to be going back to the dragons and leeks and the choirs.

""Wales has moved on. It is international now. It is not set back in How Green Was My Valley?"" Responding to Ms James' criticisms, Mr Pugh said: ""The structure of unelected quangos is under review and we have made it clear that further announcements are due shortly. ""Comparing the Welsh Assembly Government to Hitler's Germany is a crass and ignorant response to a real issue about democratic accountability."" Ms James, whose father was Welsh, was born in Melbourne where her parents worked in the theatre. She moved to Powys nearly 20 years ago where she works from her studio near Llangadfan. She has won a number of arts prizes including the Wales Open in 1989 and the Mostyn Open in 1991.
","She said the assembly government was not best placed to run the arts in Wales.Shani Rhys James is worried that the Arts Council of Wales may be taken over by the Welsh Assembly Government.An artist critical of Welsh arts funding being brought under assembly government control has denied comparing the idea with dictatorships in Russia and Germany.She told Good Morning Wales: ""Just to put the record straight, that business in the paper where it said I likened the government to Bolshevik Russia or Hitler's Germany, the actual quote I gave was: 'It is vital to a civilised society that we allow artists to express themselves without government control'.But Ms James, who won the £30,000 Jerwood painting prize in 2003, said arts funding should be separate from government.It was announced last July that three Welsh quangos, education and training body Elwa, the Wales Tourist Board and the Welsh Development Agency, would be brought under assembly government control.The future of the Arts Council of Wales has been in question since it was announced that most Welsh quangos would eventually be abolished.It would set the arts scene back 60 years, because I really don't think the government has the expertise.""Comparing the Welsh Assembly Government to Hitler's Germany is a crass and ignorant response to a real issue about democratic accountability.""""Wales has moved on.But she said reports that she had likened the assembly government to totalitarian regimes were inaccurate.The Arts Council of Wales may be among the next to come under the assembly government's umbrella."
870,"Lopez misses UK charity premiere

Jennifer Lopez cancelled an appearance at the UK charity premiere of her new movie saying she was too ill to fly.

The actress and singer dropped out at the last minute and has now cancelled all European promotion of the film Shall We Dance? and her new album. She said: ""I very much wanted to be in London but unfortunately I'm not well. At the advice of my doctors I'm unable to travel."" Co-star Richard Gere attended the event held in aid of the tsunami appeal. Thousands braved the cold weather to see the stars in London's Leicester Square. The red carpet boasted waltzing dancers in honour of the film's ballroom dancing theme. The film's director Peter Chelsom said he was disappointed that Lopez did not attend.

""It's a shame. I know it's true that she's not well because she has also cancelled her promotional tour. I've heard she has swollen glands."" Gere, 55, greeted the crowd and signed autographs, accompanied by his wife Carey Lowell. Other stars who turned out on the night included Honor Blackman, Strictly Come Dancing presenter Tess Daly and actress Anita Dobson. Lopez issues a statement apologising for her absence. ""I'm so proud of Shall We Dance and was looking forward to visiting London,"" she said. ""This film was a labour of love for me, and I want to thank everyone involved in bringing it to you, from the cast, to the film director, to the crew."" Lopez appeared at the Grammy awards on Sunday, singing a duet with her third husband Marc Anthony.
","The film's director Peter Chelsom said he was disappointed that Lopez did not attend.""I'm so proud of Shall We Dance and was looking forward to visiting London,"" she said.Jennifer Lopez cancelled an appearance at the UK charity premiere of her new movie saying she was too ill to fly.The actress and singer dropped out at the last minute and has now cancelled all European promotion of the film Shall We Dance?She said: ""I very much wanted to be in London but unfortunately I'm not well.I know it's true that she's not well because she has also cancelled her promotional tour.Co-star Richard Gere attended the event held in aid of the tsunami appeal.Gere, 55, greeted the crowd and signed autographs, accompanied by his wife Carey Lowell."
2196,"Text message record smashed again

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."
33,"Rich grab half Colombia poor fund

Half of the money put aside by the Colombian government to help the country's poor is benefiting people who do not need it, a study has found.

A total of 24.2 trillion pesos ($10.2bn; £5.5bn) is earmarked for subsidies for the poor, the government department for planning said. But it also found 12.1 trillion pesos was going to the richest part of the population, rather than to those in need. Sound distribution of the cash could cut poverty levels to 36% from 53%, the government believes. ""Resources are more than enough to reduce poverty and there is no need for more tax reforms but a better distribution,"" deputy planning director Jose Leibovich said.

Colombia has a population of about 44 million and half lives below poverty line. However, some large properties are paying less in tax as they are situated inside poor areas, which benefit from cheaper utilities such as electricity and water, government research found. Government expenditure in areas such as pensions, public services, education, property and health should be revised, Mr Leibovich said. He added that the government is now examining the report, but warned there would be no easy solution to the problem. With a good distribution of such subsidies and economic growth of just 2%, by 2019 poverty could fall as low as 15.3%, he said.
","A total of 24.2 trillion pesos ($10.2bn; £5.5bn) is earmarked for subsidies for the poor, the government department for planning said.Sound distribution of the cash could cut poverty levels to 36% from 53%, the government believes.Half of the money put aside by the Colombian government to help the country's poor is benefiting people who do not need it, a study has found.""Resources are more than enough to reduce poverty and there is no need for more tax reforms but a better distribution,"" deputy planning director Jose Leibovich said."
815,"The comic book genius of Stan Lee

Stan Lee, the man responsible for a string of comic superheroes that have become household names, has won a court battle for a slice of the profits from the hit Spider-Man movies.

Many marvel at the man who gave his characters extraordinary powers and everyday headaches - a formula which revolutionised comics. Born in 1922 to poor working-class Jewish immigrants from Romania, Stan Lieberman, got a job in Timely Publications, a company owned by a relative. He was assigned to the comics division and - thanks to a fertile imagination - rose to editor by the age of 18. For more than 20 years, he was ""the ultimate hack"" - knocking out crime stories, horrors, westerns, anything to sate the appetite of his juvenile readership. Words of more than two syllables were discouraged. Characters were either all good or bad, with no shades of grey. So embarrassed was Lieberman by much of what he was writing that he refused to put his real name on the byline. He assumed the ""dumb name"", Stan Lee, now legally adopted.

By the time he was 40, Lee had decided he was too old for the comic game. His British-born wife, Joan, suggested he had nothing to lose and, for his swansong, should write the kind of characters he really wanted to create. After a rival comic had come up with a superteam consisting of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, Timely needed to respond.

Lee's answer, in 1961, was the Fantastic Four - a team of astronauts who gained super powers after being bombarded with cosmic rays. They were to change Lee's life, and the comics industry, forever. Lee gave each character individual, everyday teenage problems such as dandruff, ingrown toenails and acne. They would frequently fall out with their parents and each other. The fan letters poured in. Without immediately knowing it, Stan Lee had ushered in the golden age of comics, and his imagination was rekindled. His Marvel universe spawned the new title of Marvel Comics. Soon after, nerdy Peter Parker was transformed - after a bite from an irradiated spider - into someone who could crawl up the sides of New York's skyscrapers. Spider-Man was born. He was to become an icon of modern popular culture. Spidey, as he is affectionately known, had quite extraordinary powers - yet he had problems at work, at home and with his girlfriends. At last, the teenager was no longer just the sidekick, but the main hero. And the hero was no longer just brawn, he had brains too.

""Just because he's a hero and has super powers doesn't mean he doesn't have problems,"" Stan Lee told the BBC. The Incredible Hulk, The Mighty Thor, Iron Man and the rest all grappled with problems like drug abuse, bigotry and social inequality. Radically, Lee gave the artists responsible for the comic designs credits for their work. Jack Kirby, Frank Miller, John Romitaand and others achieved cult status in their own right. Other superheroes broke new ground in other ways. Daredevil was blind, Black Panther was black and Silver Surfer pondered the state of humanity. Lee's influence remains. Some years ago the Marvel hero, Northstar, came out of the closet. In its heyday, Marvel was selling 50 million copies a year. Until he retired from editing in 1971, Stan Lee wrote all the copy for Marvel's covers.

In 1999, his Stan Lee Media venture, aimed at marrying comic-strips with the internet, went spectacularly wrong. Lee went bankrupt and his business partner landed in prison for fraud. In 2001 though, he started a new company entitled POW! (Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment, which is currently developing films and television programmes. His latest project is a superhero based on a real person - Jay J Armes, who has metal claws after losing both hands aged 12 and fights crime with a tiger. But his 40-year-old creations are still as enduring as ever - with X-Men, The Hulk and Daredevil have all been turned into Hollywood action movies in the last five years. But Spider-Man has been the biggest box office hit, with the 2002 original and its 2004 sequel taking almost $1.6bn (£857m) in ticket sales around the world - before DVD and merchandise sales are counted. It seems Stan Lee is as indestructible as his heroes.
","By the time he was 40, Lee had decided he was too old for the comic game.Without immediately knowing it, Stan Lee had ushered in the golden age of comics, and his imagination was rekindled.Spider-Man was born.Stan Lee, the man responsible for a string of comic superheroes that have become household names, has won a court battle for a slice of the profits from the hit Spider-Man movies.So embarrassed was Lieberman by much of what he was writing that he refused to put his real name on the byline.And the hero was no longer just brawn, he had brains too.In its heyday, Marvel was selling 50 million copies a year.At last, the teenager was no longer just the sidekick, but the main hero.""Just because he's a hero and has super powers doesn't mean he doesn't have problems,"" Stan Lee told the BBC.Daredevil was blind, Black Panther was black and Silver Surfer pondered the state of humanity.It seems Stan Lee is as indestructible as his heroes.He was assigned to the comics division and - thanks to a fertile imagination - rose to editor by the age of 18.Radically, Lee gave the artists responsible for the comic designs credits for their work.He assumed the ""dumb name"", Stan Lee, now legally adopted.Lee's answer, in 1961, was the Fantastic Four - a team of astronauts who gained super powers after being bombarded with cosmic rays.Until he retired from editing in 1971, Stan Lee wrote all the copy for Marvel's covers.He was to become an icon of modern popular culture.Lee gave each character individual, everyday teenage problems such as dandruff, ingrown toenails and acne."
521,"Artists' secret postcards on sale

Postcards by artists including Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin have sold just hours after the opening of the Royal Academy of Arts annual Secrets sale.

The identity of the artist remains unknown until each work is bought and the signature is revealed on the back. ""There are still some big names left, such as Mario Testino,"" said RCA spokeswoman Sue Bradburn. All postcards are priced at £35. The sale opened at 8am on Friday and will close at 6pm on Saturday. Ms Bradburn said there was a big queue at the start of the sale but it had now gone down.

She said the people that had bought the famous name postcards had arrived early and had spent time studying each work. ""They would have known what to look for."" The exhibition has been open for viewing since 19 November. Film director Ken Loach, fashion designer Hussein Chalayan and former Blur guitarist Graham Coxon have all designed postcards for the sale. Some of the contributing artists are students or recent graduates of the Royal College of Art and other leading art colleges. Money raised from the sale will go towards the RCA's Fine Art Student Award Fund which supports students with grants and bursaries. The famous sale is now in its 11th year.
","Ms Bradburn said there was a big queue at the start of the sale but it had now gone down.She said the people that had bought the famous name postcards had arrived early and had spent time studying each work.The famous sale is now in its 11th year.Money raised from the sale will go towards the RCA's Fine Art Student Award Fund which supports students with grants and bursaries.Film director Ken Loach, fashion designer Hussein Chalayan and former Blur guitarist Graham Coxon have all designed postcards for the sale.Postcards by artists including Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin have sold just hours after the opening of the Royal Academy of Arts annual Secrets sale."
1633,"France v Wales (Sat)

Stade de France, Paris

Saturday, 26 February

1600 GMT

BBC1, Radio 4 LW and this website

France may have beaten Scotland and England but they were tedious and uninspired throughout both matches. Wales, on the other hand, have played some fine rugby and have made their best start since they last won the title in 1994. They also have a good record at the Stade de France, having won their first two games there, in 1999 and 2001. Wales have made two changes from the team that thrashed Italy 38-8 in Rome.

Kevin Morgan takes over from his injured Newport-Gwent Dragons colleague Hal Luscombe on the right wing. In the pack Neath-Swansea Ospreys forward Ryan Jones bas been brought on the blind-side flank to beef up the Wales back row in place of Jonathan Thomas. Wales coach Mike Ruddock is determined that his team will not go into their shells after their promising start to the championship. ""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.""

Despite their stuttering displays in their first two games defending champions France are also unbeaten. Under-pressure coach Bernard Laporte has made four changes, with Yannick Nyanga, the debutant Julien Laharrague, Aurelien Rougerie and Yannick Jauzion coming into the side. France have been criticised for the absence of traditional ""French flair"" as they have ground their way to victory so far this year but captain Fabien Pelous sees hope on the horizon. ""I get the impression we are getting better,"" he said. ""Against Wales, which is different from the teams we have beaten, I hope we can show our proper game.""

J Laharrague; A Rougerie, Y Jauzion, D Traille, C Dominici; Y Delaigue, D Yachvili; S Marconnet, S Bruno, N Mas; F Pelous (capt), J Thion; S Betsen, Y Nyanga, J Bonnaire (Bourgoin).

W Servat, O Milloud, G Lamboley, I Harinordoquy, P Mignoni, F Michalak, J-P Grandclaude.

G Thomas (capt); K Morgan, T Shanklin, G Henson, S Williams; S Jones, D Peel; G Jenkins, M Davies, A Jones; B Cockbain, R Sidoli; R Jones, M Williams, M Owen.

R McBryde, J Yapp, J Thomas, R Sowden-Taylor, G Cooper, C Sweeney, R Williams.
","""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.They also have a good record at the Stade de France, having won their first two games there, in 1999 and 2001.""Against Wales, which is different from the teams we have beaten, I hope we can show our proper game.""Wales have made two changes from the team that thrashed Italy 38-8 in Rome.Despite their stuttering displays in their first two games defending champions France are also unbeaten.G Thomas (capt); K Morgan, T Shanklin, G Henson, S Williams; S Jones, D Peel; G Jenkins, M Davies, A Jones; B Cockbain, R Sidoli; R Jones, M Williams, M Owen.R McBryde, J Yapp, J Thomas, R Sowden-Taylor, G Cooper, C Sweeney, R Williams.Wales coach Mike Ruddock is determined that his team will not go into their shells after their promising start to the championship."
281,"Axa Sun Life cuts bonus payments

Life insurer Axa Sun Life has lowered annual bonus payouts for up to 50,000 with-profits investors.

Regular annual bonus rates on former Axa Equity & Law with-profits policies are to be cut from 2% to 1% for 2004. Axa blamed a poor stock market performance for the cut, adding that recent gains have not yet offset the market falls seen in 2001 and 2002. The cut will hit an estimated 3% of Axa's policyholders. The rest will know their fate in March.

The cuts on Axa's policies will mean a policyholder who had invested £50 a month into an endowment policy for the past 25 years would see a final maturity payout of £46,998. This equated to a annual investment growth rate of 8% Axa said. With-profits policies are designed to smooth out the peaks and troughs of stock market volatility. However, heavy stock market falls throughout 2001 and 2002 forced most firms to trim bonus rates on their policies. ""The stock market has grown over the past 18 months, however not enough to undo the damage that occurred during 2001 and 2002,"" Axa spokesman Mark Hamilton, Axa spokesman, told BBC News. Axa cut payouts for the same investors last January.
","Regular annual bonus rates on former Axa Equity & Law with-profits policies are to be cut from 2% to 1% for 2004.Axa blamed a poor stock market performance for the cut, adding that recent gains have not yet offset the market falls seen in 2001 and 2002.Axa cut payouts for the same investors last January.""The stock market has grown over the past 18 months, however not enough to undo the damage that occurred during 2001 and 2002,"" Axa spokesman Mark Hamilton, Axa spokesman, told BBC News.Life insurer Axa Sun Life has lowered annual bonus payouts for up to 50,000 with-profits investors."
507,"UK economy ends year with spurt

The UK economy grew by an estimated 3.1% in 2004 after accelerating in the last quarter of the year, says the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The figure is in line with Treasury and Bank of England forecasts. The ONS says gross domestic product (GDP) rose by a strong 0.7% in the three months to 31 December, compared with 0.5% in the previous quarter. The rise came despite a further decline in production output and the worst Christmas for retailers in decades.

The annual figure marked out the best year since 2000, and was also well ahead of the 2.2% recorded in 2003. Growth in the final three months of 2004 marked the 50th consecutive quarter of expansion. ""On the basis of the latest information the UK has entered 2005 on course to continue its record period of growth,"" said Paul Boateng, chief secretary to the Treasury in a statement.

The ONS said the services sector, which accounts for nearly three-quarters of the UK economy, grew 1.0% in the quarter. The strong services figure was welcomed by analysts, given lacklustre retail sales in December and across the Christmas holiday period. ""The fact that other services components are doing so well suggests to me that we are back to trend (growth) and I am not particularly concerned about any further slowdown,"" said Ross Walker, UK economist at RBS Financial Markets.

However, output in the production sector contracted 0.5%, the second quarterly fall in row and a state of affairs that some economists classify as a recession. However the ONS would not comment on the definition of a recession and whether the manufacturing recovery was over. But Steve Radley, chief economist at the manufacturers' organisation EEF, said: ""These figures remain at odds with what is actually happening on the ground. ""Whilst companies may be experiencing tougher conditions this year, 'recession' is not a word that manufacturers would currently recognise."" The ONS said a sharp fall in mining and quarrying, which was driven by oil and gas extraction, was primarily responsible for the overall contraction in manufacturing production figures.

Simon Rubinsohn, chief economist at Gerrard, said: ""This outturn (of 0.7%) was well ahead of the market expectations and cast doubt on the scare stories doing the rounds surrounding the current state of the UK economy."" And he said the GDP figures may help to ""push interest rate expectations a little higher along the curve"". ""The suggestion from the money markets is that the next move is now more likely to be in an upward rather than a downward direction. This is consistent with our own thinking,"" said Mr Rubinsohn. The Bank of England's nine-strong rate-setting committee voted unanimously earlier this month to keep interest rates steady at 4.75%, minutes of the meeting showed on Wednesday.
","Simon Rubinsohn, chief economist at Gerrard, said: ""This outturn (of 0.7%) was well ahead of the market expectations and cast doubt on the scare stories doing the rounds surrounding the current state of the UK economy.""The ONS said the services sector, which accounts for nearly three-quarters of the UK economy, grew 1.0% in the quarter.The ONS said a sharp fall in mining and quarrying, which was driven by oil and gas extraction, was primarily responsible for the overall contraction in manufacturing production figures.And he said the GDP figures may help to ""push interest rate expectations a little higher along the curve"".The UK economy grew by an estimated 3.1% in 2004 after accelerating in the last quarter of the year, says the Office for National Statistics (ONS).The annual figure marked out the best year since 2000, and was also well ahead of the 2.2% recorded in 2003.""The fact that other services components are doing so well suggests to me that we are back to trend (growth) and I am not particularly concerned about any further slowdown,"" said Ross Walker, UK economist at RBS Financial Markets.But Steve Radley, chief economist at the manufacturers' organisation EEF, said: ""These figures remain at odds with what is actually happening on the ground."
1386,"Johnson uncertain about Euro bid

Jade Johnson is undecided about whether to contest next month's European Indoor Championships in Madrid despite winning the AAAs long jump title on Saturday.

The 24-year-old delivered a personal best of 6.50m to win the European trials but had to wait until her final jump after four failures. ""I don't want to go if I am not going to get a medal,"" said Johnson. ""I will have to see how I am jumping in the next competition and I'll have to have a conversation with my coach."" Johnson, who finished seventh in last year's Olympic Games, has not competed indoors since 2000. And the Commonwealth and European silver medallist believes her lack of experience in the early part of the season has knocked her confidence. ""It's the stress,"" said Johnson. ""I am not used to feeling this, this early. I am just used to training. ""But if I'm doing this kind of thing, then I will have to see how it goes."" Johnson next competes in the high-class Birmingham Grand Prix on 18 February.
","""It's the stress,"" said Johnson.Jade Johnson is undecided about whether to contest next month's European Indoor Championships in Madrid despite winning the AAAs long jump title on Saturday.Johnson next competes in the high-class Birmingham Grand Prix on 18 February.""I don't want to go if I am not going to get a medal,"" said Johnson.""I am not used to feeling this, this early."
827,"Patti Smith to host arts festival

Rock star Patti Smith has been made artistic director of this year's Meltdown festival, to be held at London's South Bank Centre in June.

The punk pioneer follows Morrissey, David Bowie and Nick Cave in directing 15 days of concerts and events. Smith has yet to decide the line-up for Meltdown, which begins on 11 June. ""I want to touch on all aspects of our culture, perhaps with readings from Genet, and I have an idea for Jeremy Irons to read Proust,"" she said.

The 58-year-old US singer of Because the Night told The Observer newspaper that the festival would be her response to these ""material, exploitative and greedy times"". ""It is important we explore the new, but we should also salute the best art there is, aesthetically and spiritually,"" she said. Last year's Meltdown festival, directed by the ex-Smiths star Morrissey, included appearances by singer Jane Birkin, Nancy Sinatra and playwright Alan Bennett. He also persuaded punk band The New York Dolls to reform for a reunion show.
","Rock star Patti Smith has been made artistic director of this year's Meltdown festival, to be held at London's South Bank Centre in June.Last year's Meltdown festival, directed by the ex-Smiths star Morrissey, included appearances by singer Jane Birkin, Nancy Sinatra and playwright Alan Bennett.""It is important we explore the new, but we should also salute the best art there is, aesthetically and spiritually,"" she said.He also persuaded punk band The New York Dolls to reform for a reunion show."
1179,"Lib Dems' 'bold' election policy

Charles Kennedy has told voters his Liberal Democrats will offer them an ""honest choice"" at the next general election.

With the other two big parties battling over which will impose the lowest taxes, Mr Kennedy is going into the looming election pledged to increase taxation. It is a bold policy and certainly ensures there is that choice between the Lib Dems and the other two. With his party's previous pledge to increase taxes by one penny in the pound to spend on public services already adopted by the government, he has switched tack. Now he is promising to levy a ""modest"" increase of the same amount on earnings over £100,000 a year to allow him to finance a series of pledges. They are to scrap student fees, finance free long term care for the elderly and replace the council tax with a local income tax. That last policy will also see about 3% of the most well off paying more while others, pensioners in particular, will pay less.

Labour and the Tories have attacked his policies as both unworkable and not properly costed.

Inevitably they insist there is no need to raise taxes to fund improvements in services. The Tories claim they can improve services AND cut taxes through £35bn efficiency savings, while Labour has offered £22bn savings but has yet to map out precise tax proposals, although there is little chance they will propose increases. In many ways the argument between the Lib Dems and the others over taxation and spending echo the sort of arguments that raged between Labour and the Tories in the 1980s and early 1990s. But, unlike the old Tory-Labour debate, he believes voters are ready to see ""modest"" tax increases on the well off in order to fund improvements in services. That is a view partly endorsed by recent polls suggesting people would rather have cash spent on public services than tax cuts.

Similarly there is a different tone to the Lib Dem approach to asylum and immigration, with Mr Kennedy stressing politicians should not ""foment an artificial debate"" about immigration and attacking Michael Howard's proposals for quotas. Once again, with the two other big parties singing similar songs on immigration, Mr Kennedy is stressing the different, more liberal approach of his party. Mr Kennedy was also in buoyant mood over his party's election chances, declaring the Tories were not going to be ""significant players"" in the poll. He repeated his pledge not to do post-election deals with either party after the election. Mr Kennedy went on to suggest the re-election of a Labour government with a small majority would amount to a ""massive vote of no confidence "" in Tony Blair's government. That suggests the Lib Dem leader believes he may well find himself in a powerful, even pivotal position in a vastly different House of Commons after the next election. It is a dream the third party has dreamed many times before.
","With the other two big parties battling over which will impose the lowest taxes, Mr Kennedy is going into the looming election pledged to increase taxation.Once again, with the two other big parties singing similar songs on immigration, Mr Kennedy is stressing the different, more liberal approach of his party.But, unlike the old Tory-Labour debate, he believes voters are ready to see ""modest"" tax increases on the well off in order to fund improvements in services.The Tories claim they can improve services AND cut taxes through £35bn efficiency savings, while Labour has offered £22bn savings but has yet to map out precise tax proposals, although there is little chance they will propose increases.With his party's previous pledge to increase taxes by one penny in the pound to spend on public services already adopted by the government, he has switched tack.Mr Kennedy was also in buoyant mood over his party's election chances, declaring the Tories were not going to be ""significant players"" in the poll.Charles Kennedy has told voters his Liberal Democrats will offer them an ""honest choice"" at the next general election.Similarly there is a different tone to the Lib Dem approach to asylum and immigration, with Mr Kennedy stressing politicians should not ""foment an artificial debate"" about immigration and attacking Michael Howard's proposals for quotas."
1104,"Gurkhas to help tsunami victims

Britain has offered to send a company of 120 Gurkhas to assist with the tsunami relief effort in Indonesia, Downing Street said.

The deployment would involve troops from the 2nd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles, based in Brunei. Discussions have begun with Indonesia on the exact timing and location of the deployment, but the government said the offer was aimed at the Aceh province. Downing St said a similar offer might be made to the Sri Lankan government.

However a spokesman pointed out that there were particular logistical difficulties in Indonesia which the Gurkhas might be able to help with. The spokesman said: ""Following this morning's daily coordination meeting on the post-tsunami relief effort, the government has formally offered the Indonesian government the assistance of a company of British Army Gurkhas from 2nd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles around 120 personnel and two helicopters. ""This is in addition to the ships and aircraft we have already committed to the relief operation in the Indian Ocean.""

Indonesia was by far the country worst affected by the tsunami, with 94,000 of the 140,000 confirmed deaths so far. International Development Minister Gareth Thomas said the assistance offer would most likely focus on the northern province of Aceh. ""We have offered the Gurkhas to help in the process of scaling up the relief effort, particularly in Aceh which is undoubtedly the hardest hit area in the Indian Ocean at the moment,"" he said. ""We've also had RAF aircraft flying in equipment which the UN desperately need in order to set up a truly effective relief operation on the ground in Aceh province as well."" The offer comes as the Foreign Secretary Jack Straw arrives in Indonesia for a special summit meeting on the disaster.
","Britain has offered to send a company of 120 Gurkhas to assist with the tsunami relief effort in Indonesia, Downing Street said.Discussions have begun with Indonesia on the exact timing and location of the deployment, but the government said the offer was aimed at the Aceh province.The spokesman said: ""Following this morning's daily coordination meeting on the post-tsunami relief effort, the government has formally offered the Indonesian government the assistance of a company of British Army Gurkhas from 2nd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles around 120 personnel and two helicopters.""We have offered the Gurkhas to help in the process of scaling up the relief effort, particularly in Aceh which is undoubtedly the hardest hit area in the Indian Ocean at the moment,"" he said.International Development Minister Gareth Thomas said the assistance offer would most likely focus on the northern province of Aceh."
1626,"White prepared for battle

Tough-scrummaging prop Julian White is expecting a resurgent Wales to give him a rough ride in England's Six Nations opener in Cardiff on Saturday.

The Leicester tight-head is in the form of his life, making the England number three shirt his own. But he knows Wales will put his technique under immense scrutiny. ""The Welsh scrum is a force to be reckoned with,"" he told BBC Sport. ""They have made a lot of changes for the better over the last few years."" White is also impressed with the Welsh pack's strength in depth. ""Gethin Jenkins is starting at loose-head for them. He has played a bit at tight-head but I think his favoured position is loose-head and he is very good,"" he added. The 31-year-old has made a massive contribution to the England and Leicester cause of late and is arguably the form tight-head prop in the world.

He destroyed South Africa's Os du Randt in the scrum at Twickenham last autumn to give England the platform for an impressive 32-16 victory. Leicester, who signed White from Bristol when the West Country side were relegated from the Zurich Premiership in the summer of 2003, have also been aided by White's presence this season. The Tigers are sitting pretty at the top of the Premiership table and have also booked their place in the last eight of the Heineken Cup. ""I am pleased with my form,"" he said. ""But my form is helped by the people I play with at Leicester - people like Martin Johnson and Graham Rowntree. ""It's been a good season so far and to be in the starting XV for the first game of the Six Nations is what every player wants. ""I am delighted with the way things have gone but we have to get it right this weekend."" White is now one of the more experienced members of the England squad which takes to the field on Saturday. Injuries have taken their toll and coach Andy Robinson has been deprived of Richard Hill, Jonny Wilkinson, Martin Corry, Mike Tindall, Will Greenwood and Stuart Abbott.

And with 27 caps and a World Cup winner's medal to his name, White is now in a position to offer his experience to youngsters such as centres Matthew Tait and Jamie Noon. ""I don't know how much experience a tight-head can give a centre but you are there to give them a pat on the back if things go wrong or to be there if they want to talk in any way,"" he added. ""When I first came into the squad, people like Jason Leonard and Martin Johnson were the first to come over and talk through things and help out.

""It gives you a lot of confidence when people like that speak to you. ""I was in awe of a lot of them so to sit down and speak with them and realise you are on the same wavelength is good."" White missed the vast majority of last year's Six Nations because of a knee injury and is raring for the 2005 event to get going. And that is despite the opening game taking place amid the red-hot atmosphere in Cardiff. ""I enjoy the atmosphere. The Millennium Stadium is probably one of the best stadiums in the world,"" he said. ""To go down there and hear the shouting and the singing - it's one of my favourite places to play. ""This is probably the most even Six Nations for a long time. England, Ireland, France and Wales are all contenders. ""On form, Ireland should be favourites but you just don't know - that's the great thing about this tournament.""
","The 31-year-old has made a massive contribution to the England and Leicester cause of late and is arguably the form tight-head prop in the world.Tough-scrummaging prop Julian White is expecting a resurgent Wales to give him a rough ride in England's Six Nations opener in Cardiff on Saturday.""I don't know how much experience a tight-head can give a centre but you are there to give them a pat on the back if things go wrong or to be there if they want to talk in any way,"" he added.""But my form is helped by the people I play with at Leicester - people like Martin Johnson and Graham Rowntree.The Leicester tight-head is in the form of his life, making the England number three shirt his own.White missed the vast majority of last year's Six Nations because of a knee injury and is raring for the 2005 event to get going.""It gives you a lot of confidence when people like that speak to you.""On form, Ireland should be favourites but you just don't know - that's the great thing about this tournament.""White is now one of the more experienced members of the England squad which takes to the field on Saturday.""It's been a good season so far and to be in the starting XV for the first game of the Six Nations is what every player wants.""When I first came into the squad, people like Jason Leonard and Martin Johnson were the first to come over and talk through things and help out.He destroyed South Africa's Os du Randt in the scrum at Twickenham last autumn to give England the platform for an impressive 32-16 victory.He has played a bit at tight-head but I think his favoured position is loose-head and he is very good,"" he added."
721,"Brookside creator's Channel 4 bid

The creator of defunct TV soap Brookside has written to the culture minister to offer to buy Channel 4.

Phil Redmond, now chairman of Mersey TV, told Tessa Jowell he would run it with its current remit intact for the next 10 years. But media watchdog Ofcom has said the the commercially funded public service broadcaster will not be privatised. A spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said there were no plans to sell the channel.

He added that primary legislation would be required for the station to be sold off, which the government was not intending to introduce. Brookside was axed in 2003 after its ratings slumped from a peak of seven million to just 1.5 million. Redmond also brought teen soap Hollyoaks to Channel 4 and created Grange Hill, the school-based drama serial which was first broadcast on BBC One in 1978. He was awarded the CBE for services to drama earlier this year.
","Redmond also brought teen soap Hollyoaks to Channel 4 and created Grange Hill, the school-based drama serial which was first broadcast on BBC One in 1978.The creator of defunct TV soap Brookside has written to the culture minister to offer to buy Channel 4.He was awarded the CBE for services to drama earlier this year.A spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said there were no plans to sell the channel."
1432,"Time to get tough on friendlies?

For an international manager, a friendly provides an important opportunity to work with your players.

The only problem is that the game itself can often be a farce. Some people have been saying it would be better to get the players together for the week, and do away with the 90 minutes at the end.

I would say it's 50-50 whether you should have these games or not, and if you look at it that way you would probably say you're better not doing so. It would certainly keep club managers happy, as it would reduce the risk of players returning to domestic duty injured. But international bosses will tell you that scrapping friendlies is counterproductive because the only way for a team to get better is by playing. The more you play together, the easier it is when it comes to the crunch in games like World Cup quarter-finals against Brazil. Often in friendlies, though, a manager will play his strongest side for the first 45 minutes and then send out an entirely different one in the second half. And it's very difficult for any player to come on as substitute in a side with a few changes, let alone a whole team's worth. The debate will rage on, and I'm not sure there is a satisfactory solution. One manager who has got it right this week is Walter Smith. The new Scotland manager has decided to have a training camp instead of a friendly for his first international week since replacing Berti Vogts. It is the sort of move you would expect from Walter, who is a canny manager.

The players have had such a hard time recently that he is better off getting them together in a relaxed atmosphere and trying to generate some team spirit before the next World Cup qualifiers. If he had sent them out on Wednesday and they had been badly beaten, it would have done them no good whatsoever. John Toshack has his first game in charge of Wales, and it will be important for him to get a decent result against Hungary. He will have his own ideas on individuals and how to play and will probably look more at the performance, but the public wants results. It's extremely difficult to get the balance for friendlies. If you win, people forget them, but if you lose it becomes a stat that can be used against you. England's game against Holland is a good example. It looks like a good opportunity to try out players like Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing or Crystal Palace striker Andy Johnson. But you have got to remember Sven-Goran Eriksson's side were given a lesson by Spain in the last game they played.

The injury problems in defence should at least give the likes of Wes Brown and Jamie Carragher a chance to impress. For the club managers, it will simply be a case of waiting at home with fingers crossed.
","Some people have been saying it would be better to get the players together for the week, and do away with the 90 minutes at the end.I would say it's 50-50 whether you should have these games or not, and if you look at it that way you would probably say you're better not doing so.It would certainly keep club managers happy, as it would reduce the risk of players returning to domestic duty injured.The more you play together, the easier it is when it comes to the crunch in games like World Cup quarter-finals against Brazil.Often in friendlies, though, a manager will play his strongest side for the first 45 minutes and then send out an entirely different one in the second half.It is the sort of move you would expect from Walter, who is a canny manager.John Toshack has his first game in charge of Wales, and it will be important for him to get a decent result against Hungary.One manager who has got it right this week is Walter Smith.The new Scotland manager has decided to have a training camp instead of a friendly for his first international week since replacing Berti Vogts.The only problem is that the game itself can often be a farce."
299,"US to rule on Yukos refuge call

Yukos has said a US bankruptcy court will decide whether to block Russia's impending auction of its main production arm on Thursday.

The Russian oil firm has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US in an attempt to halt the forced sale. However, Judge Letitia Clark said the hearing would continue on Thursday when arguments in the case would be heard. Russian authorities are due to auction off Yuganskneftegas on 19 December to pay a huge tax bill sent to Yukos.

Russian prosecutors are forcing the sale of the firm's most lucrative asset Yuganskneftegas to help pay a $27bn (£14bn) back tax bill, which they claim is owed by Yukos.

Filing for bankruptcy protection in the US was ""a last resort to preserve the rights of our shareholders, employees and customers,"" said Yukos chief executive Steven Theede. The company added it had opted to take action through American courts as US bankruptcy law gives worldwide jurisdiction over a debtor company's property and because it was seeking a judiciary willing to protect the value of shareholders' investments. However, as the firm is based in Russia and has no significant US assets, lawyers are unsure of the outcome of the case. ""We are here to stop 60% of our body from being cut off on Sunday,"" Zack Clement, a lawyer for Yukos, told Judge Clark in an emergency hearing in Houston, Texas, on Wednesday. As well as the bid to get Chapter 11 bankruptcy - which protects firms from creditors, allowing them to continue trading as they restructure their finances - the group also made a claim for damages against the Russian government. Yukos asked the Houston court to order Russia to arbitration so that it can press claims for billions of dollars in damages over a ""campaign of illegal, discriminatory and disproportionate"" tax claims. Mr Clement said that under Russian law, the Russian government was obliged to enter into arbitration as set out in international law.

He added that the opening bid for the firm's Yuganskneftgas unit was $8bn - less than half of the $20bn that Yukos advisers say it is worth. ""We believe the only significant bidder at the auction on Sunday is Gazprom,"" he said, referring to Russia's natural gas giant. Yukos maintains that the forced auction is illegal and ""will cause the company to suffer immediate and irreparable harm."" Many commentators believe the Russian government's aggressive pursuit of Yukos is a politically-motivated response to the political ambitions of its former chief executive, Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Mr Khodorkovsky, who had funded liberal opposition groups, was arrested in October last year on fraud and tax evasion charges and is still in jail Analysts believe that if its production unit is auctioned off, it is likely to be bought up by a government-backed firm, like Gazprom, effectively bringing a large chunk of Russia's lucrative oil and gas industry back under state control.
","Yukos has said a US bankruptcy court will decide whether to block Russia's impending auction of its main production arm on Thursday.Filing for bankruptcy protection in the US was ""a last resort to preserve the rights of our shareholders, employees and customers,"" said Yukos chief executive Steven Theede.Russian prosecutors are forcing the sale of the firm's most lucrative asset Yuganskneftegas to help pay a $27bn (£14bn) back tax bill, which they claim is owed by Yukos.Russian authorities are due to auction off Yuganskneftegas on 19 December to pay a huge tax bill sent to Yukos.The Russian oil firm has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US in an attempt to halt the forced sale.Mr Clement said that under Russian law, the Russian government was obliged to enter into arbitration as set out in international law.Yukos asked the Houston court to order Russia to arbitration so that it can press claims for billions of dollars in damages over a ""campaign of illegal, discriminatory and disproportionate"" tax claims."
318,"Mystery surrounds new Yukos owner

The fate of Russia's Yuganskneftegas - the oil firm sold to a little-known buyer on Sunday - is the subject of frantic speculation in Moscow.

Baikal Finance Group emerged as the auction winner, agreeing to pay 260.75bn roubles (£4.8bn; $9.4bn). Russia's newspapers claimed that Baikal was a front for gas monopoly Gazprom, which had been expected to win. The sale has destroyed Yukos, once the owner of Yuganskneftegas, said founder Mikhail Khodorkovsky. ""Yuganskneftegas has been sold in the best traditions of the 90s. The authorities have made themselves a wonderful Christmas present - Russia's most efficient oil company has been destroyed,"" the Interfax news agency quoted Mr Khodorkovsky as saying via his lawyers.

Gazprom had been expected to win the auction but is thought to have failed to get finance for the deal after a US court injunction barred it from taking part. Last week, Yukos filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US in a last-ditch attempt to hang on to Yuganskneftegas, which accounts for 60% of its output. A US judge banned Gazprom from taking part in the auction and barred international banks from providing the firm with cash. ""They screwed up the financing,"" said Ronald Smith, an analyst at Renaissance Capital in Moscow. ""And Gazprom doesn't have this sort of money lying around.""

Gazprom has denied that it is behind the purchase. ""It is a front for somebody but not necessarily for Gazprom,"" said Oleg Maximov, an analyst at Troika Dialog in Moscow. ""We don't know if this company is linked 100% to Gazprom.

""We tried to find it, but we couldn't and as far as I know, the papers had the same result."" The sale has however bought time for Gazprom to raise the money needed for the purchase, analysts said. One scenario is that Baikal will not pay when it is supposed to in two weeks time, putting Yuganskneftegas back in the hands of bailiffs and back within the reach of Gazprom. Yukos is not planning on letting go of its unit without a fight and has threatened legal action against any buyer. Menatep, Yukos main shareholders' group, has also threatened legal action. Yukos claims that it is being punished for the political ambitions of its founder, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who is now in jail facing separate fraud charges. It has been hit with more than $27bn in taxes and fines and many observers now say that the break up of the firm that accounts for 20% of Russia's oil output is inevitable.
","The sale has however bought time for Gazprom to raise the money needed for the purchase, analysts said.The sale has destroyed Yukos, once the owner of Yuganskneftegas, said founder Mikhail Khodorkovsky.Gazprom has denied that it is behind the purchase.""It is a front for somebody but not necessarily for Gazprom,"" said Oleg Maximov, an analyst at Troika Dialog in Moscow.""We don't know if this company is linked 100% to Gazprom.""Yuganskneftegas has been sold in the best traditions of the 90s.Russia's newspapers claimed that Baikal was a front for gas monopoly Gazprom, which had been expected to win.Gazprom had been expected to win the auction but is thought to have failed to get finance for the deal after a US court injunction barred it from taking part.It has been hit with more than $27bn in taxes and fines and many observers now say that the break up of the firm that accounts for 20% of Russia's oil output is inevitable."
1533,"Curbishley delight for Johansson

Charlton manager Alan Curbishley paid tribute to two-goal striker Jonatan Johansson after beating Norwich.

Curbishley said after the 4-0 win: ""There was talk about Norwich being interested in the summer but I have a lot of faith in Jonatan. ""When there was talk of other clubs I just told him he was going nowhere. ""He's part of our squad and he got us a couple of important goals early on. I'm sure he's happy here, but I was delighted with all the players."" Curbishley was subjected to criticism from Charlton fans recently, and he said: ""The thing about this club is that we have got where we are by all pulling in the same direction. ""That's happened for however long I've been here and we don't want people taking sides.""
","Curbishley said after the 4-0 win: ""There was talk about Norwich being interested in the summer but I have a lot of faith in Jonatan.Curbishley was subjected to criticism from Charlton fans recently, and he said: ""The thing about this club is that we have got where we are by all pulling in the same direction.""When there was talk of other clubs I just told him he was going nowhere."
179,"Irish duo could block Man Utd bid

Irishmen JP McManus and John Magnier, who own a 29% stake in Manchester United, will reportedly reject any formal £800m offer for the club.

The Sunday Times and The Sunday Telegraph say they will oppose any formal £800m takeover bid from US tycoon Malcom Glazer. Mr Glazer got permission to look at the club's accounts last week. Irish billionaires Mr McManus and Mr Magnier are said to believe that an £800m bid undervalues club prospects.

Mr Magnier and Mr McManus, who hold their stake through their Cubic Expression investment vehicle have the power to block a bid. Mr Glazer's financial backers, including JP Morgan, the US investment bank have said they won't back a bid unless it receives backing from the owners of at least 75% of the club's shares. However, there has been much speculation that the Irish duo simply do not think the price offered - 300p a share - is high enough. Mr Glazer has been stalking the premier league football club since 2003.

Mr Magnier and Mr McManus issued a statement late on Friday saying that they remained ""long-term investors"" in Man Utd. The Sunday Telegraph says the board of Manchester United also considered a management buyout at just over 300p but did not go ahead with it.
","Irish billionaires Mr McManus and Mr Magnier are said to believe that an £800m bid undervalues club prospects.Mr Magnier and Mr McManus, who hold their stake through their Cubic Expression investment vehicle have the power to block a bid.Mr Magnier and Mr McManus issued a statement late on Friday saying that they remained ""long-term investors"" in Man Utd.Mr Glazer has been stalking the premier league football club since 2003."
1128,"Probe launched on Ken Nazi jibe

An investigation by the Standards Board is under way following allegations that Ken Livingstone has brought his office into disrepute.

The probe follows the London mayor's comments to a Jewish journalist comparing him to a concentration camp guard, after a party about a week ago. The local government watchdog also said the allegation related to a failure to respect others. It has the power to suspend or bar Labour's Mr Livingstone from office. A complaint was made to the body by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Commission for Racial Equality.

Speaking after the investigation was announced Bob Neill, leader of the London Assembly Conservatives, said: ""He has behaved in a manner unbecoming of his office and in so doing, has shown extraordinarily poor civic leadership. ""His administration is now in crisis."" On Sunday, Deputy Mayor Nicky Gavron told the BBC's Politics Show she believed the Mayor of London would say sorry on Tuesday for offending the wider Jewish community. The Prime Minister Tony Blair is among those who have called for an apology but so far the mayor has refused.

The mayor accused Oliver Finegold, of the Evening Standard newspaper, of ""doorstepping"" him at a ""predominately gay event"" held for MP Chris Smith. Ms Gavron said she thought Mr Livingstone's comments were ""inappropriate"" but she did not believe the mayor was anti-Semitic. She said: ""I work very closely with Ken so I can speak of what he's like in his guarded and unguarded moments and... he is in no way anti-Jewish, I wouldn't for a moment work with him if he were. ""On the other hand, I think his remarks were inappropriate and I believe it is important, and I believe he will, come to the point where he says, 'I regret that I have caused offence to the wider Jewish community'. ""I hope he will do it soon and it is mooted that he is going to make some sort of statement on Tuesday.""
","Ms Gavron said she thought Mr Livingstone's comments were ""inappropriate"" but she did not believe the mayor was anti-Semitic.Speaking after the investigation was announced Bob Neill, leader of the London Assembly Conservatives, said: ""He has behaved in a manner unbecoming of his office and in so doing, has shown extraordinarily poor civic leadership.An investigation by the Standards Board is under way following allegations that Ken Livingstone has brought his office into disrepute.On Sunday, Deputy Mayor Nicky Gavron told the BBC's Politics Show she believed the Mayor of London would say sorry on Tuesday for offending the wider Jewish community.It has the power to suspend or bar Labour's Mr Livingstone from office.The Prime Minister Tony Blair is among those who have called for an apology but so far the mayor has refused."
1288,"'No UK apology' for colonial past

The days of Britain having to apologise for its colonial past are over, Gordon Brown has said.

The chancellor, speaking during a week-long tour of Africa, said it was time to talk about enduring British values of liberty and tolerance. Mr Brown has signed a debt relief deal with Tanzania which could cost the UK £1 billion. South African president Thabo Mbeki has attacked British imperialists, saying they treated Africans like savages. Mr Brown said that missionairies had come to Africa because of their sense of duty. He added that the history of internationalism and enterprise had given Britain a greater global reach than any other country. BBC political correspondent Mark Mardell said Britishness had long been a theme of the chancellor's but ""never before has he been so outspoken in defending Britain's past history"".

The UK has pledged to pay 10% of the developing world's foreign debt bill in an attempt to fight poverty. On top of the relief deal with Tanzania Mr Brown said the UK would make similar offers to 70 poorer nations around the world. Under the plan - which could cost the UK £1bn - countries must spend the cash saved on health, education and welfare. ""We make this offer unilaterally but we are now asking other countries to join us,"" the chancellor said. Mr Brown, on a week-long tour of Africa, spent two days in Tanzania before heading on Friday evening to Mozambique, a country where more than half of the 17-million population lives below the poverty line.

There he is expected to strike a similar debt relief pact. The chancellor said he hoped other G8 and European countries would follow suit. The UK has already cancelled its bilateral debts - money the UK alone is owed - with the world's poorest nations including Tanzania. Former international development secretary Clare Short questioned the effectiveness of debt relief as a means of tackling poverty.
","Mr Brown has signed a debt relief deal with Tanzania which could cost the UK £1 billion.On top of the relief deal with Tanzania Mr Brown said the UK would make similar offers to 70 poorer nations around the world.The days of Britain having to apologise for its colonial past are over, Gordon Brown has said.The UK has already cancelled its bilateral debts - money the UK alone is owed - with the world's poorest nations including Tanzania.Mr Brown said that missionairies had come to Africa because of their sense of duty.Mr Brown, on a week-long tour of Africa, spent two days in Tanzania before heading on Friday evening to Mozambique, a country where more than half of the 17-million population lives below the poverty line.""We make this offer unilaterally but we are now asking other countries to join us,"" the chancellor said."
933,"Profile: David Miliband

David Miliband's rapid rise through the ranks of government continues with his promotion to Cabinet Office minister.

Elected in a safe Labour seat in 2001 his previous job was school standards minister - a role he won in May 2002. Prior to the last election he was a key figure in New Labour as the head of the Downing Street policy unit where he was a key member of the manifesto writing team. Seen as one of the more intellectual figures in the government, he was also working for Tony Blair in his policy unit when he was leader of the opposition.

A brief glance at Mr Miliband's family background reveals an impressive socialist pedigree in the form of his father Ralph, who died in 1994. He was an eminent and influential leftwing academic. And while David Miliband is seen as a key Blair lieutenant his brother Ed is a special advisor to Chancellor Gordon Brown. Prior to working for Mr Blair, David Miliband spent time at the left-leaning Institute for Public Policy Research. He then became secretary of the Commission on Social Justice. The 39-year-old was educated at Haverstock Comprehensive before going on to Oxford to study politics, philosophy and economics. He also took an MSc in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
","Seen as one of the more intellectual figures in the government, he was also working for Tony Blair in his policy unit when he was leader of the opposition.Prior to the last election he was a key figure in New Labour as the head of the Downing Street policy unit where he was a key member of the manifesto writing team.Prior to working for Mr Blair, David Miliband spent time at the left-leaning Institute for Public Policy Research.He was an eminent and influential leftwing academic.Elected in a safe Labour seat in 2001 his previous job was school standards minister - a role he won in May 2002."
1615,"Italy 17-28 Ireland

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."
1177,"Kilroy-Silk quits 'shameful' UKIP

Ex-chat show host Robert Kilroy-Silk has quit the UK Independence Party and accused it of betraying its supporters.

The MEP said he was ashamed to have joined the party, which he labelled as a ""joke"". He plans to stand in the next general election but refused to confirm he is setting up a new political party called Veritas - Latin for truth. UKIP leader Roger Knapman said he would ""break open the champagne"", adding: ""It was nice knowing him, now 'goodbye'."" However, he did say the ex-chat show host had been ""quite useful initially"". ""He has remarkable ability to influence people but, sadly, after the (European) election it became clear that he was more interested in the Robert Kilroy-Silk Party than the UK Independence Party so it was nice knowing him, now 'goodbye',"" Mr Knapman told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Mr Knapman rejected the idea Mr Kilroy-Silk posed a threat to UKIP and queried why he had failed to confirm rumours he was starting a new political party.

Mr Kilroy-Silk explained his reasons to his East Midlands constituents at a meeting in Hinckley, Leicestershire. His decision came as UKIP officials began a process which could have triggered Mr Kilroy-Silk's expulsion. It marks the end of his membership of UKIP after just nine months. It began with a flood of publicity which helped UKIP into third place in last June's European elections but became dominated by rancour as he tried to take over the party leadership.

Mr Kilroy-Silk accused his fellow UKIP MEPs of being content with growing fat ""sitting on their backsides"" in Brussels. He told BBC News 24: ""I tried to change the party, I nagged all the way through the summer to do things, to get moving because I thought it was criminal what they were doing, it was a betrayal."" Mr Kilroy-Silk also told Sky News there was ""masses of support"" for him to form a new party - something he has yet to confirm will happen.

UKIP won 12 seats and 16.1% of the vote at the European elections on the back of its call for the UK to leave the European Union In his speech, Mr Kilroy-Silk says the result offered UKIP an ""amazing opportunity"" but the party's leadership had done nothing and ""gone AWOL"". There were no policies, no energy, no vision and no spokespeople, he said. ""The party is going nowhere and I'm embarrassed with its allies in Europe and I'm ashamed to be a member of the party,"" said Mr Kilroy-Silk.

He said his conviction in Britain's right to govern itself had not changed. He would continue that campaign outside UKIP when he contested the general election in an East Midlands constituency. Reports of his new party plans have prompted a formal complaint to UKIP's disciplinary committee for bringing the party into ""disrepute"". On Thursday, the party challenged Mr Kilroy-Silk to stand down as an MEP so voters can get a genuine UKIP candidate.
","Mr Knapman rejected the idea Mr Kilroy-Silk posed a threat to UKIP and queried why he had failed to confirm rumours he was starting a new political party.""He has remarkable ability to influence people but, sadly, after the (European) election it became clear that he was more interested in the Robert Kilroy-Silk Party than the UK Independence Party so it was nice knowing him, now 'goodbye',"" Mr Knapman told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.On Thursday, the party challenged Mr Kilroy-Silk to stand down as an MEP so voters can get a genuine UKIP candidate.""The party is going nowhere and I'm embarrassed with its allies in Europe and I'm ashamed to be a member of the party,"" said Mr Kilroy-Silk.Mr Kilroy-Silk also told Sky News there was ""masses of support"" for him to form a new party - something he has yet to confirm will happen.The MEP said he was ashamed to have joined the party, which he labelled as a ""joke"".Ex-chat show host Robert Kilroy-Silk has quit the UK Independence Party and accused it of betraying its supporters.UKIP won 12 seats and 16.1% of the vote at the European elections on the back of its call for the UK to leave the European Union In his speech, Mr Kilroy-Silk says the result offered UKIP an ""amazing opportunity"" but the party's leadership had done nothing and ""gone AWOL"".Mr Kilroy-Silk accused his fellow UKIP MEPs of being content with growing fat ""sitting on their backsides"" in Brussels."
1546,"Redknapp poised for Saints

Southampton are set to unveil Harry Redknapp as their new manager at a news conference at 1500 GMT on Wednesday.

The former Portsmouth boss replaces Steve Wigley, who has been relieved of first-team duties after just one win in 14 league games in charge. Redknapp, 57, quit his Fratton Park position on 24 November and vowed: ""I will not go down the road - no chance."" Pompey coach Kevin Bond is poised to join Redknapp, who will be Saints' third boss of the season. Redknapp's first game in charge will be at home to Middlesbrough on Saturday. Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric said he was ""disappointed"" by the news and claimed Redknapp had been in talks with Southampton for ""some time"".

""It would appear that negotiations over this have been going on for some time,"" Mandaric said on Portsmouth's official website. ""I am surprised and a little shocked that the chairman of Southampton has not picked up the phone and kept me informed."" According to Mandaric, Redknapp vowed he would not join their South coast rivals when he left Portsmouth. ""I said to Harry 'I hope you don't go to Southampton', and he told me 'absolutely not',"" he said. ""I'm wouldn't say I'm bitter, disgusted or angry, just disappointed, but it's Harry's life and it's his decision."" Redknapp became a cult hero after leading Portsmouth into the Premiership for the first time, and then masterminding their survival in their debut season. But he left the club claiming he needed a break from football, though many believed he was upset with Mandaric's decision to bring in Velimir Zajec as executive director.

Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe was desperate to give former academy director Wigley, who replaced Paul Sturrock just two games into the season, every chance to succeed at St Mary's. But results under Wigley have been poor and Southampton are deep in trouble near the foot of the table. When Redknapp's appointment is confirmed, he will be Saints' ninth manager in eight years.
","Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric said he was ""disappointed"" by the news and claimed Redknapp had been in talks with Southampton for ""some time"".According to Mandaric, Redknapp vowed he would not join their South coast rivals when he left Portsmouth.Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe was desperate to give former academy director Wigley, who replaced Paul Sturrock just two games into the season, every chance to succeed at St Mary's.Southampton are set to unveil Harry Redknapp as their new manager at a news conference at 1500 GMT on Wednesday.Redknapp became a cult hero after leading Portsmouth into the Premiership for the first time, and then masterminding their survival in their debut season.""I said to Harry 'I hope you don't go to Southampton', and he told me 'absolutely not',"" he said.Pompey coach Kevin Bond is poised to join Redknapp, who will be Saints' third boss of the season."
403,"WorldCom bosses' $54m payout

Ten former directors at WorldCom have agreed to pay $54m (£28.85m), including $18m from their own pockets, to settle a class action lawsuit, reports say.

James Wareham, a lawyer representing one of the directors, told Reuters the 10 had agreed to pay those who lost billions when the firm collapsed. The remaining $36m will be paid by the directors' insurers. But, a spokesman for the prosecutor, New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, said no formal agreement had been made.

Corporate governance experts said that if the directors do dip into their own pockets for the settlement, it will set a new standard for the accountability of bosses, when the firms they oversee face problems.

""Directors very rarely pay,"" said Charles Elson, chairman of the Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware. He added that the settlement ""sends a pretty strong shockwave through the director world"". A formal agreement on the payout is expected to be signed on Thursday in a US district court in Manhattan. Earlier, the New York Times had reported that the personal payments were required as part of any deal at the start of negotiations. The ten former outside directors are James Allen, Judith Areen, Carl Aycock, Max Bobbitt, Clifford Alexander, Stiles Kellett, Gordon Macklin, John Porter, Lawrence Tucker and the estate of John Sidgmore, who died last year. It has not yet been determined how much each director will have to pay. ""None of the 10 former directors was a direct participant in the accounting machinations of the WorldCom fraud,"" said the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

Two other outside former directors, Bert Roberts and Francesco Galesi, remain defendants in the lawsuit, said the newspaper. According to the WSJ, which cites people familiar to the case, the settling directors are expected to deny wrongdoing and state they are settling the case to eliminate the uncertainties and expense of further litigations. The second-largest US long-distance telecoms operator filed for bankruptcy in 2002 when an $11bn accounting scandal was unearthed. The company emerged from Chapter 11 protection last year and changed its name to MCI Inc. Former WorldCom chief executive Bernard Ebbers is to face trial this month on criminal charges that he oversaw the fraud.
","""None of the 10 former directors was a direct participant in the accounting machinations of the WorldCom fraud,"" said the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).Ten former directors at WorldCom have agreed to pay $54m (£28.85m), including $18m from their own pockets, to settle a class action lawsuit, reports say.Corporate governance experts said that if the directors do dip into their own pockets for the settlement, it will set a new standard for the accountability of bosses, when the firms they oversee face problems.""Directors very rarely pay,"" said Charles Elson, chairman of the Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware.Two other outside former directors, Bert Roberts and Francesco Galesi, remain defendants in the lawsuit, said the newspaper.It has not yet been determined how much each director will have to pay.But, a spokesman for the prosecutor, New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, said no formal agreement had been made."
2000,"US duo in first spam conviction

A brother and sister in the US have been convicted of sending hundreds of thousands of unsolicited e-mail messages to AOL subscribers.

It is the first criminal prosecution of internet spam distributors. Jurors in Virginia recommended that the man, Jeremy Jaynes, serve nine years in prison and that his sister, Jessica DeGroot, be fined $7,500. They were convicted under a state law that bars the sending of bulk e-mails using fake addresses.

They will be formally sentenced next year. A third defendant, Richard Rutkowski, was acquitted. Prosecutors said Jaynes was ""a snake oil salesman in a new format"", using the internet to peddle useless wares, news agency Associated Press reported. A ""Fed-Ex refund processor"" was supposed to allow people to earn $75 an hour working from home. Another item on sale was an ""internet history eraser"". His sister helped him process credit card payments. Jaynes amassed a fortune of $24m from his sales, prosecutors said. ""He's been successful ripping people off all these years,"" AP quoted prosecutor Russell McGuire as saying. Jaynes was also found guilty of breaking a state law which prohibits the sending of more than 100,000 e-mails in 30 days, Virginia State Attorney General Jerry Kilgore reportedly said. Prosecutors had asked for 15 years in jail for Jaynes, and a jail term for his sister. But Jaynes' lawyer David Oblon called the nine-year recommended term ""outrageous"" and said his client believed he was innocent. He pointed out that all three of the accused lived in North Carolina and were unaware of the Virginia state law. Spam messages are estimated to account for at least 60% of all e-mails sent.
","Jaynes was also found guilty of breaking a state law which prohibits the sending of more than 100,000 e-mails in 30 days, Virginia State Attorney General Jerry Kilgore reportedly said.Prosecutors said Jaynes was ""a snake oil salesman in a new format"", using the internet to peddle useless wares, news agency Associated Press reported.Prosecutors had asked for 15 years in jail for Jaynes, and a jail term for his sister.But Jaynes' lawyer David Oblon called the nine-year recommended term ""outrageous"" and said his client believed he was innocent.Jurors in Virginia recommended that the man, Jeremy Jaynes, serve nine years in prison and that his sister, Jessica DeGroot, be fined $7,500.They were convicted under a state law that bars the sending of bulk e-mails using fake addresses.Jaynes amassed a fortune of $24m from his sales, prosecutors said."
1676,"Calder fears for Scottish rugby

Former Scotland international Finlay Calder fears civil war at the SRU could seriously hamper his country's RBS Six Nations campaign.

Four members of the executive board, including the chairman, David Mackay, have resigned after a simmering row. And Calder said: ""This is terrible news for every level of Scottish rugby. ""David is a successful businessman and I thought that if anybody could transform the negative atmosphere and rising debt level, it was him."" Mackay's executive board has been in a power struggle with the general committee, which contains members elected by Scotland's club sides. ""He has been driven out by people who seem happier waging civil war than addressing the central issue that professional rugby can't be run by amateurs,"" said Calder.

""In fact, I don't understand why we are still having this argument 10 years after professionalism arrived. ""But I don't believe the rest of the SRU will take this lying down. ""I think the banks will be dismayed at this decision and, ultimately, it is them who pull the strings. ""So I wouldn't be surprised if they reviewed their position. But, in the wider picture, what message does this send out?"" He thought the work of Scotland's coaches, who have been attempting to arrest the decline of the national side, would be made much more difficult. ""Matt Williams and Willie Anderson must be wondering, 'what have we walked into here?'"" said Calder. ""And we can now expect weeks of arguments and acrimony just at a time when we should be looking forward to the Six Nations Championship. ""I am very, very disappointed, more than you can imagine. Why do so many Scots have this knack of turning on each other when the going gets tough?""
","said Calder.And Calder said: ""This is terrible news for every level of Scottish rugby.Former Scotland international Finlay Calder fears civil war at the SRU could seriously hamper his country's RBS Six Nations campaign.""He has been driven out by people who seem happier waging civil war than addressing the central issue that professional rugby can't be run by amateurs,"" said Calder.Mackay's executive board has been in a power struggle with the general committee, which contains members elected by Scotland's club sides.Four members of the executive board, including the chairman, David Mackay, have resigned after a simmering row.""David is a successful businessman and I thought that if anybody could transform the negative atmosphere and rising debt level, it was him."""
286,"China continues breakneck growth

China's economy has expanded by a breakneck 9.5% during 2004, faster than predicted and well above 2003's 9.1%.

The news may mean more limits on investment and lending as Beijing tries to take the economy off the boil. China has sucked in raw materials and energy to feed its expansion, which could have knock-on effects on the rest of the world if it overheats. But officials pointed out that industrial growth had slowed, with services providing much of the impetus. Growth in industrial output - the main target of government efforts to impose curbs on credit and investments - was 11.5% in 2004, down from 17% the previous year.

Still, consumer prices - at 2.4% - rose faster than in 2004, adding to concern that a sharp rise in producer prices of 7.1% could stoke inflation. And overall investment in fixed assets was still high, up 21.3% from the previous year - although some way off the peak of 43% seen in the first quarter of 2004. The result could be higher interest rates. China raised rates by 0.27 percentage points to 5.8% - its first hike in nine years - in October 2004.

Despite the apparent rebalancing of the economy the overall growth picture remains strong, economists said. ""There is no sign of a slowdown in 2005,"" said Tim Congdon, economist at ING Barings.

China's economy is not only gathering speed thanks to domestic demand, but also from soaring sales overseas. Figures released earlier this year showed exports at a six-year high in 2004, up 35%. Part of the impetus comes from the relative cheapness of the yuan, China's currency. The government keeps it pegged close to a rate of 8.28 to the US dollar, - much to the chagrin of many US lawmakers who blame China for lost jobs and competitiveness. Despite urging to ease the peg, officials insist they are a long way from ready to make a shift to a more market-set rate. ""We need a good and feasible plan and formulating such a plan also needs time,"" National Bureau of Statistics chief Li Deshui told Reuters. ""Those who hope to make a fortune by speculating on a renminbi revaluation will not succeed in making a profit.""
","And overall investment in fixed assets was still high, up 21.3% from the previous year - although some way off the peak of 43% seen in the first quarter of 2004.Despite the apparent rebalancing of the economy the overall growth picture remains strong, economists said.Growth in industrial output - the main target of government efforts to impose curbs on credit and investments - was 11.5% in 2004, down from 17% the previous year.China's economy has expanded by a breakneck 9.5% during 2004, faster than predicted and well above 2003's 9.1%.China raised rates by 0.27 percentage points to 5.8% - its first hike in nine years - in October 2004.China's economy is not only gathering speed thanks to domestic demand, but also from soaring sales overseas.But officials pointed out that industrial growth had slowed, with services providing much of the impetus.Despite urging to ease the peg, officials insist they are a long way from ready to make a shift to a more market-set rate."
633,"Label withdraws McFadden's video

The new video of former Westlife singer Brian McFadden has been pulled after a Dublin school complained about being associated with his song Irish Son.

St Fintian's High School says it is clearly identified in the video, while McFadden never went there. McFadden makes claims that he was beaten at his own school in the song's lyrics, saying it had ""cell blocks"". The performer's record label Sony BMG has withdrawn the video and issued replacements to television stations. The label believed the school name was fictitious until they received the complaint. They have said the reference to the school was unintentional and coincidental.

The head of Christian Brothers' school St Fintian's, Richard Fogarty, said the video implied that the 24-year-old pop star had attended his school and was abused there. ""The school has always treated its pupils with respect,"" Mr Fogarty said in a statement. McFadden makes specific references to the Christian Brothers in his song, but did not attend St Fintian's. Corporal punishment was outlawed in Irish schools in 1982 when McFadden was two years old.

McFadden, whose debut solo album is released next week, has said that every song is autobiographical and ""a true story"". Alcoholism and domestic violence are among the other topics dealt with in his songs, half of which have been written with Robbie Williams' former collaborator, Guy Chambers. McFadden, who quit chart-topping group Westlife in March, went to number one in September with his first solo single Real To Me. He enjoyed 12 chart-toppers with the boy band before parting company with them.
","The head of Christian Brothers' school St Fintian's, Richard Fogarty, said the video implied that the 24-year-old pop star had attended his school and was abused there.McFadden makes claims that he was beaten at his own school in the song's lyrics, saying it had ""cell blocks"".They have said the reference to the school was unintentional and coincidental.The new video of former Westlife singer Brian McFadden has been pulled after a Dublin school complained about being associated with his song Irish Son.Corporal punishment was outlawed in Irish schools in 1982 when McFadden was two years old.St Fintian's High School says it is clearly identified in the video, while McFadden never went there."
984,"Campaign 'cold calls' questioned

Labour and the Conservatives are still telephoning the millions of people who have signed up to make sure they do not get marketing ""cold calls"".

The parties say they can stick to the rules by ensuring that their calls are not marketing - for instance by asking about people's voting intentions. The Lib Dems are asking the watchdog overseeing the rules to stop the calls. The information commissioner's office says surveys are allowed but there is a ""grey"" area if personal data is kept. Telephone call centres are expected to be used as never before by all the three major parties in the run-up to the general election.

But seven million telephone numbers are on the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) lists, which ban unsolicited sales and marketing calls. Both schemes are run by the Direct Marketing Association and backed by EU directives on privacy and electronic communications.

The rules on marketing calls apply as much to politicians as to private sector companies. But that does not mean Labour and the Tories are not calling people signed up to the TPS. A Labour Party spokesman told the BBC News website the party avoided those on TPS lists when telephoning people about membership or fundraising. But that did not happen for ""voter identification"" calls. ""When we ask which party they will vote for, that is not marketing and we have very clear legal advice that it is not,"" he said. ""So it is not covered by the Telephone Preference Service.""

He said the party always asked people if they would be happy to be contacted again and if they said no, they were not rung again. A Conservative spokeswoman said the party stuck to the rules when it rang TPS subscribers. She said: ""We do apply TPS but in line with the law. We would not do things that are not allowed in the law."" A spokesman for the Information Commissioner's Office said it would be classed as marketing if political parties telephoned people to encourage them to vote for them. But the rules did allow polling organisations to telephone people about their voting intentions if they recorded them only as part of a bigger set of statistics, not person by person. ""If a political party was doing that than it may be that also would not be marketing,"" he said.

The spokesman said it might be considered unsolicited marketing if a party recorded voting preferences with a view to marketing information in the future. The spokesman said there was ""no yes or no"" answer and the area was ""pretty grey"". He added: ""If someone complained, then we would investigate that. Political parties are aware of the regulations. At the last by-elections, we reminded them."" Lib Dem chairman Matthew Taylor has now written to the watchdog saying: ""The advice we have received on several previous occasions is that such phone calls are illegal."" He says evidence from local Lib Dem parties around the country suggests there are ""significant"" numbers of such calls. ""I hope you can therefore take swift and efficient action to ensure that this ceases,"" he tells the commissioner. Mr Taylor argues there should be new guidelines so all parties can act in the same way if the watchdog believes the rules allow parties to ring TPS numbers about voting intentions and later urge those people to vote for them.
","A spokesman for the Information Commissioner's Office said it would be classed as marketing if political parties telephoned people to encourage them to vote for them.""If a political party was doing that than it may be that also would not be marketing,"" he said.The spokesman said it might be considered unsolicited marketing if a party recorded voting preferences with a view to marketing information in the future.He said the party always asked people if they would be happy to be contacted again and if they said no, they were not rung again.""When we ask which party they will vote for, that is not marketing and we have very clear legal advice that it is not,"" he said.Mr Taylor argues there should be new guidelines so all parties can act in the same way if the watchdog believes the rules allow parties to ring TPS numbers about voting intentions and later urge those people to vote for them.The parties say they can stick to the rules by ensuring that their calls are not marketing - for instance by asking about people's voting intentions.A Conservative spokeswoman said the party stuck to the rules when it rang TPS subscribers.A Labour Party spokesman told the BBC News website the party avoided those on TPS lists when telephoning people about membership or fundraising.But seven million telephone numbers are on the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) lists, which ban unsolicited sales and marketing calls.He says evidence from local Lib Dem parties around the country suggests there are ""significant"" numbers of such calls.She said: ""We do apply TPS but in line with the law."
1848,"Game firm holds 'cast' auditions

Video game firm Bioware is to hold open auditions for people to become cast members for future games.

The company, which makes role playing games such as Knights of the Old Republic and Neverwinter Nights, is seeking people aged 18 to 99. The Canada-based company says it was looking for ""a wide variety of people to use as face models for characters"". Everyone chosen to appear in a video game will receive a performer's fee for the use of their image. The company is inviting people to come along to a shopping mall in West Edmonton, Alberta, on Friday and Saturday, bringing along a piece of photo identification.

""There are hundreds and hundreds of characters in a typical Bioware game,"" said Shauna Perry, Bioware's audio and external resources producer. ""Those people live in any city and village and so we need ordinary people, people with interesting faces."" She added: ""Not everyone is a model in the world so we don't want just models in our games."" People chosen to appear in a game will have their head scanned in three dimensions. Hundreds of photos of the person's head are taken so that a model of the head can be generated in 3D. ""The 3D model will look exactly like the person - it's really quite incredible how detailed they are,"" said Ms Perry. She said chosen participants will have no control over how the image is used in a computer game. ""We cannot give people any control over how the images are used. ""But their face could be used in multiple games - so they could be the hero in one, the villain in another and just a merchant in a third.""
","People chosen to appear in a game will have their head scanned in three dimensions.She said chosen participants will have no control over how the image is used in a computer game.""We cannot give people any control over how the images are used.Everyone chosen to appear in a video game will receive a performer's fee for the use of their image.Video game firm Bioware is to hold open auditions for people to become cast members for future games.The Canada-based company says it was looking for ""a wide variety of people to use as face models for characters""."
1082,"Blair says mayor should apologise

Tony Blair has urged London mayor Ken Livingstone to apologise for his ""Nazi"" comment to a Jewish reporter.

Labour's Mr Livingstone, who says he is ""standing by"" his remarks, had accused an Evening Standard journalist of being like a ""concentration camp guard"". Mr Blair told Five's Wright Stuff show: ""Let's just apologise and move on."" Mr Livingstone has said the remarks may have been offensive but were not racist, and said he would not apologise even if the prime minister asked.

Mr Blair, who was instrumental in returning Mr Livingstone to the Labour Party, insisted on Wednesday it was time for the London mayor to say sorry.

""A lot of us in politics get angry with journalists from time to time, but in the circumstances, and to the journalist because he was a Jewish journalist, yes, he should apologise,"" he said. ""Let's just apologise and move on - that's the sensible thing."" Tory leader Michael Howard, asked about Mr Livingstone's remark by reporters, said it was important for politicians to be mindful about the language they use. ""It's particularly important that as we get close to the election that politicians talk with civility and courtesy about issues that we all face,"" he said. ""I think it's a matter of sadness that we are not seeing that from the Labour Party. We had what Ken Livingstone said, we had what Alastair Campbell has said and we have what others have said. I think that's a matter of great regret.""

The row blew up after Mr Livingstone was approached by Evening Standard reporter Oliver Finegold following a party marking the 20th anniversary of former Culture Secretary Chris Smith coming out as Britain's first gay MP. On tape, Mr Livingstone, who once worked as a freelance restaurant critic on the paper, is heard asking Mr Finegold if he is a ""German war criminal"".

Mr Finegold replies: ""No, I'm Jewish, I wasn't a German war criminal. I'm quite offended by that."" The mayor then says: ""Ah right, well you might be, but actually you are like a concentration camp guard, you are just doing it because you are paid to, aren't you?"" At his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Mr Livingstone said his comments were not racist and refused to apologise. ""If you think they are racist, I think you are wrong,"" he told reporters. The dispute comes as an inspection team from the International Olympic committee began a four-day tour to assess London's bid for the 2012 Games. An official complaint has been made to local government watchdogs by the British Jews, demanding an investigation by the Standards Board of England. It has the power to suspend or bar Mr Livingstone from public office.
","Mr Livingstone has said the remarks may have been offensive but were not racist, and said he would not apologise even if the prime minister asked.At his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Mr Livingstone said his comments were not racist and refused to apologise.Mr Blair, who was instrumental in returning Mr Livingstone to the Labour Party, insisted on Wednesday it was time for the London mayor to say sorry.On tape, Mr Livingstone, who once worked as a freelance restaurant critic on the paper, is heard asking Mr Finegold if he is a ""German war criminal"".We had what Ken Livingstone said, we had what Alastair Campbell has said and we have what others have said.It has the power to suspend or bar Mr Livingstone from public office.Tony Blair has urged London mayor Ken Livingstone to apologise for his ""Nazi"" comment to a Jewish reporter.Labour's Mr Livingstone, who says he is ""standing by"" his remarks, had accused an Evening Standard journalist of being like a ""concentration camp guard"".Mr Blair told Five's Wright Stuff show: ""Let's just apologise and move on."""
1717,"Ireland win eclipses refereeing 'errors'

The International Rugby Board may have to step in to stop frustrated coaches and players from publicly haranguing referees when things go belly-up.

It may have to go the whole way and have NFL-style video cameras all over the field, or slap the vociferous perpetrators over the knuckles. What the IRB does not want is a football scenario where the verbal slanging matches often overshadow the game itself. Sunday's explosive Six Nations clash at Lansdowne Road was a good example as Ireland took another step towards their first Grand Slam since 1948. The game was as exciting as it comes, with a much-improved England side enraged at a few decisions that did not go their way. One can understand that frustration. There was no doubt that Ireland had the rub of the green in their 19-13 victory, but the reaction from the England camp may not have endeared them to the sport's ""blazers"". Referee Jonathan Kaplan was not perfect by any means and two decisions in particular made him the villain of the piece. I doubt whether Kaplan would have been too pleased at the comments made. After all, he has no public recourse to criticism.

It was the same for Simon McDowell, the touch judge who was heavily criticised by Scotland coach Matt Williams after their defeat against France. As far as England were concerned, there were queries over Mark Cueto's first half-effort when he went over in the corner from a Charlie Hodgson kick.

England coach Andy Robinson referred to a similar case at Ravenhill in January when Ulster were playing Gloucester in the Heineken Cup. On that occasion, David Humphreys kicked to Tommy Bowe, who touched down in the corner only for the try to be wiped out. But you cannot have cameras at every conceivable angle to pick up such anomalies. Perhaps Robinson was right to say the referee should have gone upstairs when Josh Lewsey was driven over the Irish line near the end.

Lewsey claims he touched it down and was in full control. However, one has to credit Ireland flanker Johnny O'Connor for cleverly scooping the ball away and blocking any evidence of a touchdown. But in rugby, everything tends to even out over the 80 minutes. The referee also missed England's Danny Grewcock taking out Ronan O'Gara off the ball to allow Martin Corry a Sunday stroll to the line. Those were the stand-out moments in a classic game between the two old foes.

But there were many more, and one should not take away from those. Brian O'Driscoll's winning try was as well-conceived as they come, while Charlie Hodgson's brilliant kicking display was another highlight. And Ronan O'Gara's tremendous ability to control the game was also a crucial component. But the defining moments came with Ireland under the cosh in the final 15 minutes. Two outstanding pieces of defensive play denied England and allowed Ireland to hold on. The first was Denis Hickie's brilliant double tackle in the right-hand corner. He gobbled up Cueto from another Hodgson cross-field kick, then regained his feet to stop Lewsey from scoring a certain try. Ireland's second-row colossus Paul O'Connell was equally superb. England had turned Ireland one way then the other, and the defence cordon was slowly disintegrating. England prop Matt Stevens ran in at full steam to suck in a few more tacklers. Unfortunately he ran into O'Connell who hit him hard - very hard - and then wrestled the ball away for a crucial turnover. That spoke volumes about Ireland's back-foot display, with defensive coach Mike Ford taking a bow at the end. To win a game like that showed that Ireland have moved forward. It may be tries that win games, but it is defence that wins championships.
","England had turned Ireland one way then the other, and the defence cordon was slowly disintegrating.The game was as exciting as it comes, with a much-improved England side enraged at a few decisions that did not go their way.There was no doubt that Ireland had the rub of the green in their 19-13 victory, but the reaction from the England camp may not have endeared them to the sport's ""blazers"".Brian O'Driscoll's winning try was as well-conceived as they come, while Charlie Hodgson's brilliant kicking display was another highlight.Perhaps Robinson was right to say the referee should have gone upstairs when Josh Lewsey was driven over the Irish line near the end.Lewsey claims he touched it down and was in full control.It was the same for Simon McDowell, the touch judge who was heavily criticised by Scotland coach Matt Williams after their defeat against France.And Ronan O'Gara's tremendous ability to control the game was also a crucial component.Referee Jonathan Kaplan was not perfect by any means and two decisions in particular made him the villain of the piece.However, one has to credit Ireland flanker Johnny O'Connor for cleverly scooping the ball away and blocking any evidence of a touchdown.The first was Denis Hickie's brilliant double tackle in the right-hand corner.Sunday's explosive Six Nations clash at Lansdowne Road was a good example as Ireland took another step towards their first Grand Slam since 1948.Two outstanding pieces of defensive play denied England and allowed Ireland to hold on.Ireland's second-row colossus Paul O'Connell was equally superb."
1083,"Jowell confirms casino climbdown

Tessa Jowell has announced plans to limit the number of new casinos in the UK to 24, in a move branded a ""humiliating retreat"" by the Tories.

It puts an end to plans for up to 40 super casinos, originally outlined in the government's Gambling Bill. Instead there will be a cap of eight new casinos in each size category - small, medium and large. The Culture Secretary said the move showed she listened to critics who feared an explosion in gambling.

But Conservative shadow culture secretary John Whittingdale said the way the government had handled the bill was a ""shambles"". ""This announcement is a further humiliating retreat by the government. ""Instead of the initial intention of the gambling bill, to liberalise the rules governing gambling, the bill now imposes a more restrictive regime than exists at present."" Shares in British casino operators London Clubs International, Rank Group and Stanley Leisure, who had been hoping the bill would pave the way for a big expansion in smaller casinos, fell by between 10 and 25% following the announcement. Ms Jowell's deputy, Richard Caborn, said the government had adopted a cautious approach to the issue, and responded to the concerns raised. ""Limiting the number of regional casinos to eight in the first phase is a cautious move that will allow us to test the impact of a new kind of casino on the levels of problem gambling,"" he said. ""We also believe it's right to apply this same level of caution to small and large casinos.""

He added that local authorities would still be able to stop new casinos coming to their areas. Church groups welcomed the limit on the number of casinos. Salvation Army spokesman Jonathan Lomax said: ""The proliferation of these casinos on high streets across the country was a real concern and the [three year] trial period, which we think should last at least five years, will enable research into the potentially severe social consequences of an increase in hard and addictive forms of gambling."" But British British Casino Association Chairman Penny Cobham said her members were ""outraged"" by the decision, which followed a campaign in the Daily Mail newspaper. ""There was never going to be a massive explosion of casinos. Talk of a casino on every High Street was just a scaring tactic.""
","""Limiting the number of regional casinos to eight in the first phase is a cautious move that will allow us to test the impact of a new kind of casino on the levels of problem gambling,"" he said.Tessa Jowell has announced plans to limit the number of new casinos in the UK to 24, in a move branded a ""humiliating retreat"" by the Tories.Shares in British casino operators London Clubs International, Rank Group and Stanley Leisure, who had been hoping the bill would pave the way for a big expansion in smaller casinos, fell by between 10 and 25% following the announcement.But Conservative shadow culture secretary John Whittingdale said the way the government had handled the bill was a ""shambles"".Instead there will be a cap of eight new casinos in each size category - small, medium and large.The Culture Secretary said the move showed she listened to critics who feared an explosion in gambling.It puts an end to plans for up to 40 super casinos, originally outlined in the government's Gambling Bill."
512,"Jarre joins fairytale celebration

French musician Jean-Michel Jarre is to perform at a concert in Copenhagen to mark the bicentennial of the birth of writer Hans Christian Andersen.

Denmark is holding a three-day celebration of the life of the fairy-tale author, with a concert at Parken stadium on 2 April. Other stars are expected to join the line-up in the coming months, and the Danish royal family will attend. ""Christian Andersen's fairy tales are timeless and universal,"" said Jarre. ""For all of us, at any age there is always - beyond the pure enjoyment of the tale - a message to learn."" There are year-long celebrations planned across the world to celebrate Andersen and his work, which includes The Emperor's New Clothes and The Little Mermaid. Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary visited New York on Monday to help promote the festivities. The pair were at a Manhattan library to honour US literary critic Harold Bloom ""the international icon we thought we knew so well"".

""Bloom recognizes the darker aspects of Andersen's authorship,"" Prince Frederik said. Bloom is to be formally presented with the Hans Christian Andersen Award this spring in Anderson's hometown of Odense. The royal couple also visited the Hans Christian Anderson School complex, where Queen Mary read The Ugly Duckling to the young audience. Later at a gala dinner, Danish supermodel Helena Christensen was named a Hans Christian Andersen ambassador. Other ambassadors include actors Harvey Keitel and Sir Roger Moore, athlete Cathy Freeman and Brazilian soccer legend Pele.
","Bloom is to be formally presented with the Hans Christian Andersen Award this spring in Anderson's hometown of Odense.Later at a gala dinner, Danish supermodel Helena Christensen was named a Hans Christian Andersen ambassador.French musician Jean-Michel Jarre is to perform at a concert in Copenhagen to mark the bicentennial of the birth of writer Hans Christian Andersen.""Christian Andersen's fairy tales are timeless and universal,"" said Jarre.The royal couple also visited the Hans Christian Anderson School complex, where Queen Mary read The Ugly Duckling to the young audience.""Bloom recognizes the darker aspects of Andersen's authorship,"" Prince Frederik said."
259,"Latin America sees strong growth

Latin America's economy grew by 5.5% in 2004, its best performance since 1980, while exports registered their best performance in two decades.

The United Nations' Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean said the region grew by 5.5% this year. The Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) said regional exports reached $445.1bn (£227bn;331bn euros) in 2004. Doubts about the strength of the US recovery and overheating of the Chinese economy do however pose risks for 2005. Both organisations also warned that high oil prices raise the risk of either inflation or recession.

Nevertheless, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) still forecasts growth of 4% for 2005. Strong recovery in some countries, such as Venezuela and Uruguay, boosted the overall performance of the region. ECLAC also said that the six largest Latin American economies (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela) grew by more than 3% for only the second time in 20 years. Chinese and US economic strength helped boost exports, as did strong demand for agricultural and mining products. In fact, Latin American exports to China grew 34%, to $14bn. Higher oil prices also helped boost exports, as Mexico and Venezuela are important oil exporters. Regional blocs as well as free trade agreements with the US contributed to the region's strong performance, the IADB said.
","The United Nations' Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean said the region grew by 5.5% this year.ECLAC also said that the six largest Latin American economies (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela) grew by more than 3% for only the second time in 20 years.Latin America's economy grew by 5.5% in 2004, its best performance since 1980, while exports registered their best performance in two decades.In fact, Latin American exports to China grew 34%, to $14bn.Chinese and US economic strength helped boost exports, as did strong demand for agricultural and mining products."
221,"BP surges ahead on high oil price

Oil giant BP has announced a 26% rise in annual profits to $16.2bn (£8.7bn) on the back of record oil prices.

Last week, rival Shell reported an annual profit of $17.5bn - a record profit for a UK-listed company. BP added that it was increasing its fourth-quarter dividend by 26% to 8.5 cents, and that it would continue with share buybacks. BP chief executive Lord Browne said the results were strong ""both operationally and financially.""

The company is earning about $1.8m an hour.

Despite the record annual profits figure, BP's performance was below the expectations of some City analysts. However, BP's share price rose 4p or nearly 1% in morning trading to 548p. Its profit rise for the year included profits of $3.65bn (£1.97bn) for the final three months of 2004 - up from $2.89bn a year ago but below its third quarter.

Speaking on the BBC's Today programme on Tuesday, Lord Browne said the profits were not solely down to the high oil price alone.

""The profits are up more than the price of oil is up,"" he said. Lord Browne pointed out that BP was reaping the benefits of its investment in oil exploration. ""We have spent many years buying (assets) when the price is low,"" he said. The company has made new discoveries in Egypt, the Gulf of Mexico and Angola.

However, Lord Browne rejected calls for a windfall tax on his company's huge profits, saying that in the North Sea it paid progressively more tax, the more profits it made. Lord Browne believes oil prices will remain quite high. Currently above $40 a barrel, he said: ""The price of oil will be well supported above $30 a barrel for the medium term."" BP put production for the year at 3.997 billion barrels of oil, up 10% on 2003, but slightly lower than the four billion barrels it had initially aimed for.
","""The profits are up more than the price of oil is up,"" he said.Speaking on the BBC's Today programme on Tuesday, Lord Browne said the profits were not solely down to the high oil price alone.Oil giant BP has announced a 26% rise in annual profits to $16.2bn (£8.7bn) on the back of record oil prices.Lord Browne believes oil prices will remain quite high.Last week, rival Shell reported an annual profit of $17.5bn - a record profit for a UK-listed company.Lord Browne pointed out that BP was reaping the benefits of its investment in oil exploration.Currently above $40 a barrel, he said: ""The price of oil will be well supported above $30 a barrel for the medium term."""
1872,"'No re-draft' for EU patent law

A proposed European law on software patents will not be re-drafted by the European Commission (EC) despite requests by MEPs.

The law is proving controversial and has been in limbo for a year. Some major tech firms say it is needed to protect inventions, while others fear it will hurt smaller tech firms The EC says the Council of Ministers will adopt a draft version that was agreed upon last May but said it would review ""all aspects of the directive"". The directive is intended to offer patent protection to inventions that use software to achieve their effect, in other words, ""computer implemented invention"".

In a letter, EC President José Manuel Barroso told the President of the European Parliament, Josep Borrell, that the Commission ""did not intend to refer a new proposal to the Parliament and the Council (of ministers)"" as it had supported the agreement reached by ministers in May 2004.

If the European Council agrees on the draft directive it will then return for a second reading at the European Parliament. But that will not guarantee that the directive will become law - instead it will probably mean further delays and controversy over the directive. Most EU legislation now needs the approval of both parliament and the Council of Ministers before it becomes law. French Green MEP Alain Lipietz warned two weeks ago that if the Commission ignored the Parliament's request it would be an ""insult"" to the assembly. He said that the parliament would then reject the Council's version of the legislation as part of the final or conciliation stage of the decision procedure. In the US, the patenting of computer programs and internet business methods is permitted.

This means that the US-based Amazon.com holds a patent for its ""one-click shopping"" service, for example. Critics are concerned that the directive could lead to a similar model happening in Europe. This, they fear, could hurt small software developers because they do not have the legal and financial might of larger companies if they had to fight patent legal action in court. Supporters say current laws are inefficient and it would serve to even up a playing field without bringing EU laws in line with the US.
","A proposed European law on software patents will not be re-drafted by the European Commission (EC) despite requests by MEPs.But that will not guarantee that the directive will become law - instead it will probably mean further delays and controversy over the directive.Supporters say current laws are inefficient and it would serve to even up a playing field without bringing EU laws in line with the US.If the European Council agrees on the draft directive it will then return for a second reading at the European Parliament.Most EU legislation now needs the approval of both parliament and the Council of Ministers before it becomes law.Some major tech firms say it is needed to protect inventions, while others fear it will hurt smaller tech firms The EC says the Council of Ministers will adopt a draft version that was agreed upon last May but said it would review ""all aspects of the directive""."
739,"New York rockers top talent poll

New York electro-rock group The Bravery have come top of the BBC News website's Sound of 2005 poll to find the music scene's most promising new act.

The Bravery, who have been compared to The Cure and New Order, were the most heavily-tipped act in the survey of 110 impartial critics and broadcasters. Rock band Keane won Sound of 2004 while US rapper 50 Cent topped Sound of 2003. Other new artists in this year's list include London indie group Bloc Party at second and UK rapper Kano third. The Bravery played their first gig in 2003 and have since supported bands including The Libertines, Interpol and Echo and the Bunnymen.

They were the subject of a record company bidding war in 2004 and their debut single, Unconditional, caused a huge buzz when it was released in the UK in November. Singer Sam Endicott said he felt ""great"" about coming top of the Sound of 2005 list. ""Anyone that says they don't want a zillion screaming fans is a jackass, a liar,"" he said. One of the experts to tip The Bravery was The Times' music critic Paul Connolly, who said they were ""spiky but in love with pop"". Chris Hawkins, host of BBC 6 Music's chart show, said the band had ""great guitars and a mastery of the electro-clash sound"". ""The Bravery are proof alone that New York City is still home to hot new talent,"" he said. Alison Howe, producer of TV show Later... With Jools Holland, booked the group to appear the day after seeing them at a west London pub.

""They played like they were headlining the main stage at Glastonbury,"" she said. ""Great songs, a good look, a touch of attitude and a cracking live band.""

Q magazine reviews editor Ted Kessler said they were ""pretty-boy New York clothes horses"" with ""an unusually nimble ear for concise, yearning pop in the mould of Duran Duran or The Strokes"". Other pundits to take part in the survey included BBC Radio 1 DJ Trevor Nelson, NME editor Conor McNicholas, Top of the Pops presenter Fearne Cotton, Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis and BBC Radio 2 music editor Colin Martin. Elsewhere on the top 10, second-placed rock band Bloc Party began their rise after supporting Franz Ferdinand and UK garage MC Kano, in third, is signed to The Streets' record label. US rapper The Game is hip-hop great Dr Dre's latest protege while Leeds group Kaiser Chiefs came fifth with a promise to lead a Britpop revival. In last year's survey, Keane were followed by Franz Ferdinand, Razorlight and Joss Stone in the top five - all of whom were virtually unknown outside the music industry at that point.

Boy band McFly were sixth while Scissor Sisters, who had the UK's best-selling album of 2004, were seventh. In the survey, the pundits were asked for tips for three acts they thought were capable of reaching the top in their chosen genre, either in terms of sales or critical acclaim. The artists could be from any country and any musical genre, but must not have had a UK top 20 single, been a contestant on a TV talent show or already be famous for doing something else, such as a soap actor. Those tips were then counted and compiled to make the top 10.
","New York electro-rock group The Bravery have come top of the BBC News website's Sound of 2005 poll to find the music scene's most promising new act.Singer Sam Endicott said he felt ""great"" about coming top of the Sound of 2005 list.Chris Hawkins, host of BBC 6 Music's chart show, said the band had ""great guitars and a mastery of the electro-clash sound"".""The Bravery are proof alone that New York City is still home to hot new talent,"" he said.Other new artists in this year's list include London indie group Bloc Party at second and UK rapper Kano third.Elsewhere on the top 10, second-placed rock band Bloc Party began their rise after supporting Franz Ferdinand and UK garage MC Kano, in third, is signed to The Streets' record label.One of the experts to tip The Bravery was The Times' music critic Paul Connolly, who said they were ""spiky but in love with pop"".Rock band Keane won Sound of 2004 while US rapper 50 Cent topped Sound of 2003.The Bravery, who have been compared to The Cure and New Order, were the most heavily-tipped act in the survey of 110 impartial critics and broadcasters.The artists could be from any country and any musical genre, but must not have had a UK top 20 single, been a contestant on a TV talent show or already be famous for doing something else, such as a soap actor."
1494,"Desailly backs Blues revenge trip

Marcel Desailly insists there is no chance of history repeating itself when Chelsea take on Barcelona on Wednesday.

The French star was part of the Chelsea side crushed 5-1 at the Nou Camp in the Champions League quarter-final second leg in 2000. ""Things will be totally different this time,"" he told BBC Sport. ""Now everyone knows about Chelsea and is a little bit afraid of them. They are one of the major clubs in Europe and the pressure will be on Barcelona."" Chelsea have not played Barcelona since that quarter-final tie five years ago. The Blues had looked destined to progress after winning the first leg at Stamford Bridge 3-1, courtesy of two goals from Tore Andre Flo and one by Gianfranco Zola. But they collapsed in the second leg, going down to strikes from Rivaldo (2), Luis Figo, Dani and Patrick Kluivert.

Former Chelsea captain Desailly, who is now playing for Al-Gharafa in Qatar, says there is no comparison between that side and the current Blues team, who are top of the Premiership. ""Mentally they are much stronger, even though a lot of their players are young,"" the 36-year-old said. ""We made some mistakes at the Nou Camp in 2000 - a lot of them were individual mistakes. ""It would not happen now. This team has a new motivation and a different mentality."" World Cup winner Desailly saw huge changes during his time at Stamford Bridge. He was signed for £4.6m from AC Milan in 1998 by Ruud Gullit and went on to play under Gianluca Vialli and Claudio Ranieri. But the biggest change occurred when billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003. Desailly says the Russian's arrival helped to instil a winning mentality at the club as well as a demand for success. ""The whole of Chelsea is different now - the chairman, the manager and all the players,"" he said.

""Everything is new and there is a huge determination to win. ""Since that game in 2000, Chelsea have gained more experience in Europe and were very close to reaching the Champions League final last season."" Desailly is one of the most decorated players in the history of football. He won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship with France, the Champions League in 1993 with Marseilles and 1994 with AC Milan, two Serie A titles and the FA Cup in 2000 with Chelsea. He is now winding down his career in Qatar, alongside the likes of Frank Lebeouf, Josep Guardiola, Titi Camara, Gabriel Batistuta and Christophe Dugarry. So he is full of admiration for two of his colleagues from the great Milan side of the mid-90s who are likely to line up against Manchester United on Wednesday - Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Costacurta. ""I'm happy that they have managed to play so long at a high level,"" he said. ""I made a vow to Costacurta that as long as he plays, I will continue to play. ""And it's amazing that Paolo has managed to play at such a high level for such a long time.""
","The French star was part of the Chelsea side crushed 5-1 at the Nou Camp in the Champions League quarter-final second leg in 2000.Marcel Desailly insists there is no chance of history repeating itself when Chelsea take on Barcelona on Wednesday.Former Chelsea captain Desailly, who is now playing for Al-Gharafa in Qatar, says there is no comparison between that side and the current Blues team, who are top of the Premiership.""And it's amazing that Paolo has managed to play at such a high level for such a long time.""""The whole of Chelsea is different now - the chairman, the manager and all the players,"" he said.World Cup winner Desailly saw huge changes during his time at Stamford Bridge.He won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship with France, the Champions League in 1993 with Marseilles and 1994 with AC Milan, two Serie A titles and the FA Cup in 2000 with Chelsea.""I'm happy that they have managed to play so long at a high level,"" he said.Chelsea have not played Barcelona since that quarter-final tie five years ago.""Since that game in 2000, Chelsea have gained more experience in Europe and were very close to reaching the Champions League final last season.""Desailly is one of the most decorated players in the history of football."
679,"US actor 'found with gun residue'

Actor Robert Blake had gunshot residue on his hands and clothes the night his wife was shot dead, a court has heard.

But it may not have come from the shot that killed Bonny Lee Bakley in 2001, Mr Blake's murder trial was told by criminalist Steven Dowell. Mr Dowell told a Los Angeles court the residue may have come from Mr Blake's revolver, his gun collection, his presence at the crime scene or police. The 71-year-old former star of US TV drama Baretta has denied murder. Mr Blake said he found Ms Bakley, 44, dead in a car after they left a restaurant.

He said he briefly returned to the restaurant to collect a gun he had left behind and discovered her body when he returned. The gun he collected was not the murder weapon. It could also have been picked up if he touched or leant on the car when he found the body, or from a police box in which his clothes were later stored. The box had come from an area where officers went after being on the firing range. But Mr Dowell also said the residue would have been present if Mr Blake fired a gun that night. Witnesses have already told the trial Mr Blake ""stood out as being quite nervous and agitated"" at the restaurant before the murder. The actor, who won an Emmy for playing a maverick detective in the 1970s TV cop drama Baretta, could face life in prison if convicted.
","But Mr Dowell also said the residue would have been present if Mr Blake fired a gun that night.But it may not have come from the shot that killed Bonny Lee Bakley in 2001, Mr Blake's murder trial was told by criminalist Steven Dowell.Mr Dowell told a Los Angeles court the residue may have come from Mr Blake's revolver, his gun collection, his presence at the crime scene or police.Mr Blake said he found Ms Bakley, 44, dead in a car after they left a restaurant.Witnesses have already told the trial Mr Blake ""stood out as being quite nervous and agitated"" at the restaurant before the murder."
474,"Virgin Blue shares plummet 20%

Shares in Australian budget airline Virgin Blue plunged 20% after it warned of a steep fall in full year profits.

Virgin Blue said profits after tax for the year to March would be between 10% to 15% lower than the previous year. ""Sluggish demand reported previously for November and now December 2004 continues,"" said Virgin Blue chief executive Brett Godfrey. Virgin Blue, which is 25% owned by Richard Branson, has been struggling to fend off pressure from rival Jetstar. It cut its full year passenger number forecast by ""approximately 2.5%"". Virgin Blue reported a 22% fall in first quarter profits in August 2004 due to tough competition. In November, first half profits were down due to slack demand and rising fuel costs. Virgin Blue was launched four years ago and now has roughly one third of Australia's domestic airline market. But the national carrier, Qantas, has fought back with its own budget airline, Jetstar, which took to the skies in May 2004. Sydney-listed Virgin Blue's shares recovered slightly to close 12% down on Wednesday. Shares in its major shareholder, Patrick Corporation - which owns 46% of Virgin Blue - had dropped 31% by the close.
","Shares in Australian budget airline Virgin Blue plunged 20% after it warned of a steep fall in full year profits.Virgin Blue said profits after tax for the year to March would be between 10% to 15% lower than the previous year.Virgin Blue reported a 22% fall in first quarter profits in August 2004 due to tough competition.Virgin Blue was launched four years ago and now has roughly one third of Australia's domestic airline market.Virgin Blue, which is 25% owned by Richard Branson, has been struggling to fend off pressure from rival Jetstar."
2177,"Anti-tremor mouse stops PC shakes

A special adaptor that helps people with hand tremors control a computer mouse more easily has been developed.

The device uses similar ""steady cam"" technology found in camcorders to filter out shaking hand movements. People with hand tremors find it hard to use conventional mice for simple computer tasks because of the erratic movements of the cursor on the screen. About three million Britons have some sort of hand tremor condition, said the UK National Tremor Foundation. ""Using a computer mouse is well known for being extremely hard for people with tremors so we're delighted to hear that a technology has been developed to address this problem,"" said Karen Walsh, from the UK National Tremor Foundation. Most commonly associated with tremors is Parkinson's disease, but they can also be caused by other conditions like Essential Tremor (ET). Tremors more often affect older people, but can hit all ages. ET, for example, is genetic and can afflict people throughout their lives.

The Assistive Mouse Adapter (AMA) is the brainchild of IBM researcher Jim Levine who developed the prototype after seeing his uncle, who has Parkinson's disease, struggle with mouse control. ""I knew that there must be way to improve the situation for him and the millions of other tremor sufferers around the world, including the elderly.

""The number of elderly computer users will increase as the population ages, and at the same time, the need for computer access grows,"" he said. Computer users plug the device into a PC, and it can be adjusted depending on how severe the tremor is. It is also able to recognise multiple clicking on a mouse button caused by shaky digits. IBM said it would partner up with a small UK-based electronics firm, Montrose Secam, to produce the devices which will cost about £70. James Cosgrave, one of the company's directors, said it would make a big difference to those with tremors. ""I'm a pilot and my tremor condition has not limited my ability to fly a plane,"" he said. ""But using a PC has proven almost impossible simply because everything revolves around using the mouse to accurately manipulate the tiny cursor on the screen."" He said a prototype of the gadget had transformed his life.

The device could help open up computing to millions more people who have found shaking to be a barrier. Last year, the Office for National Statistics reported that for the first time, more than half of all households in Britain had a home computer. With prices getting cheaper to get online too, computer ownership is increasing. But although 62% of British people have tried the internet, only 15% of Britons aged 65 or over have been online. More than six million UK households now have a broadband net. By the middle of 2005, it is estimated that 50% of all UK net users will be on broadband. There are still millions using the net through dial-up connections too.
","""Using a computer mouse is well known for being extremely hard for people with tremors so we're delighted to hear that a technology has been developed to address this problem,"" said Karen Walsh, from the UK National Tremor Foundation.A special adaptor that helps people with hand tremors control a computer mouse more easily has been developed.About three million Britons have some sort of hand tremor condition, said the UK National Tremor Foundation.People with hand tremors find it hard to use conventional mice for simple computer tasks because of the erratic movements of the cursor on the screen.Computer users plug the device into a PC, and it can be adjusted depending on how severe the tremor is.""The number of elderly computer users will increase as the population ages, and at the same time, the need for computer access grows,"" he said.""I'm a pilot and my tremor condition has not limited my ability to fly a plane,"" he said.Most commonly associated with tremors is Parkinson's disease, but they can also be caused by other conditions like Essential Tremor (ET).The device could help open up computing to millions more people who have found shaking to be a barrier.More than six million UK households now have a broadband net."
1226,"Manchester wins Labour conference

The Labour Party will hold its 2006 autumn conference in Manchester and not Blackpool, it has been confirmed.

The much trailed decision was ratified by Labour's ruling National Executive Committee in a break with the traditional choice of a seaside venue. It will be the first time since 1917 that the party has chosen Manchester to host the annual event. Blackpool will get the much smaller February spring conference instead in what will be seen as a placatory move.

For years the main political parties have rotated between Blackpool, Bournemouth and Brighton. And the news the much larger annual conference is not to gather in Blackpool will be seen as a blow in the coastal resort. In 1998 the party said it would not return to Blackpool but did so in 2002. The following year Bournemouth hosted the event before the party signed a two year deal for Brighton to host the autumn conference.

Colin Asplin, Blackpool Hotel Association said: ""We have tried very hard to make sure they come back to Blackpool. ""Obviously we have failed in that. I just hope Manchester can handle the crowds. ""It amazes me that the Labour Party, which is a working class party, doesn't want to come to the main working class resort in the country."" The exact cost to Blackpool in terms of lost revenue for hotel accommodation is not yet known but it is thought that block bookings will be taken at the major Manchester hotels after the official announcement.
","The Labour Party will hold its 2006 autumn conference in Manchester and not Blackpool, it has been confirmed.For years the main political parties have rotated between Blackpool, Bournemouth and Brighton.In 1998 the party said it would not return to Blackpool but did so in 2002.And the news the much larger annual conference is not to gather in Blackpool will be seen as a blow in the coastal resort.Colin Asplin, Blackpool Hotel Association said: ""We have tried very hard to make sure they come back to Blackpool.It will be the first time since 1917 that the party has chosen Manchester to host the annual event."
2095,"US hacker breaks into T-Mobile

A man is facing charges of hacking into computers at the US arm of mobile phone firm T-Mobile.

The Californian man, Nicholas Lee Jacobsen, was arrested in October. Mr Jacobsen tried at least twice to hack T-Mobile's network and took names and social security numbers of 400 customers, said a company spokesman. The arrest came a year after T-Mobile uncovered the unauthorised access. The US Secret Service has been investigating the case. ""T-Mobile has stringent procedures in place where we monitor for suspicious activity so that limited his activities and we were able to take corrective action immediately,"" Peter Dobrow, a T-Mobile spokesperson said. It is thought that Mr Jacobsen's hacking campaign took place over at least seven months during which time he read e-mails and personal computer files, according to court records.

Although Mr Jacobsen, 21, managed to get hold of some data, it is thought he failed to get customer credit card numbers which are stored on a separate computer system, said Mr Dobrow. T-Mobile confirmed that the US Secret Service was also looking into whether the hacker accessed photos that T-Mobile subscribers had taken with their camera phones. The Associated Press agency reported that Mr Jacobsen also read personal files on the Secret Service agent who was apparently investigating the case. A Los Angeles grand jury indicted Mr Jacobsen with intentionally accessing a computer system without authorisation and with the unauthorised impairment of a protected computer between March and October 2004. He is currently on bail. T-Mobile is a subsidiary company of Deutsche Telekom and has about 16.3 million subscribers in the US.
","T-Mobile confirmed that the US Secret Service was also looking into whether the hacker accessed photos that T-Mobile subscribers had taken with their camera phones.The Associated Press agency reported that Mr Jacobsen also read personal files on the Secret Service agent who was apparently investigating the case.A man is facing charges of hacking into computers at the US arm of mobile phone firm T-Mobile.T-Mobile is a subsidiary company of Deutsche Telekom and has about 16.3 million subscribers in the US.The US Secret Service has been investigating the case.Although Mr Jacobsen, 21, managed to get hold of some data, it is thought he failed to get customer credit card numbers which are stored on a separate computer system, said Mr Dobrow."
1212,"Blair moves to woo Jewish voters

Tony Blair has pledged to ""never, ever, ever"" attack Tory leader Michael Howard over his Jewish beliefs.

The prime minister told the Jewish Chronicle: ""If you look at what I do, I attack Michael Howard politically."" Mr Blair also distanced himself from recent Labour campaign posters featuring Mr Howard, which critics claimed were ""anti-Semitic"". These were ""not intended to cause any offence to anyone on the Jewish community,"" Mr Blair insisted.

One poster depicted Mr Howard and his shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin, who is also Jewish, as flying pigs. Another pictured the Tory leader swinging a pocket watch on a chain, which critics said echoed the Jewish money lender Shylock in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice.

Others compared the image to the character Fagin in Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. Labour has since taken the designs of its website, saying members had preferred other designs. During his interview with the Jewish Chronicle, Mr Blair said: ""I've been a very strong supporter of the Jewish community and Israel, and will always be so."" Pressed on whether he would draw attention to Mr Howard's Jewish beliefs in an attempt to attract Muslim support, he replied: ""The idea that I would allow anybody to make such a charge is outrageous. It's untrue. ""If you look what I do, I attack Michael Howard politically. I would never, ever, ever attack him on that basis.""

Mr Blair also defended his party's attitude towards the Jewish community, pointing out that it was his government that had introduced the Holocaust Memorial Day. He added that Labour also aggressively fought all forms of racism.

Neither the Conservatives nor the Liberal Democrats wished to comment on Mr Blair's words. The prime minister was speaking as London's Labour mayor Ken Livingstone remains embroiled in a row over comments he made to a Jewish reporter from the city's Evening Standard newspaper. Mr Blair repeated calls for the mayor to apologise for likening the reporter, Oliver Finegold, to a concentration camp guard. Mr Livingstone ""should have withdrawn the comment immediately"" once he realised the journalist was Jewish, said Mr Blair. ""I'm sure that is what in truth he wants to do. Well, he should do it."" Mr Livingstone has said he could not sincerely say sorry for the comments he made, and claims he has been targeted by the newspaper. He conceded his comments may have been offensive but were not racist, and said earlier this week he would not apologise even if Mr Blair asked.
","Mr Livingstone ""should have withdrawn the comment immediately"" once he realised the journalist was Jewish, said Mr Blair.During his interview with the Jewish Chronicle, Mr Blair said: ""I've been a very strong supporter of the Jewish community and Israel, and will always be so.""Mr Blair also distanced himself from recent Labour campaign posters featuring Mr Howard, which critics claimed were ""anti-Semitic"".Tony Blair has pledged to ""never, ever, ever"" attack Tory leader Michael Howard over his Jewish beliefs.These were ""not intended to cause any offence to anyone on the Jewish community,"" Mr Blair insisted.One poster depicted Mr Howard and his shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin, who is also Jewish, as flying pigs.Mr Blair also defended his party's attitude towards the Jewish community, pointing out that it was his government that had introduced the Holocaust Memorial Day.The prime minister told the Jewish Chronicle: ""If you look at what I do, I attack Michael Howard politically.""He conceded his comments may have been offensive but were not racist, and said earlier this week he would not apologise even if Mr Blair asked.Mr Livingstone has said he could not sincerely say sorry for the comments he made, and claims he has been targeted by the newspaper."
99,"GM, Ford cut output as sales fall

US car firms General Motors (GM) and Ford have been forced to cut production in the face of falling car sales.

US sales at GM sank 12.7% in February compared to a year ago while Ford sales dropped 3% as foreign rivals took a bigger share of the market. Meanwhile, Asian carmakers fared well - Toyota sales jumped 11% while rival Nissan notched up a 10% increase. Overall. sales across the industry also fell to 1.25 million vehicles from 1.27 million a year earlier.

GM and Ford blamed high fuel prices for low sales of big trucks and gas-guzzling sports utility vehicles (SUVs) - the vehicles that provide the biggest profits.

GM added that US truck sales fell 9% in February while car business tumbled 17%, however it did acknowledge that some new products - such as the Pontiac G6 and Chevrolet Cobalt - had put in solid performances. ""The calendar year is starting off slower than expected, both for GM and the industry,"" said Mark LaNeve, GM's vice president for North American sales, service and marketing. The slump in sales prompted the group to cut production in North America by 3% - it has already reduced output by around 9% in the face of growing stockpiles. Meanwhile, Ford which posted its ninth consecutive drop in monthly US sales, said it was cutting first-quarter North American production by another 10,000 vehicles, or 1.2%. Chrysler, the US unit of Germany's DaimlerChrysler, was the only Detroit based automaker to boast an increase in market share during the month - with sales rising 8%.

But America's loss was its foreign rivals' gain as they continued to nibble away at the US market. While Japan's top car maker Toyota and Nissan saw sales accelerate, even the smaller Suzuki Motor Corp snapped up a more business with sales improving 17.6% on a year ago. In 2003, the firm launched an ambitious plan to triple US sales by 2007 as it seeks to become a bigger player in the Asian assault on the US market. Korea's Hyundai was another big gainer, turning in a 19% surge in February sales. Toyota put its rise in sales down to strong results for its redesigned Avalon sedan and a 120% surge in sales of its gas-electric Prius hybrid mid-size sedan as petrol-price conscious consumers looked to vehicles that were cheaper to run. ""As gas prices continue their upward march, fuel efficiency catches the public eye,"" Jim Press, vice president and chief operating officer of Toyota's US sales arm, said in a statement.
","US sales at GM sank 12.7% in February compared to a year ago while Ford sales dropped 3% as foreign rivals took a bigger share of the market.In 2003, the firm launched an ambitious plan to triple US sales by 2007 as it seeks to become a bigger player in the Asian assault on the US market.Chrysler, the US unit of Germany's DaimlerChrysler, was the only Detroit based automaker to boast an increase in market share during the month - with sales rising 8%.GM added that US truck sales fell 9% in February while car business tumbled 17%, however it did acknowledge that some new products - such as the Pontiac G6 and Chevrolet Cobalt - had put in solid performances.While Japan's top car maker Toyota and Nissan saw sales accelerate, even the smaller Suzuki Motor Corp snapped up a more business with sales improving 17.6% on a year ago.US car firms General Motors (GM) and Ford have been forced to cut production in the face of falling car sales.Meanwhile, Ford which posted its ninth consecutive drop in monthly US sales, said it was cutting first-quarter North American production by another 10,000 vehicles, or 1.2%."
843,"Actor Scott is new Bond favourite

Bookmaker William Hill has stopped taking bets on who will be the next James Bond, following a succession of large wagers on actor Dougray Scott.

The firm closed the book on Friday, saying ""insider information"" could have contributed to the number of bets. ""In the past gambles like this have often been right,"" William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams said. The closing list gave Scott odds of 6-9, followed by Oscar nominee Clive Owen at 5-2. Scott first found fame in the TV series Soldier Soldier and has since then starred in such films as Mission Impossible II and the wartime drama Enigma.

Mr Adams said one punter had placed a bet of £870 on the 39-year-old actor at odds of 8-1. ""She told us she had some inside information, perhaps she knew he had been to a casting, but she wouldn't say,"" he said. Others thought to be in the running include Star Wars actor Ewan McGregor and Australian star Hugh Jackman, both of whom have odds of 4-1. Colin Farrell, Jude Law and Troy star Eric Bana have also been tipped for the role in the past.

A large number of bets on actor Colin Salmon to become the first black James Bond were dismissed as a publicity stunt a month ago. The next Bond film, originally due for release in 2005, has been delayed until 2006 due to Sony's takeover of the MGM studio. The most recent, Die Another Day, was released in late 2002 and saw Pierce Brosnan make his final appearance as the secret agent. The actor was originally due to make a fifth appearance as Bond, but was released from his contract in 2004.
","Bookmaker William Hill has stopped taking bets on who will be the next James Bond, following a succession of large wagers on actor Dougray Scott.The actor was originally due to make a fifth appearance as Bond, but was released from his contract in 2004.Mr Adams said one punter had placed a bet of £870 on the 39-year-old actor at odds of 8-1.A large number of bets on actor Colin Salmon to become the first black James Bond were dismissed as a publicity stunt a month ago.The next Bond film, originally due for release in 2005, has been delayed until 2006 due to Sony's takeover of the MGM studio.Others thought to be in the running include Star Wars actor Ewan McGregor and Australian star Hugh Jackman, both of whom have odds of 4-1."
1462,"Legendary Dutch boss Michels dies

Legendary Dutch coach Rinus Michels, the man credited with developing ""total football"", has died aged 77.

Referred to in the Netherlands as ""the General"", Michels led the Dutch at the 1974 World Cup - when they reached the final only to lose 2-1 to Germany. However, he guided his side to the 1988 European Championship title with a 2-0 win over the Soviet Union in the final. Michels played for Ajax and coached the side to four national titles between 1965-71 and a European Cup in 1971. His 1970s Dutch team was built around Johan Cruyff and Johan Neeskens and introduced the concept of 'total football' to the world. The strategy was to foster team coherence and individual imagination - with all players possessing the skills to play in any part of the pitch. Cruyff was the on-field organiser of a team whose players rotated in and out of defence at will and was encouraged to play creative attacking football. Michels had recently undergone heart surgery and Dutch football federation (KNVB) spokesman Frank Huizinga said: ""He was one of the best coaches we had in history."" The no-nonsense coach also enjoyed spells at Barcelona, who he took to a Spanish title in 1974, FC Cologne and Bayer Leverkusen. Michels, named coach of the century by world football's governing body Fifa in 1999, also won five caps for the Netherlands as a bruising centre forward. Dutch sports minister Clemence Ross-van Dorp said: ""He was the man who, together with Cruyff, made Dutch football big.""
","Michels had recently undergone heart surgery and Dutch football federation (KNVB) spokesman Frank Huizinga said: ""He was one of the best coaches we had in history.""His 1970s Dutch team was built around Johan Cruyff and Johan Neeskens and introduced the concept of 'total football' to the world.Legendary Dutch coach Rinus Michels, the man credited with developing ""total football"", has died aged 77.Dutch sports minister Clemence Ross-van Dorp said: ""He was the man who, together with Cruyff, made Dutch football big.""Referred to in the Netherlands as ""the General"", Michels led the Dutch at the 1974 World Cup - when they reached the final only to lose 2-1 to Germany."
1110,"Custody death rate 'shocks' MPs

Deaths in custody have reached ""shocking"" levels, a committee of MPs and peers has warned.

The joint committee on human rights found those committing suicide were mainly the most vulnerable, with mental health, drugs or alcohol problems. Members urged the government to set up a task force to tackle deaths in prisons, police cells, detention centres and special hospitals. There was one prison suicide every four days between 1999 and 2003, MPs said. The report, which followed a year-long inquiry by the committee, found the high death rate ""amounts to a serious failure to protect the right to life of a highly vulnerable group"".

Many of those who ended up taking their own lives had ""presented themselves"" to the authorities with these problems before they even offended, the report said. It questioned whether prison was the most appropriate place for them to be kept and whether earlier intervention would have meant custody could have been avoided.

Increased resources and a reduction in the use of imprisonment was needed to address the issue in the longer term, the report said. Committee chairman Labour MP Jean Corston said: ""Each and every death in custody is a death too many, regardless of the circumstances.

""Yet throughout our inquiry we have seen time and time again that extremely vulnerable people are entering custody with a history of mental illness, drug and alcohol problems and potential for taking their own lives."" ""These highly vulnerable people are being held within a structure glaringly ill-suited to meet even their basic needs. ""Crime levels are falling but we are holding more people in custody than ever before. The misplaced over-reliance on the prison system for some of the most vulnerable people in the country is at the heart of the problems that we encountered. ""Until we change our whole approach to imprisoning vulnerable people we cannot begin to meet our positive obligations under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights and meet our duty of care to them.""

The committee also highlighted ""deeply worrying"" cases of children and young people taking their own lives. Between 1990 and 2004, 25 children have taken their own lives in prison and two have died in secure training centres. It picked out the case of Joseph Scholes, who hanged himself from the bars of his cell in Stoke Heath Young Offender Institution in March 2002, and urged the home secretary to hold a public inquiry. It revealed that two weeks before his court appearance for a series of robberies, the 16-year-old was depressed, exhibiting suicidal tendencies and slashed his face with a knife about 30 times. Even though the trial judge had been alerted to his experience of sexual abuse and mental illness, he was sentenced to a two-year detention and training order. Nine days into his sentence, Joseph hung himself from the bars of his cell window with a sheet.
","""Yet throughout our inquiry we have seen time and time again that extremely vulnerable people are entering custody with a history of mental illness, drug and alcohol problems and potential for taking their own lives.""There was one prison suicide every four days between 1999 and 2003, MPs said.The report, which followed a year-long inquiry by the committee, found the high death rate ""amounts to a serious failure to protect the right to life of a highly vulnerable group"".The misplaced over-reliance on the prison system for some of the most vulnerable people in the country is at the heart of the problems that we encountered.Committee chairman Labour MP Jean Corston said: ""Each and every death in custody is a death too many, regardless of the circumstances.The committee also highlighted ""deeply worrying"" cases of children and young people taking their own lives.Many of those who ended up taking their own lives had ""presented themselves"" to the authorities with these problems before they even offended, the report said.The joint committee on human rights found those committing suicide were mainly the most vulnerable, with mental health, drugs or alcohol problems."
338,"Police detain Chinese milk bosses

Chinese police have detained three top executives at milk firm Yili, with reports suggesting that they are being investigated for embezzlement.

Yili - full name Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial - confirmed its chairman, chief financial officer and securities representative were all in custody. The company, China's third-largest milk producer, is to hold an emergency meeting to debate the issue. A Yili spokesman said it may now move to oust chairman Zheng Junhuai. The spokesman did not say why the three had been detained by the police. The official Xinhua News Agency said the arrest was linked to alleged embezzlement.

Yili has recently been the subject of intense media speculation over its financial operations. Executives are suspected of wrongly using 417m yuan ($50.4m; £26m) of company funds to support a management buyout back in July 2003. Yili's shares were suspended on Tuesday, having fallen by 10% on Monday. The company and its two main rivals - market leader Mengniu Dairy and second place Bright Dairy - dominate a Chinese milk market that has grown by almost 30% over the past five years. Analysts wondered if the scandal at Yili - the latest to befall Chinese companies this year - could be followed by further revelations of corporate wrongdoing. ""Investors wonder if Yili's scandal, one of a slew to be uncovered this year, isn't just the tip of the iceberg,"" said Chen Huiqin, an analyst at Huatai Securities.
","Chinese police have detained three top executives at milk firm Yili, with reports suggesting that they are being investigated for embezzlement.Analysts wondered if the scandal at Yili - the latest to befall Chinese companies this year - could be followed by further revelations of corporate wrongdoing.A Yili spokesman said it may now move to oust chairman Zheng Junhuai.Yili - full name Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial - confirmed its chairman, chief financial officer and securities representative were all in custody.Yili has recently been the subject of intense media speculation over its financial operations."
548,"Stars gear up for Bafta ceremony

Film stars from across the globe are preparing to walk the red carpet at this year's Bafta award ceremony.

The 2005 Orange British Academy Film Awards are being held at The Odeon in London's Leicester Square. A host of Hollywood stars, including Cate Blanchett, Leonardo DiCaprio, Keanu Reeves and Richard Gere, are expected to attend Saturday's ceremony. Hosted by Stephen Fry, the glittering ceremony will be broadcast on BBC One at 2010 GMT.

Other actors expected to add to the glamour of the biggest night in UK film are Gael Garcia Bernal, Imelda Staunton, Diane Kruger, Christian Slater, Anjelica Huston, Helen Mirren and former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan. Hollywood blockbuster The Aviator, starring DiCaprio, leads the field with 14 nominations, including best film.

It is up against Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Finding Neverland, The Motorcycle Diaries and British film Vera Drake, which has 11 nominations. British hope Imelda Staunton is one of the favourites to land the best actress award for her gritty role as a backstreet abortionist in the small-budget film. Other nominees in the best actress category include Charlize Theron for Monster, Ziyi Zhang for House of Flying Daggers and UK star Kate Winslet, who has two nods for her roles in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Finding Neverland.

DiCaprio faces competition from Bernal, Jamie Foxx, Jim Carrey and Johnny Depp in the best actor category. And British actor Clive Owen is hoping to repeat his Golden Globe success with a best supporting actor award for his role in Closer. His co-star Natalie Portman is up against Blanchett, Heather Craney, Julie Cristie and Meryl Streep in the best supporting actress category. Mike Leigh is up for the best director award for Vera Drake, alongside Martin Scorsese for The Aviator, Michael Mann for Collateral, Michel Gondry for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Marc Forster for Finding Neverland.
","British hope Imelda Staunton is one of the favourites to land the best actress award for her gritty role as a backstreet abortionist in the small-budget film.It is up against Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Finding Neverland, The Motorcycle Diaries and British film Vera Drake, which has 11 nominations.Hollywood blockbuster The Aviator, starring DiCaprio, leads the field with 14 nominations, including best film.Other nominees in the best actress category include Charlize Theron for Monster, Ziyi Zhang for House of Flying Daggers and UK star Kate Winslet, who has two nods for her roles in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Finding Neverland.And British actor Clive Owen is hoping to repeat his Golden Globe success with a best supporting actor award for his role in Closer.Mike Leigh is up for the best director award for Vera Drake, alongside Martin Scorsese for The Aviator, Michael Mann for Collateral, Michel Gondry for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Marc Forster for Finding Neverland."
1354,"Gatlin and Hayes win Owen awards

American Olympic stars Justin Gatlin and Joanna Hayes have been named the winners of the 2004 Jesse Owens Awards, USA Track & Field's (USATF) top honour.

Gatlin, 22, won the closest 100m final in Games history with a career-best time of 9.85 seconds in Athens. He also won bronze in the 200m and silver in the 4x100m relay, becoming the only male athlete to win three athletics medals this summer. Hayes, 27, set an Olympic record of 12.37 in winning the 100m hurdles. Established in 1981, the Jesse Owens Awards - named in honour of the late Olympic great who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Games - are presented annually to the outstanding US male and female track and field performers.

The 2004 awards will be presented on 3 December in conjunction with the USATF annual meeting in Portland. ""It is such a great honour to win the Jesse Owens Award,"" said Gatlin. ""It is one of the biggest honours in track and field and it is a great end to a great year. "" Hayes said: ""Knowing some of the great people who have won this award before me and knowing what it represents, I feel a sense accomplishment and pride which lets me know that everything that I have worked for is and always will be worth it.""
","""It is such a great honour to win the Jesse Owens Award,"" said Gatlin.Established in 1981, the Jesse Owens Awards - named in honour of the late Olympic great who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Games - are presented annually to the outstanding US male and female track and field performers.American Olympic stars Justin Gatlin and Joanna Hayes have been named the winners of the 2004 Jesse Owens Awards, USA Track & Field's (USATF) top honour.""It is one of the biggest honours in track and field and it is a great end to a great year. """
2180,"Hitachi unveils 'fastest robot'

Japanese electronics firm Hitachi has unveiled its first humanoid robot, called Emiew, to challenge Honda's Asimo and Sony's Qrio robots.

Hitachi said the 1.3m (4.2ft) Emiew was the world's quickest-moving robot yet. Two wheel-based Emiews, Pal and Chum, introduced themselves to reporters at a press conference in Japan. The robots will be guests at the World Expo later this month. Sony and Honda have both built sophisticated robots to show off developments in electronics. Explaining why Hitachi's Emiew used wheels instead of feet, Toshihiko Horiuchi, from Hitachi's Mechanical Engineering Research Laboratory, said: ""We aimed to create a robot that could live and co-exist with people."" ""We want to make the robots useful for people ... If the robots moved slower than people, users would be frustrated."" Emiew - Excellent Mobility and Interactive Existence as Workmate - can move at 3.7m/h. Its ""wheel feet"" resemble the bottom half of a Segway scooter. With sensors on the head, waist, and near the wheels, Pal and Chum demonstrated how they could react to commands. ""I want to be able to walk about in places like Shinjuku and Shibuya [shopping districts] in the future without bumping into people and cars,"" Pal told reporters. Hitachi said Pal and Chum, which have a vocabulary of about 100 words, could be ""trained"" for practical office and factory use in as little as five to six years.

Robotics researchers have long been challenged by developing robots that walk in the gait of a human. At the recent AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) annual meeting in Washington DC, researchers showed off bipedal designs. The three designs, each built by a different research group, use the same principle to achieve a human-like gait.

Sony and Honda have both used humanoid robots, which are not commercially available, as a way of showing off computing power and engineering expertise. Honda's Asimo was ""born"" five years ago. Since then, Honda and Sony's Qrio have tried to trump each other with what the robots can do at various technology events. Asimo, has visited the UK, Germany, the Czech Republic, France and Ireland as part of a world tour. Sony's Qrio has been singing, jogging and dancing in formation around the world too and was, until last year, the fastest robot on two legs. But its record was beaten by Asimo. It is capable of 3km/h, which its makers claim is almost four times as fast as Qrio. Last year, car maker Toyota also stepped into the ring and unveiled its trumpet-playing humanoid robot. By 2007, it is predicted that there will be almost 2.5 million ""entertainment and leisure"" robots in homes, compared to about 137,000 currently, according to the United Nations (UN). By the end of that year, 4.1 million robots will be doing jobs in homes, said the report by the UN Economic Commission for Europe and the International Federation of Robotics. Hitachi is one of the companies with home cleaning robot machines on the market.
","Japanese electronics firm Hitachi has unveiled its first humanoid robot, called Emiew, to challenge Honda's Asimo and Sony's Qrio robots.Hitachi said the 1.3m (4.2ft) Emiew was the world's quickest-moving robot yet.""We want to make the robots useful for people ...Sony's Qrio has been singing, jogging and dancing in formation around the world too and was, until last year, the fastest robot on two legs.Explaining why Hitachi's Emiew used wheels instead of feet, Toshihiko Horiuchi, from Hitachi's Mechanical Engineering Research Laboratory, said: ""We aimed to create a robot that could live and co-exist with people.""Sony and Honda have both built sophisticated robots to show off developments in electronics.Since then, Honda and Sony's Qrio have tried to trump each other with what the robots can do at various technology events.Robotics researchers have long been challenged by developing robots that walk in the gait of a human.If the robots moved slower than people, users would be frustrated.""Last year, car maker Toyota also stepped into the ring and unveiled its trumpet-playing humanoid robot.The robots will be guests at the World Expo later this month."
1255,"Brown ally rejects Budget spree

Chancellor Gordon Brown's closest ally has denied suggestions there will be a Budget giveaway on 16 March.

Ed Balls, ex-chief economic adviser to the Treasury, said there would be no spending spree before polling day. But Mr Balls, a prospective Labour MP, said he was confident the chancellor would meet his fiscal rules. He was speaking as Sir Digby Jones, CBI director general, warned Mr Brown not to be tempted to use any extra cash on pre-election bribes.

Mr Balls, who stepped down from his Treasury post to stand as a Labour candidate in the election, had suggested that Mr Brown would meet his golden economic rule - ""with a margin to spare"". He said he hoped more would be done to build on current tax credit rules.

He also stressed rise in interest rates ahead of an expected May election would not affect the Labour Party's chances of winning. Expectations of a rate rise have gathered pace after figures showed house prices are still rising. Consumer borrowing rose at a near-record pace in January. ""If the MPC (the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee) were to judge that a rate rise was justified before the election because of the strength of the economy - and I'm not predicting that they will - I do not believe that this will be a big election issue in Britain for Labour,"" he told a Parliamentary lunch. ""This is a big change in our political culture.""

During an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Balls said he was sure Mr Brown's Budget would not put at risk the stability of the economy. ""I don't think we'll see a pre-election spending spree - we certainly did not see that before 2001,"" he said.

His assurances came after Sir Digby Jones said stability was all important and any extra cash should be spent on improving workers' skills. His message to the chancellor was: ""Please don't give it away in any form of electioneering."" Sir Digby added: ""I don't think he will. I have to say he has been a prudent chancellor right the way through. Stability is the key word - British business needs boring stability more than anything. ""We would say to him 'don't increase your public spending, don't give it away. But if you are going to anywhere, just add something to the competitiveness of Britain, put it into skilling our people'. ""That would be a good way to spend any excess.""

Mr Balls refused to say whether Mr Brown would remain as chancellor after the election, amid speculation he will be offered the job of Foreign Secretary. ""I think that Gordon Brown wants to be part of the successful Labour government which delivers in the third term for the priorities of the people and sees off a Conservative Party that will take Britain backwards,"" Mr Balls told Today. Prime Minister Tony Blair has yet to name the date of the election, but most pundits are betting on 5 May.
","But Mr Balls, a prospective Labour MP, said he was confident the chancellor would meet his fiscal rules.During an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Balls said he was sure Mr Brown's Budget would not put at risk the stability of the economy.Mr Balls refused to say whether Mr Brown would remain as chancellor after the election, amid speculation he will be offered the job of Foreign Secretary.Mr Balls, who stepped down from his Treasury post to stand as a Labour candidate in the election, had suggested that Mr Brown would meet his golden economic rule - ""with a margin to spare"".""We would say to him 'don't increase your public spending, don't give it away.Ed Balls, ex-chief economic adviser to the Treasury, said there would be no spending spree before polling day.He also stressed rise in interest rates ahead of an expected May election would not affect the Labour Party's chances of winning.""If the MPC (the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee) were to judge that a rate rise was justified before the election because of the strength of the economy - and I'm not predicting that they will - I do not believe that this will be a big election issue in Britain for Labour,"" he told a Parliamentary lunch.""I think that Gordon Brown wants to be part of the successful Labour government which delivers in the third term for the priorities of the people and sees off a Conservative Party that will take Britain backwards,"" Mr Balls told Today.His assurances came after Sir Digby Jones said stability was all important and any extra cash should be spent on improving workers' skills."
1737,"Roddick into San Jose final

Andy Roddick will play Cyril Saulnier in the final of the SAP Open in San Jose on Sunday.

The American top seed and defending champion overcame Germany's Tommy Haas, the third seed, 7-6 (7-3) 6-3. And Saulnier survived an injury scare in his semi-final with seventh-seeded Austrian Jurgen Melzer. The Frenchman twisted his ankle early in the second set but overcame Melzer, who was left fuming over a series of line calls, 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 6-3. ""I was feeling horrible earlier in the week,"" Roddick said. ""I thought tonight was another step in the right direction. ""On my returns, I was standing in more and I'm getting a little more depth, even if I don't hit a perfect return.""

Roddick won the last four points of the first-set tie-break before being broken at the start of the second set. But he broke straight back and then broke Haas again to lead 4-2. ""It's extremely frustrating when you have chances against a top-five player and don't do anything with them,"" admitted Haas. ""I rushed a few backhands and he took advantage."" Saulnier will move into the world's top 50 for the first time after his passage through to the final. ""It's taken a lot of work and a lot of fighting in my mind,"" he revealed. ""Sometimes I didn't believe I could get to a final and now I am here. I've stayed mentally strong. ""I'm on the way. I'll keep fighting and work a lot and I'll be up there.""
","""On my returns, I was standing in more and I'm getting a little more depth, even if I don't hit a perfect return.""Andy Roddick will play Cyril Saulnier in the final of the SAP Open in San Jose on Sunday.The Frenchman twisted his ankle early in the second set but overcame Melzer, who was left fuming over a series of line calls, 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 6-3.Saulnier will move into the world's top 50 for the first time after his passage through to the final.""I was feeling horrible earlier in the week,"" Roddick said.""It's taken a lot of work and a lot of fighting in my mind,"" he revealed.I'll keep fighting and work a lot and I'll be up there."""
349,"S Korean lender faces liquidation

Creditors of South Korea's top credit card firm have said they will put the company into liquidation if its ex-parent firm fails to back a bail-out.

LG Card's creditors have given LG group until Wednesday to sign up to a $1.1bn rescue package. The firm avoided bankruptcy thanks to a $4.5bn bail-out in January 2004, which gave control to the creditors. LG Group has said any package should reflect the firm's new ownership, and it will not accept an unfair burden. At least seven million people in South Korea use LG Card's plastic for purchases.

LG Card's creditors have threatened parent group LG Group with penalties if it fails to respond to their demands.

""Creditors would seek strong financial sanctions against LG Group if LG Card is liquidated,"" said Yoo Ji-chang, governor of Korean Development Bank (KDB) - one of the card firm's major creditors. LG Group has said providing further help to the credit card issuer could hurt its corporate credibility and could spark shareholder lawsuits. It says it wants ""fair and reasonable guidelines"" on splitting the financial burden with the creditors, who now own 99.3% of LG Card. The creditors have asked the government to mediate to avoid any risk to the stability of financial markets, KDB said. Analysts believe a compromise is likely. ""LG Group knows the impact on consumer demand and the national economy from a liquidation of LG Card,"" said Kim Yungmin, an equity strategist at Dongwon Investment Trust Management.

LG Card almost collapsed in 2003 due to an increase in overdue credit card bills after the bursting of a credit bubble. The firm returned to profit in September 2004, but now needs a capital injection to avoid being delisted from the Korea Stock Exchange. The exchange can delist a company if its debt exceeds its assets for two years running. LG card's creditors fear that such a move would triggered massive debt redemption requests that could bankrupt the firm, which owes about $12.05bn. ""Eventually, LG Group will have to participate, but they have been stalling to try to earn better concessions,"" said Mr Kim.
","""Creditors would seek strong financial sanctions against LG Group if LG Card is liquidated,"" said Yoo Ji-chang, governor of Korean Development Bank (KDB) - one of the card firm's major creditors.LG Card's creditors have given LG group until Wednesday to sign up to a $1.1bn rescue package.LG Card's creditors have threatened parent group LG Group with penalties if it fails to respond to their demands.""LG Group knows the impact on consumer demand and the national economy from a liquidation of LG Card,"" said Kim Yungmin, an equity strategist at Dongwon Investment Trust Management.LG Group has said providing further help to the credit card issuer could hurt its corporate credibility and could spark shareholder lawsuits.LG Group has said any package should reflect the firm's new ownership, and it will not accept an unfair burden.Creditors of South Korea's top credit card firm have said they will put the company into liquidation if its ex-parent firm fails to back a bail-out."
2153,"Intel unveils laser breakthrough

Intel has said it has found a way to put a silicon-based laser on a chip, raising hopes of much faster networks.

Scientists at Intel have overcome a fundamental problem that before now has prevented silicon being used to generate and amplify laser light. The breakthrough should make it easier to interconnect data networks with the chips that process the information. The Intel researchers said products exploiting the breakthrough should appear by the end of the decade.

""We've overcome a fundamental limit,"" said Dr Mario Paniccia, director of Intel's photonics technology lab. Writing in the journal Nature, Dr Paniccia - and colleagues Haisheng Rong, Richard Jones, Ansheng Liu, Oded Cohen, Dani Hak and Alexander Fang - show how they have made a continuous laser from the same material used to make computer processors. Currently, says Dr Paniccia, telecommunications equipment that amplifies the laser light that travels down fibre optic cables is very expensive because of the exotic materials, such as gallium arsenide, used to make it.

Telecommunications firms and chip makers would prefer to use silicon for these light-moving elements because it is cheap and many of the problems of using it in high-volume manufacturing have been solved. ""We're trying to take our silicon competency in manufacturing and apply it to new areas,"" said Dr Paniccia. While work has been done to make some of the components that can move light around, before now silicon has not successfully been used to generate or amplify the laser light pulses used to send data over long distances. This is despite the fact that silicon is a much better amplifier of light pulses than the form of the material used in fibre optic cables. This improved amplification is due to the crystalline structure of the silicon used to make computer chips. Dr Paniccia said that the structure of silicon meant that when laser light passed through it, some colliding photons rip electrons off the atoms within the material. ""It creates a cloud of electrons sitting in the silicon and that absorbs all the light,"" he said. But the Intel researchers have found a way to suck away these errant electrons and turn silicon into a material that can both generate and amplify laser light. Even better, the laser light produced in this way can, with the help of easy-to-make filters, be tuned across a very wide range of frequencies. Semi-conductor lasers made before now have only produced light in a narrow frequency ranges. The result could be the close integration of the fibre optic cables that carry data as light with the computer chips that process it. Dr Paniccia said the work was the one of several steps needed if silicon was to be used to make components that could carry and process light in the form of data pulses. ""It's a technical validation that it can work,"" he said.
","While work has been done to make some of the components that can move light around, before now silicon has not successfully been used to generate or amplify the laser light pulses used to send data over long distances.Dr Paniccia said the work was the one of several steps needed if silicon was to be used to make components that could carry and process light in the form of data pulses.Dr Paniccia said that the structure of silicon meant that when laser light passed through it, some colliding photons rip electrons off the atoms within the material.Scientists at Intel have overcome a fundamental problem that before now has prevented silicon being used to generate and amplify laser light.But the Intel researchers have found a way to suck away these errant electrons and turn silicon into a material that can both generate and amplify laser light.""It creates a cloud of electrons sitting in the silicon and that absorbs all the light,"" he said.Currently, says Dr Paniccia, telecommunications equipment that amplifies the laser light that travels down fibre optic cables is very expensive because of the exotic materials, such as gallium arsenide, used to make it.This is despite the fact that silicon is a much better amplifier of light pulses than the form of the material used in fibre optic cables."
552,"Berlin honours S Korean director

South Korean film director Im Kwon-Taek has received an honorary Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.

Im, who has made more than 100 films in a 40-year career, was hailed for his ""remarkable visual beauty, technical innovation, and intellectual depth"". Twenty of his films are screening in a special retrospective during the festival, which runs until 20 February. The veteran film-maker, 68, won the best director prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 2002 for Chihwaseon. ""Although his films vary in style, they all bear his unmistakable stamp: they are forceful and charged cinematographically, as well as reticent, stylised and musical,"" organisers said in a statement. Meanwhile, a film version of Bizet's opera Carmen - translated into the South African language Xhosa - has received a warm reception at the festival. U-Carmen eKhayelitsha (Carmen in Khayelitsha), which is one of 21 films up for Berlin's top prize, the Golden Bear, is British director Mark Dornford-May's first feature film. ""It's the first time any opera has been translated into a black South African language. Xhosa works brilliantly, it's such a musical language,"" said music director Charles Hazlewood.
","South Korean film director Im Kwon-Taek has received an honorary Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.Meanwhile, a film version of Bizet's opera Carmen - translated into the South African language Xhosa - has received a warm reception at the festival.U-Carmen eKhayelitsha (Carmen in Khayelitsha), which is one of 21 films up for Berlin's top prize, the Golden Bear, is British director Mark Dornford-May's first feature film.The veteran film-maker, 68, won the best director prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 2002 for Chihwaseon."
630,"'My memories of Marley...'

To mark the 60th anniversary of the birth of reggae star Bob Marley, Rob Partridge - Marley's former head of press at Island Records - remembers the man behind the legend.

Partridge worked with Marley from 1977 until the Jamaican musician's death in 1981.

: ""I joined Island Records in 1977 and the first week I was there I worked on his show at the Rainbow Theatre. It was one of the last dates he did in London.""

: The album Exodus came out in 1977 and that provided five hits and confirmed his global superstar status. ""By 1979 he was the biggest touring attraction in the world. I remember going to see dates in Milan and Turin and they were enormous concerts.""

: Bob was one of the most mesmeric people I've ever had the privilege to work with. ""He must have had an iron will to succeed. Bob was a very driven individual. You realised from the start there was a manifest destiny within him that he believed in. He didn't suffer fools gladly. At the risk of stating the obvious, he was an extraordinary song writer and his stage act was perhaps the greatest I've ever seen. I saw him many times.""

: ""I recall in 1978 he came to the UK for Top of the Pops and a Daily Mirror journalist did a half-hour interview. It was interrupted to do a rehearsal. He came back into the dressing room to resume the interview but saw a World Cup match on TV.

""He sat down in front of the TV and after 10 minutes it was obvious he wasn't going to move. That was the end of it. The Mirror had a very truncated interview. ""The last time I saw him was in London in 1980. I arranged for him to play four days of football indoors in Fulham. ""Bob was a good player. We are talking about Jamaican-style football. He was an attacking midfield player. His team assembled wherever his gigs were. We played in Brazil against some World Cup-winning players.""

: It was always a struggle for him to connect with Black America. Reggae did not correspond with disco in the 70s. But Bob in the 1990s became one of the great icons in America and the Third World. ""In 1991, ten years after his death, he sold more records than at any time during his life. ""We saw Black America taking Bob into their hearts for the first time.""

: ""Bob, in worldwide terms, is the greatest music star there has ever been. If you went to Africa he would be recognised everywhere, in places John Lennon or Elvis wouldn't be. ""No disrespect to the other artists but a case can be made for him as the greatest, the best and the most influential artist in popular music.""

: Well 1981 was to be the year he toured Africa with Stevie Wonder. He had only performed in Zimbabwe and Guinea before. ""Of course the 1981 tour never happened, but the whole of Africa would have embraced him. We can't speculate but he was at the height of his powers and just 36 years old. I had no sense his career was going to go downhill.""

: ""Bob was endlessly optimistic about the way Africa would turn out. He realised that nothing was perfect but he had total belief in the power of mankind. ""I'm sure if he were alive today he would believe Africa would firstly become politically free and secondly be able to defeat the Aids epidemic.""

: ""The final tune of his final album was Redemption Song - one of the most incredible classics of all time.""
","""Bob was a good player.That was the end of it.""The last time I saw him was in London in 1980.Bob was a very driven individual.: ""Bob was endlessly optimistic about the way Africa would turn out.It was one of the last dates he did in London.""At the risk of stating the obvious, he was an extraordinary song writer and his stage act was perhaps the greatest I've ever seen.It was interrupted to do a rehearsal.: Bob was one of the most mesmeric people I've ever had the privilege to work with.""By 1979 he was the biggest touring attraction in the world.He was an attacking midfield player.: Well 1981 was to be the year he toured Africa with Stevie Wonder.: It was always a struggle for him to connect with Black America.I had no sense his career was going to go downhill.""We can't speculate but he was at the height of his powers and just 36 years old.: ""The final tune of his final album was Redemption Song - one of the most incredible classics of all time.""""He sat down in front of the TV and after 10 minutes it was obvious he wasn't going to move.You realised from the start there was a manifest destiny within him that he believed in."
1885,"Concern over RFID tags

Consumers are very concerned about the use of radio frequency ID (RFID) tags in shops, a survey says.

More than half of 2,000 people surveyed said they had privacy worries about the tags, which can be used to monitor stock on shelves or in warehouses. Some consumer groups have expressed concern that the tags could be used to monitor shoppers once they had left shops with their purchases. The survey showed that awareness of tags among consumers in Europe was low. The survey of consumers in the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands was carried out by consultancy group Capgemini. The firm works on behalf of more than 30 firms who are seeking to promote the growth of RFID technology. The tags are a combination of computer chip and antenna which can be read by a scanner - each item contains a unique identification number.

More than half (55%) of the respondents said they were either concerned or very concerned that RFID tags would allow businesses to track consumers via product purchases. Fifty nine percent of people said they were worried that RFID tags would allow data to be used more freely by third parties. Ard Jan Vetham, Capgemini's principal consultant on RFID, said the survey showed that retailers needed to inform and educate people about RFID before it would become accepted technology. ""Acceptance of new technologies always has a tipping point at which consumers believe that benefits outweigh concerns. ""With the right RFID approach and ongoing communication with consumers, the industry can reach this point."" He said that the survey also showed people would accept RFID if they felt that the technology could mean a reduction in car theft or faster recovery of stolen items. The tags are currently being used at one Tesco distribution centre in the UK - the tags allow the rapid inventory of bulk items. They are also in use as a passcard for the M6 Toll in the Midlands, in the UK. Mr Vetham said the majority of people surveyed (52%) believed that RFID tags could be read from a distance. He said that was a misconception based on a lack of awareness of the technology. At least once consumer group - Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering (Caspian) - has claimed that RFID chips could be used to secretly identify people and the things they are carrying or wearing. All kinds of personal belongings, including clothes, could constantly broadcast messages about their whereabouts and their owners, it warned.
","Mr Vetham said the majority of people surveyed (52%) believed that RFID tags could be read from a distance.He said that the survey also showed people would accept RFID if they felt that the technology could mean a reduction in car theft or faster recovery of stolen items.Fifty nine percent of people said they were worried that RFID tags would allow data to be used more freely by third parties.Ard Jan Vetham, Capgemini's principal consultant on RFID, said the survey showed that retailers needed to inform and educate people about RFID before it would become accepted technology.More than half (55%) of the respondents said they were either concerned or very concerned that RFID tags would allow businesses to track consumers via product purchases.Consumers are very concerned about the use of radio frequency ID (RFID) tags in shops, a survey says.At least once consumer group - Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering (Caspian) - has claimed that RFID chips could be used to secretly identify people and the things they are carrying or wearing.The survey showed that awareness of tags among consumers in Europe was low."
908,"PM apology over jailings

Tony Blair has apologised to two families who suffered one of the UK's biggest miscarriages of justice.

The prime minister was commenting on the wrongful jailing of 11 people for IRA bomb attacks on pubs in Guildford and Woolwich in 1974. Mr Blair said: ""I am very sorry that they were subject to such an ordeal and injustice."" He made the apology to members of the Conlon and Maguire families in his private room at Westminster. In a statement recorded for television, Mr Blair said the families deserved ""to be completely and publicly exonerated"".

The families had hoped the apology would be made during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons. However, one of the so-called Guildford Four, Gerry Conlon - who was wrongly convicted of planting the bombs - said the families were delighted with the apology. He said Mr Blair had spoken with ""such sincerity"", adding: ""He went beyond what we thought he would, he took time to listen to everyone. ""You could see he was moved by what people were saying. ""Tony Blair has healed rifts, he is helping to heal wounds. It's a day I never thought would come."" The move followed a huge campaign in Ireland for a public apology after eleven people were wrongly convicted of making and planting the IRA bombs which killed seven people. Mr Blair's official spokesman said no-one present at the meeting would ""ever forget the strength of feeling of relief that the prime minister's statement brought to them"".

Most of those convicted were either members or friends of the two families. All were arrested because of a family connection to Gerry Conlon. Mr Conlon's father Giuseppe was arrested when travelling to London from Belfast to help his son. He died while serving his sentence. Also arrested were Anne Maguire and members of her family. Mrs Maguire was the relative with whom Giuseppe planned to stay in London, as well as two family friends. She said it was a ""wonderful feeling"" to have had the apology and that a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

""The people who were still doubting us should now believe that we were totally innocent,"" she said. They were all jailed for handling explosives, based on scientific evidence which was later entirely discredited. In October 1989 the Court of Appeal quashed the sentences of the Guildford Four, and in June 1991 it overturned the sentences on the Maguire Seven. Mr Conlon's case was highlighted in the Oscar-nominated film In The Name Of The Father, starring Daniel Day-Lewis.
","However, one of the so-called Guildford Four, Gerry Conlon - who was wrongly convicted of planting the bombs - said the families were delighted with the apology.In a statement recorded for television, Mr Blair said the families deserved ""to be completely and publicly exonerated"".He made the apology to members of the Conlon and Maguire families in his private room at Westminster.Mrs Maguire was the relative with whom Giuseppe planned to stay in London, as well as two family friends.Also arrested were Anne Maguire and members of her family.She said it was a ""wonderful feeling"" to have had the apology and that a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.The families had hoped the apology would be made during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons.He said Mr Blair had spoken with ""such sincerity"", adding: ""He went beyond what we thought he would, he took time to listen to everyone.Mr Conlon's father Giuseppe was arrested when travelling to London from Belfast to help his son.Mr Blair said: ""I am very sorry that they were subject to such an ordeal and injustice."""
1699,"Campbell to be Lions consultant

Former government communications chief Alastair Campbell will act as a media consultant to Sir Clive Woodward's 2005 Lions on their tour to New Zealand.

Campbell, who left Downing Street earlier this year, will advise on media strategy before and during the tour. ""I hope I can contribute to the planning and preparation, and to ensuring the media and public get the most out of the tour itself,"" he said. ""I am also looking forward to going out for the later stages of the tour."" Woodward's decision to call in Prime Minister Tony Blair's former spin doctor springs from the deterioration in media relations on the last Lions tour of Australia in 2001, when New Zealander Graham Henry was the head coach. The furore surrounding the newspaper diaries of Matt Dawson and Austin Healey was compounded by other disillusioned players venting their frustration through the media. ""The Lions is a massive media event,"" said Woodward, who will be the head coach. ""There will be a huge level of interest from the travelling media, the fans that will go out in their thousands and the New Zealand public. ""We need to have the strategy and processes in place to deal with the pressures that will bring. ""[Alastair] will act as an advisor both in the build up to and on the tour itself. His role is to work closely with not only myself but (tour manager) Bill Beaumont, (media manager) Louisa Cheetham and (team manager) Louise Ramsay."" Campbell is due to resume working for the government in the new year in the build-up to an anticipated May general election. The Lions leave for New Zealand on 24 May, with the first Test match against the All Blacks in Christchurch on 25 June.
","Former government communications chief Alastair Campbell will act as a media consultant to Sir Clive Woodward's 2005 Lions on their tour to New Zealand.Campbell, who left Downing Street earlier this year, will advise on media strategy before and during the tour.Woodward's decision to call in Prime Minister Tony Blair's former spin doctor springs from the deterioration in media relations on the last Lions tour of Australia in 2001, when New Zealander Graham Henry was the head coach.""I hope I can contribute to the planning and preparation, and to ensuring the media and public get the most out of the tour itself,"" he said.""[Alastair] will act as an advisor both in the build up to and on the tour itself.""The Lions is a massive media event,"" said Woodward, who will be the head coach."
971,"Boris opposes mayor apology

Ken Livingstone should ""stick to his guns"" and not apologise for his ""Nazi"" comment to a Jewish reporter, Tory MP Boris Johnson has insisted.

Mr Johnson also claimed Tony Blair's intervention in the row was ""an attempt to reassure Jewish voters"". London mayor Mr Livingstone says he is ""standing by"" his remarks which likened an Evening Standard journalist to a ""concentration camp guard"". But the prime minister says it is time for Mr Livingstone to say sorry.

Labour's Mr Livingstone has said his comments may have been offensive but were not racist, and said earlier this week he would not apologise even if Mr Blair asked. Later the prime minister said: ""A lot of us in politics get angry with journalists from time to time, but in the circumstances, and to the journalist because he was a Jewish journalist, yes, he should apologise.""

However, Mr Johnson, who was forced to apologise last year for an article in the magazine he edits about Liverpudlians grieving over the death of British hostage Ken Bigley, said Mr Blair ""should butt out of"" the row. ""I don't see why the prime minister has to get involved in this,"" The Spectator editor told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. ""It's a dispute between Ken Livingstone and a reporter on the Evening Standard."" Mr Johnson, MP for Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, said he suspected Labour was now trying to reassure Jewish voters ""because of this curious way in which Labour seems to be trying to curry favour with disillusioned Muslim voters who may be disillusioned about the war"".

""Ken doesn't think he's got anything to say sorry for and if that's really his feeling, then I think that he should stick to his guns,"" he said. Mr Johnson apologised last October for perpetuating an ""outdated stereotype"" of Liverpool in the leader article on the death of Mr Bigley. The article in the magazine suggested grieving Liverpudlians were wallowing in their victim status. It also attributed blame to drunken Liverpool football fans for the 1989 Hillsborough disaster in which 96 died. Mr Johnson told Today: ""It's perfectly true that I got into the grovelling game myself and when I apologised there were some things that I felt I ought to say sorry for ... there were also other things I didn't think I should apologise for,"" he said. ""But here's old Ken - he's been crass, he's been insensitive and thuggish and brutal in his language - but I don't think actually if you read what he said, although it was extraordinary and rude, I don't think he was actually anti-Semitic.""
","However, Mr Johnson, who was forced to apologise last year for an article in the magazine he edits about Liverpudlians grieving over the death of British hostage Ken Bigley, said Mr Blair ""should butt out of"" the row.Mr Johnson told Today: ""It's perfectly true that I got into the grovelling game myself and when I apologised there were some things that I felt I ought to say sorry for ... there were also other things I didn't think I should apologise for,"" he said.Labour's Mr Livingstone has said his comments may have been offensive but were not racist, and said earlier this week he would not apologise even if Mr Blair asked.But the prime minister says it is time for Mr Livingstone to say sorry.Mr Johnson apologised last October for perpetuating an ""outdated stereotype"" of Liverpool in the leader article on the death of Mr Bigley.Ken Livingstone should ""stick to his guns"" and not apologise for his ""Nazi"" comment to a Jewish reporter, Tory MP Boris Johnson has insisted.Mr Johnson also claimed Tony Blair's intervention in the row was ""an attempt to reassure Jewish voters""."
2118,"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 is 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."
1573,"Bellamy fined after row

Newcastle have fined their Welsh striker Craig Bellamy two weeks' wages - about £80,000 - following his row with manager Graeme Souness.

But Bellamy, 25, has not been put on the transfer list, although he did not train with the first team on Tuesday. Magpies chairman Freddy Shepherd told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle: ""It is not about money. It is about a player thinking he is bigger than this club. ""No individual is, be it the chairman, the manager or a player."" Souness dropped Bellamy for Sunday's game against Arsenal, claiming the Welshman had feigned injury after being asked to play out of position. ""When I heard what the manager was saying I was in shock,"" Bellamy said. ""I thought 'not only has he gone behind my back, he's lying',"" he said in response to Souness' remarks. And the Wales international refused to apologise. ""I won't apologise because I have done nothing wrong,"" he told the Evening Chronicle. ""There's no doubt about it, I am out of here."" The difficult relationship between Souness and Bellamy boiled over at the weekend, and has led to a war of words in the media.

Bellamy's claim that Souness had lied about the background to the bust-up was strongly denied by Shepherd, who accused the striker of ""cheating"" the club. ""I wish to put the record straight regarding the Bellamy situation,"" said Shepherd. ""Craig walked off the training ground saying his hamstring was tight (on Friday), but what he failed to reveal was that he had told other members of the squad before training that he intended to feign injury. ""When Graeme discovered this he immediately ordered Bellamy to attend a meeting in my office. ""At that meeting Bellamy admitted to Graeme and I that he had told the players that he was going to ""fake"" an injury in training and walk off. ""He also agreed at that meeting to apologise to his team-mates for his behaviour. He didn't do this which resulted in the action taken by the manager at the weekend, which I fully support. ""In my book this is cheating on the club, the supporters, the manager and his own team-mates. ""He is paid extremely well and I consider his behaviour to be totally unacceptable and totally unprofessional.""

Bellamy's latest outburst would appear to make his chances of a first-team recall remote. But even before Newcastle said the player would not be sold, Bellamy insisted he had no intention of handing in a transfer request. ""I don't want the fans to think for one minute that I wouldn't play for this club,"" he said. ""I'd play anywhere for this club, even in goal. ""It's a very difficult situation for me at the moment but I'd never ask to leave this club. ""This club means so much to me. I couldn't do it because I know I couldn't come back here and play against Newcastle. It would hurt too much.""
","""At that meeting Bellamy admitted to Graeme and I that he had told the players that he was going to ""fake"" an injury in training and walk off.""When I heard what the manager was saying I was in shock,"" Bellamy said.But even before Newcastle said the player would not be sold, Bellamy insisted he had no intention of handing in a transfer request.Newcastle have fined their Welsh striker Craig Bellamy two weeks' wages - about £80,000 - following his row with manager Graeme Souness.""In my book this is cheating on the club, the supporters, the manager and his own team-mates.Bellamy's claim that Souness had lied about the background to the bust-up was strongly denied by Shepherd, who accused the striker of ""cheating"" the club.""This club means so much to me.It is about a player thinking he is bigger than this club.""I wish to put the record straight regarding the Bellamy situation,"" said Shepherd.""I'd play anywhere for this club, even in goal.""I don't want the fans to think for one minute that I wouldn't play for this club,"" he said.The difficult relationship between Souness and Bellamy boiled over at the weekend, and has led to a war of words in the media."
394,"US Airways staff agree to pay cut

A union representing 5,200 flight attendants at bankrupt US Airways have agreed to a new contract that cuts pay by nearly 10%.

The deal will help the carrier, trying to survive by cutting costs by nearly $1bn (£530m) a year, save about $94m. More than two thirds of its 28,000 staff have now accepted wage cuts. But talks are still continuing with a union representing mechanics, baggage handlers and cleaners, which has so far failed to negotiate a new contract. The seventh largest carrier in the US sought bankruptcy protection for a second time in two years last September. It had been one of the quickest to deal with difficulties faced by the aviation industry after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. But it emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2003 to face competition from low-cost carriers and higher fuel costs. US Airways management has said it may need to start liquidating assets if it does not receive concessions from all staff by the middle of this month.
","The seventh largest carrier in the US sought bankruptcy protection for a second time in two years last September.A union representing 5,200 flight attendants at bankrupt US Airways have agreed to a new contract that cuts pay by nearly 10%.The deal will help the carrier, trying to survive by cutting costs by nearly $1bn (£530m) a year, save about $94m.US Airways management has said it may need to start liquidating assets if it does not receive concessions from all staff by the middle of this month."
1199,"Election deal faltered over Heath role

The Tories failed to hold onto power in 1974 after Liberals demanded Sir Edward Heath quit in return for co-operation.

Documents released after 30 years reveal the failed negotiations by the then prime minister following the dramatic February general election. Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe appeared willing to form a coalition government. But it partly collapsed over the Conservative leader's own role, prompting the Queen to ask Harold Wilson to form a Labour government. The February 1974 general election surprised the nation when it created a hung parliament with no party in overall control. Sir Edward had gone to the country for a fresh mandate amid the spiralling economic crisis, a miners' strike and the subsequent three-day week. Labour emerged with the most seats - but its 301 MPs were 17 short of the number Mr Wilson needed to form a majority.

Sir Edward, who had received more votes but had fewer MPs, believed he had the authority to remain at Number 10 providing the 14 Liberal MPs would support his government. He said the Liberals could keep out Labour in three ways: lend ad hoc support to his minority government, help draw up the government's programme, or have up to three Cabinet members in a coalition with the Conservatives. According to the documents released at the National Archives, the ""friendly and easy"" first meeting indicated that both Sir Edward and Mr Thorpe thought they had the makings of a deal. Mr Thorpe was in high spirits, having just led his party to a historic jump in support. He also argued for a grand coalition of all three main parties. But Sir Edward said that was impossible because the Labour left was set against it and the pair settled on trying for a Conservative-Liberal pact.

Hours later Sir Edward's hopes of a deal unravelled as Mr Thorpe's colleagues refused to support him. ""Jeremy said he was encountering a rather embarrassing problem with his colleagues about the prime minister personally,"" reads a telephone memo for Mr Heath.

""They feel they could not agree to serve as long as he is the prime minister. ""Asked if this was his own view he said - no it was not, I am very close to Ted and thought he was by far the most able man we had and he would be perfectly happy to serve - it was only some of his colleagues who were being difficult."" The following day, the stickling points had clearly become two-fold: Mr Thorpe's colleagues wanted electoral reform and Sir Edward's resignation. Mr Thorpe told Sir Edward: ""I am sorry this is obviously hell - a nightmare on stilts for you. ""Somehow I personally hope that we can work something out.""

Four hours later, Sir Edward called the Liberal leader back to Downing Street in a last attempt at a deal. The minutes of the meeting show how the chance of a coalition government quickly evaporated. ""The PM said he was bound to tell Mr Thorpe that his colleagues had told him that they would not agree to serve under any other prime minister. Mr Thorpe was at liberty to verify this by talking to one or two of the prime minister's colleagues."" Documents show that Sir Edward mulled over resigning and perhaps returning to coalition government in a Labour-led coalition. But he already knew Mr Wilson would not form a coalition with either the Liberals or the Conservatives because of the opposition of the Labour left. Within hours of his final talks with Mr Thorpe, Sir Edward told the nation he was resigning and the Queen invited Mr Wilson to form a new minority government.
","Within hours of his final talks with Mr Thorpe, Sir Edward told the nation he was resigning and the Queen invited Mr Wilson to form a new minority government.""The PM said he was bound to tell Mr Thorpe that his colleagues had told him that they would not agree to serve under any other prime minister.Mr Thorpe told Sir Edward: ""I am sorry this is obviously hell - a nightmare on stilts for you.Documents show that Sir Edward mulled over resigning and perhaps returning to coalition government in a Labour-led coalition.But Sir Edward said that was impossible because the Labour left was set against it and the pair settled on trying for a Conservative-Liberal pact.""Jeremy said he was encountering a rather embarrassing problem with his colleagues about the prime minister personally,"" reads a telephone memo for Mr Heath.Hours later Sir Edward's hopes of a deal unravelled as Mr Thorpe's colleagues refused to support him.But he already knew Mr Wilson would not form a coalition with either the Liberals or the Conservatives because of the opposition of the Labour left.According to the documents released at the National Archives, the ""friendly and easy"" first meeting indicated that both Sir Edward and Mr Thorpe thought they had the makings of a deal.Mr Thorpe was in high spirits, having just led his party to a historic jump in support.Mr Thorpe was at liberty to verify this by talking to one or two of the prime minister's colleagues."""
89,"Europe blames US over weak dollar

European leaders have openly blamed the US for the sharp rise in the value of the euro.

US officials were talking up the dollar, they said, but failing to take action to back up their words. Meeting in Brussels, finance ministers of the 12 eurozone countries voiced their concern that the rise of the european currency was harming exports. The dollar is within touching distance of an all-time low reached earlier in November. At 0619 GMT on Tuesday, the dollar was up slightly at just above $1.29 to the euro, and buying 105.6 yen in Tokyo. It rallied briefly on Monday amid signs that oil prices are easing.

But analysts said the respite was likely to be only temporary. The European ministers' comments, said Junya Tanase of JPMorgan Chase bank in Tokyo, were ""generally too weak to produce a market reaction"".

Still, by the standards of diplomacy the European ministers were forthright. Nicolas Sarkozy of France said he and his colleagues were unanimous in their worry that the decline of the dollar would hit Europe's economies by eating into their exports. ""We are concerned about these developments, which are destabilising, and which are linked to the accumulation of deficits by our American friends,"" he said. The comments come a day after US Treasury Secretary John Snow said a strong dollar was ""in America's interest"".

But that was not enough for Mr Sarkozy.

""If the Americans were to change their policy, it's up to them to say so,"" he said. And the European Union's monetary affairs commissioner, made it clear that action was necessary. ""I fully welcome the words of Mr Snow,"" said Joaquin Almunia, ""but we will need to see decisions adopted in that direction. ""If the imbalances in the US economy are not adjusted in the future, the decision in the market will be as in the past weeks."" Economists point out that whatever Europe says, in the short term a weaker dollar is a boon to President George W Bush's administration. Not only does it boost US exports, but it also makes the budget deficit easier to fund. On the other hand, slower European exports would mean slower EU growth - potentially reducing the demand for US goods.
","The comments come a day after US Treasury Secretary John Snow said a strong dollar was ""in America's interest"".US officials were talking up the dollar, they said, but failing to take action to back up their words.But analysts said the respite was likely to be only temporary.Nicolas Sarkozy of France said he and his colleagues were unanimous in their worry that the decline of the dollar would hit Europe's economies by eating into their exports.At 0619 GMT on Tuesday, the dollar was up slightly at just above $1.29 to the euro, and buying 105.6 yen in Tokyo.Meeting in Brussels, finance ministers of the 12 eurozone countries voiced their concern that the rise of the european currency was harming exports.European leaders have openly blamed the US for the sharp rise in the value of the euro.The European ministers' comments, said Junya Tanase of JPMorgan Chase bank in Tokyo, were ""generally too weak to produce a market reaction""."
293,"Glazer makes new Man Utd approach

Malcolm Glazer has made a fresh approach to buy Manchester United, which could lead to a bid valuing the Premiership club at £800m.

The US tycoon, who has been wooing the club for the last 12 months, has approached the United board with ""detailed proposals"", it has confirmed. Mr Glazer, who owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team, hopes this will lead to a formal bid being accepted. His new offer is expected to contain substantially less debt. Mr Glazer has already had one takeover attempt turned down by the Red Devils and responded by using his 28.1% shareholding to vote off three board members last November.

Man United had turned down the bid because it was based on a high level of borrowing. But newspapers have speculated recently that the tycoon had gained the support of leading banks to come up with a stronger and less debt-laden bid. Last week, however, Mr Glazer issued a statement to the Stock Exchange distancing himself from a new bid.

Meanwhile, United's chief executive David Gill said in December that talks would not resume unless Glazer came up with ""definitive proposals"". Now the board has confirmed that the US bidder is back, with a statement issued on Sunday reading: ""The board can confirm it has now received a detailed proposal subject to various preconditions which may form the basis of an offer. ""A further announcement will be made in due course.""

To succeed Malcolm Glazer will still need the approval of major shareholders John Magnier and JP McManus, who own 28.9% of the club. But the Irish duo have cut off talks with Glazer over the proposed sale of their stake and have so far made no comment on his latest approach. United fans have reacted with anger at the announcement. They have vehemently opposed any proposed takeover by Glazer since he first showed interest in the club in September 2003 and after Sunday's announcement they vowed to fight on. ""We will fight tooth and nail to stop him whatever his offer says. We do not want him or anybody else taking over United,"" said Mark Longden of the Independent Manchester United Supporters' Association. ""The campaign against this proposed takeover will continue as it has done since Glazer first showed interest in the club.""
","Malcolm Glazer has made a fresh approach to buy Manchester United, which could lead to a bid valuing the Premiership club at £800m.""The campaign against this proposed takeover will continue as it has done since Glazer first showed interest in the club.""The US tycoon, who has been wooing the club for the last 12 months, has approached the United board with ""detailed proposals"", it has confirmed.They have vehemently opposed any proposed takeover by Glazer since he first showed interest in the club in September 2003 and after Sunday's announcement they vowed to fight on.Last week, however, Mr Glazer issued a statement to the Stock Exchange distancing himself from a new bid.Mr Glazer has already had one takeover attempt turned down by the Red Devils and responded by using his 28.1% shareholding to vote off three board members last November.Mr Glazer, who owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team, hopes this will lead to a formal bid being accepted.Now the board has confirmed that the US bidder is back, with a statement issued on Sunday reading: ""The board can confirm it has now received a detailed proposal subject to various preconditions which may form the basis of an offer."
1209,"Parties warned over 'grey vote'

Political parties cannot afford to take older UK voters for granted in the coming election, says Age Concern.

A survey for the charity suggests 69% of over-55s say they always vote in a general election compared with just 17% of 18 to 24 year olds. Charity boss Gordon Lishman said if a ""decisive blow"" was struck at the election it would be by older voters who could be relied on to turn out. A total of 3,028 adults aged 18 or over were interviewed for the study. Mr Lishman urged the next government to boost state pension.

He also called for measures to combat ageism and build effective public services to ""support us all in an ageing society"". ""Older people want to see manifesto commitments that will make a difference to their lives,"" Mr Lishman said. ""Political parties must wake up to the fact that unless they address the demands and concerns of older people they will not keep or attract their vote."" In the survey carried out by ICM Research, 14% of people aged between 18 and 34 said they never voted in general elections. Among the over-65s, 70% said they would be certain to vote in an immediate election, compared with 39% of people under 55. Age Concern says the over-55s are ""united around"" key areas of policy they want the government to focus on. For 57%, pensions and the NHS were key issues, while the economy was important for a third, and tax was a crucial area for 25%.

The report was welcomed by Conservative shadow pensions secretary David Willetts. ""The pensioners' voice must certainly be heard in the next election as they have never fitted into Blair's cool Britannia,"" he said. ""Labour's continued refusal to admit the true extent of the pensions crisis will be one of the monumental failures of this government."" He pointed to Tory plans to increase the basic state pension to reduce means testing, strengthen company pensions and encourage savings. A Liberal Democrat spokesman said the party took the issues raised in the report very seriously. He highlighted the party's promises to raise the basic state pension, provide free long-term care for the elderly and replace council tax, seen as a particular problem for pensioners on fixed incomes. Labour has said it wants to use savings reforms to Incapacity Benefit to improve the basic state pension and has set up a review of the council tax system.
","Among the over-65s, 70% said they would be certain to vote in an immediate election, compared with 39% of people under 55.Charity boss Gordon Lishman said if a ""decisive blow"" was struck at the election it would be by older voters who could be relied on to turn out.Mr Lishman urged the next government to boost state pension.Labour has said it wants to use savings reforms to Incapacity Benefit to improve the basic state pension and has set up a review of the council tax system.""Older people want to see manifesto commitments that will make a difference to their lives,"" Mr Lishman said.In the survey carried out by ICM Research, 14% of people aged between 18 and 34 said they never voted in general elections.Political parties cannot afford to take older UK voters for granted in the coming election, says Age Concern.A survey for the charity suggests 69% of over-55s say they always vote in a general election compared with just 17% of 18 to 24 year olds."
1318,"Dibaba breaks 5,000m world record

Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba set a new world record in winning the women's 5,000m at the Boston Indoor Games.

Dibaba won in 14 minutes 32.93 seconds to erase the previous world indoor mark of 14:39.29 set by another Ethiopian, Berhane Adera, in Stuttgart last year. But compatriot Kenenisa Bekele's record hopes were dashed when he miscounted his laps in the men's 3,000m and staged his sprint finish a lap too soon. Ireland's Alistair Cragg won in 7:39.89 as Bekele battled to second in 7:41.42. ""I didn't want to sit back and get out-kicked,"" said Cragg. ""So I kept on the pace. The plan was to go with 500m to go no matter what, but when Bekele made the mistake that was it. The race was mine."" Sweden's Carolina Kluft, the Olympic heptathlon champion, and Slovenia's Jolanda Ceplak had winning performances, too. Kluft took the long jump at 6.63m, while Ceplak easily won the women's 800m in 2:01.52.
","Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba set a new world record in winning the women's 5,000m at the Boston Indoor Games.The plan was to go with 500m to go no matter what, but when Bekele made the mistake that was it.Dibaba won in 14 minutes 32.93 seconds to erase the previous world indoor mark of 14:39.29 set by another Ethiopian, Berhane Adera, in Stuttgart last year.Ireland's Alistair Cragg won in 7:39.89 as Bekele battled to second in 7:41.42."
1120,"Terror detainees win Lords appeal

Detaining foreign terrorist suspects without trial breaks human rights laws, the UK's highest court has ruled.

In a blow to the government's anti-terror measures, the House of Lords law lords ruled by an eight to one majority in favour of appeals by nine detainees. Most of the men are being indefinitely held in Belmarsh prison, south London. The law lords said the measures were incompatible with European human rights laws. The men will stay behind bars while ministers decide how to react. The ruling creates a major problem for Charles Clarke on his first day as home secretary following David Blunkett's resignation. The Liberal Democrats say Mr Clarke should use the fact he is new to the job to take issue with a law established by his predecessor, David Blunkett. Belmarsh prison has been dubbed Britain's Guantanamo Bay by civil rights campaigners opposed to the use of emergency anti-terror laws.

The detainees took their case to the House of Lords after the Court of Appeal backed the Home Office's powers to hold them without limit or charge. The government opted out of part of the European Convention on Human Rights concerning the right to a fair trial in order to bring in anti-terrorism legislation in response to the 11 September attacks in the US. Any foreign national suspected of links with terrorism can be detained or can opt to be deported. However those detained cannot be deported if this would mean persecution in their homeland.

On Thursday, senior law lord Lord Bingham said the rules were incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights as they allowed detentions ""in a way that discriminates on the ground of nationality or immigration status"". Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead, in his ruling, said: ""Indefinite imprisonment without charge or trial is anathema in any country which observes the rule of law. ""It deprives the detained person of the protection a criminal trial is intended to afford.""

He said the weakness for the government's case was that it was trying to justify detention without trial for foreign suspects - but not for British suspects. Lord Hoffmann said: ""The real threat to the life of the nation, in the sense of a people living in accordance with its traditional laws and political values, comes not from terrorism but from laws such as these."" But Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe, the one law lord to oppose the appeal, said the anti-terror laws contained important safeguards against oppression.

In a statement, detainee 'A' in Woodhill Prison said: ""I hope now that the government will act upon this decision, scrap this illegal 'law' and release me and the other internees to return to our families and loved ones."" The case was heard by a panel of nine law lords rather than the usual five because of the constitutional importance of the case. Ben Emmerson QC, representing seven of the detainees, said the men had already been in custody for nearly three years. He said they had been given no idea when, if ever, they would be released, had never been formally interviewed and there was no prospect they would ever be put on trial. When the men were first held, they took their cases to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC). The commission ruled on 30 July, 2002 that the anti-terror act unjustifiably discriminated against foreign nationals as British people could not be held in the same way. But that ruling was later overturned by the Court of Appeal who said there was a state of emergency threatening the life of the nation.
","The law lords said the measures were incompatible with European human rights laws.But Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe, the one law lord to oppose the appeal, said the anti-terror laws contained important safeguards against oppression.Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead, in his ruling, said: ""Indefinite imprisonment without charge or trial is anathema in any country which observes the rule of law.On Thursday, senior law lord Lord Bingham said the rules were incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights as they allowed detentions ""in a way that discriminates on the ground of nationality or immigration status"".He said the weakness for the government's case was that it was trying to justify detention without trial for foreign suspects - but not for British suspects.Lord Hoffmann said: ""The real threat to the life of the nation, in the sense of a people living in accordance with its traditional laws and political values, comes not from terrorism but from laws such as these.""In a blow to the government's anti-terror measures, the House of Lords law lords ruled by an eight to one majority in favour of appeals by nine detainees.The case was heard by a panel of nine law lords rather than the usual five because of the constitutional importance of the case.Detaining foreign terrorist suspects without trial breaks human rights laws, the UK's highest court has ruled.But that ruling was later overturned by the Court of Appeal who said there was a state of emergency threatening the life of the nation."
1466,"Rush future at Chester uncertain

Ian Rush's future as Chester manager is uncertain after he and assistant Mark Aizlewood refused a severance package.

Chester have won only two of their last 10 League games but Chairman Steve Vaughan claims he cannot afford to sack the 43-year-old Liverpool legend. Vaughan said: ""I offered a financial settlement so they could resign with dignity but an obvious action is to dismiss them. ""I haven't because of the finances, so technically they're still employees."" Vaughan claimed that Aizlewood had ""verbally agreed"" to the offer. But the Chester chairman added: ""After they discussed the offer with their solicitor, who also acts as their agent, they decided to withdraw the verbal agreement, which was disappointing."" Rush was appointed at the end of August following the departure of former Liverpool team-mate Mark Wright, who guided Chester to the Conference title last season. Chester were bottom of League Two when Rush took over but the former Liverpool striker enjoyed an impressive start to managerial life, taking the club into the third round of the FA cup and winning the manager-of-the-month award for October. Chester's downturn in form culminated in a 5-0 defeat at Shrewsbury that leaves them hovering just above the League Two relegation zone.
","Chester have won only two of their last 10 League games but Chairman Steve Vaughan claims he cannot afford to sack the 43-year-old Liverpool legend.Chester were bottom of League Two when Rush took over but the former Liverpool striker enjoyed an impressive start to managerial life, taking the club into the third round of the FA cup and winning the manager-of-the-month award for October.Rush was appointed at the end of August following the departure of former Liverpool team-mate Mark Wright, who guided Chester to the Conference title last season.But the Chester chairman added: ""After they discussed the offer with their solicitor, who also acts as their agent, they decided to withdraw the verbal agreement, which was disappointing."""
1502,"Rovers reject third Ferguson bid

Blackburn have rejected a third bid from Rangers for Scotland captain Barry Ferguson, BBC Sport has learnt.

It is thought Blackburn want £6m for the midfielder but chief executive John Williams has confirmed the club are still ""in dialogue"" with Rangers. The 26-year-old has already handed in a transfer request at Ewood Park as he seeks a return to Ibrox. But the clubs have been unable to reach agreement over a fee for Ferguson, who moved to Lancashire in 2003 for £6.5m. On Thursday Rangers said they would not be increasing their offer of £4m.

Blackburn have said all along that they want £6m for the midfielder and Williams has rejected proposals from Rangers over a player-swap deal. Williams said: ""We are in dialogue with Glasgow Rangers but we have no agreement."" The negotiations will have to be concluded by midnight on Monday, when the winter transfer window shuts. Williams conceded any deal for Ferguson was looking ""unlikely"" before the close of the transfer window but Rangers still had a chance to seal the deal. ""We have no comment to make other than we have not got an agreement with Glasgow Rangers,"" he added. ""The way things are looking, I think it is unlikely we are going to. ""The ball is in their court but we have not got an offer that is acceptable at this moment."" It is understood that Blackburn accepted a £5m offer for Ferguson from Everton at the weekend. But the player is determined to return to Scotland and rejected a move to Goodison Park. Ferguson did not play in the FA Cup win over Colchester on Saturday despite recovering from a groin injury with Rovers boss Mark Hughes claiming it had been an ""emotional and difficult time"" for the player.
","Blackburn have said all along that they want £6m for the midfielder and Williams has rejected proposals from Rangers over a player-swap deal.Williams conceded any deal for Ferguson was looking ""unlikely"" before the close of the transfer window but Rangers still had a chance to seal the deal.Williams said: ""We are in dialogue with Glasgow Rangers but we have no agreement.""Blackburn have rejected a third bid from Rangers for Scotland captain Barry Ferguson, BBC Sport has learnt.It is thought Blackburn want £6m for the midfielder but chief executive John Williams has confirmed the club are still ""in dialogue"" with Rangers.On Thursday Rangers said they would not be increasing their offer of £4m."
855,"Britney attacks 'false tabloids'

Pop star Britney Spears has attacked ""false"" and ""desperate"" US tabloid magazines, questioning their honesty after they reported she was pregnant.

In a letter on her website, the singer named celebrity tabloids Us Weekly, In Touch and Star as the worst offenders. ""Until you face what is going on in your life, I guess you'll remain a false tabloid,"" the 23-year-old wrote. Stories about the state of her marriage to Kevin Federline and rumours about a pregnancy have recently appeared. But the chart-topping singer's letter did not shed any further light on those stories. In February, Spears clashed with Us Weekly for publishing pictures of her honeymoon in Fiji without permission. The couple, who married in Los Angeles last September, claimed staff took photographs of them which were later sold.

They said they allowed the pictures to be taken after they were assured they would only be used for a private scrapbook, which they later received as a souvenir. Us magazine was unrepentant about their decision to publish, saying: ""Britney should start her own magazine if she'd like to dictate her own coverage."" ""Coming from a celebrity who sold pictures of both her wedding and her stepdaughter, it's unlikely the issue here is privacy,"" they added. Spears claimed that other magazines were approached with the pictures but chose to contact her instead.
","Pop star Britney Spears has attacked ""false"" and ""desperate"" US tabloid magazines, questioning their honesty after they reported she was pregnant.Spears claimed that other magazines were approached with the pictures but chose to contact her instead.In a letter on her website, the singer named celebrity tabloids Us Weekly, In Touch and Star as the worst offenders.In February, Spears clashed with Us Weekly for publishing pictures of her honeymoon in Fiji without permission.Us magazine was unrepentant about their decision to publish, saying: ""Britney should start her own magazine if she'd like to dictate her own coverage."""
655,"Sir Paul rocks Super Bowl crowds

Sir Paul McCartney wowed fans with a live mini-concert at American football's Super Bowl - and avoided any Janet Jackson-style controversies.

The 62-year-old sang Hey Jude and other Beatles songs in a 12-minute set at half-time during the game in Florida. Last year, Jackson exposed a breast during a dance routine, causing outrage among millions of TV viewers and landing the CBS TV network a fine. Sir Paul, however, did nothing more racy than remove his jacket as he sang. Organisers were widely considered to be playing it safe this year by booking 62-year-old Sir Paul for his second Super Bowl show.

Three years ago, he was invited to perform at the first Super Bowl after the September 11 attacks and performed his specially-written song Freedom. This time, he started off the show, at the Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, with the Beatles numbers Drive My Car and Get Back. He then performed a mellow version of Live And Let Die, the James Bond theme he recorded with the band Wings. Finally, he closed the show with a rousing version of Hey Jude. The former Beatle resisted any temptation to refer to Janet Jackson's headline-grabbing performance last year, instead keeping banter between songs to a minimum in order to squeeze as much music as he could into his slot. The singer removed his black jacket halfway through the show - but any fans hoping for a second ""Nipple-gate"" were to be disappointed as he kept his red sweatshirt on underneath.

Earlier, the Black Eyed Peas and Alicia Keys had provided the night's other high-profile entertainment by performing in a pre-game show. Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie was dressed in a tight orange top and purple hotpants, but nothing in her performance was likely to upset TV watchdogs. After the controversy last year - which saw CBS fined a record $550,000 (£292,000) by federal regulators - Super Bowl organisers had turned to producer Don Mischer to oversee this year's half-time show. His previous production credits included Olympic opening and closing ceremonies. The Super Bowl is watched by an audience of 144.4 million in the US, with many of the people watching are said to tune in specifically to see the entertainment put on around the event. Michael Jackson, Aerosmith, Diana Ross, Gloria Estefan and Phil Collins are among the stars who have previously graced the Super Bowl stage.
","Organisers were widely considered to be playing it safe this year by booking 62-year-old Sir Paul for his second Super Bowl show.After the controversy last year - which saw CBS fined a record $550,000 (£292,000) by federal regulators - Super Bowl organisers had turned to producer Don Mischer to oversee this year's half-time show.Three years ago, he was invited to perform at the first Super Bowl after the September 11 attacks and performed his specially-written song Freedom.Sir Paul McCartney wowed fans with a live mini-concert at American football's Super Bowl - and avoided any Janet Jackson-style controversies.Finally, he closed the show with a rousing version of Hey Jude.The 62-year-old sang Hey Jude and other Beatles songs in a 12-minute set at half-time during the game in Florida.The singer removed his black jacket halfway through the show - but any fans hoping for a second ""Nipple-gate"" were to be disappointed as he kept his red sweatshirt on underneath."
1997,"Supercomputer breaks speed record

The US is poised to push Japan off the top of the supercomputing chart with IBM's prototype Blue Gene/L machine.

It is being assembled for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a US Department of Energy (DOE) lab. DOE test results show that Blue Gene/L has managed speeds of 70.72 teraflops. The current top machine, Japan's NEC Earth Simulator, clocks up 35.86. Due next week, the Top 500 list officially charts the fastest computers in the world. It is announced every six months and is worked out using an officially recognised mathematical speed test called Linpack which measures calculations per second. The speeds will most likely make it the fastest computer system on the planet, yet the chip technology powering the machine is the kind which can be found in familiar devices such as games consoles.

The US Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham confirmed that the machine had reached the breakneck speed, according to the Linpack benchmark. Until the official list is published, however, Blue Gene/L's position will not be confirmed, and there are expected to be some other new entries. But the test results raise the bar of supercomputing enormously and signal a remarkable achievement. Surpassing the 40 trillion calculations per second (teraflop) mark has been considered a landmark for some time.

The IBM Blue Gene/L is only a prototype and is one 5th the speed of the full version, due to be completed for the Livermore labs in 2005. Its peak theoretical performance is expected to be 360 teraflops, and will fit into 64 full racks. It will also cut down on the amount of heat generated by the massive power, a big problem for supercomputers. The final machine will help scientists work out the safety, security and reliability requirements for the US's nuclear weapons stockpile, without the need for underground nuclear testing. The Earth Simulator has held on to the top spot since June 2002. It is dedicated to climate modelling and simulating seismic activity. But in September, IBM said that another Blue Gene/L machine clocked up 36.01 teraflops, marginally surpassing the Earth Simulator's performance. This was achieved during internal testing at IBM's production facility in Rochester, Minnesota, though, so was not an official record. Another giant to enter the fray is Silicon Graphics' Columbia supercomputer based at Nasa's Ames Research Center in California. It would be used to model flight missions, climate research, and aerospace engineering. The Linux-based machine was reported to have reached a top speed of 42.7 teraflops in October.

Supercomputers are hugely important for working out very complex problems across science and society. Their massive simulation and processing power means they can improve the accuracy of weather forecasts, help design better cars, and improve disease diagnosis. IBM's senior vice president of technology and manufacturing, Nick Donofrio, believes that by 2006, Blue Gene will be capable of petaflop computing. This means it would be capable of doing 1,000 trillion operations a second. ""When you get a computer as large as a petaflop, you can start to think of simulations that might complement the physical world,"" Mr Donofrio recently told the BBC News website.

""You can start to be more proactive, more interactive and more innovative."" One area where Mr Donofrio sees supercomputing - and Blue Gene machines in particular - as crucial is health. He believes the machines can help scientists understand one of the greatest challenges of the 21st Century: protein folding. ""Health is one of the most important problems, not just mapping the human genome, but also protein structures. ""We are a great believer in simulation. It gives you another tool,"" he said. Once the structures of proteins are understood fully, then drugs can be tailor-made to fight diseases more effectively. Compared with the current fastest supercomputers, Blue Gene is designed to consume one 15th the power and be 10 times more compact. Since the first supercomputer, the Cray-1, was installed at Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1976, computational speed has leaped 500,000 times. The Cray-1 was capable of 80 megaflops (80 million operations a second). The Blue Gene/L machine that will be completed next year will be five million times faster. Started in 1993, the Top 500 list is decided by a group of computer science academics from around the world. It is presented at the International Supercomputer Conference in Pittsburgh.
","The US is poised to push Japan off the top of the supercomputing chart with IBM's prototype Blue Gene/L machine.But in September, IBM said that another Blue Gene/L machine clocked up 36.01 teraflops, marginally surpassing the Earth Simulator's performance.DOE test results show that Blue Gene/L has managed speeds of 70.72 teraflops.The Linux-based machine was reported to have reached a top speed of 42.7 teraflops in October.One area where Mr Donofrio sees supercomputing - and Blue Gene machines in particular - as crucial is health.The IBM Blue Gene/L is only a prototype and is one 5th the speed of the full version, due to be completed for the Livermore labs in 2005.The Blue Gene/L machine that will be completed next year will be five million times faster.Compared with the current fastest supercomputers, Blue Gene is designed to consume one 15th the power and be 10 times more compact.The current top machine, Japan's NEC Earth Simulator, clocks up 35.86.Since the first supercomputer, the Cray-1, was installed at Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1976, computational speed has leaped 500,000 times.Due next week, the Top 500 list officially charts the fastest computers in the world.He believes the machines can help scientists understand one of the greatest challenges of the 21st Century: protein folding.The US Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham confirmed that the machine had reached the breakneck speed, according to the Linpack benchmark.The Cray-1 was capable of 80 megaflops (80 million operations a second).IBM's senior vice president of technology and manufacturing, Nick Donofrio, believes that by 2006, Blue Gene will be capable of petaflop computing.This means it would be capable of doing 1,000 trillion operations a second."
885,"Jackson film 'absolute disaster'

A PR expert has told the Michael Jackson child abuse trial that the TV documentary at the heart of the case was an ""absolute disaster"".

Ann Kite told the court in the Californian town of Santa Maria she was hired to ""crisis manage"" the fallout after the programme had aired in 2003. Jurors saw the film, in which the pop star held hands with the alleged victim, on Tuesday. Mr Jackson denies 10 charges of child abuse and false imprisonment. If convicted, he could face up to 21 years in prison.

Ms Kite suggested Jackson's associates had been intent on launching a smear campaign against the accuser's family after the airing of Martin Bashir's film Living with Michael Jackson. She told the court that in the aftermath of the broadcast, a Jackson lawyer had told her the boy's mother would be made to look like a ""crack whore"". Jackson's defence questioned Ms Kite's credibility, pointing that she worked for the singer's team for less than a week before being fired, and had never met or spoken to the star.

Ms Kite said she received a phone call on 13 February 2003 from a Jackson associate, Marc Schaffel, who said the boy and his family had left the Neverland ranch where they had been staying.

Ms Kite told the court she had later asked Jackson's lawyer, David LeGrand, what had happened. ""I said, `Don't make me believe that these people were hunted down like dogs and brought back to the ranch',"" she said. Ms Kite began to work for Mr Jackson in February 2003, after the controversial film was televised in the US and Europe. The documentary sparked a media storm and the subsequent investigation into Mr Jackson's relationship with the boy. In the film, the singer said he did not see anything wrong with sharing a bed with a child.

Questioned by the prosecution, Ms Kite said her plan had been to move media coverage of the star away from a focus on his human frailties to concentrate more on his musical genius. Ms Kite said that an additional problem was the release of documents relating to a previous allegation of child abuse against Mr Jackson. The Smoking Gun website publication was ""beyond disaster"", Ms Kite said. Correspondents say the reference is important because it was unclear whether the prosecution would be able to bring up the previous case in front of the jury.

The judge is studying whether the prosecution's first witness, reporter Martin Bashir, is in contempt of court. The defence protested after Mr Bashir, who interviewed Jackson for the TV documentary, refused to answer nearly all their questions, citing a California ""shield"" law intended to allow journalists to protect their sources. In the prosecution's opening statement on Monday, Tom Sneddon told the court that Mr Jackson had shown the boy porn and plied him with wine, in order to molest him. He said the singer had visited sexually explicit websites and showed the boy - who was 13 at the time - and his younger brother pornography at his ranch.
","Ms Kite said that an additional problem was the release of documents relating to a previous allegation of child abuse against Mr Jackson.Ms Kite began to work for Mr Jackson in February 2003, after the controversial film was televised in the US and Europe.Ms Kite said she received a phone call on 13 February 2003 from a Jackson associate, Marc Schaffel, who said the boy and his family had left the Neverland ranch where they had been staying.The Smoking Gun website publication was ""beyond disaster"", Ms Kite said.Ms Kite told the court she had later asked Jackson's lawyer, David LeGrand, what had happened.Ms Kite suggested Jackson's associates had been intent on launching a smear campaign against the accuser's family after the airing of Martin Bashir's film Living with Michael Jackson.A PR expert has told the Michael Jackson child abuse trial that the TV documentary at the heart of the case was an ""absolute disaster"".Questioned by the prosecution, Ms Kite said her plan had been to move media coverage of the star away from a focus on his human frailties to concentrate more on his musical genius.In the prosecution's opening statement on Monday, Tom Sneddon told the court that Mr Jackson had shown the boy porn and plied him with wine, in order to molest him."
1787,"Mauresmo opens with victory in LA

Amelie Mauresmo and Maria Sharapova won their opening matches at the Tour Championships in Los Angeles.

France's Mauresmo routed Vera Zvonareva 6-1 6-0, while Wimbledon champion Sharapova was a 6-1 6-4 winner over fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova. American Serena Williams also won, edging Russian Elena Dementieva 7-6 7-5 for her second victory of the event. The event is split into two groups of four with the top two from each advancing to the semi-finals.

Mauresmo's win was her ninth in a row as she tries to overtake Lindsay Davenport for the number one spot. Mauresmo spent five weeks at number one after the US Open before injury ushered Davenport back in front. ""Since then, I feel very confident on court and my game is there. I want to get the ranking back, but it's very different than before I was number one. ""It was an obsession, but now I take it in a relaxed way."" Mauresmo completed her first match in the season-ending championship in 54 minutes as Russia's Zvonareva struggled to return her serve and failed to achieve a single break point.

""She got mad a little bit and I played some great tennis,"" said Mauresmo, who was runner-up to Kim Clijsters in last year's final. Zvonareva has lost both her games so far, having crashed 6-2 6-4 Kuznetsova in the Staples Centre on Wednesday. ""Sometimes not everything works,"" she said. ""It was lots of pressure. Maybe that is why I couldn't do 100%. But I was fighting."" Sharapova, who lost 6-2 6-2 to Kuznetsova in Beijing in September, said: ""In Beijing, she was coming off such a big winning streak [14 matches] and she was unstoppable. ""This time, it was important to start off well and put some pressure on her."" The tournament debutant added: ""I love it here. The atmosphere is great. ""To be here where the Lakers play, you just feel that excitement. I love basketball."" Williams admitted she is still some way off her best form but remained positive after two wins in two days. ""It's hard to go out there and get it right but I'm fighting and I'm hoping,"" said Williams. ""What makes me happy is the effort. I had a really good effort today. ""I'm trying to add new dimensions to my game.""
","But I was fighting.""Sharapova, who lost 6-2 6-2 to Kuznetsova in Beijing in September, said: ""In Beijing, she was coming off such a big winning streak [14 matches] and she was unstoppable.""It was lots of pressure.France's Mauresmo routed Vera Zvonareva 6-1 6-0, while Wimbledon champion Sharapova was a 6-1 6-4 winner over fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova.""She got mad a little bit and I played some great tennis,"" said Mauresmo, who was runner-up to Kim Clijsters in last year's final.I want to get the ranking back, but it's very different than before I was number one.""It was an obsession, but now I take it in a relaxed way.""Mauresmo's win was her ninth in a row as she tries to overtake Lindsay Davenport for the number one spot.""This time, it was important to start off well and put some pressure on her.""""It's hard to go out there and get it right but I'm fighting and I'm hoping,"" said Williams.The tournament debutant added: ""I love it here."
1412,"Smith keen on Home series return

Scotland manager Walter Smith has given his backing to the reinstatement of the Home International series.

Such a plan is to be proposed by the new chief executive of the Northern Irish FA, Howard Wells, at the next meeting of the four home countries. The English FA has expressed doubt as to whether the fixtures could be accommodated at the end of each season. But Smith said: ""Bringing it back would add meaning to friendly games and that's something that's needed."" The Home International series was done away with in 1984, with the traditional Scotland-England fixture continuing until 1989. That game is one Smith would be delighted to see reinstated. ""The Scotland v England match was a highlight of the end of the season,"" he added. ""I was in Italy for their friendly with Russia last week and they made seven substitutions while only around 20,000 fans turned up to watch. ""England were criticised for the 0-0 draw against Holland - the way Scotland were slammed in the past for poor results in friendlies. ""You have to put a performance on in friendly games. If you don't, they can be de-motivating. ""It can be a dangerous road to go down, if players don't apply themselves in the manner they should. ""So I would support the return of the home internationals - the only problem would be fitting them in to the fixture schedule.""
","Scotland manager Walter Smith has given his backing to the reinstatement of the Home International series.""So I would support the return of the home internationals - the only problem would be fitting them in to the fixture schedule.""The Home International series was done away with in 1984, with the traditional Scotland-England fixture continuing until 1989.But Smith said: ""Bringing it back would add meaning to friendly games and that's something that's needed.""""The Scotland v England match was a highlight of the end of the season,"" he added.If you don't, they can be de-motivating."
30,"Soaring oil 'hits world economy'

The soaring cost of oil has hit global economic growth, although world's major economies should weather the storm of price rises, according to the OECD.

In its latest bi-annual report, the OECD cut its growth predictions for the world's main industrialised regions. US growth would reach 4.4% in 2004, but fall to 3.3% next year from a previous estimate of 3.7%, the OECD said. However, the Paris-based economics think tank said it believed the global economy could still regain momentum.

Forecasts for Japanese growth were also scaled back to 4.0% from 4.4% this year and 2.1% from 2.8% in 2005. But the outlook was worst for the 12-member eurozone bloc, with already sluggish growth forecasts slipping to 1.8% from 2.0% this year and 1.9% from 2.4% in 2005, the OECD said. Overall, the report forecast total growth of 3.6% in 2004 for the 30 member countries of the OECD, slipping to 2.9% next year before recovering to 3.1% in 2006. ""There are nonetheless good reasons to believe that despite recent oil price turbulence the world economy will regain momentum in a not-too-distant future,"" said Jean-Philippe Cotis, the OECD's chief economist. The price of crude is about 50% higher than it was at the start of 2004, but down on the record high of $55.67 set in late October.

A dip in oil prices and improving jobs prospects would improve consumer confidence and spending, the OECD said. ""The oil shock is not enormous by historical standards - we have seen worse in the seventies. If the oil price does not rise any further, then we think the shock can be absorbed within the next few quarters,"" Vincent Koen, a senior economist with the OECD, told the BBC's World Business Report. ""The recovery that was underway, and has been interrupted a bit by the oil shock this year, would then regain momentum in the course of 2005."" China's booming economy and a ""spectacular comeback"" in Japan - albeit one that has faltered in recent months - would help world economic recovery, the OECD said. ""Supported by strong balance sheets and high profits, the recovery of business investment should continue in North America and start in earnest in Europe,"" it added. However, the report warned: ""It remains to be seen whether continental Europe will play a strong supportive role through a marked upswing of final domestic demand."" The OECD highlighted current depressed household expenditure in Germany and the eurozone's over-reliance on export-led growth.
","US growth would reach 4.4% in 2004, but fall to 3.3% next year from a previous estimate of 3.7%, the OECD said.But the outlook was worst for the 12-member eurozone bloc, with already sluggish growth forecasts slipping to 1.8% from 2.0% this year and 1.9% from 2.4% in 2005, the OECD said.Overall, the report forecast total growth of 3.6% in 2004 for the 30 member countries of the OECD, slipping to 2.9% next year before recovering to 3.1% in 2006.The soaring cost of oil has hit global economic growth, although world's major economies should weather the storm of price rises, according to the OECD.""The recovery that was underway, and has been interrupted a bit by the oil shock this year, would then regain momentum in the course of 2005.""If the oil price does not rise any further, then we think the shock can be absorbed within the next few quarters,"" Vincent Koen, a senior economist with the OECD, told the BBC's World Business Report.A dip in oil prices and improving jobs prospects would improve consumer confidence and spending, the OECD said."
1682,"South Africa sweep top awards

South Africa's Schalk Burger was named player of the year as the Tri-Nations champions swept the top honours at the International Rugby Board's awards.

The flanker topped a list which included Ireland star Gordon D'Arcy and Australian sensation Matt Giteau. Jake White claimed the coaching award while his side held off Grand Slam winners France to take the team award. England player Simon Amor beat team-mate Ben Gollings and Argentine Lucio Lopez Fleming to win the sevens award. Burger's award came just a week after he won the equivalent prize from his fellow international players and White, who also coached Burger at under-21 level, paid tribute to him. ""Schalk's emergence as a major force has meant a lot to South African rugby, but has also influenced world rugby,"" said White. ""He's become to South African rugby what Jonty Rhodes was to South African cricket. It's amazing what he has achieved in such a short time so far in his international career."" Amor, who will captain England in this season's opening IRB Sevens tournament, the Dubai Sevens, which start on Thursday, was delighted with his award. ""There are so many great sevens players on the circuit at the moment that this is a genuine honour,"" said the Gloucester fly-half.
","South Africa's Schalk Burger was named player of the year as the Tri-Nations champions swept the top honours at the International Rugby Board's awards.""Schalk's emergence as a major force has meant a lot to South African rugby, but has also influenced world rugby,"" said White.Burger's award came just a week after he won the equivalent prize from his fellow international players and White, who also coached Burger at under-21 level, paid tribute to him.England player Simon Amor beat team-mate Ben Gollings and Argentine Lucio Lopez Fleming to win the sevens award."
202,"MCI shareholder sues to stop bid

A shareholder in US phone firm MCI has taken legal action to halt a $6.75bn (£3.6bn) buyout by telecoms giant Verizon, hoping to get a better deal.

The lawsuit was filed on Friday after Qwest Communications, which had an earlier offer for MCI rejected, said it would submit an improved bid. MCI's directors have backed Verizon, despite it tabling less money. They are accused of breaching their fiduciary duties by depriving MCI shareholders ""of maximum value"".

According the legal papers filed in a Delaware court, Verizon is set to pay an """"unconscionable, unfair and grossly inadequate"" sum for MCI, which was formerly known as Worldcom. Qwest said on Wednesday that MCI had rejected a deal worth $8bn. A number of large MCI shareholders expressed unhappiness at the decision, saying that Verizon's offer, made up of cash, shares and dividends, undervalued the company. Friday's lawsuit argues that the Verizon offer makes no provision for future growth prospects and that consolidation in the US phone industry will put a premium on MCI's network, assets and clients. MCI's directors have argued that Verizon is bigger than Qwest, has fewer debts and has built a successful mobile division. Chief executive Michael Capellas spent last week meeting with shareholders in an effort to win their backing.

In 2002, investors in the then-named Worldcom lost millions when the company filed for bankruptcy following an accounting scandal. However, the firm - now renamed MCI - has put its operations in order and emerged from bankruptcy protection last April. It is a long-distance and corporate phone firm, and would provide the buyer with access to a global telecommunications network and a large number of business-based subscribers. MCI shares jumped on Friday, hitting their highest level since April 2004 amid speculation that it would be the focus of a bidding war. A takeover of MCI would be the fifth billion-dollar telecoms deal since October as companies look to cut costs and boost client bases. Earlier this month, SBC Communications agreed to buy its former parent and phone pioneer AT&T for about $16bn.
","A shareholder in US phone firm MCI has taken legal action to halt a $6.75bn (£3.6bn) buyout by telecoms giant Verizon, hoping to get a better deal.The lawsuit was filed on Friday after Qwest Communications, which had an earlier offer for MCI rejected, said it would submit an improved bid.Qwest said on Wednesday that MCI had rejected a deal worth $8bn.However, the firm - now renamed MCI - has put its operations in order and emerged from bankruptcy protection last April.A number of large MCI shareholders expressed unhappiness at the decision, saying that Verizon's offer, made up of cash, shares and dividends, undervalued the company.A takeover of MCI would be the fifth billion-dollar telecoms deal since October as companies look to cut costs and boost client bases.According the legal papers filed in a Delaware court, Verizon is set to pay an """"unconscionable, unfair and grossly inadequate"" sum for MCI, which was formerly known as Worldcom."
377,"VW considers opening Indian plant

Volkswagen is considering building a car factory in India, but said it had yet to make a final decision.

The German giant said it was studying the possibility of opening an assembly plant in the country, but that it remained only a ""potential"" idea. Its comments came after the industry minister of India's Andhra Pradesh state said a team of VW officials were due to visit to discuss the plans. B. Satyanarayana said he expected VW to co-sign a memorandum of agreement. Several foreign carmakers, including Hyundai, Toyota, Suzuki and Ford, already have Indian production facilities to meet demand for automobiles in Asia's fourth-largest economy. VW's proposed plant would be set up in the port city of Visakhapatnam on India's eastern coast. An Andhra Pradesh official added that VW had already approved a factory site measuring 250 acres.
",Its comments came after the industry minister of India's Andhra Pradesh state said a team of VW officials were due to visit to discuss the plans.An Andhra Pradesh official added that VW had already approved a factory site measuring 250 acres.B. Satyanarayana said he expected VW to co-sign a memorandum of agreement.
610,"Fockers retain film chart crown

Comedy Meet The Fockers has held on to the number one spot at the North American box office for a second week.

It took $42.8m (£23.7m) at the weekend, making its overall takings more than $163m (£90m) in 12 days, according to studio estimates. It took $19.1m (£9.9m) on Christmas Day alone, the highest takings on that day in box office history. The sequel to the Ben Stiller comedy Meet The Parents stars Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand. The success of Meet the Fockers could help produce record box office revenue for 2004, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of the industry's tracker Exhibitor Relations. ""We've had a much stronger than anticipated final week of the year that helped the industry end on a high note,"" said Mr Dergarabedian.

Meet the Fockers also broke the box office records for the most money taken on New Year's Eve, when it made $12.2m (£6.2m), and New Year's Day, when it took $18m (£9.4m). The previous New Year's Eve record was set in 2000 by Cast Away with $8.5m (£4.5m). The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King had held the New Year's Day title with $12.8m (£6.7m). However, Christmas takings were down 26.5% on 2003's figures - which was blamed on Christmas falling over a weekend this year. This weekend's top 12 films took an estimated $125.4m (£65.8m), a 4.3% increase on the same weekend last year. But there were no major releases last week to provide competition to Meet the Fockers or Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, which finished in second place with $14.7m (£7.7m). The Aviator, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes, ended up in third position after taking $11.2m (£5.9m). Comedy Fat Albert - co-written by Bill Cosby - moved down the chart to fourth place after taking $10.7m (£5.6m).
","Meet the Fockers also broke the box office records for the most money taken on New Year's Eve, when it made $12.2m (£6.2m), and New Year's Day, when it took $18m (£9.4m).It took $19.1m (£9.9m) on Christmas Day alone, the highest takings on that day in box office history.Comedy Meet The Fockers has held on to the number one spot at the North American box office for a second week.However, Christmas takings were down 26.5% on 2003's figures - which was blamed on Christmas falling over a weekend this year.The success of Meet the Fockers could help produce record box office revenue for 2004, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of the industry's tracker Exhibitor Relations.It took $42.8m (£23.7m) at the weekend, making its overall takings more than $163m (£90m) in 12 days, according to studio estimates."
174,"Yangtze Electric's profits double

Yangtze Electric Power, the operator of China's Three Gorges Dam, has said its profits more than doubled in 2004.

The firm has benefited from increased demand for electricity at a time when power shortages have hit cities and provinces across the country. As a hydroelectric-power generator it has not been hurt by higher coal costs. Net income jumped to 3bn yuan in 2004 ($365m; £190m), compared with 1.4bn yuan in 2003. Sales surged to 6.2bn yuan, from 3bn yuan a year earlier. The figures topped analysts expectations, even though the rate of growth has slowed from 2003. Analysts forecast that it is likely to decline further this year to a rate of expansion of closer to 20%.

Yangtze Electric has been expanding its output to meet demand driven by China's booming economy. The government has delayed the building of a number of power plants in an effort to rein in growth amid concerns that the economy may overheat. That has led to an energy crunch, with demand outstripping supply. Earlier this month, work was halted on an underground power station, and a supply unit on the Three Gorges Dam, as well as a power station on its sister Xiluodu dam because of environmental worries. A total of 30 large-scale projects have been halted across the country for similar reasons. The Three Gorges Dam project has led to more than half a million people being relocated and drawn criticism from environmental groups and overseas human rights activists. Its sister project, the Xiluodu Dam, is being built on the Jinshajiang - or ""river of golden sand"" as the upper reaches of the Yangtze are known.
","Yangtze Electric Power, the operator of China's Three Gorges Dam, has said its profits more than doubled in 2004.The Three Gorges Dam project has led to more than half a million people being relocated and drawn criticism from environmental groups and overseas human rights activists.Yangtze Electric has been expanding its output to meet demand driven by China's booming economy.The firm has benefited from increased demand for electricity at a time when power shortages have hit cities and provinces across the country.Earlier this month, work was halted on an underground power station, and a supply unit on the Three Gorges Dam, as well as a power station on its sister Xiluodu dam because of environmental worries.Sales surged to 6.2bn yuan, from 3bn yuan a year earlier."
623,"Wal-Mart is sued over rude lyrics

The parents of a 13-year-old girl are suing US supermarket giant Wal-Mart over a CD by rock group Evanescence that contains swear words.

The lawsuit, filed in Washington County, alleges Wal-Mart deceived customers by not putting warning labels on the cover. Trevin Skeens alleges Wal-Mart knew of the offending word because it had censored it on its music sales website. Wal-Mart said it was investigating the claims but had no plans to pull the CD. Wal-Mart has a policy of not stocking CDs which carry parental advisory labels. Mr Skeens said he bought the Anywhere But Home CD for his daughter and was shocked to hear the swearing when it was played in their car.

""I don't want any other families to get this, expecting it to be clean. It needs to be removed from the shelves to prevent other children from hearing it,"" said Mr Skeens of Brownsville. The lawsuit seeks to force Wal-Mart to censor the music or remove it from its stores in Maryland. It also seeks damages of up to $74,500 (£38,660) for every customer who bought the CD at Maryland Wal-Marts, and also naming record label Wind-Up Records and distributor BMG Entertainment in the legal action. ""While Wal-Mart sets high standards, it would not be possible to eliminate every image, word or topic that an individual might find objectionable,"" Wal-Mart spokesman Guy Whitcomb told the Herald-Mail of Hagerstown.
","Wal-Mart said it was investigating the claims but had no plans to pull the CD.Trevin Skeens alleges Wal-Mart knew of the offending word because it had censored it on its music sales website.The lawsuit seeks to force Wal-Mart to censor the music or remove it from its stores in Maryland.The lawsuit, filed in Washington County, alleges Wal-Mart deceived customers by not putting warning labels on the cover.""While Wal-Mart sets high standards, it would not be possible to eliminate every image, word or topic that an individual might find objectionable,"" Wal-Mart spokesman Guy Whitcomb told the Herald-Mail of Hagerstown."
480,"Wipro beats forecasts once again

Wipro, India's third-biggest software firm, has reported a 60% rise in profit, topping market expectations.

Net income in the last quarter was 4.3bn rupees ($98m; £52m), against 2.7bn a year earlier. Profit had been forecast to be 4.1bn rupees. Wipro offers services such as call centres to foreign clients and has worked for more than half of the companies on the Fortune 500 list. Wipro said demand was strong, allowing it to increase the prices it charged.

""On the face of it, the results don't look very exciting,"" said Apurva Shah, an analyst at ASK-Raymond James. ""But the guidance is positive and pricing going up is good news."" Third-quarter sales rose 34% to 20.9bn rupees. One problem identified by Wipro was the high turnover of its staff. It said that 90% of employees at its business process outsourcing operations had had to be replaced. ""We have to get that under control,"" said vice-chairman Vivek Paul. Wipro is majority owned by India's richest man Azim Premji.
","Wipro said demand was strong, allowing it to increase the prices it charged.Profit had been forecast to be 4.1bn rupees.Wipro, India's third-biggest software firm, has reported a 60% rise in profit, topping market expectations.Net income in the last quarter was 4.3bn rupees ($98m; £52m), against 2.7bn a year earlier.One problem identified by Wipro was the high turnover of its staff."
17,"Parmalat boasts doubled profits

Parmalat, the Italian food group at the centre of one of Europe's most painful corporate scandals, has reported a doubling in profit.

Its pre-tax earnings in the fourth quarter were 77m euros (£53m; $100m), up from 38m in the same period of 2003. Less welcome was the news that the firm had been fined 11m euros for having violated takeover rules five years ago. The firm sought bankruptcy protection in December 2003 after disclosing a 4bn-euro hole in its accounts. Overall, the company's debt is close to 12bn euros, and is falling only slowly. Its brands, well-known in Italy and overseas, have continued to perform strongly, however, and have barely lost revenue since the scandal broke.

But a crucial factor for the company's future is the legal unwinding of its intensely complex financial position. On Tuesday, the company's administrator, turnaround expert Enrico Bondi, sued Morgan Stanley, its former banker, to return 136m euros relating to a 2003 bond deal. That brought to 49 the number of banks that Mr Bondi has sued, a mass of legal action that could bring in as much as 3bn euros. The company has also sued former auditors and financial advisors for damages. And criminal cases against the company's former management are proceeding separately.
","On Tuesday, the company's administrator, turnaround expert Enrico Bondi, sued Morgan Stanley, its former banker, to return 136m euros relating to a 2003 bond deal.The company has also sued former auditors and financial advisors for damages.That brought to 49 the number of banks that Mr Bondi has sued, a mass of legal action that could bring in as much as 3bn euros.And criminal cases against the company's former management are proceeding separately.Overall, the company's debt is close to 12bn euros, and is falling only slowly."
477,"JP Morgan admits US slavery links

Thousands of slaves were accepted as collateral for loans by two banks that later became part of JP Morgan Chase.

The admission is part of an apology sent to JP Morgan staff after the bank researched its links to slavery in order to meet legislation in Chicago. Citizens Bank and Canal Bank are the two lenders that were identified. They are now closed, but were linked to Bank One, which JP Morgan bought last year. About 13,000 slaves were used as loan collateral between 1831 and 1865.

Because of defaults by plantation owners, Citizens and Canal ended up owning about 1,250 slaves. ""We all know slavery existed in our country, but it is quite different to see how our history and the institution of slavery were intertwined,"" JP Morgan chief executive William Harrison and chief operating officer James Dimon said in the letter. ""Slavery was tragically ingrained in American society, but that is no excuse."" ""We apologise to the African-American community, particularly those who are descendants of slaves, and to the rest of the American public for the role that Citizens Bank and Canal Bank played."" ""The slavery era was a tragic time in US history and in our company's history."" JP Morgan said that it was setting up a $5m scholarship programme for students living in Louisiana, the state where the events took place. The bank said that it is a ""very different company than the Citizens and Canal Banks of the 1800s"".
","Thousands of slaves were accepted as collateral for loans by two banks that later became part of JP Morgan Chase.Citizens Bank and Canal Bank are the two lenders that were identified.The bank said that it is a ""very different company than the Citizens and Canal Banks of the 1800s"".""We apologise to the African-American community, particularly those who are descendants of slaves, and to the rest of the American public for the role that Citizens Bank and Canal Bank played.""The admission is part of an apology sent to JP Morgan staff after the bank researched its links to slavery in order to meet legislation in Chicago."
130,"Aviation firms eye booming India

India's defence minister has opened the country's Aero India 2005 air show with an invitation for global aerospace firms to outsource jobs to the nation.

Pranab Mukherjee said such companies could take advantage of India's highly skilled workers and low wages. More than 240 civil and military aerospace firms from 31 countries are attending the show. Analysts said India could spend up to $35bn (£18.8bn) in the aviation market over the next 20 years. Giants such Boeing and Airbus - on the civil aviation front - as well as Lockheed Martin and France's Snecma - on the military side - are some of the firms attending the show. ""There is tremendous scope for outsourcing from India in areas where the companies are competitive,"" said Mr Mukerjee. ""We are keen to welcome international collaborations that are in conformity with our national goals.""

Lockheed said it had signed an agreement with state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) to share information on the P-3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft.

In fact, the Indian Armed Force is considering the buying of used P-3 Orion as well as F-16 fighter jets from Lockheed. The US military industry has show a strong interest to open a link with India, now that relations between the two countries have improved a lot. In fact, it is the first time the US Air Force will attend the air show since sanctions imposed in 1998 after India's nuclear tests were lifted. But the Indian Air Force is also considering proposals from other foreign firms such as France's Dassault Aviation, Sweden's Saab and Russia's Mikoyan-Gurevich. Meanwhile, France's Snecma has also said it plans a joint venture with HAL to make engine parts, with an initial investment of $6.5m.

On the civilian front, Boeing announced a deal with India's HCL Technologies to develop a platform for the flight test system of its 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The US company also said it had agreed with a new Indian budget airline the sale of 10 737-800 planes for $630m. The airline, SpiceJet, will also have the option to acquire 10 more aircraft. Airbus has also recently signed fresh deals with two Indian airlines - Air Deccan and Kingfisher. In addition, the European company has plans to open a training centre in India. Meanwhile, flag carrier Air India is considering to buy 50 new aircraft from either Boeing or Airbus. ""No other market is going to see the growth that will be seen here in the coming years,"" said Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president Boeing.
","The US company also said it had agreed with a new Indian budget airline the sale of 10 737-800 planes for $630m.Giants such Boeing and Airbus - on the civil aviation front - as well as Lockheed Martin and France's Snecma - on the military side - are some of the firms attending the show.Airbus has also recently signed fresh deals with two Indian airlines - Air Deccan and Kingfisher.Meanwhile, flag carrier Air India is considering to buy 50 new aircraft from either Boeing or Airbus.India's defence minister has opened the country's Aero India 2005 air show with an invitation for global aerospace firms to outsource jobs to the nation.But the Indian Air Force is also considering proposals from other foreign firms such as France's Dassault Aviation, Sweden's Saab and Russia's Mikoyan-Gurevich.The US military industry has show a strong interest to open a link with India, now that relations between the two countries have improved a lot.Meanwhile, France's Snecma has also said it plans a joint venture with HAL to make engine parts, with an initial investment of $6.5m."
1356,"Collins named UK Athletics chief

UK Athletics has ended its search for a new performance director by appointing psychologist Dave Collins.

Collins, who worked with the British teams at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, takes over from Max Jones. Six candidates were interviewed for the job, including Denise Lewis' coach Charles van Commenee and former British triple jumper Keith Connor. ""We've searched long and hard to ensure we have found the right person,"" said UKA chief executive David Moorcroft. ""We have thoroughly tested the candidates. I believe David will make a great leader and I have great faith in what he will achieve."" Collins said: ""It's a great challenge. Over the next few months I will spend time listening to those who already make a significant contribution to athletics and other elite sports in the UK."" Collins, who has worked with javelin thrower Steve Backley in the past, started his career as a Royal Marine before becoming a PE teacher. He is currently professor of physical education and sport performance at Edinburgh University, where he helps competitors across many sports, including rugby, athletics, judo and football.

He has specialised in helping competitors fulfil their potential through psychology and has worked with the Great Britain women's curling team, who won gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Mark Lewis-Francis sought Collins' advice in Athens when he was looking for inspiration before he ran the final leg of Britain's surprise triumph in the 4x100m relay. Collins has played rugby at regional level, was captain of the Great Britain American Football team, and competed at national level in judo and karate. He arrives with British athletics at a crossroads. Despite Kelly Holmes' golden double and the success of the sprint relay squad, the GB team failed to live up to expectations in Athens. Many older competitors have retired or are coming to the end of their careers, and Britain failed to win a single medal at the world junior championships in Italy this year. Collins will not have day-to-day coaching contact with the athletes, but will be expected to make changes to the system and coaching set-up in order to secure medals at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. The appointment of a new performance director was one of the main recommendations in Sir Andrew Foster's review of the sport, which was published in May. It was commissioned by UK Sport and Sport England, which wanted UK Athletics to justify funding of more than £40m from the Government following the failure to hang on to the 2005 World Championships, which are now being held in Helsinki. Van Commenee dropped out of the selection process to take on the same role with the Dutch Olympic Committee, while Connor's application was rejected after an arduous interview process. Foster, however, declared himself satisfied with how the appointment was made. ""The appointment of David Collins, with his strong mix of leadership skills and managerial experience, is testament to the professional and detailed recruitment process,"" he said.
","Collins has played rugby at regional level, was captain of the Great Britain American Football team, and competed at national level in judo and karate.Collins said: ""It's a great challenge.UK Athletics has ended its search for a new performance director by appointing psychologist Dave Collins.Collins, who worked with the British teams at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, takes over from Max Jones.He has specialised in helping competitors fulfil their potential through psychology and has worked with the Great Britain women's curling team, who won gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics.The appointment of a new performance director was one of the main recommendations in Sir Andrew Foster's review of the sport, which was published in May.It was commissioned by UK Sport and Sport England, which wanted UK Athletics to justify funding of more than £40m from the Government following the failure to hang on to the 2005 World Championships, which are now being held in Helsinki.""The appointment of David Collins, with his strong mix of leadership skills and managerial experience, is testament to the professional and detailed recruitment process,"" he said.He is currently professor of physical education and sport performance at Edinburgh University, where he helps competitors across many sports, including rugby, athletics, judo and football."
252,"BT offers equal access to rivals

BT has moved to pre-empt a possible break-up of its business by offering to cut wholesale broadband prices and open its network to rivals.

The move comes after telecom regulator Ofcom said in November that the firm must offer competitors ""real equality of access to its phone lines"". At the time, Ofcom offered BT the choice of change or splitting into two. Ofcom is carrying out a strategic review aimed at promoting greater competition in the UK telecom sector. BT's competitors have frequently accused it of misusing its status as the former telecoms monopoly and controller of access to many customers to favour its own retail arm.

This latest submission was delivered to the watchdog ahead of a deadline for the second phase of its review.

""Central to the proposals are plans by BT to offer operators lower wholesale prices, faster broadband services and transparent, highly-regulated access to BT's local network,"" the former monopoly said in a statement. ""The United Kingdom has the opportunity to create the most exciting and innovative telecoms market in the world,"" BT chief executive Ben Verwaayen said. ""BT has a critical role to play, and today we are making a set of far-reaching proposals towards that framework,"" he said. BT wants lighter regulation in exchange for the changes, as well as the removal of the break-up threat.

The group is to set up a new Access Services division - with a separate board which would include independent members - to ensure equal access for rivals to the ""local loop"", the copper wires that run between telephone exchanges and households. The company also unveiled plans to cut the wholesale prices of its most popular broadband product by about 8% from April in areas of high customer demand.

It added that it plans to invest £10bn in the next five years to create a ""21st Century network"". To meet the growing demand for greater bandwidth, BT said it would begin trials in April with a view to launching higher-speed services nationally from the autumn.

Telecom analysts Ovum welcomed the move, saying BT had ""given a lot of ground"".

""The big question now is whether the industry, and particularly Ofcom feels BT's proposals go far enough ...Now the real negotiation begins,"" director of telecoms research Tony Lavender said. Internet service provider (ISP) Plus.net also backed the proposals saying ""we will be entirely happy if Ofcom accepts them"". ""BT has been challenged to play fair and its plans will introduce a level playing field. The scenario now is how well people execute their business plans as a service provider,"" chief executive Lee Strafford said. Chris Panayis, managing director of ISP Freedom2surf said that it would make the situation clearer for business. ""I think it's the first productive thing we've had from BT,"" he said.

AOL backed the price cuts but said regulation was still needed to ensure a level playing field. ""This is a reminder to Ofcom that as long as BT can change the dynamics of the whole broadband market at will, the process of opening up the UK's local telephone network to infrastructure investment and competition remains fragile,"" a spokesman said. ""Ofcom needs to return to regulation of the wholesale broadband service [IPStream] and provide more robust rules for local loop unbundling if consumers are to see the benefits of increased competition and infrastructure investment."" More than 100 telecom firms, consumer groups and other interested parties are expected to make submissions to the regulator during this consultation phase. Ofcom is expected to spend the next few weeks examining the proposals before making an announcement within the next few months.
","""Central to the proposals are plans by BT to offer operators lower wholesale prices, faster broadband services and transparent, highly-regulated access to BT's local network,"" the former monopoly said in a statement.""This is a reminder to Ofcom that as long as BT can change the dynamics of the whole broadband market at will, the process of opening up the UK's local telephone network to infrastructure investment and competition remains fragile,"" a spokesman said.""The United Kingdom has the opportunity to create the most exciting and innovative telecoms market in the world,"" BT chief executive Ben Verwaayen said.""BT has a critical role to play, and today we are making a set of far-reaching proposals towards that framework,"" he said.The move comes after telecom regulator Ofcom said in November that the firm must offer competitors ""real equality of access to its phone lines"".BT has moved to pre-empt a possible break-up of its business by offering to cut wholesale broadband prices and open its network to rivals.""I think it's the first productive thing we've had from BT,"" he said.To meet the growing demand for greater bandwidth, BT said it would begin trials in April with a view to launching higher-speed services nationally from the autumn.""The big question now is whether the industry, and particularly Ofcom feels BT's proposals go far enough ...Now the real negotiation begins,"" director of telecoms research Tony Lavender said.""BT has been challenged to play fair and its plans will introduce a level playing field.The scenario now is how well people execute their business plans as a service provider,"" chief executive Lee Strafford said."
625,"Rapper Snoop Dogg sued for 'rape'

US rapper Snoop Dogg has been sued for $25m (£13m) by a make-up artist who claimed he and his entourage drugged and raped her two years ago.

The woman said she was assaulted after a recording of the Jimmy Kimmel Live TV show on the ABC network in 2003. The rapper's spokesman said the allegations were ""untrue"" and the woman was ""misusing the legal system as a means of extracting financial gain"". ABC said the claims had ""no merit"". The star has not been charged by police.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles on Friday, says the woman's champagne was spiked and she was then assaulted. The rapper's spokesperson said: ""Snoop will have the opportunity to prove in a court of law that [the alleged victim] is opportunistic and deceitful. ""We are confident that in this case, [the alleged victim's] claims against Snoop Dogg will be rejected."" The lawsuit names Snoop Dogg - real name Calvin Broadus - plus three associates, The Walt Disney Company and its parent company ABC Inc.

The woman waited two years to sue because she was trying to negotiate a settlement with the media companies, her lawyer, Perry Wander, said. Disney and ABC ""failed to provide a safe working environment for my client,"" he said. The legal action comes after the rap star sued a woman who claimed they tried to blackmail him to keep quiet about an alleged assault. The 32-year-old rapper has enjoyed six US top 10 albums since bursting onto the music scene with hit songs like What's My Name? and Gin and Juice in 1993.
","The woman said she was assaulted after a recording of the Jimmy Kimmel Live TV show on the ABC network in 2003.ABC said the claims had ""no merit"".The rapper's spokesman said the allegations were ""untrue"" and the woman was ""misusing the legal system as a means of extracting financial gain"".US rapper Snoop Dogg has been sued for $25m (£13m) by a make-up artist who claimed he and his entourage drugged and raped her two years ago.The woman waited two years to sue because she was trying to negotiate a settlement with the media companies, her lawyer, Perry Wander, said.The rapper's spokesperson said: ""Snoop will have the opportunity to prove in a court of law that [the alleged victim] is opportunistic and deceitful."
1215,"MPs tout Lords replacement plan

A group of MPs has tried to raise the pressure on Tony Blair over reform to the House of Lords by publishing a detailed blueprint for change.

The cross-party group has unveiled a draft bill proposing a smaller second chamber in which 70% of members would be elected. MPs and peers have failed to agree on reform since 1999 when 600 hereditaries lost their seats. The group says it can win support for removing the last 92 hereditaries. The government postponed plans to remove the remaining hereditary peers because they said they were unlikely to succeed after opposition in the Lords. Tony Blair has argued. there needs to be consensus on reforms. There have been suggestions there will be proposals for changing at least the powers of the Lords in Labour's manifesto.

But the all-party group, including Tories Ken Clarke and Sir George Young, Labour's Robin Cook and Tony Wright and Liberal Democrat Paul Tyler, is confident its plan would win support from a ""large majority"". And they list former Conservative leader William Hague and former Labour leader Neil Kinnock as supporters of the plans. The group says the British public and a clear majority of MPs support replacing the Lords with a largely-elected second chamber. Their plan would see the House of Lords being renamed the Second Chamber of Parliament, and its members would be known as MSCPs.

There would be 385 MSCPs, including 270 elected members, 87 appointed members and 16 bishops. They would serve for between 12 and 14 years. Mr Cook said holding elections for MSCPs on the same day as those for MPs might help motivate the electorate and increase voter turnout. He added: ""Over the last year I have seen many statements from senior figures of this government insisting the public must have the right of choice. ""What could be more important than a choice of the people who sit in our Parliament?""

The group believes pressure is growing for change and the government's current position is unsustainable. It wants all three main parties to include a commitment to a ""largely democratic"" second chamber in their manifestos. Mr Clarke said the issue ""went to the heart of reforming the health of the British political system"". And Mr Tyler said the prime minister's view that there was no agreement on the shape of the future of the Lords was flawed. ""The problem, I think, in the prime minister's mind is there doesn't appear to be a consensus that includes him,"" he said. ""We are providing a consensus"". The Elect the Lords Campaign said the draft bill was an important contribution to the debate. ""We believe this draft bill is detailed enough to form the basis of closer parliamentary scrutiny,"" said co-ordinator Peter Facey. ""In lieu of any other such clear proposals, the government must permit that to happen.""
","Their plan would see the House of Lords being renamed the Second Chamber of Parliament, and its members would be known as MSCPs.The group says the British public and a clear majority of MPs support replacing the Lords with a largely-elected second chamber.The cross-party group has unveiled a draft bill proposing a smaller second chamber in which 70% of members would be elected.A group of MPs has tried to raise the pressure on Tony Blair over reform to the House of Lords by publishing a detailed blueprint for change.The Elect the Lords Campaign said the draft bill was an important contribution to the debate.The government postponed plans to remove the remaining hereditary peers because they said they were unlikely to succeed after opposition in the Lords.But the all-party group, including Tories Ken Clarke and Sir George Young, Labour's Robin Cook and Tony Wright and Liberal Democrat Paul Tyler, is confident its plan would win support from a ""large majority"".And Mr Tyler said the prime minister's view that there was no agreement on the shape of the future of the Lords was flawed.""The problem, I think, in the prime minister's mind is there doesn't appear to be a consensus that includes him,"" he said.The group says it can win support for removing the last 92 hereditaries.There would be 385 MSCPs, including 270 elected members, 87 appointed members and 16 bishops."
2051,"Spam e-mails tempt net shoppers

Computer users across the world continue to ignore security warnings about spam e-mails and are being lured into buying goods, a report suggests.

More than a quarter have bought software through spam e-mails and 24% have bought clothes or jewellery. As well as profiting from selling goods or services and driving advertising traffic, organised crime rings can use spam to glean personal information. The Business Software Alliance (BSA) warned that people should ""stay alert"". ""Many online consumers don't consider the true motives of spammers,"" said Mike Newton, a spokesperson for the BSA which commissioned the survey.

""By selling software that appears to be legitimate in genuine looking packaging or through sophisticated websites, spammers are hiding spyware without consumers' knowledge. ""Once the software is installed on PCs and networks, information that is given over the internet can be obtained and abused.""

The results also showed that the proportion of people reading - or admitting to reading - and taking advantage of adult entertainment spam e-mails is low, at one in 10. The research, which covered 6,000 people in six countries and their attitudes towards junk e-mails, revealed that Brazilians were the most likely to read spam. A third of them read unsolicited junk e-mail and 66% buy goods or services after receiving spam.

The French were the second most likely to buy something (48%), with 44% of Britons taking advantage of products and services. This was despite 38% of people in all countries being worried about their net security because of the amount of spam they get. More than a third of respondents said they were concerned that spam e-mails contained viruses or programs that attempted to collect personal information. ""Both industry and the media have helped to raise awareness of the issues that surround illegitimate e-mail, helping to reduce the potential financial damage and nuisance from phishing attacks and spoof websites,"" said William Plante, director of corporate security and fraud protection at security firm Symantec. ""At the same time, consumers need to continue exercising caution and protect themselves from harm with a mixture of spam filters, spyware detection software and sound judgement.""
","A third of them read unsolicited junk e-mail and 66% buy goods or services after receiving spam.More than a quarter have bought software through spam e-mails and 24% have bought clothes or jewellery.More than a third of respondents said they were concerned that spam e-mails contained viruses or programs that attempted to collect personal information.The results also showed that the proportion of people reading - or admitting to reading - and taking advantage of adult entertainment spam e-mails is low, at one in 10.This was despite 38% of people in all countries being worried about their net security because of the amount of spam they get.The research, which covered 6,000 people in six countries and their attitudes towards junk e-mails, revealed that Brazilians were the most likely to read spam."
1967,"Putting a face to 'Big Brother'

Literally putting a face on technology could be one of the keys to improving our interaction with hi-tech gadgets.

Imagine a surveillance system that also presents a virtual embodiment of a person on a screen who can react to your behaviour, and perhaps even alert you to new e-mails. Basic versions of these so-called avatars already exist. Together with speech and voice recognition systems, they could replace the keyboard and mouse in the near future. Some of these ideas have been showcased at the London's Science Museum, as part of its Future Face exhibition.

One such avatar is Jeremiah. It is a virtual man, which you can download for free and install in your computer.

His creator, Richard Bowden, lecturer at the Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing at the University of Surrey, refers to Jeremiah as ""him"", rather than it. ""Jeremiah is a virtual face that attempts to emulate humans in the way it responds to activity. He is very childlike, he likes visual stimulus,"" he told the BBC News website. ""When he sees children running and laughing and waving at him, he smiles at them. If you ignore him, he gets angry. If you leave, he gets sad. And you can also even surprise him."" Jeremiah is not actually intelligent. It works on vision, reacting in a preset way to the information provided by a surveillance tracker system. It is not able to talk or to hear you, at least not yet. The Surrey team is already working on Jeremiah's next version, that will replace the human face with an underwater and more interactive creature: Finn the fish. ""I am interested in the interaction, providing the ability of a system to watch what's going on and make decisions based on that,"" explained Dr Bowden.

The research comes at a time when people are having to cope with an increasing number of hi-tech gadgets.

Experts say a much more natural way to interact with these devices, such as a virtual human, could make it much easier to make the most of all those new gizmos. ""If you get up at three o'clock in the morning, and you go downstairs, there are probably two things you are going to do: either going to the bathroom, or maybe you are going to make a cup of tea,"" said Dr Bowden. ""Now if the system can watch your behaviour over time, it can learn this, so it would predict what you are going to do, turn on the lights for you, or, before you even get to the kettle, it could have switched it on."" You might even be able to tell your home surveillance system that you will be going away on holiday, and ask if it could make sure that the house is secure once you have left. This might sound like a scary vision of an Orwellian future. But it might all depend on the face that is watching you. ""When we put the surveillance cameras in our centre, a lot of people were very unhappy about the fact that there was a system watching them,"" said Dr Bowden. ""But when Jeremiah's camera went in, nobody minded, because although it's still watching them, they could see what it was watching.""
","You might even be able to tell your home surveillance system that you will be going away on holiday, and ask if it could make sure that the house is secure once you have left.""Now if the system can watch your behaviour over time, it can learn this, so it would predict what you are going to do, turn on the lights for you, or, before you even get to the kettle, it could have switched it on.""""Jeremiah is a virtual face that attempts to emulate humans in the way it responds to activity.""When we put the surveillance cameras in our centre, a lot of people were very unhappy about the fact that there was a system watching them,"" said Dr Bowden.But it might all depend on the face that is watching you.Literally putting a face on technology could be one of the keys to improving our interaction with hi-tech gadgets.Imagine a surveillance system that also presents a virtual embodiment of a person on a screen who can react to your behaviour, and perhaps even alert you to new e-mails.""I am interested in the interaction, providing the ability of a system to watch what's going on and make decisions based on that,"" explained Dr Bowden.""But when Jeremiah's camera went in, nobody minded, because although it's still watching them, they could see what it was watching.""""If you get up at three o'clock in the morning, and you go downstairs, there are probably two things you are going to do: either going to the bathroom, or maybe you are going to make a cup of tea,"" said Dr Bowden.Experts say a much more natural way to interact with these devices, such as a virtual human, could make it much easier to make the most of all those new gizmos.One such avatar is Jeremiah."
1587,"Gerrard happy at Anfield

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has reiterated his desire to stay at Anfield and win trophies with the club.

The 24-year-old England midfielder is determined to see out his contract, despite reported interest from Chelsea. He said: ""I'm signed here for this season and another two so there is no situation. There's a lot of speculation but that's not down to me. ""As club captain all I want to do is help us get back up the table and into the Champions League again."" Gerrard looked set to move to Chelsea during the summer and speculation of a switch to Stamford Bridge has again arisen, with the January transfer window approaching. He raised doubts about his Reds future when he said he wanted the club to prove they were title challengers in the very near future or he might leave. Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has insisted that Gerrard has promised him he wants to stay at Anfield. Benitez said: ""I said to Steven that I was sure he wanted to stay here and he said 'I do'.

""I then said to him 'Look, if you want to win titles, you want medals and you want Liverpool to have these things then I am going to need your help'. ""I really think he wants to stay so now what we must do is make the squad stronger for him."" Meanwhile, Gerrard has urged the Anfield board to sign Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes in the January transfer window. Morientes, 28, has already expressed a willingness to come to England. Gerrard added: ""He's a great player. He scores goals in the league, in cup competitions and also in the Champions League. ""I don't think he'd be able to play for us in Europe this season but if we are able to get hold of him, we'd be getting ourselves a great player.

""He'd have Spanish coaches, a Spanish manager and we have got three or four Spanish players here now so they'll help him settle in. ""Rafael Benitez knows what he wants and he knows how to strengthen the squad he's got and if the right players become available at the right price I am sure we will strengthen. ""It would certainly be nice to see a few new faces in January to freshen things up.""
","Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has insisted that Gerrard has promised him he wants to stay at Anfield.Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has reiterated his desire to stay at Anfield and win trophies with the club.""I then said to him 'Look, if you want to win titles, you want medals and you want Liverpool to have these things then I am going to need your help'.""As club captain all I want to do is help us get back up the table and into the Champions League again.""Gerrard looked set to move to Chelsea during the summer and speculation of a switch to Stamford Bridge has again arisen, with the January transfer window approaching.Meanwhile, Gerrard has urged the Anfield board to sign Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes in the January transfer window.Benitez said: ""I said to Steven that I was sure he wanted to stay here and he said 'I do'.Gerrard added: ""He's a great player."
1892,"Creator of first Apple Mac dies

Jef Raskin, head of the team behind the first Macintosh computer, has died.

Mr Raskin was one of the first employees at Apple and made many of the design decisions that made the Mac so distinctive when it was first released. He led the team that decided to use a graphical interface and mouse that let people navigate around the computer by pointing and clicking. The 1984 release of the Mac reflected Mr Raskin's belief that good design should make computers easy to use.

Mr Raskin joined Apple in 1978 as employee number 31, initially to lead the company's publications department. However, in 1979 he was put in charge of a small team to design a computer that lived up to his idea of a machine that was cheap, aimed at consumers rather than computer professionals and was very easy to use.

The result was the 1984 Macintosh that did away with the then common text-based interface in favour of one based around graphics that resembled a virtual desktop and used folders and documents. Users navigated around the machine using a mouse and by pointing, clicking and dragging. Although now in common use in almost all computers, these methods were pioneering when first used in the Macintosh. The GUI was developed by Xerox PARC, and used in its Star machine. But the acceptance of the interface did not truly begin until the concept was developed for use by Apple in its pioneering Lisa computer. ""His role on the Macintosh was the initiator of the project, so it wouldn't be here if it weren't for him,"" said Andy Hertzfeld, an early Macintosh team member. Although Mr Raskin drove the team that created the Macintosh he did not stay at Apple to see it released. In 1981 he was removed from the project following a dispute with Apple's mercurial boss Steve Jobs. In 1982, Mr Raskin left Apple entirely. The Macintosh was reputedly named after Mr Raskin's favourite apple, though the name was changed slightly following a trademark dispute with another company. After leaving Apple, Mr Raskin founded another company called Information Appliance and continued to work on better ways to interface with computers. He was also an accomplished musician, played three instruments and conducted San Francisco's Chamber Opera Society. Mr Raskin was diagnosed in December 2004 with pancreatic cancer and died on 26 February at his home in California.
","Mr Raskin was one of the first employees at Apple and made many of the design decisions that made the Mac so distinctive when it was first released.The Macintosh was reputedly named after Mr Raskin's favourite apple, though the name was changed slightly following a trademark dispute with another company.However, in 1979 he was put in charge of a small team to design a computer that lived up to his idea of a machine that was cheap, aimed at consumers rather than computer professionals and was very easy to use.Although Mr Raskin drove the team that created the Macintosh he did not stay at Apple to see it released.But the acceptance of the interface did not truly begin until the concept was developed for use by Apple in its pioneering Lisa computer.In 1982, Mr Raskin left Apple entirely.Mr Raskin was diagnosed in December 2004 with pancreatic cancer and died on 26 February at his home in California.Jef Raskin, head of the team behind the first Macintosh computer, has died."
1399,"Disappointed Scott in solid start

Allan Scott is confident of winning a medal at next week's European Indoor Championships after a solid debut on the international circuit.

The 22-year-old Scot finished fourth in the 60m hurdles at the Jose M Cagigal Memorial meeting in Madrid. ""It was definitely a learning curve and I certainly haven't ruled out challenging for a medal next week,"" said the East Kilbride athlete. The race was won by Felipe Vivancos, who equalled the Spanish record.

Sweden's Robert Kronberg was second, with Haiti's Dudley Dorival in third. Scott was slightly disappointed with his run in the final. He won his heat in 7.64secs but ran 0.04secs slower in his first IAAF Indoor Grand Prix circuit final. ""I should have done better than that,"" he said. ""I felt I could have won it. I got a poor start - but I still felt I should have ran faster."" Vivancos slashed his personal best to equal the Spanish record with a time of 7.60secs while Kronberg and Dorival clocked 7.62secs and 7.63secs respectively.
","Vivancos slashed his personal best to equal the Spanish record with a time of 7.60secs while Kronberg and Dorival clocked 7.62secs and 7.63secs respectively.He won his heat in 7.64secs but ran 0.04secs slower in his first IAAF Indoor Grand Prix circuit final.""It was definitely a learning curve and I certainly haven't ruled out challenging for a medal next week,"" said the East Kilbride athlete.Scott was slightly disappointed with his run in the final.The race was won by Felipe Vivancos, who equalled the Spanish record."
1332,"London hope over Chepkemei

London Marathon organisers are hoping that banned athlete Susan Chepkemei will still take part in this year's race on 17 April.

Chepkemei was suspended from all competition until the end of the year by Athletics Kenya after failing to report to a national training camp. ""We are watching it closely,"" said London race director David Bedford. ""There is a long way to go before the race and we are hoping the situation will be satisfactorily resolved."" The camp in Embu was to prepare for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships later this month. Chepkemei however took part and finished third in last Sunday's world best 10K race in Puerto Rico. The 29-year-old has finished second to Paula Radcliffe in the 2002 and 2003 London races as well as in November's New York City marathon.
",London Marathon organisers are hoping that banned athlete Susan Chepkemei will still take part in this year's race on 17 April.Chepkemei however took part and finished third in last Sunday's world best 10K race in Puerto Rico.The 29-year-old has finished second to Paula Radcliffe in the 2002 and 2003 London races as well as in November's New York City marathon.
1765,"Rochus shocks Coria in Auckland

Top seed Guillermo Coria went out of the Heineken Open in Auckland on Thursday with a surprise loss to Olivier Rochus of Belgium.

Coria lost the semi-final 6-4 6-4 to Rochus, who goes on to face Czech Jan Hernych, a 6-4 7-5 winner over Jose Acasuso of Argentina. Fifth seed Fernando Gonzalez eased past American Robby Ginepri 6-3 6-4. The Chilean will meet sixth seed Juan Ignacio Chela next after the Argentine beat Potito Starace 6-1 7-6 (7-5). Rochus made the semi-finals at the Australian hardcourt championships in Adelaide last week and is naturally delighted with his form. ""It's been two unbelievable weeks for me,"" he said. ""Today I knew I had nothing to lose. If I beat him great, if I lost, I would be losing to a top-10 player."" Coria conceded that Rochus ""played just too good,"" and added: ""When you give your best out there you can't be too sad.""
","Top seed Guillermo Coria went out of the Heineken Open in Auckland on Thursday with a surprise loss to Olivier Rochus of Belgium.Coria lost the semi-final 6-4 6-4 to Rochus, who goes on to face Czech Jan Hernych, a 6-4 7-5 winner over Jose Acasuso of Argentina.Coria conceded that Rochus ""played just too good,"" and added: ""When you give your best out there you can't be too sad.""Rochus made the semi-finals at the Australian hardcourt championships in Adelaide last week and is naturally delighted with his form."
573,"Tautou film tops Cesar prize nods

French film A Very Long Engagement has received 12 nominations for France's Cesar film awards, despite a recent ruling it was ""not French enough"".

The World War I romantic drama starring Audrey Tautou, was recently ruled ""too American"" by a Paris court as it was partially backed by Warner Bros. But the Cesar organisers modified their rules to allow the film to compete. The film, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, received best actress, picture and director nominations.

Last November a court judged the film was too American to compete in French film festivals. Two associations of French producers challenged Jeunet's right to French government subsidies, because Warner Bros was a backer. The ruling meant the movie - which was filmed in France and used French actors and technicians - was not eligible to compete for French prizes. But Alain Terzian, president of Cesar organisers, the Academie des Arts et Techniques du Cinema, said the changes in eligibility rules, which allow films ""of French expression"", were made three months prior to the court decision. Other films in the best film category include Police drama 36, Quai Des Orfevres, Arnaud Desplechin's Kings And Queen, Abdellatif Kechiche's L'Esquive and France's number one film at the 2004 box-office The Chorus.

Best actors are Daniel Auteuil for 36, Mathieu Amalric for Kings And Queen, Gerard Jugnot for The Chorus, Philippe Torreton for L'Equipier and Benoit Poelvoorde for Podium. Tautou will compete against Maggie Cheung , Emmanuelle Devos, Yolande Moreau and Karin Viard for best actress. Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, The Motorcycle Diaries, Lost in Translation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and 21 Grams are all vying in the best foreign film prize. The awards ceremony will be held on 26 February. This year, Will Smith, star of I, Robot, Independence Day and Men In Black, will be given an honorary Cesar, along with French singer/actor, Jacques Dutronc.
","Last November a court judged the film was too American to compete in French film festivals.French film A Very Long Engagement has received 12 nominations for France's Cesar film awards, despite a recent ruling it was ""not French enough"".Other films in the best film category include Police drama 36, Quai Des Orfevres, Arnaud Desplechin's Kings And Queen, Abdellatif Kechiche's L'Esquive and France's number one film at the 2004 box-office The Chorus.The ruling meant the movie - which was filmed in France and used French actors and technicians - was not eligible to compete for French prizes.But the Cesar organisers modified their rules to allow the film to compete.The film, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, received best actress, picture and director nominations."
1349,"Jones doping probe begins

An investigation into doping claims against Marion Jones has been opened by the International Olympic Committee.

IOC president Jacques Rogge has set up a disciplinary body to look into claims by Victor Conte, of Balco Laboratories. Jones, who says she is innocent, could lose all her Olympic medals after Conte said he gave her performance-enhancing drugs before the Sydney Olympics. But Rogge said it was too early to speculate about that, hoping only that ""the truth will emerge"".

Any decision on the medals would be taken by the IOC's executive board and could hinge on interpretation of a rule stating that Olympic decisions can only be challenged within three years of the Games closing. The Sydney Olympics ended more than four years ago, but World Anti-Doping Agency chief Dick Pound said the rule may not apply because the allegations are only coming out now. ""We will find a way to deal with that,"" Pound said. In a statement released through her attorney Rich Nichols, Jones repeated her innocence and vowed she would be cleared. ""Victor Conte's allegations are not true and the truth will be revealed for the world to see as the legal process moves forward,"" she said. ""Conte is someone who is under federal indictment and has a record of issuing contradictory, inconsistent statements.""
","Jones, who says she is innocent, could lose all her Olympic medals after Conte said he gave her performance-enhancing drugs before the Sydney Olympics.The Sydney Olympics ended more than four years ago, but World Anti-Doping Agency chief Dick Pound said the rule may not apply because the allegations are only coming out now.An investigation into doping claims against Marion Jones has been opened by the International Olympic Committee.""Victor Conte's allegations are not true and the truth will be revealed for the world to see as the legal process moves forward,"" she said."
1781,"Classy Henman makes winning start

Tim Henman opened his 2005 campaign with a 6-1 7-5 victory over Argentine David Nalbandian at the Kooyong Classic exhibition tournament on Wednesday.

The British number one will next play Roger Federer at the Australian Open warm-up event on Friday. The world number one beat Gaston Gaudio 5-7 6-1 6-4, before Andre Agassi saw off Chilean Olympic gold medalist Nicolas Massu 6-1 7-6 (7-4). Andy Roddick beat Ivan Ljubicic, who replaced Paradorn Srichaphan, 6-1 6-4. Henman made an impressive start to the year, only faltering against Nalbandian when serving for the match at 5-4. But the Briton regained his composure to win the next two games for only his second win in six matches against the Argentine. ""It's a great start to the year - just what I was looking for,"" Henman told his website. ""Over the years I've found David very difficult to play against.

""He returns serve very well and he's deceptively effective from the baseline, so sometimes it can be difficult to execute my gameplan well enough against him to get the right result. ""Beating somebody of his stature is always good for the confidence and it bodes well at the beginning of the year."" Henman also revealed the extent of the back problems he suffered in the off-season. ""I'm not the most flexible and at the end of the year I was pretty exhausted and wanted to have a couple of weeks where I didn't do anything,"" said Henman. ""When I started training again it really, really seized up. As much as I enjoyed the two weeks off I don't think it's so productive."" Federer dropped a tight first set against 2004 French Open champion Gaudio, but was content with his game. ""It was about getting used to the surface,"" he said.

""The conditions are much quicker than Doha, my timing was OK, but I could have served better. ""All in all I'm happy with the match, and I won it - that's a good sign. Now I have a day off and hopefully play better the next match."" Agassi was delighted with victory over Massu in his first match for over two months. ""I felt pretty good,"" said the American. ""I liked the way the match played out and, maybe excluding a few second serve returns, I felt like I was doing most things pretty darn well for the first match.""
","Agassi was delighted with victory over Massu in his first match for over two months.""I liked the way the match played out and, maybe excluding a few second serve returns, I felt like I was doing most things pretty darn well for the first match.""""I'm not the most flexible and at the end of the year I was pretty exhausted and wanted to have a couple of weeks where I didn't do anything,"" said Henman.Henman made an impressive start to the year, only faltering against Nalbandian when serving for the match at 5-4.""It's a great start to the year - just what I was looking for,"" Henman told his website.Now I have a day off and hopefully play better the next match.""""All in all I'm happy with the match, and I won it - that's a good sign.But the Briton regained his composure to win the next two games for only his second win in six matches against the Argentine.""It was about getting used to the surface,"" he said."
738,"Joy Division story to become film

The life of late Joy Division singer Ian Curtis is to be made into a film, it has been announced.

The Manchester-based production is called Touching From A Distance, after a book by Curtis's widow Deborah which forms the basis for the film. Music mogul Tony Wilson, who headed the record company Joy Division were signed to, will be co-executive producer. The musician committed suicide in 1980 aged 23, shortly before the band were due to go on tour in the US. Mr Wilson, who has remained friends with Curtis's widow and daughter Natalie, who he says asked for his involvement to make the film ""official"". ""People have different ideas as to why Ian committed suicide, so maybe the film will reflect those different views,"" he told the BBC News website.

Plans for a separate Joy Division film had been announced at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, but the project did not get off the ground as it failed to get the backing of Curtis's family. Mr Wilson, who was also involved with Joy Division's sucessor band New Order, as well as the Happy Mondays, said he would ""rather not"" appear in the film. He made a cameo appearance in 24 Hour Party People, in which his leading role was played by Steve Coogan. ""I'm not an actor and I did a lousy job playing my part in 24 Hour Party People,"" said the Factory Records founder, who has been associated with the Manchester music scene since the 1970s. ""Film people have a tendency to mess up when they touch music, but I hope this one works.

""This is much more than the music - they want to do the real story of Ian,"" he said. The film is to be directed by Dutch-born Anton Corbijn, who has made music movies for Depeche Mode and U2. It will be produced by a US production company, while the widow of Ian Curtis will also be an executive producer.
","The life of late Joy Division singer Ian Curtis is to be made into a film, it has been announced.The film is to be directed by Dutch-born Anton Corbijn, who has made music movies for Depeche Mode and U2.""Film people have a tendency to mess up when they touch music, but I hope this one works.Plans for a separate Joy Division film had been announced at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, but the project did not get off the ground as it failed to get the backing of Curtis's family.Mr Wilson, who was also involved with Joy Division's sucessor band New Order, as well as the Happy Mondays, said he would ""rather not"" appear in the film.Mr Wilson, who has remained friends with Curtis's widow and daughter Natalie, who he says asked for his involvement to make the film ""official""."
632,"Dance music not dead says Fatboy

DJ Norman Cook - aka Fatboy Slim - has said that dance music is not dead, but has admitted it is currently going through a ""fallow patch"".

The commercial failure of the latest albums by Britain's two biggest dance acts - Fatboy Slim's Palookaville and The Prodigy's Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned - has been coupled with the closure of many ""superclubs,"" and the folding of three dance music magazines. Last month the Brit Awards announced they would no longer be awarding a Best Dance Act prize, with the Brits committee announcing that ""dance music is no longer where it's happening in music."" These developments lead some to suggest that dance was finished as a popular music genre. Cook acknowledged that much change in the dance world in the four years since his last album, Halfway Between The Gutter And The Stars, but he stressed this did not mean the dance scene was permanently over. ""Every week when I was making the album, I was reading articles about the demise of dance music - and obviously that affects you somewhat,"" he told BBC World Service's The Ticket programme. ""I personally don't believe it's either dead or going to die, but it's going through a bit of a fallow patch. ""So I think, consciously or subconsciously, reading every week that dance music was dead I would think 'right, scrub that track then'.""

Although his album sales in the UK are down - Palookaville stayed in the UK top 75 for just three weeks - Cook has achieved recent global success with his beach parties. And event on Brighton sea front in 2002 attracted 250,000, people, while a later one in Rio achieved a crowd of 360,000. The DVD of the Rio set was the biggest seller of that year.

""With a crowd that big, if the weather's nice, the atmosphere before I even go is so good that about halfway through the first record I think 'I've got them',"" Cook said. ""I'm always really really nervous before the big ones - they had to give me Valium before Rio, because two hours before I was literally just pacing the floor. ""For some reason, especially now I've got a reputation for it, the atmosphere and the joie de vivre that's already going on means all I have to do is play 'up' records."" He promised more such parties in more locations around the world - despite problems after the Brighton event, which ended in chaos with many revellers finding themselves stranded as transport ground to a halt. One man also died of a heart attack, and a woman fell to her death during the free party. ""We're having to widen our horizons from just beaches, because there's landlocked countries that want to get involved,"" Cook said. ""We're doing Rio at the carnival, at the Maracana, and Sao Paolo - our new gig is famous football stadiums.""

The DJ admitted, however, that his massive worldwide success had a downside, with intense media interest in his personal life. In particular, he said he had struggled to cope with tabloid intrusion during the temporary break-up of his marriage to Radio One presenter Zoe Ball, after she was linked with DJ Dan Peppe.

""The tabloid thing has been difficult at times,"" Cook said. ""Especially the me-and-Zoe-Gate - it's quite scary."" He said that he had been ""determined"" that what had happened with Ball did not affect the album. ""At first I was doing deliberately jolly tunes so that people wouldn't think I was depressed,"" he explained. ""Then I thought, 'that's not right'."" And he highlighted a bizarre coincidence - that one song written before they split had turned out to have a great deal more meaning than intended. ""I said to Zoe, 'I did this track called My Masochistic Baby Went And Left Me, do you mind if it's on the album?'"" he recalled. ""She said, 'yeah, it's hilarious, because your masochistic baby did leave you'."" Cook also added that he had some ways of coping with the intense paparazzi pressure, which accumulates at the end of the private road he lives on - where Paul McCartney is a neighbour. ""It's almost like prisoners rattling the bars with their mugs,"" Cook explained. ""If there's a pap at the end of the road, everyone knocks on each other's doors - Paul comes round, and we warn him, because we don't know who they're after.""
","DJ Norman Cook - aka Fatboy Slim - has said that dance music is not dead, but has admitted it is currently going through a ""fallow patch"".Cook acknowledged that much change in the dance world in the four years since his last album, Halfway Between The Gutter And The Stars, but he stressed this did not mean the dance scene was permanently over.""Every week when I was making the album, I was reading articles about the demise of dance music - and obviously that affects you somewhat,"" he told BBC World Service's The Ticket programme.""So I think, consciously or subconsciously, reading every week that dance music was dead I would think 'right, scrub that track then'.""""The tabloid thing has been difficult at times,"" Cook said.""With a crowd that big, if the weather's nice, the atmosphere before I even go is so good that about halfway through the first record I think 'I've got them',"" Cook said.In particular, he said he had struggled to cope with tabloid intrusion during the temporary break-up of his marriage to Radio One presenter Zoe Ball, after she was linked with DJ Dan Peppe.These developments lead some to suggest that dance was finished as a popular music genre.The commercial failure of the latest albums by Britain's two biggest dance acts - Fatboy Slim's Palookaville and The Prodigy's Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned - has been coupled with the closure of many ""superclubs,"" and the folding of three dance music magazines.""At first I was doing deliberately jolly tunes so that people wouldn't think I was depressed,"" he explained.He said that he had been ""determined"" that what had happened with Ball did not affect the album.""I said to Zoe, 'I did this track called My Masochistic Baby Went And Left Me, do you mind if it's on the album?'""The DVD of the Rio set was the biggest seller of that year."
1637,"Leeds v Saracens (Fri)

Headingley

Friday, 25 February

2000 GMT

The Tykes have brought in Newcastle prop Ed Kalman and Tom McGee from the Borders on loan while fly-half Craig McMullen has joined from Narbonne. Raphael Ibanez is named at hooker for Saracens in one of four changes. Simon Raiwalui and Ben Russell are also selected in the pack while Kevin Sorrell comes in at outside centre.

- Friday's game at Headingley got the go-ahead on Friday after passing an early pitch inspection. Leeds: Balshaw; Rees, Christophers, Bell, Doherty; McMullen, Dickens; McGee, Rawlinson, Gerber; Murphy, Palmer (capt), Morgan, Parks, Popham. Replacements: Kalman, Regan, Hyde, Rigney, McMillan, Rock, Vickerman. Saracens: Bartholomeusz; Castaignede, Sorrell, Harris, Vaikona; Jackson, Bracken; Yates, Ibanez, Visagie; Raiwalui, Fullarton; Randell, Russell, Vyvyan (capt). Replacements: Cairns, Lloyd, Broster, Chesney, Johnston, Rauluni, Little.
","Saracens: Bartholomeusz; Castaignede, Sorrell, Harris, Vaikona; Jackson, Bracken; Yates, Ibanez, Visagie; Raiwalui, Fullarton; Randell, Russell, Vyvyan (capt).Headingley  Friday, 25 February  2000 GMT  The Tykes have brought in Newcastle prop Ed Kalman and Tom McGee from the Borders on loan while fly-half Craig McMullen has joined from Narbonne.Replacements: Kalman, Regan, Hyde, Rigney, McMillan, Rock, Vickerman.Simon Raiwalui and Ben Russell are also selected in the pack while Kevin Sorrell comes in at outside centre."
644,"Rock group Korn's guitarist quits

The guitarist with US rock band Korn has quit the music business, saying he made the decision after experiencing a religious awakening.

Brian 'Head' Welch told a radio station in California that his bandmates respected his decision to leave. A replacement guitarist has yet to be named by Korn, who are currently at work on their eighth studio album. Welch added that he would appear at a church in Bakersfield to explain how he ""got to this place in life"". The remaining members of Korn, who are known for their hardcore brand of rock, said they hoped Welch ""finds the happiness he is looking for"".

The 34-year-old made reference to the band's aggressive brand of music and its young fans in his parting statement. ""Anger is a good thing, and if kids want to listen to Korn, good, but there's happiness after the anger,"" he told his local radio station in Bakersfield. ""I'm going to show it through my actions, how much I love my fans,"" added Welch. Korn have enjoyed a moderate degree of chart success in the UK, with 10 singles breaking into the Top 40. Their best performance to date in the UK has been 2002's Here To Stay, which reached number 12, while their album Untouchables, released in the same year, made it to number four.
","The guitarist with US rock band Korn has quit the music business, saying he made the decision after experiencing a religious awakening.The remaining members of Korn, who are known for their hardcore brand of rock, said they hoped Welch ""finds the happiness he is looking for"".A replacement guitarist has yet to be named by Korn, who are currently at work on their eighth studio album.""Anger is a good thing, and if kids want to listen to Korn, good, but there's happiness after the anger,"" he told his local radio station in Bakersfield."
1620,"Wales critical of clumsy Grewcock

Wales coach Mike Ruddock says England lock Danny Grewcock needs to review his actions after he kicked Dwayne Peel.

Trouble flared at a ruck in the first half of Wales' 11-9 win in Cardiff as Grewcock came recklessly over the top with his boot, leaving Peel bloodied. Grewcock was sin-binned with Wales captain Gareth Thomas for retaliation. ""It's up to the citing commissioner,"" said Ruddock. ""I'm not saying it's deliberate, but Grewcock did a similar thing for Bath against Leinster."" Last June Grewcock was banned from rugby for two months for reckless use of a boot in a match against New Zealand.

Six years earlier, also in New Zealand, Grewcock became only the second England player to be sent off in Tests. The player himself and his captain Jason Robinson have both said that the clash with Peel was accidental. ""If the ball is at the back of the ruck and I feel I can step over and disrupt it then I will do that,"" said Grewcock. But Ruddock feels that the England man should be more careful. ""The boy himself should look at his actions, it was a clumsy piece of footwork,"" he said. ""He's a great player and I don't want to knock him, we won't be calling for the match commissioner to review the incident. ""I'm not going to go too far with the lad. It could just be a clumsy action and Dwayne had just a minor cut. ""The referee's interpretation was that Grewcock was attempting to step over the ruck."" Ruddock also warned his RBS 6 Nations Championship rivals that his team can make massive improvements. ""We created more opportunities and also squandered them by taking more contact and playing more individually,"" said the coach. ""We've looked through things on the video debrief and there were definitely a lot of chances that we wasted."" In the forthcoming games, Ruddock may use penalty hero Gavin Henson as his first-choice kicker in place of Stephen Jones. ""Our first aim was to get Gavin settled into the team, but it's something we'll talk about in selection this week,"" said Ruddock.
","Wales coach Mike Ruddock says England lock Danny Grewcock needs to review his actions after he kicked Dwayne Peel.""The referee's interpretation was that Grewcock was attempting to step over the ruck.""""If the ball is at the back of the ruck and I feel I can step over and disrupt it then I will do that,"" said Grewcock.""It's up to the citing commissioner,"" said Ruddock.""Our first aim was to get Gavin settled into the team, but it's something we'll talk about in selection this week,"" said Ruddock.Grewcock was sin-binned with Wales captain Gareth Thomas for retaliation.The player himself and his captain Jason Robinson have both said that the clash with Peel was accidental.Last June Grewcock was banned from rugby for two months for reckless use of a boot in a match against New Zealand."
1142,"Student 'inequality' exposed

Teenagers from well-off backgrounds are six times more likely to go to university than those from the most deprived areas, a report says.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England said more people went to university between 1994 and 2000. But the percentage of poorer students ""hardly changed at all"", said its chief executive, Sir Howard Newby. Increasingly more women than men went to university, while tuition fees and student loans made no major difference.

The Hefce report, drawing on child benefits data, said teenagers in the richest areas could expect a better than 50% chance of going to university, while in the poorest neighbourhoods it was 10%. Participation at constituency level ranged from 69% in Kensington and Chelsea, 65% in the City of London and Westminster and 62% in Sheffield Hallam, down to 10% in Bristol South and Leeds Central and 8% in Nottingham North and Sheffield Brightside.

Sir Howard said the report highlighted the ""entrenched divisions"" between rich and poor areas, but added it was a social as much as an educational problem. He told BBC News: ""We know, once children from deprived backgrounds get into university, they do very well. In fact surprisingly more go into postgraduate study than those from more affluent backgrounds. ""The issue is, I think, one of raising aspirations amongst those families and those communities that university is something for them and not for other people.""

He said by the time universities traditionally dealt with pupils, between the ages of 16 and 18, it was too late. Instead they should be reaching out to communities and schools much earlier, even down to primary school level, to persuade them a university education was something they could aspire to, he said. But while the report revealed stark inequalities and exposed the extent of the challenge, there were some encouraging findings, he added.

Tuition fees and student loans in England and Wales - and the different fee regime in Scotland - did not seem to have affected the choices of young people, even the poorest. The report also showed women were 18% more likely than men to enter higher education in 2000 - up from 6% in 1994. In the poorest areas, the gap was 30% in women's favour and growing faster than anywhere else. The Higher Education Minister, Kim Howells, said: ""We are working in schools to raise the attainment and aspiration of young people in disadvantaged areas."" Higher standards in schools would lead to greater participation in higher education. From 2006 upfront tuition fees in England would be removed, with grants for the less well off. The shadow education secretary, Tim Collins, said: ""It is clear from this report that children from disadvantaged areas are far more likely to have encountered poor standards in their secondary education. ""Tackling these must be the top priority for any government looking to improve university access."" The group which represents university vice-chancellors, Universities UK, said the new system of deferred fees in England, due to start in 2006, with grants and bursaries for poorer students, would encourage more of them to go into higher education. The National Union of Students argued the opposite - that the situation was ""likely to get much worse, with poorer students being restricted in choice and having to make decisions based on their financial situation rather than aspiration"".

The tables below show the participation rate for each Parliamentary constituency in Britain:
","The Higher Education Funding Council for England said more people went to university between 1994 and 2000.The group which represents university vice-chancellors, Universities UK, said the new system of deferred fees in England, due to start in 2006, with grants and bursaries for poorer students, would encourage more of them to go into higher education.Instead they should be reaching out to communities and schools much earlier, even down to primary school level, to persuade them a university education was something they could aspire to, he said.The Higher Education Minister, Kim Howells, said: ""We are working in schools to raise the attainment and aspiration of young people in disadvantaged areas.""Teenagers from well-off backgrounds are six times more likely to go to university than those from the most deprived areas, a report says.The Hefce report, drawing on child benefits data, said teenagers in the richest areas could expect a better than 50% chance of going to university, while in the poorest neighbourhoods it was 10%.The shadow education secretary, Tim Collins, said: ""It is clear from this report that children from disadvantaged areas are far more likely to have encountered poor standards in their secondary education.Higher standards in schools would lead to greater participation in higher education.He said by the time universities traditionally dealt with pupils, between the ages of 16 and 18, it was too late.The report also showed women were 18% more likely than men to enter higher education in 2000 - up from 6% in 1994."
1456,"Wenger handed summer war chest

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been guaranteed transfer funds to boost his squad the summer.

The club's managing director, Keith Edelman, stressed that the development of their new £350m stadium had no affect on Wenger's spending power. ""The money is there. Don't worry we've got it,"" Edelman told BBC Sport. ""Hopefully, we'll spend it this summer and in the coming years. Arsene attends all our board meetings and he knows our finances are very strong.""

Edelman added that it was pointless having a brand new stadium if the team did not match the surroundings. ""Its great to have nice, new surroundings, but if the team aren't performing on the pitch, then there isn't great respect in having a fabulous stadium,"" he said. ""It's important that we had sufficient funds for our team in place, before we began on the stadium.""
","Edelman added that it was pointless having a brand new stadium if the team did not match the surroundings.""It's important that we had sufficient funds for our team in place, before we began on the stadium.""""Its great to have nice, new surroundings, but if the team aren't performing on the pitch, then there isn't great respect in having a fabulous stadium,"" he said.Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been guaranteed transfer funds to boost his squad the summer."
1996,"Gadget show heralds MP3 Christmas

Partners of those who love their hi-tech gear may want to get their presents in early as experts predict a gadget shortage this Christmas.

With Apple's iPod topping wish lists again, there may not be enough iPod minis to go round, predicts Oliver Irish, editor of gadget magazine Stuff. ""The iPod mini is likely to be this year's Tracey Island,"" said Mr Irish. Stuff has compiled a list of the top 10 gadgets for 2004 and the iPod is at number one.

For anyone bewildered by the choice of gadgets on the market, Stuff and What Hi-Fi? are hosting a best-of gadget show in London this weekend. Star of the show will be Sony's Qrio Robot, an all-singing, all-dancing, football-playing man-machine who can even hold intelligent conversations.

But he is not for sale and Sony has no commercial plans for the robot. ""He will greet visitors and is flying in from Japan. He probably has his own airplane seat, that is how highly Sony prize him,"" said Mr Irish. Also on display will be a virtual keyboard which projects itself onto any flat surface. The event will play host to a large collection of digital music players, from companies such as Creative, Sony and Philips as well as the ubiquitously fashionable iPod from Apple. Suggestions that it could be a gaming or wireless Christmas are unlikely to come true as MP3 players remain the most popular stocking filler, said Mr Irish. ""Demand is huge and Apple has promised that it can supply enough but people might struggle to get their hands on iPod minis,"" said Mr Irish.

For those who like their gadgets to be multi-talented, the Gizmondo, a powerful gaming console with GPS and GPRS, that also doubles up as an MP3 player, movie player and camera, could be a must-have. ""What is impressive is how much it can do and how well it can do them,"" said Mr Irish. This Christmas, gadgets will not be an all-male preserve. ""Women will be getting gadgets from husbands and boyfriends as well as buying them for themselves,"" said Mr Irish. ""Gadgets nowadays are lifestyle products rather than just for geeks.""
","""Women will be getting gadgets from husbands and boyfriends as well as buying them for themselves,"" said Mr Irish.He probably has his own airplane seat, that is how highly Sony prize him,"" said Mr Irish.""The iPod mini is likely to be this year's Tracey Island,"" said Mr Irish.""What is impressive is how much it can do and how well it can do them,"" said Mr Irish.""Demand is huge and Apple has promised that it can supply enough but people might struggle to get their hands on iPod minis,"" said Mr Irish.With Apple's iPod topping wish lists again, there may not be enough iPod minis to go round, predicts Oliver Irish, editor of gadget magazine Stuff.Stuff has compiled a list of the top 10 gadgets for 2004 and the iPod is at number one.Suggestions that it could be a gaming or wireless Christmas are unlikely to come true as MP3 players remain the most popular stocking filler, said Mr Irish."
561,"Foxx and Swank win US 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."
354,"Asia shares defy post-quake gloom

Thailand has become the first of the 10 southern Asian nations battered by giant waves at the weekend to cut its economic forecast.

Thailand's economy is now expected to grow by 5.7% in 2005, rather than 6% as forecast before tsunamis hit six tourist provinces. The full economic costs of the disaster remain unclear. In part, this is because of its scale, and because delivering aid and recovering the dead remain priorities. But Indonesian, Indian and Hong Kong stock markets reached record highs on Wednesday, suggesting that investors do not fear a major economic impact.

The highs showed the gap in outlook between investors in large firms and individuals who have lost their livelihoods.

Investors seemed to feel that some of the worst-affected areas - such as Aceh in Indonesia - were so under-developed that the tragedy would little impact on Asia's listed companies, according to analysts. ""Obviously with a lot of loss of life, a lot of time is needed to clean up the mess, bury the people and find the missing. But it's not necessarily a really big thing in the economic sense,"" said ABN Amro chief Asian strategist Eddie Wong. India's Bombay Stock Exchange inched slightly above its previous record close on Wednesday. Expectations of strong corporate earnings in 2005 drove the Indonesian stock exchange in Jakarta to a record high on Wednesday. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index may be benefiting in part from the potential for its listed property companies to gain from rebuilding contracts in the tsunami-affected regions of South East Asia. In Sri Lanka, some economists have said that as much as 1% of annual growth may be lost. Sri Lanka's stock market has fallen about 5% since the weekend, but it is still 40% higher than at the start of 2004.

Thailand may lose 30bn baht (£398m; $768m) in earnings from tourism over the next three months, according to tourism minister Sontaya Kunplome.

In the affected provinces, he expects the loss of tourism revenue to be offset by government reconstruction spending. Thailand intends to spend a similar sum - around 30bn baht - on the rebuilding work. ""It will take until the fourth quarter of next year before tourist visitors in Phuket and five other provinces return to their normal level,"" said Naris Chaiyasoot, director general at the ministry's fiscal policy office. In the Maldives the cost of reconstruction could wipe out economic growth, according to a government spokesman. ""Our nation is in peril here,"" said Ahmed Shaheed, the chief government spokesman. He estimated the economic cost of the disaster at hundreds of millions of dollars. The Maldives has gross domestic product of $660m. ""It won't be surprising if the cost exceeds our GDP,"" he said. ""In the last few years, we made great progress in our standard of living - the United Nations recognised this. Now we see this can disappear in a few days, a few minutes."" Shaheed noted that investment in a single tourist resort - the economic mainstay - could run to $40m. Between 10 and 12 of the 80-odd resorts have been severely damaged, and a similar number have suffered significant damage. However, many experts, including the World Bank, have pointed out that it is still difficult to assess the magnitude of the disaster and its likely economic impact.
","In the Maldives the cost of reconstruction could wipe out economic growth, according to a government spokesman.But Indonesian, Indian and Hong Kong stock markets reached record highs on Wednesday, suggesting that investors do not fear a major economic impact.The full economic costs of the disaster remain unclear.He estimated the economic cost of the disaster at hundreds of millions of dollars.Thailand has become the first of the 10 southern Asian nations battered by giant waves at the weekend to cut its economic forecast.Shaheed noted that investment in a single tourist resort - the economic mainstay - could run to $40m.""Our nation is in peril here,"" said Ahmed Shaheed, the chief government spokesman.But it's not necessarily a really big thing in the economic sense,"" said ABN Amro chief Asian strategist Eddie Wong.Expectations of strong corporate earnings in 2005 drove the Indonesian stock exchange in Jakarta to a record high on Wednesday.Thailand may lose 30bn baht (£398m; $768m) in earnings from tourism over the next three months, according to tourism minister Sontaya Kunplome.However, many experts, including the World Bank, have pointed out that it is still difficult to assess the magnitude of the disaster and its likely economic impact.In Sri Lanka, some economists have said that as much as 1% of annual growth may be lost."
1853,"Open source leaders slam patents

The war of words between Microsoft and the open source movement heated up this week as Linux founder Linus Torvalds led an attack on software patents.

In a panel discussion at a Linux summit in California Mr Torvalds said software patents were a problem for the open source movement. Mitchell Kapor, chairman of the Mozilla foundation, warned that Microsoft could use patent lawsuits in the future. Linux is a freely-available alternative to Microsoft's Windows. It relies on a community of programmers for its development and is based on open source principles, which allow others to use and modify it without having to pay licence fees. The attack on software patents comes at a time when IBM has made 500 of its patents freely available. Other companies are expected to follow suit.

There are between 150,000 and 300,000 registered software patents in the US and open source developers argue that many should never have been granted. This is a view corroborated by the UK Patent Office. ""Some of the patents have dubious validity and are being wielded by some big companies to force smaller companies to buy licenses in the knowledge that they can't afford to take them to court,"" said Dr Jeremy Philpott of the UK Patent Office. Some panel members are worried that Microsoft would issue a series of patent lawsuits in the future. ""If totally pushed to the wall - because their business model no longer holds up in an era in which open source is an economically superior way to produce software...of course they're going to unleash the WMDs,"" Mr Kapor is reported as saying. Microsoft did not want to comment directly, referring the issue instead to trade body Intellect, of which it is a member. ""As far as Intellect is concerned, open source and patents have co-existed for many years without problems,"" said spokeswoman Jill Sutherland. ""The industry respects the open source movement and in fact many of the members we represent use the open source system to develop software,"" ""We think the important point to make is that companies should be able to choose between patents, copyrights and open source as to the treatment of their intellectual discoveries, and not be forced into using one or the other,"" she added.
","In a panel discussion at a Linux summit in California Mr Torvalds said software patents were a problem for the open source movement.There are between 150,000 and 300,000 registered software patents in the US and open source developers argue that many should never have been granted.""The industry respects the open source movement and in fact many of the members we represent use the open source system to develop software,"" ""We think the important point to make is that companies should be able to choose between patents, copyrights and open source as to the treatment of their intellectual discoveries, and not be forced into using one or the other,"" she added.""As far as Intellect is concerned, open source and patents have co-existed for many years without problems,"" said spokeswoman Jill Sutherland.The war of words between Microsoft and the open source movement heated up this week as Linux founder Linus Torvalds led an attack on software patents.Some panel members are worried that Microsoft would issue a series of patent lawsuits in the future."
654,"Eminem beats Elvis to number one

Rapper Eminem has denied Elvis his fourth number one of the year, after his song, Like Toy Soldiers, stormed to the top of the singles charts.

The track claimed the top spot ahead of The King's latest re-release, Are You Lonesome Tonight. It is the fifth in a series of 18 reissues to mark the 70th anniversary of Presley's birth. Almost Here, the duet from former Westlife star Brian McFadden and Delta Goodrem, went in at number three.

Like Toy Soldiers, from Eminem's Encore album, is sampled from Martika's 1980s hit Toy Soldiers. It takes a swipe at hip-hop feuds and follows the success of Just Lose It. Last week's number one, Elvis's It's Now or Never, slipped 13 places to number 14, but all five of his re-released songs are in the Top 40. One World Project Tsunami fundraiser, Grief Never Grows Old, slipped four places to number eight. Featuring Cliff Richard and Boy George, the song was written by former DJ Mike Read. In the album charts, Athlete's latest offering Tourist claimed the top spot, toppling the Chemical Brother's Push The Button Down, which fell to number six.
","Last week's number one, Elvis's It's Now or Never, slipped 13 places to number 14, but all five of his re-released songs are in the Top 40.Rapper Eminem has denied Elvis his fourth number one of the year, after his song, Like Toy Soldiers, stormed to the top of the singles charts.In the album charts, Athlete's latest offering Tourist claimed the top spot, toppling the Chemical Brother's Push The Button Down, which fell to number six.One World Project Tsunami fundraiser, Grief Never Grows Old, slipped four places to number eight."
1480,"Robben plays down European return

Injured Chelsea winger Arjen Robben has insisted that he only has a 10% chance of making a return against Barcelona in the Champions League.

The 21-year-old has been sidelined since breaking a foot against Blackburn last month. Chelsea face Barcelona at home on 8 March having lost 2-1 in the first leg. And Robben told the Daily Star: ""It is not impossible that I will play against Barcelona but it is just a very, very small chance - about 10%.""

Robben has been an inspirational player for Chelsea this season following a switch from PSV Einhoven last summer. He added: ""My recovery is going better than we expected a few weeks ago but I think the Barcelona game will come too soon. ""I won't take any risks and come back too soon.""
","Injured Chelsea winger Arjen Robben has insisted that he only has a 10% chance of making a return against Barcelona in the Champions League.Robben has been an inspirational player for Chelsea this season following a switch from PSV Einhoven last summer.He added: ""My recovery is going better than we expected a few weeks ago but I think the Barcelona game will come too soon."
656,"J-Lo and husband plan debut duet

Singers Jennifer Lopez and husband Marc Anthony, a Latin pop star, are to perform a duet at this month's Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

Anthony became Lopez's third husband in June 2004. He won a Grammy in 1998 and is nominated for two more this year. The 13 February ceremony will also include a rendition of The Beatles' Across The Universe by Bono, Stevie Wonder, Norah Jones and Brian Wilson. The song will go on sale online to raise money for the tsunami aid effort. The awards show will also feature performances from U2, Green Day, Alicia Keys and Kanye West - but the Lopez and Anthony duet is likely to be one of the biggest talking points.

Anthony, born in New York to a Puerto Rican family, is reported to be the biggest-selling salsa artist of all time. He is nominated this year for best Latin pop album and best salsa/merengue album. The tsunami tribute song will also feature Alicia Keys, Velvet Revolver and Tim McGraw. Fans will be able to download it for $0.99 (£0.53) from iTunes, or purchase the video from the CBS TV network's site. Kanye West, the rapper who leads the awards with 10 nominations, will perform alongside John Legend, Mavis Staples and the Blind Boys of Alabama. There will also be a tribute to Ray Charles featuring Bonnie Raitt and Billy Preston and a celebration of southern rock with Tim McGraw, Gretchen Wilson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Dickie Betts and Elvis Bishop. Ray Charles, who died in June 2004, has seven posthumous nominations. Alicia Keys and Usher share eight nominations each.
","The tsunami tribute song will also feature Alicia Keys, Velvet Revolver and Tim McGraw.The awards show will also feature performances from U2, Green Day, Alicia Keys and Kanye West - but the Lopez and Anthony duet is likely to be one of the biggest talking points.Singers Jennifer Lopez and husband Marc Anthony, a Latin pop star, are to perform a duet at this month's Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.Anthony became Lopez's third husband in June 2004.There will also be a tribute to Ray Charles featuring Bonnie Raitt and Billy Preston and a celebration of southern rock with Tim McGraw, Gretchen Wilson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Dickie Betts and Elvis Bishop.He is nominated this year for best Latin pop album and best salsa/merengue album."
2007,"Consumers 'snub portable video'

Consumers want music rather than movies while on the move, says a report.

Produced by Jupiter Research the analysis of the portable media player market found only 13% of Europeans want to watch video while out and about. By contrast, almost a third are interested in listening to music on a portable player such as an iPod. The firm said gadget makers should avoid hybrid devices and instead make sure music reproduction was as good as possible.

The report concluded that the driving force behind the growth of Europe's portable player market was likely to be music, rather than films or any combination of the two. Barely 5% of those questioned said they wanted a player that could play back both music and movies. Only 7% wanted a player that could handle games and video.

""Dedicated music players are the only established digital media players in Europe today despite their high prices,"" said Ian Fogg, Jupiter analyst. Mr Fogg said although video players and smartphones were trying to cash in on this success they faced a tough job because of the compromises that had to be made when creating a dual-purpose device. ""Europeans care most about music playback,"" he said. The report showed that 27% of consumers asked are interested in portable music players. The research revealed that French, 39%, and British, 31%, consumers were most interested in music players. Mr Fogg said portable video players were likely to remain a niche product that would not be able to compete with devices dedicated to music playback.

A separate report by Jupiter forecasts that the European digital music market will grow to 836m euros (£581m) by 2009. At the end of 2003, the market was worth 10.6m euros (£7.36m). Digital music players will be behind this market growth said Jupiter . Apple's iPod was launched in October 2001, but the portable music player market has been growing steadily since the launch of the Creative Nomad Jukebox in mid-2000. Now consumers face an almost overwhelming choice of high-capacity portable music players that let them store every track on every CD that they own.
","Digital music players will be behind this market growth said Jupiter .The report concluded that the driving force behind the growth of Europe's portable player market was likely to be music, rather than films or any combination of the two.Mr Fogg said portable video players were likely to remain a niche product that would not be able to compete with devices dedicated to music playback.""Dedicated music players are the only established digital media players in Europe today despite their high prices,"" said Ian Fogg, Jupiter analyst.By contrast, almost a third are interested in listening to music on a portable player such as an iPod.Barely 5% of those questioned said they wanted a player that could play back both music and movies.The report showed that 27% of consumers asked are interested in portable music players.Apple's iPod was launched in October 2001, but the portable music player market has been growing steadily since the launch of the Creative Nomad Jukebox in mid-2000."
1311,"Labour MP praises Tory campaign

The Conservatives have been ""a lot smarter"" in the way they have conducted the general election campaign, a Labour backbencher has said.

Derek Wyatt said having a five month campaign ""turned off voters"" and suggested people were already ""rather bored of the thing"". He wants a greater campaigning role for Chancellor Gordon Brown. Labour said the economy was at the heart of the campaign and Mr Brown therefore had a prominent role. But Mr Wyatt argued: ""By some way, he is currently the figure in all of the polls that people trust and see that has delivered over eight years an economy unmatched anywhere in the world. ""So, it would be a tad foolish of the Labour Party if we did not use him as we have done over the past three elections.""

Labour's election chief Alan Milburn denied there was an attempt to sideline Mr Brown after facing criticism for letting the Tories set the agenda. However, Mr Wyatt predicted the campaign would get under way properly once the chancellor delivered his budget. The MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey said Prime Minister Tony Blair had been ""trying very hard"" to improve his own standing with the electorate through a ""sort of campaign of trust"". But Mr Blair had been ""hurt"" by the Iraq controversy, he added. A Labour party spokesman played down differences with Mr Wyatt and said Mr Brown already had a prominent campaign role. ""This election is a choice between Labour taking Britain forward and the Conservatives taking us back.""
","A Labour party spokesman played down differences with Mr Wyatt and said Mr Brown already had a prominent campaign role.Labour said the economy was at the heart of the campaign and Mr Brown therefore had a prominent role.However, Mr Wyatt predicted the campaign would get under way properly once the chancellor delivered his budget.The Conservatives have been ""a lot smarter"" in the way they have conducted the general election campaign, a Labour backbencher has said.But Mr Wyatt argued: ""By some way, he is currently the figure in all of the polls that people trust and see that has delivered over eight years an economy unmatched anywhere in the world."
16,"China keeps tight rein on credit

China's efforts to stop the economy from overheating by clamping down on credit will continue into 2005, state media report.

The curbs were introduced earlier this year to ward off the risk that rapid expansion might lead to soaring prices. There were also fears that too much stress might be placed on the fragile banking system. Growth in China remains at a breakneck 9.1%, and corporate investment is growing at more than 25% a year. The breakneck pace of economic expansion has kept growth above 9% for more than a year. Rapid tooling-up of China's manufacturing sector means a massive demand for energy - one of the factors which has kept world oil prices sky-high for most of this year. In theory, the government has a 7% growth target, but continues to insist that the overshoot does not mean a ""hard landing"" in the shape of an overbalancing economy. A low exchange rate - China's yuan is pegged to a rate of 8.28 to the dollar, which seems to be in relentless decline - means Chinese exports are cheap on world markets. China has thus far resisted international pressure to break the link or at least to shift the level of its peg. To some extent, the credit controls do seem to be taking effect. Industrial output grew 15.7% in the year to October, down from 23% in February, and inflation slowed to 4.3% - although retail sales are still booming.
","The breakneck pace of economic expansion has kept growth above 9% for more than a year.Rapid tooling-up of China's manufacturing sector means a massive demand for energy - one of the factors which has kept world oil prices sky-high for most of this year.Growth in China remains at a breakneck 9.1%, and corporate investment is growing at more than 25% a year.The curbs were introduced earlier this year to ward off the risk that rapid expansion might lead to soaring prices.In theory, the government has a 7% growth target, but continues to insist that the overshoot does not mean a ""hard landing"" in the shape of an overbalancing economy."
1119,"Kennedy questions trust of Blair

Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy has said voters now have a ""fundamental lack of trust"" of Tony Blair as prime minister.

He said backing his party was not a wasted vote, adding that with the Lib Dems ""what you see is what you get"". He made his comments at the start of a day of appearances on Channel Five in a session on The Wright Stuff programme. Questions from callers, a studio audience and the show's presenter covered Lib Dem tax plans, anti-terror laws and immigration.

Mr Kennedy said during his nearly 22 years in Parliament he had seen prime ministers and party leaders come and go and knew the pitfalls of British politics. ""1983 was when I was first elected as an MP - so Tony Blair, Michael Howard and myself were all class of '83 - and over that nearly quarter of a century the world has changed out of recognition,"" he said. ""We don't actually hear the argument any longer: 'Lib Dems, good people, reasonable ideas but only if we thought they could win around here - it's a wasted vote'. ""You don't hear that because the evidence of people's senses demonstrates that it isn't a wasted vote."" But he said Mr Blair had lost the trust of the British people. ""There is a fundamental lack of trust in Tony Blair as prime minister and in his government,"" he said.

""What we've got to do as a party - what I've got to do as a leader of this party - is to convey to people that what you see is what you get."" Mr Kennedy also used his TV appearance to defend his party's plans to increase income tax to 50% for those earning more than £100,000, saying it would apply to just 1% of the population. He said the extra revenue would allow his party to get rid of tuition and top-up fees, introduce free personal care for the elderly and replace the council tax with a local income tax. Mr Blair has already spent a day with Five and Michael Howard is booked for a similar session.
","Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy has said voters now have a ""fundamental lack of trust"" of Tony Blair as prime minister.He said backing his party was not a wasted vote, adding that with the Lib Dems ""what you see is what you get"".But he said Mr Blair had lost the trust of the British people.""There is a fundamental lack of trust in Tony Blair as prime minister and in his government,"" he said.Mr Kennedy said during his nearly 22 years in Parliament he had seen prime ministers and party leaders come and go and knew the pitfalls of British politics.Mr Blair has already spent a day with Five and Michael Howard is booked for a similar session."
73,"German growth goes into reverse

Germany's economy shrank 0.2% in the last three months of 2004, upsetting hopes of a sustained recovery.

The figures confounded hopes of a 0.2% expansion in the fourth quarter in Europe's biggest economy. The Federal Statistics Office said growth for the whole of 2004 was 1.6%, after a year of contraction in 2003, down from an earlier estimate of 1.7%. It said growth in the third quarter had been zero, putting the economy at a standstill from July onward. Germany has been reliant on exports to get its economy back on track, as unemployment of more than five million and impending cuts to welfare mean German consumers have kept their money to themselves. Major companies including Volkswagen, DaimlerChrysler and Siemens have spent much of 2004 in tough talks with unions about trimming jobs and costs. According to the statistics office, Destatis, rising exports were outweighed in the fourth quarter by the continuing weakness of domestic demand.

But the relentless rise in the value of the euro last year has also hit the competitiveness of German products overseas. The effect has been to depress prospects for the 12-nation eurozone as a whole, as well as Germany. Eurozone interest rates are at 2%, but senior officials at the rate-setting European Central Bank are beginning to talk about the threat of inflation, prompting fears that interest rates may rise. The ECB's mandate is to fight rising prices by boosting interest rates - and that could further threaten Germany's hopes of recovery.
","The figures confounded hopes of a 0.2% expansion in the fourth quarter in Europe's biggest economy.Germany's economy shrank 0.2% in the last three months of 2004, upsetting hopes of a sustained recovery.The ECB's mandate is to fight rising prices by boosting interest rates - and that could further threaten Germany's hopes of recovery.It said growth in the third quarter had been zero, putting the economy at a standstill from July onward.Germany has been reliant on exports to get its economy back on track, as unemployment of more than five million and impending cuts to welfare mean German consumers have kept their money to themselves."
2055,"Parents face video game lessons

Ways of ensuring that parents know which video games are suitable for children are to be considered by the games industry.

The issue was discussed at a meeting between UK government officials, industry representatives and the British Board of Film Classification. It follows concerns that children may be playing games aimed at adults which include high levels of violence. In 2003, Britons spent £1,152m on games, more than ever before. And this Christmas, parents are expected to spend millions on video games and consoles.

Violent games have been hit by controversy after the game Manhunt was blamed by the parents of 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah, who was stabbed to death in Leicester in February. His mother, Giselle, said her son's killer, Warren Leblanc, 17 - who was jailed for life in September - had mimicked behaviour in the game.

Police investigating Stefan's murder dismissed its influence and said Manhunt was not part of its legal case. The issue of warnings on games for adults was raised on Sunday by Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt. This was the focus of the talks between government officials, representatives from the games industry and the British Board of Film Classification. ""Adults can make informed choices about what games to play. Children can't and they deserve to be protected,"" said Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell after the meeting. ""Industry will consider how to make sure parents know what games their children should and shouldn't play."" Roger Bennett, director general of Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association, said: ""A number of initiatives were discussed at the meeting. ""They will be formulated to create specific proposals to promote greater understanding, recognition and awareness of the games rating system, ensuring that young people are not exposed to inappropriate content.""

Among the possible measures could be a campaign to explain to parents that many games are made for an adult audience, as well as changes to the labelling of the games themselves.

According to industry statistics, a majority of players are over 18, with the average age of a gamer being 29. Academics point out that there has not been any definitive research linking bloodthirsty games such as Manhunt with violent responses in players. In a report published this week for the Video Standards Council, Dr Guy Cumberbatch said: ""The research evidence on media violence causing harm to viewers is wildly exaggerated and does not stand up to scrutiny."" Dr Cumberbatch, head of the social policy think tank, the Communications Research Group, reviewed the studies on the issue. He concluded that there was an absence of convincing research that media violence caused harm.
","Ways of ensuring that parents know which video games are suitable for children are to be considered by the games industry.Violent games have been hit by controversy after the game Manhunt was blamed by the parents of 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah, who was stabbed to death in Leicester in February.This was the focus of the talks between government officials, representatives from the games industry and the British Board of Film Classification.The issue of warnings on games for adults was raised on Sunday by Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt.""Industry will consider how to make sure parents know what games their children should and shouldn't play.""Among the possible measures could be a campaign to explain to parents that many games are made for an adult audience, as well as changes to the labelling of the games themselves.The issue was discussed at a meeting between UK government officials, industry representatives and the British Board of Film Classification.His mother, Giselle, said her son's killer, Warren Leblanc, 17 - who was jailed for life in September - had mimicked behaviour in the game.And this Christmas, parents are expected to spend millions on video games and consoles."
1802,"Safin cool on Wimbledon

Newly-crowned Australian Open champion Marat Safin has ruled out any chance of winning Wimbledon in the future.

After losing in round one last year, Safin said he had ""given up"" on Wimbledon and winning his second Grand Slam title has not changed his mind. ""I'll play, but with no expectations. I feel like I can't waste my time, my energy on that surface,"" he said. ""Some people, they cannot play on clay. Some people, they cannot play on a hard court. Me, I can't play on grass."" However, Safin is hopeful that winning the Australian Open will give him the belief he needs to win more Grand Slam titles. ""It's a relief for me. Two grand slams, it's already something. But with this one I worked really hard for it,"" he said. ""Basically, I would love to win a couple more. I think I have a chance if I continue this way.

""If (coach) Peter Lundgren will stick around with me and wants to work with me for a bit longer, I think I can make it."" The 25-year-old shocked Pete Sampras in the 2000 US Open final to win his first major title but then lost in two Australian Open finals. Safin admitted he had begun to doubt whether he would win another Grand Slam. ""I didn't expect that (to win the 2000 US Open) - it was against Sampras, I wasn't the favourite so I had no pressure whatsoever,"" he said. ""After the first final that I didn't win against Thomas Johansson (in 2002), I couldn't see myself winning the Grand Slams anymore. ""I was once in the semi-finals of the French Open, but I didn't believe I can win it. ""I just couldn't handle the pressure. You need to believe in yourself, and I didn't.""

And after losing the first set 6-1 to Lleyton Hewitt in Sunday's final, Safin said he began to doubt himself again. ""I am 25. I'm playing against Hewitt. At least you have to have the opportunity to win it, at least have a chance,"" he said. ""It's like you go there and you lose first set 6-1, then you start to think: 'This is not my day. The way I'm playing is ridiculous.' ""But then you start to really be a little bit more selfish and try to find a way out of there. ""And I found it. I was like really much I was much happier than in 2000, that's for sure, because I get over it.""
","""I didn't expect that (to win the 2000 US Open) - it was against Sampras, I wasn't the favourite so I had no pressure whatsoever,"" he said.""After the first final that I didn't win against Thomas Johansson (in 2002), I couldn't see myself winning the Grand Slams anymore.However, Safin is hopeful that winning the Australian Open will give him the belief he needs to win more Grand Slam titles.""I was once in the semi-finals of the French Open, but I didn't believe I can win it.The 25-year-old shocked Pete Sampras in the 2000 US Open final to win his first major title but then lost in two Australian Open finals.Safin admitted he had begun to doubt whether he would win another Grand Slam.And after losing the first set 6-1 to Lleyton Hewitt in Sunday's final, Safin said he began to doubt himself again.After losing in round one last year, Safin said he had ""given up"" on Wimbledon and winning his second Grand Slam title has not changed his mind.At least you have to have the opportunity to win it, at least have a chance,"" he said.Some people, they cannot play on a hard court.""Some people, they cannot play on clay.Newly-crowned Australian Open champion Marat Safin has ruled out any chance of winning Wimbledon in the future."
2117,"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."
1353,"Radcliffe tackles marathon tasks

Paula Radcliffe faces arguably the biggest test of her career in the New York City Marathon on Sunday.

Back under the spotlight of public scrutiny she will attempt to erase the double disappointment of the Athens Olympics, where she failed to finish the marathon and then the 10,000m. BBC Sport examines the challenges facing Radcliffe ahead of the big race. 

The ability to run a gruelling 26.2 miles relies largely upon an athlete's belief that they can do it. Every runner will hit the wall at some stage and see written on it, ""Are you strong enough to finish?""

The question could hit Radcliffe hard after she was unable to complete her last two races in high-profile and emotional circumstances. Sports psychologist Hugh Richards says the 30-year-old must draw on her past achievements to conquer a potential crisis of confidence. ""There is an old adage, 'get straight back on the horse that threw you,'"" Richards told BBC Sport. ""Paula has got all those great runs in her history as well as the two upsets in Athens. ""She must not lose faith in what has already been proven is a very effective strategy for distance running. ""If she were to change her preparation and tactics that would be madness. ""She wants to start rebuilding her confidence through performance accomplishment."" 

For much of the watching media and public there can only be two possible outcomes in New York - win or lose. If Radcliffe crosses the line first she will have proved her critics wrong. But if she fails to triumph, she risks being labelled a has-been and her profile will suffer. And for any athlete that can have repercussions in terms of sponsorship, appearance fees as well as further self esteem issues.

""Athletes need to try and stay focused on their internal controls and ignore external questions,"" explains Richards, who has worked with past Olympians. ""She must not get caught up in someone else's agenda."" Radcliffe's best friend and fellow distance runner Liz Yelling revealed the 30-year-old is already aware she will be exposing herself to more public scrutiny in New York. ""She just thought, 'well, they can't think any worse of me now,'"" Yelling told BBC Sport. ""She's just doing what she wants to do and not thinking about the consequences of it."" 

Radcliffe described her decision to enter the New York marathon as ""impulsive"" but she is certain to have a tick-list of personal goals. Her aims could be as simple as completing a race and making sure she is still enjoying running but Richards says she must avoid more emotional targets, such as redemption. ""You can't change history,"" warned Richards. ""Only one person can win the marathon but lots of people can be successful. ""Paula has to figure out what sort of things will she feel satisfied achieving by the end of the race."" 

The course from Staten Island to Central Park is renowned as one of the toughest in the world. It is also not the kind of fast course that tends to suit Radcliffe better, with the undulating finish through the park testing the legs' final reserves.

Radcliffe has never raced there before and will enter the unknown just 77 days after the Athens marathon. ""It's suggested after a major marathon you take a full month off and start building up again,"" said Yelling, herself a marathon runner. ""But that is only for long-term health and fitness. ""When you finish a marathon you are still very fit and can recover quickly. So physically it is possible for Paula."" Richards also points out conditions in New York will be more conducive to a strong physical display from Radcliffe. ""The heat stress was the primary factor that tripped her up in Athens,"" he said. ""And that just isn't going to be there in New York, that's been taken out of the equation."" 



Radcliffe concedes she will probably learn a lot from her bad experiences in Athens in time. And Richards and Yelling agree she could turn the trauma to her advantage, starting in New York. ""How you respond to adversity is what marks you out as elite or not,"" argues Richards.

""One of the challenges of massive set backs is how you turn them into opportunities."" And Yelling says: ""I think this will probably make Paula."" ""I think it will drive her on and she'll come out of it a better athlete.""
","Paula Radcliffe faces arguably the biggest test of her career in the New York City Marathon on Sunday.Richards also points out conditions in New York will be more conducive to a strong physical display from Radcliffe.And Richards and Yelling agree she could turn the trauma to her advantage, starting in New York.Radcliffe has never raced there before and will enter the unknown just 77 days after the Athens marathon.Radcliffe described her decision to enter the New York marathon as ""impulsive"" but she is certain to have a tick-list of personal goals.""Paula has got all those great runs in her history as well as the two upsets in Athens.""It's suggested after a major marathon you take a full month off and start building up again,"" said Yelling, herself a marathon runner.Radcliffe's best friend and fellow distance runner Liz Yelling revealed the 30-year-old is already aware she will be exposing herself to more public scrutiny in New York.For much of the watching media and public there can only be two possible outcomes in New York - win or lose.""She just thought, 'well, they can't think any worse of me now,'"" Yelling told BBC Sport.""You can't change history,"" warned Richards.Back under the spotlight of public scrutiny she will attempt to erase the double disappointment of the Athens Olympics, where she failed to finish the marathon and then the 10,000m.BBC Sport examines the challenges facing Radcliffe ahead of the big race.""There is an old adage, 'get straight back on the horse that threw you,'"" Richards told BBC Sport.And Yelling says: ""I think this will probably make Paula.""Her aims could be as simple as completing a race and making sure she is still enjoying running but Richards says she must avoid more emotional targets, such as redemption.Radcliffe concedes she will probably learn a lot from her bad experiences in Athens in time."
627,"Rapper Jay-Z becomes label boss

Rap star Jay-Z is to become a record company executive after being put in charge of one of hip-hop's most influential labels, Def Jam.

Jay-Z, who said he would make no more music after 2003's The Black Album, will become the company's president and chief executive from January. Def Jam's parent company, Universal, made the appointment after buying Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella label. Def Jam's artists include LL Cool J, DMX, Ludacris, Ja Rule and Ashanti. Jay-Z will continue to run Roc-A-Fella, which he founded with Damon Dash in 1995 and has Kanye West and Beanie Sigel on its roster. Universal said on Wednesday it had bought the 50% of Roc-A-Fella it did not already own.

Antonio ""LA"" Reid, chairman of The Island Def Jam Music Group, said: ""I can think of no-one more relevant and credible in the hip-hop community to build upon Def Jam's fantastic legacy."" He hoped Jay-Z would ""move the company into its next groundbreaking era"", he added. Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, said: ""I have inherited two of the most important brands in hip-hop, Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella.

""I feel this is a giant step for me and the entire artist community."" One of the most successful and respected rap stars of the last eight years, Jay-Z's hits have included Hard Knock Life, Dirt Off Your Shoulder and 03 Bonnie and Clyde with his girlfriend Beyonce Knowles. He said he would retire after The Black Album, but has just released an album and been on an ill-fated tour with R Kelly. Def Jam was founded in 1984 by Russell Simmons and producer Rick Rubin and signed artists including Run-DMC, The Beastie Boys and Public Enemy.
","Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, said: ""I have inherited two of the most important brands in hip-hop, Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella.Rap star Jay-Z is to become a record company executive after being put in charge of one of hip-hop's most influential labels, Def Jam.Antonio ""LA"" Reid, chairman of The Island Def Jam Music Group, said: ""I can think of no-one more relevant and credible in the hip-hop community to build upon Def Jam's fantastic legacy.""Def Jam's parent company, Universal, made the appointment after buying Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella label.Jay-Z, who said he would make no more music after 2003's The Black Album, will become the company's president and chief executive from January.Universal said on Wednesday it had bought the 50% of Roc-A-Fella it did not already own."
1219,"Kennedy predicts bigger turnout

Voters' ""pent up passion"" could confound predictions of a low turnout in the coming general election, Charles Kennedy has said.

The Liberal Democrat leader predicted concerns over Iraq and other international and domestic issue would express themselves during the campaign. His comments come as an inquiry looks at how best to boost voter turnouts. Ex-foreign secretary Robin Cook said people were not apathetic but fed up of ""pager politics"" and not being heard. He, like Mr Kennedy, pointed to the hundreds of thousands of people who demonstrated against plans for the Iraq war.

Mr Cook, who is giving evidence to the Power inquiry into voter turnout rates, told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme it was not fair to blame the public who were ""more interested in politics than ever before"". ""They are turned off by the way we do politics in Britain. There's a message there for politicians."" He urged politicians to avoid negative campaigning and to ""speak more from the heart"". ""We should be not so afraid to say what we stand for."" He also criticised the cult of personality politics: ""There's far too much interest in celebrities. ""Politics are in danger of becoming another branch of the celebrity industry."" The government has tried a number of things in an attempt to boost voter turnout, which fell to 59% in the last general election in 2001. This has included bringing in directly elected mayors to head local authorities and trialling postal voting.
","Mr Cook, who is giving evidence to the Power inquiry into voter turnout rates, told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme it was not fair to blame the public who were ""more interested in politics than ever before"".The government has tried a number of things in an attempt to boost voter turnout, which fell to 59% in the last general election in 2001.Ex-foreign secretary Robin Cook said people were not apathetic but fed up of ""pager politics"" and not being heard.He also criticised the cult of personality politics: ""There's far too much interest in celebrities.Voters' ""pent up passion"" could confound predictions of a low turnout in the coming general election, Charles Kennedy has said.""They are turned off by the way we do politics in Britain."
1833,"Apple laptop is 'greatest gadget'

The Apple Powerbook 100 has been chosen as the greatest gadget of all time, by US magazine Mobile PC.

The 1991 laptop was chosen because it was one of the first ""lightweight"" portable computers and helped define the layout of all future notebook PCs. The magazine has compiled an all-time top 100 list of gadgets, which includes the Sony Walkman at number three and the 1956 Zenith remote control at two. Gadgets needed moving parts and/or electronics to warrant inclusion. The magazine specified that gadgets also needed to be a ""self-contained apparatus that can be used on its own, not a subset of another device"".

""In general we included only items that were potentially mobile,"" said the magazine.

""In the end, we tried to get to the heart of what really makes a gadget a gadget,"" it concluded. The oldest ""gadget"" in the top 100 is the abacus, which the magazine dates at 190 A.D., and put in 60th place. Other pre-electronic gadgets in the top 100 include the sextant from 1731 (59th position), the marine chronometer from 1761 (42nd position) and the Kodak Brownie camera from 1900 (28th position). The Tivo personal video recorder is the newest device to make the top 10, which also includes the first flash mp3 player (Diamound Multimedia), as well as the first ""successful"" digital camera (Casio QV-10) and mobile phone (Motorola Startac). The most popular gadget of the moment, the Apple iPod, is at number 12 in the list while the first Sony transistor radio is at number 13.

Sony's third entry in the top 20 is the CDP-101 CD player from 1983. ""Who can forget the crystalline, hiss-free blast of Madonna's Like A Virgin emenating from their first CD player?"" asked the magazine. Karl Elsener's knife, the Swiss Army Knife from 1891, is at number 20 in the list. Gadgets which could be said to feature surprisngly low down in the list include the original telephone (23rd), the Nintendo GameBoy (25th), and the Pulsar quartz digital watch (36th). The list also contains plenty of oddities: the Pez sweet dispenser (98th), 1980s toy Tamagotchi (86th) and the bizarre Ronco inside the shell egg scrambler (84th).

Why worry about mobile phones. Soon they will be subsumed into the PDA's / laptops etc.

What about the Marine Chronometer? Completely revolutionised navigation for boats and was in use for centuries. For it's time, a technological marvel!

Sony Net Minidisc! It paved the way for more mp3 player to explode onto the market. I always used my NetMD, and could not go anywhere without it.

A laptop computer is not a gadget! It's a working tool!

The Sinclair Executive was the world's first pocket calculator. I think this should be there as well.

How about the clockwork radio? Or GPS? Or a pocket calculator? All these things are useful to real people, not just PC magazine editors.

Are the people who created this list insane ? Surely the most important gadget of the modern age is the mobile phone? It has revolutionalised communication, which is more than can be said for a niche market laptop. From outside the modern age, the marine chronometer is the single most important gadget, without which modern transportation systems would not have evolved so quickly.

Has everyone forgot about the Breville pie maker??

An interesting list. Of the electronic gadgets, thousands of journalists in the early 1980s blessed the original noteboook pc - the Tandy 100. The size of A4 paper and light, three weeks on a set of batteries, an excellent keyboard, a modem. A pity Tandy did not make it DOS compatible.

What's an Apple Powerbook 100 ? It's out of date - not much of a ""gadget"". Surely it has to be something simple / timeless - the tin opener, Swiss Army Knife, safety razor blade, wristwatch or the thing for taking stones out of horses hooves ?

It has to be the mobile phone. No other single device has had such an effect on our way of living in such a short space of time.

The ball point pen has got to be one of the most used and common gadgets ever. Also many might be grateful for the pocket calculator which was a great improvement over the slide rule.

The Casio pocket calculator that played a simple game and made tinny noises was also a hot gadget in 1980. A true gadget, it could be carried around and shown off.

All top 10 are electronic toys, so the list is probably a better reflection of the current high-tech obsession than anyhting else. I say this as the Swiss Army Knife only made No 20.

Sinclair QL a machine far ahead of its time. The first home machine with a true multi-takings OS. Shame the marketing was so bad!!!

Apple.. a triumph of fashion over... well everything else.

Utter rubbish. Yes, the Apple laptop and Sony Walkman are classic gadgets. But to call the sextant and the marine chronometer 'gadgets' and rank them as less important than a TV remote control reveals a quite shocking lack of historical perspective. The former literally helped change the world by vastly improving navigation at see. The latter is the seed around which the couch potato culture has developed. No competition.

I'd also put Apple's Newton and the first Palm Pilot there as the front runners for portable computing, and possibly the Toshiba Libretto for the same reason. I only wish that Vulcan Inc's Flipstart wasn't just vapourware otherwise it would be at the top.

How did a laptop ever manage to beat off the challenge of the wristwatch or the telephone (mobile or otherwise)? What about radios and TVs?

The swiss army knife. By far the most useful gadget. I got mine 12 years ago. Still wearing and using it a lot! It stood the test of time.

Psion Organiser series 3, should be up there. Had a usable qwerty keyboard, removable storage, good set of apps and programmable. Case design was good (batteries in the hinge - a first, I think). Great product innovation.

The first mobile PC was voted best gadget by readers of...err... mobile PC?! Why do you keep putting these obviously biased lists on your site? It's obviously the mobile phone or remote control, and readers of a less partisan publication would tell you that.

The Motorola Startac should be Number One. Why? There will be mobile phones long after notebook computers and other gadgets are either gone or integrated in communications devices.

The Psion series 3c! The first most practical way to carry all your info around...

I too would back the Sinclair Spectrum - without this little beauty I would never have moved into the world of IT and earn the living that I do now.

I'd have put the mobile phone high up the list. Probably a Nokia model.

Sinclair Spectrum - 16k. It plugged into the tv. Games were rubbish but it gave me a taste for programming and that's what I do for a living now.

I wish more modern notebooks -- even Apple's newest offerings -- were more like the PB100. Particularly disheartening is the demise of the trackball, which has given way to the largely useless ""trackpad"" which every notebook on the market today uses. They're invariably inaccurate, uncomfortable, and cumbersome to use.

Congratulations to Apple, a deserved win!
","The Apple Powerbook 100 has been chosen as the greatest gadget of all time, by US magazine Mobile PC.The most popular gadget of the moment, the Apple iPod, is at number 12 in the list while the first Sony transistor radio is at number 13.The first mobile PC was voted best gadget by readers of...err... mobile PC?!Surely the most important gadget of the modern age is the mobile phone?The magazine has compiled an all-time top 100 list of gadgets, which includes the Sony Walkman at number three and the 1956 Zenith remote control at two.A laptop computer is not a gadget!It has to be the mobile phone.The Tivo personal video recorder is the newest device to make the top 10, which also includes the first flash mp3 player (Diamound Multimedia), as well as the first ""successful"" digital camera (Casio QV-10) and mobile phone (Motorola Startac).The Sinclair Executive was the world's first pocket calculator.There will be mobile phones long after notebook computers and other gadgets are either gone or integrated in communications devices.The Casio pocket calculator that played a simple game and made tinny noises was also a hot gadget in 1980.I'd have put the mobile phone high up the list.The oldest ""gadget"" in the top 100 is the abacus, which the magazine dates at 190 A.D., and put in 60th place.The 1991 laptop was chosen because it was one of the first ""lightweight"" portable computers and helped define the layout of all future notebook PCs.The ball point pen has got to be one of the most used and common gadgets ever.By far the most useful gadget.""In the end, we tried to get to the heart of what really makes a gadget a gadget,"" it concluded.The magazine specified that gadgets also needed to be a ""self-contained apparatus that can be used on its own, not a subset of another device"".From outside the modern age, the marine chronometer is the single most important gadget, without which modern transportation systems would not have evolved so quickly.Karl Elsener's knife, the Swiss Army Knife from 1891, is at number 20 in the list.Case design was good (batteries in the hinge - a first, I think).It's out of date - not much of a ""gadget"".Yes, the Apple laptop and Sony Walkman are classic gadgets.A true gadget, it could be carried around and shown off.No other single device has had such an effect on our way of living in such a short space of time.Other pre-electronic gadgets in the top 100 include the sextant from 1731 (59th position), the marine chronometer from 1761 (42nd position) and the Kodak Brownie camera from 1900 (28th position).Also many might be grateful for the pocket calculator which was a great improvement over the slide rule.It's obviously the mobile phone or remote control, and readers of a less partisan publication would tell you that.""In general we included only items that were potentially mobile,"" said the magazine.It has revolutionalised communication, which is more than can be said for a niche market laptop.Gadgets which could be said to feature surprisngly low down in the list include the original telephone (23rd), the Nintendo GameBoy (25th), and the Pulsar quartz digital watch (36th).How did a laptop ever manage to beat off the challenge of the wristwatch or the telephone (mobile or otherwise)?All top 10 are electronic toys, so the list is probably a better reflection of the current high-tech obsession than anyhting else.But to call the sextant and the marine chronometer 'gadgets' and rank them as less important than a TV remote control reveals a quite shocking lack of historical perspective.An interesting list.Psion Organiser series 3, should be up there.The Psion series 3c!The first most practical way to carry all your info around..."
1604,"Thomas out of Six Nations

Wales captain Gareth Thomas has been ruled out of the rest of the Six Nations with a broken thumb.

The full-back will have surgery on Monday after fracturing his thumb in the 24-18 win over France on Saturday. But Welsh legend Phil Bennett insisted Wales can cope without Thomas as they chase a first Grand Slam in 27 years. Bennett told BBC Sport: ""Such is the spirit in the camp, they'll put Kevin Morgan at 15, Rhys Williams at wing and just carry on."" Thomas will miss the match against Scotland on 13 March, and what promises to be a huge encounter against the Irish six days later. Bennett added: ""It's a setback. He's a great captain, he leads from the front and the boys love him."" Thomas was replaced at half-time by Williams as his side turned around a 15-6 deficit in Paris.

""With Gareth missing I would think Michael Owen will be our captain,"" said Wales coach Mike Ruddock. ""He did a great job in the second half in France. He has been vice-captain all along throughout the championship."" Wales travel to Edinburgh to take on Scotland in a fortnight and then host Ireland in Cardiff in the final round of matches in what could be the Grand Slam and championship decider. Bennett, an inspirational fly-half for Llanelli and Wales in the 1970s, insisted the national team were entering a new golden period. ""It was a great game and a magnificent result for Wales,"" Bennett told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme.

""The way this young team are blending, the glory days are on their way back. ""We couldn't get possession early on and France dominated and scored two tries. ""Had they been ruthless, Wales could have gone into the interval 30 points down. But they didn't take their chances. ""Wales defended fairly well but you cannot give that sort of quality ball to good sides. ""The All Blacks would have been ruthless and buried us in the first half. But the character we showed in the second half was quite outstanding.""
","Wales captain Gareth Thomas has been ruled out of the rest of the Six Nations with a broken thumb.""It was a great game and a magnificent result for Wales,"" Bennett told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme.But Welsh legend Phil Bennett insisted Wales can cope without Thomas as they chase a first Grand Slam in 27 years.Wales travel to Edinburgh to take on Scotland in a fortnight and then host Ireland in Cardiff in the final round of matches in what could be the Grand Slam and championship decider.""He did a great job in the second half in France.Bennett, an inspirational fly-half for Llanelli and Wales in the 1970s, insisted the national team were entering a new golden period.""Had they been ruthless, Wales could have gone into the interval 30 points down.""With Gareth missing I would think Michael Owen will be our captain,"" said Wales coach Mike Ruddock.But the character we showed in the second half was quite outstanding."""
2038,"Anti-spam screensaver scrapped

A contentious campaign to bump up the bandwidth bills of spammers by flooding their sites with data has been dropped.

Lycos Europe's Make Love, Not Spam campaign began in late November but its tactics proved controversial. Lycos has shut down the campaign saying it had been started to stimulate debate about anti-spam measures and had now achieved this aim. The anti-spammer screensaver came under fire for encouraging vigilante activity and skirting the edge of the law.

Through the Make Love, Not Spam website, users could download a screensaver that would endlessly request data from the net sites mentioned in many junk mail messages. More than 100,000 people are thought to have downloaded the screensaver that Lycos Europe offered.

The company wanted to keep the spam sites running at near total capacity to make it much less financially attractive to spammers to operate the sites. But the campaign was controversial from the moment it kicked off and many net veterans criticised it for using spamming-type tactics against the senders of junk mail. Some net service firms began blocking access to the Lycos Europe site in protest at the action. Monitoring firm Netcraft found that the anti-spam campaign was proving a little too successful. According to response-time figures gathered by Netcraft, some of the sites that the screensaver targeted were being knocked offline by the constant data requests. In a statement from Lycos Europe announcing the scrapping of the scheme, the company denied that this was its fault. ""There is nothing to suggest that Make Love, Not Spam has brought down any of the sites that it has targeted,"" it said. ""At the time that Netcraft measured the sites it claims may have been brought down, they were not in fact part of the Make Love, Not Spam attack cycle,"" it added. The statement issued by Lycos also said that the centralised database it used ensured that traffic to the target sites left them with 5% spare capacity. ""The idea was simply to slow spammers' sites and this was achieved by the campaign,"" the company said. Many security organisations said users should not participate in the Lycos Europe campaign. The closure comes only days after the campaign was suspended following the outbreak of criticism.
","""The idea was simply to slow spammers' sites and this was achieved by the campaign,"" the company said.Lycos Europe's Make Love, Not Spam campaign began in late November but its tactics proved controversial.Many security organisations said users should not participate in the Lycos Europe campaign.""There is nothing to suggest that Make Love, Not Spam has brought down any of the sites that it has targeted,"" it said.Through the Make Love, Not Spam website, users could download a screensaver that would endlessly request data from the net sites mentioned in many junk mail messages.Some net service firms began blocking access to the Lycos Europe site in protest at the action.A contentious campaign to bump up the bandwidth bills of spammers by flooding their sites with data has been dropped.In a statement from Lycos Europe announcing the scrapping of the scheme, the company denied that this was its fault."
2099,"Souped-up wi-fi is on the horizon

Super high-speed wireless data networks could soon be in use in the UK.

The government's wireless watchdog is seeking help on the best way to regulate the technology behind such networks called Ultra Wideband (UWB). Ofcom wants to ensure that the arrival of UWB-using devices does not cause problems for those that already use the same part of the radio spectrum. UWB makes it possible to stream huge amounts of data through the air over short distances. One of the more likely uses of UWB is to make it possible to send DVD quality video images wirelessly to TV screens or to let people beam music to media players around their home. The technology has the potential to transmit hundreds of megabits of data per second. UWB could also be used to create so-called Personal Area Networks that let a person's gadgets quickly and easily swap data amongst themselves. The technology works over a range up to 10 metres and uses billions of short radio pulses every second to carry data. At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas products with UWB chips built-in got their first public airing.

Currently, use of UWB is only allowed in the UK under a strict licencing scheme. ""We're seeking opinion from industry to find out whether or not we should allow UWB on a licence-exempt basis,"" said a spokesman for Ofcom.

Companies have until 24 March to respond. In April the EC is due to start its own consultation on Europe-wide adoption of UWB. The cross-Europe body for radio regulators, known as the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT), is carrying out research for this harmonisation programme. Early sight of the CEPT work has caused controversy as some think it over-emphasises UWB's potential to interfere with existing users. By contrast a preliminary Ofcom report found that it would be quite straight-forward to deploy UWB without causing problems for those that already use it. The Ofcom spokesman said it was considering imposing a ""mask"" or set of technical restrictions on UWB-using devices. ""We would want these devices to have very strict controls on power levels so they can not transmit a long way or over a wide area,"" he said. Despite the current restrictions the technology is already being used. Cambridge-based Ubisense has about 40 customers around the world using the short-range radio technology, said David Theriault, standards and regulatory liaison for Ubisense. He said that UWB was driving novel ways to interact with computers. ""It's like having a 3D mouse all the time,"" he said. He said that European decisions on what to do with UWB allied with IEEE decisions on the exact specifications for it would help drive adoption. Prior to its adoption as a way for gadgets and computers to communicate, UWB was used as a sensing technology. It is used to spot such things as cracks under the surface of runways or to help firemen detect people through walls.
","Prior to its adoption as a way for gadgets and computers to communicate, UWB was used as a sensing technology.He said that UWB was driving novel ways to interact with computers.He said that European decisions on what to do with UWB allied with IEEE decisions on the exact specifications for it would help drive adoption.The government's wireless watchdog is seeking help on the best way to regulate the technology behind such networks called Ultra Wideband (UWB).""We're seeking opinion from industry to find out whether or not we should allow UWB on a licence-exempt basis,"" said a spokesman for Ofcom.By contrast a preliminary Ofcom report found that it would be quite straight-forward to deploy UWB without causing problems for those that already use it.UWB could also be used to create so-called Personal Area Networks that let a person's gadgets quickly and easily swap data amongst themselves.Currently, use of UWB is only allowed in the UK under a strict licencing scheme.UWB makes it possible to stream huge amounts of data through the air over short distances.The technology has the potential to transmit hundreds of megabits of data per second."
171,"Deutsche Boerse boosts dividend

Deutsche Boerse, the German stock exchange that is trying to buy its London rival, has said it will boost its 2004 dividend payment by 27%.

Analysts said that the move is aimed at winning over investors opposed to its bid for the London Stock Exchange. Critics of the takeover have complained that the money could be better used by returning cash to shareholders. Deutsche Boerse also said profit in the three months to 31 December was 120.7m euros ($158.8m; £83.3m). Sales climbed to 364.4m euros, lifting revenue for the year to a record 1.45bn euros.

Frankfurt-based Deutsche Boerse has offered £1.3bn ($2.48bn; 1.88bn euros) for the London Stock Exchange. Rival pan-European bourse Euronext is working also on a bid. Late on Monday, Deutsche Boerse said it would lift its 2004 dividend payment to 70 euro cents (£0.48; $0.98) from 55 euro cents a year earlier. ""There is a whiff of a sweetener in there,"" Anais Faraj, an analyst at Nomura told the BBC's World Business Report. ""Most of the disgruntled shareholders of Deutsche Boerse are complaining that the money that is being used for the bid could be better placed in their hands, paid out in dividends,"" Mr Faraj continued. Deutsche Boerse is ""trying to buy them off in a sense"", he said.
","Deutsche Boerse, the German stock exchange that is trying to buy its London rival, has said it will boost its 2004 dividend payment by 27%.Deutsche Boerse is ""trying to buy them off in a sense"", he said.""Most of the disgruntled shareholders of Deutsche Boerse are complaining that the money that is being used for the bid could be better placed in their hands, paid out in dividends,"" Mr Faraj continued.Frankfurt-based Deutsche Boerse has offered £1.3bn ($2.48bn; 1.88bn euros) for the London Stock Exchange.Deutsche Boerse also said profit in the three months to 31 December was 120.7m euros ($158.8m; £83.3m)."
1800,"Officials respond in court row

Australian tennis' top official has defended the Australian Open courts at Melbourne Park after criticism of the playing surface by Lleyton Hewitt.

Hewitt said he had had a ""gutful"" of trying to persuade them to make the surface faster but Tennis Australia's Geoff Pollard rejected his comments. ""We did ask for it to be made faster than last year and, to my knowledge, it is faster,"" he said. ""We spent a substantial amount of money on modifications to make it faster."" Hewitt, who has not got past the fourth round at Melbourne in seven attempts, had earlier said the surface was not worthy of such a prestigious tournament. But he said he would play on whatever surface he had to in order to have a chance of winning. The tournament starts on 17 January, and Pollard said the surface had been speeded up since last year's tournament following complaints by several Australian players. But he refused to accept that the Melbourne surface may have had a bearing on Hewitt's performances over the years. ""Lleyton's proving how versatile he is on all surfaces,"" he said. ""It is faster than last year and that'll be faster than the one Lleyton beat Roger Federer on in the Davis Cup in 2003.""
","Hewitt said he had had a ""gutful"" of trying to persuade them to make the surface faster but Tennis Australia's Geoff Pollard rejected his comments.""We did ask for it to be made faster than last year and, to my knowledge, it is faster,"" he said.The tournament starts on 17 January, and Pollard said the surface had been speeded up since last year's tournament following complaints by several Australian players.Hewitt, who has not got past the fourth round at Melbourne in seven attempts, had earlier said the surface was not worthy of such a prestigious tournament."
86,"Manufacturing recovery 'slowing'

UK manufacturing grew at its slowest pace in one-and-a-half years in January, according to a survey.

The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) said its purchasing manager index (PMI) fell to 51.8 from a revised 53.3 in December. But, despite missing forecasts of 53.7, the PMI number remained above 50 - indicating expansion in the sector. The CIPS said that the strong pound had dented exports while rising oil and metals prices had kept costs high.

The survey added that rising input prices and cooling demand had deterred factory managers from hiring new workers in an effort to cut costs. That triggered the second successive monthly fall in the CIPS employment index to 48.3 - its lowest level since June 2003. The survey is more upbeat than official figures - which suggest that manufacturing is in recession - but analysts said the survey did suggest that the manufacturing recovery was running out of steam. ""It appears that the UK is in a two-tier economy again,"" said Prebon Yamane economist Lena Komileva. ""You have weakness in manufacturing, which I think would concern policymakers at the Bank of England.""
","The survey is more upbeat than official figures - which suggest that manufacturing is in recession - but analysts said the survey did suggest that the manufacturing recovery was running out of steam.The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) said its purchasing manager index (PMI) fell to 51.8 from a revised 53.3 in December.UK manufacturing grew at its slowest pace in one-and-a-half years in January, according to a survey.The CIPS said that the strong pound had dented exports while rising oil and metals prices had kept costs high."
955,"'Debate needed' on donations cap

A cap on donations to political parties should not be introduced yet, the elections watchdog has said.

Fears that big donors can buy political favours have sparked calls for a limit. In a new report, the Electoral Commission says it is worth debating a £10,000 cap for the future but now is not the right time to introduce it. It also says there should be more state funding for political parties and candidates should be able to spend more on election campaigning.

There were almost £68m in reported donations to political parties in 2001, 2002 and 2003, with nearly £12m of them from individual gifts worth more than £1m. The rules have already been changed so the public can see who gives how much to the parties but the report says there are still public suspicions. The commission says capping donations would mean taxpayers giving parties more cash - something which would first have to be acceptable to the public and shown to work. ""While we are not in principle opposed to the introduction of a donation cap, we do not believe that such a major departure from the existing system now would be sensible,"" says its report. If there was to be a cap, it should be £10,000 - a small enough amount to make a difference but which would have banned £56m in donations between 2001 and 2003.

Even without changes the commission does urge political parties to seek out more small-scale donations and suggests there should be income tax relief for gifts under £200. It also suggests increasing state funding for parties to £3m so help can be extended to all parties with at least two members in the House of Commons, European Parliament, Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly or Northern Ireland Assembly. And it suggests new ways of boosting election campaigning, seen as a way of improving voter turnout. All local election candidates should be entitled to a free mailshot for campaign leaflets, says the watchdog. And there should be a shift in the amount of money allowed to be spent at elections from a national level to a local level to help politicians engage better with voters.

The report suggests doubling the money which can be spent by candidates, while cutting national spending limits from £20m to £15m. The commission also says the spending limits for general elections should cover the four months before the poll - as happens with other elections. Electoral Commission chairman Sam Younger said: ""There is no doubt that political parties have a vital role to play in maintaining the health of our democracy and for this they need to be adequately resourced. ""Our research has shown that people want to be more informed about party politics and that they want politicians to be more visible and accessible. ""The public are reluctant for the state to fund parties but at the same time are unhappy with large private donations."" He called for a wider public debate on party funding to find the consensus needed for radical changes to the current system.
","It also says there should be more state funding for political parties and candidates should be able to spend more on election campaigning.A cap on donations to political parties should not be introduced yet, the elections watchdog has said.The commission says capping donations would mean taxpayers giving parties more cash - something which would first have to be acceptable to the public and shown to work.Even without changes the commission does urge political parties to seek out more small-scale donations and suggests there should be income tax relief for gifts under £200.There were almost £68m in reported donations to political parties in 2001, 2002 and 2003, with nearly £12m of them from individual gifts worth more than £1m.The rules have already been changed so the public can see who gives how much to the parties but the report says there are still public suspicions.In a new report, the Electoral Commission says it is worth debating a £10,000 cap for the future but now is not the right time to introduce it.The commission also says the spending limits for general elections should cover the four months before the poll - as happens with other elections."
1273,"US casino 'tricks' face ban in UK

Controversial new UK casinos will be banned from using American tricks of the trade to ensure they are ""socially responsible"", it has been suggested.

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said proposed super-casinos will be different from their US counterparts. In America, pheromones have reportedly been released from machines to encourage aggressive gambling and clocks are often removed from walls. Eight super-casinos are proposed from 2010 if the Gambling Bill becomes law. Ms Jowell said the legislation would ban psychological trickery.

She told The Times: ""British casinos will be quite different to those overseas.

""They will have to act in a socially responsible way and will be tightly regulated. ""They will be run according to British rules and we'll simply not allow any tricks which people are subjected to unawares and which increase the risk of problem gambling."" One tactic used in the US is simulating daylight during night-time to lull players into remaining at the tables and slot machines. Casinos also frequently offer free food, drink and hotel accommodation to keep punters betting. A spokesman for the British Casino Association, which represents the UK industry, said the government was trying to allay fears over a ""UK Las Vegas"". He said the way the licences were being awarded meant UK firms were at a massive disadvantage and foreign companies would be certain to win the contracts. ""The UK industry is one of the world's most respected,"" he said. ""We have the lowest level of problem gambling in the world. ""We certainly don't use pheremones. ""The UK gambling industry is being totally frozen in time, and the foreign companies will take over.""
","A spokesman for the British Casino Association, which represents the UK industry, said the government was trying to allay fears over a ""UK Las Vegas"".""The UK industry is one of the world's most respected,"" he said.""The UK gambling industry is being totally frozen in time, and the foreign companies will take over.""He said the way the licences were being awarded meant UK firms were at a massive disadvantage and foreign companies would be certain to win the contracts.Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said proposed super-casinos will be different from their US counterparts.Controversial new UK casinos will be banned from using American tricks of the trade to ensure they are ""socially responsible"", it has been suggested.Eight super-casinos are proposed from 2010 if the Gambling Bill becomes law."
574,"Hollywood ready for Oscars night

Hollywood is preparing for the biggest night in the film world's calendar, the 77th Academy Awards, on Sunday.

A host of stars are expected to grace the red carpet outside Los Angeles' Kodak Theatre, including Johnny Depp, Cate Blanchett and Leonardo DiCaprio. British actors in attendance include nominees Clive Owen, Imelda Staunton, Kate Winslet and director Mike Leigh. The Aviator leads the shortlist, but critics believe the night may belong to Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby. A recent poll of US pundits found Eastwood's boxing drama had become the new favourite to win best film over the Howard Hughes biopic.

If the 74-year-old does win, he will become the oldest person ever to be named best director at the ceremony. UK critics still favour The Aviator for best film, but believe the best director title will generate a close fought battle between Eastwood and Martin Scorsese.

Scorsese has never won the best director prize, despite four previous nominations for films including Raging Bull, Goodfellas and Gangs of New York. Eastwood has won best director once before, for Unforgiven in 1993. Most experts predict the twice-nominated Jamie Foxx will win best actor for his portrayal of singer Ray Charles, while Vera Drake star Imelda Staunton looks likely to lose out in the best actress field to Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby. The UK's highest hopes remain with Clive Owen, who has scooped both the Golden Globe and the Bafta for his supporting role in Closer. Actor and comedian Chris Rock will host the event, which will be broadcast with a seven-second time delay to allow censors to cut out any unsuitable content.

""We have the bleep machine ready, but bleeps will be used as needed,"" producer Gil Cates told reporters. However, he added that he strongly disapproved of the growing tendency to censor live broadcasts on US TV.

He also played down fears that Rock, who is known for using strong language in his stand-up routines, might cause controversy on the night. The 40-year-old comic has already promised not to swear live on air during the show. ""Chris has a sense of humour and everything he says is really said humorously,"" Cates said. ""You need a movie star and someone who is a stand-up comic so they can deal with the vicissitudes of the show."" Security will also be tight, with police employing a system to detect sarin nerve gas. ""We are pulling out all the stops,"" said John Miller, chief of counterterrorism at the Los Angeles Police Department. The show is ""a symbol of American culture and has the potential to be a high-visibility target,"" he added. Meanwhile, organisers have erected a canopy over the red carpet following an outbreak of torrential rain in Los Angeles over the past week. Cates said the covers would be removed if the threat of wet weather receded. Details have also emerged of the contents of this year's gift bags, which are given to nominees and presenters on the night. This year's bags will include a gift certificate for a luxury beach resort, a pair of mink eyelashes and a kitchen set with a year's supply of tea and coffee. The event will be televised by the ABC network from 1700 local time (0100 GMT), and on Sky Movies in the UK from 0130 GMT.
","Eastwood has won best director once before, for Unforgiven in 1993.UK critics still favour The Aviator for best film, but believe the best director title will generate a close fought battle between Eastwood and Martin Scorsese.Scorsese has never won the best director prize, despite four previous nominations for films including Raging Bull, Goodfellas and Gangs of New York.""Chris has a sense of humour and everything he says is really said humorously,"" Cates said.Most experts predict the twice-nominated Jamie Foxx will win best actor for his portrayal of singer Ray Charles, while Vera Drake star Imelda Staunton looks likely to lose out in the best actress field to Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby.The 40-year-old comic has already promised not to swear live on air during the show.If the 74-year-old does win, he will become the oldest person ever to be named best director at the ceremony.Details have also emerged of the contents of this year's gift bags, which are given to nominees and presenters on the night.A recent poll of US pundits found Eastwood's boxing drama had become the new favourite to win best film over the Howard Hughes biopic.""We are pulling out all the stops,"" said John Miller, chief of counterterrorism at the Los Angeles Police Department.Actor and comedian Chris Rock will host the event, which will be broadcast with a seven-second time delay to allow censors to cut out any unsuitable content."