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263 | Split-caps pay £194m compensation
Investors who lost money following the split-capital investment trust scandal are to receive £194m compensation, the UK's financial watchdog has announced.
Eighteen investment firms involved in the sale of the investments agreed the compensation package with the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Splits were marketed as a low-risk way to benefit from rising share prices. But when the stock market collapsed in 2000, the products left thousands of investors out of pocket. An estimated 50,000 people took out split-capital funds, some investing their life savings in the schemes. The paying of compensation will be overseen by an independent company, the FSA said.
Further details of how investors will be able to claim their share of the compensation package will be announced in the new year. "This should save investors from having to take their case to the Financial Ombudsman Service, something, no doubt, that will be very welcome," Rob McIvor, FSA spokesman, told BBC News. Agreeing to pay compensation did not mean that the eighteen firms involved were admitting any guilt, the FSA added. Any investor accepting the compensation will have to waive the right to take their case to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
The FSA has been investigating whether investors were misled about the risks posed by split-capital investment trusts. The FSA's 60 strong investigation team looked into whether fund managers colluded in a so-called "magic circle", in the hope of propping up one another's share prices.
Firms involved were presented with 780 files of evidence detailing 27,000 taped conversations and over 70 interviews. In May, the FSA was widely reported as having asked firms to pay up to £350m in compensation. Mr McIvor told the BBC that the final settlement figure was smaller because two unnamed firms had pulled out of the compensation negotiations. Investors in these two firms may now have to take any compensation claim to the Financial Ombudsman Service or the courts.
| Eighteen investment firms involved in the sale of the investments agreed the compensation package with the Financial Services Authority (FSA).Investors in these two firms may now have to take any compensation claim to the Financial Ombudsman Service or the courts.Any investor accepting the compensation will have to waive the right to take their case to the Financial Ombudsman Service.Agreeing to pay compensation did not mean that the eighteen firms involved were admitting any guilt, the FSA added.In May, the FSA was widely reported as having asked firms to pay up to £350m in compensation.Further details of how investors will be able to claim their share of the compensation package will be announced in the new year."This should save investors from having to take their case to the Financial Ombudsman Service, something, no doubt, that will be very welcome," Rob McIvor, FSA spokesman, told BBC News. |
1,216 | Hague's six-figure earnings shown
The rewards of leaving front-bench politics are shown in the latest annual register of members' interests.
The register shows former Tory leader William Hague earning up to £820,000 on top of his MPs' salary, much of it from speaking fees. His former shadow chancellor Michael Portillo makes up to £560,000 a year - partly because of speeches and TV work. Ex-health secretary Alan Milburn earned up to £85,000 from speeches, articles and advice while not in the Cabinet.
Mr Milburn was away from the frontbench for just more than a year between stepping down as health secretary and becoming Labour's election supremo. His declared interests include £20,000 from newspaper articles and fees of up to £35,000 for four speeches. He also commanded a salary of between £25,000 and £35,000 for being on investment company Bridgepoint Capital's European advisory committee. His time out of office will, however, have lost him his £71,433 minister's salary. Mr Hague's work outside Parliament included two one-man shows, which with other speaking fees netted him up to £480,000. He also earned up to £195,000 for a weekly column in the News of the World, and between £5,000 and £10,000 for presenting BBC'2's Have I Got News for You. Mr Hague was also paid an undisclosed amount for the newspaper serialisation of his biography of William Pitt the Younger and up to £135,00 for work as an adviser to various companies.
Former Defence Secretary Michael Portillo makes some of his money as a non-executive director of BAE Systems. He is to stand down as an MP at the next election. And former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook was paid between £45,001 and £50,000 for the paperback edition of his book about his resignation from government. His declared income of up to £205,000 also includes payments for being a consultant to the Tote and for his regular column in the Guardian newspaper. The register also shows former Home Office Minister Ann Widdecombe declaring a £100,000 advance for her third and fourth novels. She also received up to £30,000 for acting as the Guardian's agony aunt and between £5,001 and £10,000 for appearing on ITV's Celebrity Fit Club. David Blunkett has become a paid adviser to Indepen Consulting Limited now he is not home secretary - he helps them with seminars about the relationship between government and business. He earns between £5,001and £10,000 for the work.
Tony Blair's entry confirms that King Abdullah of Jordan paid for him to fly from a holiday in Egypt to official discussions - and for a sightseeing tour to Wadi Rum. Tory leader Michael Howard's only fresh entry is a Christmas hamper from the Sultan of Brunei. He also declares a trip to Mexico last year to address executives of News International, and helicopter and private jet travel paid for by supporters. Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy registered donations to his office from supporters, a free ticket to last year's Bafta awards and rent from a single-bedroom flat in London. The register only contains new information for December 2004 - but Monday saw the publication of the annual review of the register, with the year's details. The payments are shown in bands of up £5,000, making it difficult to calculate the exact earnings.
| Mr Hague was also paid an undisclosed amount for the newspaper serialisation of his biography of William Pitt the Younger and up to £135,00 for work as an adviser to various companies.The register also shows former Home Office Minister Ann Widdecombe declaring a £100,000 advance for her third and fourth novels.The register shows former Tory leader William Hague earning up to £820,000 on top of his MPs' salary, much of it from speaking fees.His former shadow chancellor Michael Portillo makes up to £560,000 a year - partly because of speeches and TV work.Mr Milburn was away from the frontbench for just more than a year between stepping down as health secretary and becoming Labour's election supremo.And former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook was paid between £45,001 and £50,000 for the paperback edition of his book about his resignation from government.He also declares a trip to Mexico last year to address executives of News International, and helicopter and private jet travel paid for by supporters.His declared income of up to £205,000 also includes payments for being a consultant to the Tote and for his regular column in the Guardian newspaper.Former Defence Secretary Michael Portillo makes some of his money as a non-executive director of BAE Systems.He also earned up to £195,000 for a weekly column in the News of the World, and between £5,000 and £10,000 for presenting BBC'2's Have I Got News for You. |
1,886 | Ask Jeeves joins web log market
Ask Jeeves has bought the Bloglines website to improve the way it handles content from web journals or blogs.
The Bloglines site has become hugely popular as it gives users one place in which to read, search and share all the blogs they are interested in. Ask Jeeves said it was not planning to change Bloglines but would use the 300 million articles it has archived to round out its index of the web. How much Ask Jeeves paid for Bloglines was not revealed.
Bloglines has become popular because it lets users build a list of the blogs they want to follow without having to visit each journal site individually. To do this it makes use of a technology known as Really Simple Syndication (RSS) that many blogs have adopted to let other sites know when new entries are made on their journals. The acquisition follows similar moves by other search sites. Google acquired Pyra Labs, makers of the Blogger software, in 2003. In 2004 MSN introduced its own blog system and Yahoo has tweaked its technology to do a better job of handling blog entries. Jim Lanzone, vice president of search properties at Ask Jeeves in the US, said it did not acquire Bloglines just to get a foothold in the blog publishing world. He said Ask Jeeves was much more interested in helping people find information they were looking for rather than helping them write it.
"The universe of readers is vastly larger than the universe of writers," he said. Mr Lanzone said the acquisition would sit well with Ask's My Jeeves service which lets people customise their own web experience and build up a personal collection of useful links. "Search engines are about discovering information for the first time and RSS is the ideal way to keep track of and monitor those sites," he said. It would also help drive information and entries from blogs to the portals that Ask Jeeves operates. There would be no instant sweeping changes to Bloglines, said Mr Lanzone. "Our intent is to take our time to figure out the right business model not to try to monetise it right away," he said. Though Mr Lanzone added that Ask Jeeves would be helping organise the database of 300m blog entries Bloglines holds with its own net indexing technology. "Being able to search the blogosphere as one corpus of information will be very useful in its own right," said Mr Lanzone. Rumours about the acquisition were broken by the Napsterization weblog which said it got the hint from Ask Jeeves insiders.
| Jim Lanzone, vice president of search properties at Ask Jeeves in the US, said it did not acquire Bloglines just to get a foothold in the blog publishing world.Ask Jeeves said it was not planning to change Bloglines but would use the 300 million articles it has archived to round out its index of the web.Though Mr Lanzone added that Ask Jeeves would be helping organise the database of 300m blog entries Bloglines holds with its own net indexing technology.There would be no instant sweeping changes to Bloglines, said Mr Lanzone.It would also help drive information and entries from blogs to the portals that Ask Jeeves operates.How much Ask Jeeves paid for Bloglines was not revealed.He said Ask Jeeves was much more interested in helping people find information they were looking for rather than helping them write it.Mr Lanzone said the acquisition would sit well with Ask's My Jeeves service which lets people customise their own web experience and build up a personal collection of useful links. |
147 | Malaysia lifts Islamic bank limit
Malaysia's central bank is to relax restrictions on foreign ownership to encourage Islamic banking.
Banks in Malaysia will now be able to sell up to 49% of their Islamic banking units, while the limit on other kinds of bank remains at 30%. RHB, Malaysia's third-biggest lender, is already scouting for a foreign partner for its new Islamic banking unit, the firm told Reuters. The moves put Malaysia ahead of a 2007 deadline to open up the sector. The country's deal to join the World Trade Organisation set that year as a deadline for liberalisation of Islamic banking. Also on Tuesday, the central bank released growth figures showing Malaysia's economy expanded 7.1% in 2004. But growth slowed sharply in the fourth quarter to 5.6%, and the central bank said it expected 6% expansion in 2005.
Malaysia changed the law to allow Islamic banking in 1983. It has granted licences to three Middle Eastern groups, which - along with local players - mean there are eight fully-operational Islamic banking groups in the country. Islamic banks offer services which permit modern banking principles while sticking to Islamic law's ban on the payment of interest. Most of the Malays which make up half the country's population are Muslims.
| Malaysia's central bank is to relax restrictions on foreign ownership to encourage Islamic banking.Malaysia changed the law to allow Islamic banking in 1983.Banks in Malaysia will now be able to sell up to 49% of their Islamic banking units, while the limit on other kinds of bank remains at 30%.Islamic banks offer services which permit modern banking principles while sticking to Islamic law's ban on the payment of interest.The country's deal to join the World Trade Organisation set that year as a deadline for liberalisation of Islamic banking. |
1,660 | Moore questions captaincy
Brian Moore believes the England captain should not be a full-back.
Jason Robinson has led the team during their opening three defeats in the Six Nations tournament, in the absence of fly-half Jonny Wilkinson. The world champions have struggled since the retirement of former captain Martin Johnson, a lock forward. And former England captain Moore told the BBC: "Full-backs are too far away from the action. That's not a reflection on Robinson personally." He added: "I just think the point of influence needs to move closer to the pack - which is, after all, where games usually start and finish." Moore says a lack of cohesion in the forwards is one of the reasons why England have lost against Wales, France and Ireland in this year's tournament. "Assertiveness in the pack isn't there, we're not getting enough people into the breakdowns," he explained. "Wer'e not getting quick ball, which means the backs are being stifled. Their creativity depends on quick ball and we're not getting that."
With injuries depriving him of key players like Wilkinson, coach Andy Robinson has given youngsters such as Harry Ellis and Jamie Noon a chance. And Moore believes the last two games against Italy and Scotland are a good opportunity to experiment further. "The problem is the players that are around to replace the icons which have been lost because of retirement and injury don't have the requisite experience," Moore added. "You can't do anything about that but play them. There are players who have been knocking on the door, it's time for them to be looked at in these last two games because there's nothing on them. "We then go into next season with a greater certainty of who can and cannot handle the pressure of international rugby."
| Brian Moore believes the England captain should not be a full-back.And Moore believes the last two games against Italy and Scotland are a good opportunity to experiment further.And former England captain Moore told the BBC: "Full-backs are too far away from the action."The problem is the players that are around to replace the icons which have been lost because of retirement and injury don't have the requisite experience," Moore added.Their creativity depends on quick ball and we're not getting that.""Wer'e not getting quick ball, which means the backs are being stifled.Moore says a lack of cohesion in the forwards is one of the reasons why England have lost against Wales, France and Ireland in this year's tournament. |
1,406 | Costin aims for comeback in 2006
Jamie Costin should be paralysed.
He says so himself in a matter-of-fact way as he recalls the car accident which occurred nine days before he was scheduled to step out into the Olympic Stadium in Athens for the 50K Walk. There is an ironic chuckle as he talks of his immediate thoughts after a lorry, driving on the wrong side of the road, had ploughed into his rental car. "I was in a lot of pain and I guessed that one of my toes was broken," says the Waterford man. "But I was thinking maybe with a cortisone injection you never know. "In my back, it felt as though all the muscles had been ripped off my pelvis but I was thinking maybe we could do something with laser therapy and ultra sound and hopefully I'd be able to race." It took over 10 hours before Jamie knew with certainty that he would not be competing in his second Olympics. "My back had been broken in two places and with one of my vertebrae, the bottom part had exploded so I'm fierce lucky not be paralysed. "I'd fractured my big toe as well which was on the brake." Jamie didn't finally arrive at hospital in Athens until some nine and a half hours after the accident.
"For the first nine hours, I had no pain killers which was ridiculous in 35 degrees heat. "But once I got the scans and saw them it was a case of moving on and thinking:'OK, I've got a different set of circumstances now'." Within three days he was arriving back in Ireland by air ambulance. Doctors in Athens had wanted to operate on Jamie's back immediately but he insisted on delaying any surgery until he arrived back home - something he is now very relieved about. "The Greek doctors were going to put three or four inch titanium rods either side of my spinal cord up through my vertebrae. "That would have fused all my lower back and I would never have been able to race again. They were really putting a lot of pressure on me to agree to the surgery. "But when I got to the Mater in Dublin they said it was possible for it to heal totally naturally which is giving me the chance to get back into competition which is very important to me. The people at the Mater have been absolutely fantastic." Jamie had to wear a body cast for three and a half months after the accident and spent most of that time flat on his back.
He then progressed to crutches for six weeks until he was finally able to walk unaided on 10 January. "Walking without the crutches seemed like something finally really measurable in terms of my recovery." Physio sessions with Johnston McEvoy in Limerick have been a vital part of his recovery. "Johnston uses an advanced type of acupuncture and it's very effective. "Needles get put right close up to my spine. A two and a half inch needle went in yesterday and I'm fairly incapacitated today as a result." Jamie has also travelled to receive treatment at the Polish training centre in Spala where he has trained with triple Olympic champion Robert Korzeniowski over the past five years. "I was there for over a fortnight earlier this month and underwent a fair extreme treatment called cryotherapy. "Basically, there's a small room which is cooled by liquid nitrogen to minus 160 degrees centigrade and it promotes deep healing."
Jamie heads to Poland again on Sunday where he will be having daily cryotherapy in addition to twice-daily physio sessions and pool-work. All these sessions are small steps on the way to what Jamie hopes will be a return to racing in 2006. "It's all about trying to get mobility in my back. Lying down for three and a half months didn't really help with the strength. "There's a lot of work involved in my recovery. I'm doing about six hours a day between physio and pool work. "I'm also going to the gym to lift very light weights to try and build up my muscles. I'm fairly full on with everything I do. "I'd hope to be training regularly by March. But training is just part of the process of getting back. "At the moment, every time I go and do a big bit of movement, my whole pelvic area all down my lower back just tightens up. "It's a case of waiting and seeing how it reacts. Hopefully, after four or five months my back won't tighten up as much."
| Jamie had to wear a body cast for three and a half months after the accident and spent most of that time flat on his back.Within three days he was arriving back in Ireland by air ambulance."But when I got to the Mater in Dublin they said it was possible for it to heal totally naturally which is giving me the chance to get back into competition which is very important to me."I was in a lot of pain and I guessed that one of my toes was broken," says the Waterford man."In my back, it felt as though all the muscles had been ripped off my pelvis but I was thinking maybe we could do something with laser therapy and ultra sound and hopefully I'd be able to race.""My back had been broken in two places and with one of my vertebrae, the bottom part had exploded so I'm fierce lucky not be paralysed.But training is just part of the process of getting back.Jamie didn't finally arrive at hospital in Athens until some nine and a half hours after the accident."It's all about trying to get mobility in my back.He says so himself in a matter-of-fact way as he recalls the car accident which occurred nine days before he was scheduled to step out into the Olympic Stadium in Athens for the 50K Walk.Doctors in Athens had wanted to operate on Jamie's back immediately but he insisted on delaying any surgery until he arrived back home - something he is now very relieved about.Hopefully, after four or five months my back won't tighten up as much."I'm doing about six hours a day between physio and pool work.He then progressed to crutches for six weeks until he was finally able to walk unaided on 10 January."That would have fused all my lower back and I would never have been able to race again."I'd fractured my big toe as well which was on the brake."All these sessions are small steps on the way to what Jamie hopes will be a return to racing in 2006. |
823 | BBC to pour £9m into new comedy
The BBC is to invest £9m in developing new comedy and entertainment programmes outside London.
The changes come as part of a shake-up of several departments to create shows that appeal to a wider range of people. Changes are also being made to teams in the factual and daytime departments outside London. Director of television Jana Bennett said the changes were about "getting the best ideas on screen as efficiently and effectively as we can". "The new structure in each genre is designed to ensure that happens," she said.
A number of new roles are being created in each department, including a head of comedy commissioning based in Glasgow. The new person will be in charge of the £9m budget and their role will be to develop shows outside the capital, both within the BBC and with independent production companies. Jane Lush, controller of entertainment commissioning, said, "Entertainment and comedy are incredibly important to our audiences; I'm confident these changes will help us get the very best programmes on screen." Similar positions will also be created in the other departments, with the new commissioning editor for documentaries based in Bristol and the daytime commissioning editor in Birmingham. Ms Bennett said the new roles would benefit those making programmes within the BBC as well as those making shows for the channel independently. "A strong independent sector and a flourishing in-house production base are not mutually exclusive and will stimulate the competition that will deliver the best ideas to the audience," she said.
| The BBC is to invest £9m in developing new comedy and entertainment programmes outside London.Ms Bennett said the new roles would benefit those making programmes within the BBC as well as those making shows for the channel independently.A number of new roles are being created in each department, including a head of comedy commissioning based in Glasgow.The new person will be in charge of the £9m budget and their role will be to develop shows outside the capital, both within the BBC and with independent production companies.Jane Lush, controller of entertainment commissioning, said, "Entertainment and comedy are incredibly important to our audiences; I'm confident these changes will help us get the very best programmes on screen." |
1,553 | Man Utd through after Exeter test
Manchester United avoided an FA Cup upset by edging past Exeter City in their third round replay.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the opener, slipping the ball between Paul Jones' legs after just nine minutes. United wasted a host of chances to make it safe as Jones made some great saves, but Wayne Rooney put the tie beyond doubt late on with a cool finish. Exeter had chances of their own, Sean Devine twice volleying wide and Andrew Taylor forcing Tim Howard to save. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was taking few chances after their 0-0 draw in the first game and he handed starts to Paul Scholes and Ryan as well as Ronaldo and Rooney. Exeter began brightly with Devine and Steve Flack seeing plenty of the ball, but it did not take United long to assert their authority and the hosts soon found themselves a goal down. Scholes played a lovely pass in to Ronaldo on the left-hand side of the six-yard box and the Portuguese winger slid the ball between the legs of Jones to open the scoring.
United sensed a chance to finish the tie as a contest early on and Ronaldo blazed over before Jones saved well from Scholes and then Rooney. The visitors' pressure by now was incessant and Rooney had another shot blocked while Ronaldo slammed well over the bar again from a good position. Just before the break Giggs had a golden chance to double the advantage, but the Welshman dragged a left-foot effort badly wide from 10 yards. In stoppage time Exeter created their best chance as Alex Jeannin swung in a cross from the left that Devine managed to flick goalwards, but the ball flew wide of Howard's goal. The Grecians came out after the break in determined fashion and Howard had to show safe hands to collect two searching crosses into the United box. Rooney looked like he might have sealed the result with a turn and shot but the ball stuck in the St James Park mud and Jones raced back to gather on the goalline. Moments later Devine had the chance to make himself a hero, but he could only volley Jeannin's brilliant cross wide of Howard's goal after being left unmarked six yards out. After Rooney had completely messed up a free-kick 20 yards out Taylor showed him how it should be done, his stunning drive from distance forcing a flying stop from Howard. The home crowd were baying for a goal and they did get the ball into the net only for Devine's low effort to be ruled out for an obvious offside. The persistent Rooney eventually rounded Jones with three minutes to go and slotted into an empty net to book a home tie with Middlesbrough in the fourth round.
Jones, Hiley, Sawyer, Gaia, Jeannin, Moxey, Taylor (Martin 89), Ampadu (Afful 69), Clay, Flack (Edwards 74), Devine. Subs Not Used: Rice, Todd.
Ampadu, Clay.
Howard, Phil Neville, Gary Neville, O'Shea, Fortune, Giggs (Saha 70), Miller (Fletcher 66), Scholes, Djemba-Djemba (Silvestre 80), Ronaldo, Rooney. Subs Not Used: Ricardo, Bellion.
Ronaldo 9, Rooney 87.
9,033.
P Dowd (Staffordshire).
| United sensed a chance to finish the tie as a contest early on and Ronaldo blazed over before Jones saved well from Scholes and then Rooney.Ronaldo 9, Rooney 87.United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was taking few chances after their 0-0 draw in the first game and he handed starts to Paul Scholes and Ryan as well as Ronaldo and Rooney.United wasted a host of chances to make it safe as Jones made some great saves, but Wayne Rooney put the tie beyond doubt late on with a cool finish.In stoppage time Exeter created their best chance as Alex Jeannin swung in a cross from the left that Devine managed to flick goalwards, but the ball flew wide of Howard's goal.Exeter had chances of their own, Sean Devine twice volleying wide and Andrew Taylor forcing Tim Howard to save.Jones, Hiley, Sawyer, Gaia, Jeannin, Moxey, Taylor (Martin 89), Ampadu (Afful 69), Clay, Flack (Edwards 74), Devine.Cristiano Ronaldo scored the opener, slipping the ball between Paul Jones' legs after just nine minutes.Scholes played a lovely pass in to Ronaldo on the left-hand side of the six-yard box and the Portuguese winger slid the ball between the legs of Jones to open the scoring.Howard, Phil Neville, Gary Neville, O'Shea, Fortune, Giggs (Saha 70), Miller (Fletcher 66), Scholes, Djemba-Djemba (Silvestre 80), Ronaldo, Rooney. |
925 | UK set to cut back on embassies
Nine overseas embassies and high commissions will close in an effort to save money, UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has announced.
The Bahamas, East Timor, Madagascar and Swaziland are among the areas affected by the biggest shake-up for the diplomatic service for years. Other diplomatic posts are being turned over to local staff. Mr Straw said the move would save £6m a year to free up cash for priorities such as fighting terrorism.
Honorary consuls will be appointed in some of the areas affected by the embassy closures. Nine consulates or consulates general will also be closed, mostly in Europe and America.
They include Dallas in the US, Bordeaux in France and Oporto in Portugal, with local staff replacing UK representation in another 11. The changes are due to be put in place before the end of 2006, with most savings made from cutting staff and running costs. Some of the money will have to be used to fund redundancy payments. In a written statement, Mr Straw said: "The savings made will help to underpin higher priority work in line with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's strategic priorities, including counter- proliferation, counter-terrorism, energy and climate change. "Some of the savings will also be redeployed to strategic priority work within certain regions where we are closing posts. "In Africa, for instance, we plan to create new jobs to cover these issues across the region, with a new post in Nairobi to help support our work on climate change, one in Nigeria to cover energy and one in Pretoria to cover regional issues more generally as well as covering Maseru and Mbabane."
The Foreign Office currently has about 6,100 UK-based staff. It has opened major new missions on Baghdad and Basra in Iraq, Kabul in Afghanistan and Pyongyang in North Korea since 1997 in response to what the government says are changing needs. Since 1997 10 overseas posts have been closed - excluding Wednesday's cuts - but 18 new embassies or consulates have been opened. The shake-up is aimed at helping making £86m in efficiency savings between 2005 and 2008. The chancellor has demanded all government departments make similar savings. Shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram said there was a constant need to ensure value for money from foreign missions. "But the government must give a far clearer reason for making the dramatic changes it has announced and must show that British commercial interests and the interests of Britons abroad will not be adversely affected," he said.
| Nine overseas embassies and high commissions will close in an effort to save money, UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has announced.In a written statement, Mr Straw said: "The savings made will help to underpin higher priority work in line with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's strategic priorities, including counter- proliferation, counter-terrorism, energy and climate change.The Foreign Office currently has about 6,100 UK-based staff.Since 1997 10 overseas posts have been closed - excluding Wednesday's cuts - but 18 new embassies or consulates have been opened.Other diplomatic posts are being turned over to local staff."But the government must give a far clearer reason for making the dramatic changes it has announced and must show that British commercial interests and the interests of Britons abroad will not be adversely affected," he said.Shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram said there was a constant need to ensure value for money from foreign missions.The changes are due to be put in place before the end of 2006, with most savings made from cutting staff and running costs. |
433 | Cairn Energy in Indian gas find
Shares in Cairn Energy rose 3.8% to 1,088 pence on Tuesday after the UK firm announced a fresh gas discovery in northern India.
The firm, which last year made a number of other new finds in the Rajasthan area, said the latest discovery could lead to large gas volumes. However, chief executive Bill Gammell cautioned that additional evalution was first needed at the site. Cairn has also been granted approval to extend its Rajasthan exploration area. This approval has come from the Indian government.
A spokesman said the company's decision to carry out further investigations at the new find showed that it believed there was significant gas. But he added: "It's still too early to say what the extent of it is." Cairn's string of finds in Rajasthan last year saw it elevated to the FTSE 100 index of the UK's leading listed companies. The company had bought the rights to explore in the area from oil giant Shell. Mr Gammell is a former Scottish international rugby player.
| The firm, which last year made a number of other new finds in the Rajasthan area, said the latest discovery could lead to large gas volumes.Cairn has also been granted approval to extend its Rajasthan exploration area.A spokesman said the company's decision to carry out further investigations at the new find showed that it believed there was significant gas.Cairn's string of finds in Rajasthan last year saw it elevated to the FTSE 100 index of the UK's leading listed companies. |
1,355 | Radcliffe enjoys winning comeback
Paula Radcliffe made a triumphant return to competitive running with victory in the New York Marathon.
The Briton, running for the first time since dropping out of the Olympic marathon and 10,000m, held off Kenyan Susan Chepkemei in a thrilling finish. The pair were locked together for the last few miles before Radcliffe finally sprinted clear to win in two hours, 23 minutes and 10 seconds. "It's a good way to end the year," she said. "I'm ready for a good rest now." Radcliffe decided only recently to run in the race and many had doubted whether she had sufficiently recovered from her Olympic ordeal just 11 weeks ago. But the world record-holder was prominent at the head of the field for the whole race as her rivals slowly dropped off the pace. Just Chepkemei and Radcliffe were left in contention as the race came into the final few miles. The Kenyan put in several bursts of speed to throw off Radcliffe but the Briton managed to hang in. Both runners looked to be suffering as they reached the final mile in Central Park. But it was Radcliffe who managed to dredge up a final sprint to see off Chepkemei in the closest finish in the race's history and in the process make a huge step in erasing the disappointment she suffered in Athens.
| Just Chepkemei and Radcliffe were left in contention as the race came into the final few miles.But it was Radcliffe who managed to dredge up a final sprint to see off Chepkemei in the closest finish in the race's history and in the process make a huge step in erasing the disappointment she suffered in Athens. The Kenyan put in several bursts of speed to throw off Radcliffe but the Briton managed to hang in.Radcliffe decided only recently to run in the race and many had doubted whether she had sufficiently recovered from her Olympic ordeal just 11 weeks ago."It's a good way to end the year," she said. |
2,013 | Screensaver tackles spam websites
Net users are getting the chance to fight back against spam websites
Internet portal Lycos has made a screensaver that endlessly requests data from sites that sell the goods and services mentioned in spam e-mail. Lycos hopes it will make the monthly bandwidth bills of spammers soar by keeping their servers running flat out. The net firm estimates that if enough people sign up and download the tool, spammers could end up paying to send out terabytes of data.
"We've never really solved the big problem of spam which is that its so damn cheap and easy to do," said Malte Pollmann, spokesman for Lycos Europe. "In the past we have built up the spam filtering systems for our users," he said, "but now we are going to go one step further."
"We've found a way to make it much higher cost for spammers by putting a load on their servers." By getting thousands of people to download and use the screensaver, Lycos hopes to get spamming websites constantly running at almost full capacity. Mr Pollmann said there was no intention to stop the spam websites working by subjecting them with too much data to cope with. He said the screensaver had been carefully written to ensure that the amount of traffic it generated from each user did not overload the web. "Every single user will contribute three to four megabytes per day," he said, "about one MP3 file." But, he said, if enough people sign up spamming websites could be force to pay for gigabytes of traffic every single day. Lycos did not want to use e-mail to fight back, said Mr Pollmann. "That would be fighting one bad thing with another bad thing," he said.
The sites being targeted are those mentioned in spam e-mail messages and which sell the goods and services on offer.
Typically these sites are different to those that used to send out spam e-mail and they typically only get a few thousand visitors per day. The list of sites that the screensaver will target is taken from real-time blacklists generated by organisations such as Spamcop. To limit the chance of mistakes being made, Lycos is using people to ensure that the sites are selling spam goods. As these sites rarely use advertising to offset hosting costs, the burden of high-bandwidth bills could make spam too expensive, said Mr Pollmann. Sites will also slow down under the weight of data requests. Early results show that response times of some sites have deteriorated by up to 85%. Users do not have to be registered users of Lycos to download and use the screensaver. While working, the screensaver shows the websites that are being bothered with requests for data. The screensaver is due to be launched across Europe on 1 December and before now has only been trialled in Sweden. Despite the soft launch, Mr Pollmann said that the screensaver had been downloaded more than 20,000 times in the last four days. "There's a huge user demand to not only filter spam day-by-day but to do something more," he said "Before now users have never had the chance to be a bit more offensive."
| Net users are getting the chance to fight back against spam websites Internet portal Lycos has made a screensaver that endlessly requests data from sites that sell the goods and services mentioned in spam e-mail.Mr Pollmann said there was no intention to stop the spam websites working by subjecting them with too much data to cope with.As these sites rarely use advertising to offset hosting costs, the burden of high-bandwidth bills could make spam too expensive, said Mr Pollmann.Lycos did not want to use e-mail to fight back, said Mr Pollmann.Users do not have to be registered users of Lycos to download and use the screensaver.By getting thousands of people to download and use the screensaver, Lycos hopes to get spamming websites constantly running at almost full capacity."We've never really solved the big problem of spam which is that its so damn cheap and easy to do," said Malte Pollmann, spokesman for Lycos Europe.Despite the soft launch, Mr Pollmann said that the screensaver had been downloaded more than 20,000 times in the last four days.He said the screensaver had been carefully written to ensure that the amount of traffic it generated from each user did not overload the web.To limit the chance of mistakes being made, Lycos is using people to ensure that the sites are selling spam goods. |
1,126 | Burglar defence guidelines issued
Householders who injure or even kill intruders are unlikely to be prosecuted - providing they were acting "honestly and instinctively", new guidelines say.
The law also protects those who use "something to hand" as a weapon. The leaflet, published by police and prosecutors, aims to combat confusion about current legislation, which lets people use "reasonable force". The guidance, relating to England and Wales, follows a recent decision by ministers not to change the law. Doing what you "honestly and instinctively" believed was necessary would be the strongest evidence of acting lawfully, the guidance said.
And the law protects those who use "something to hand" as a weapon, said the leaflet published jointly by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).
As a general rule, the more extreme the circumstances and fear felt, the more force can be used lawfully in self-defence, it said, adding that householders do not have to wait to be attacked before defending themselves. But knocking someone unconscious then killing them or hurting them further, or setting a trap for an intruder without involving the police were given as examples of "excessive and gratuitous" force. The Tories have called for a change in the law so householders are only prosecuted if they use "grossly disproportionate" force. Their demands have been backed by former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens. Tory frontbencher Patrick Mercer is now pursuing the proposal through a private member's bill in Parliament.
The government instead mounted a publicity campaign to clear up public uncertainty after a review concluded no law change was necessary. Home Secretary Charles Clarke said: "I believe in that old adage 'an Englishman's home is his castle'. That's exactly what should be the case and I believe the current law provides that." An "informal trawl" of CPS records found 11 people had been prosecuted after attacking intruders in the past 15 years, five of whom were convicted. They included a man who laid in wait for a burglar on commercial premises in Cheshire, before beating him up, throwing him into a pit and setting him on fire.
A CPS spokesperson said the figures were not definitive because prosecutions are not listed according to whether they were committed by a householder on an intruder. In one of Britain's highest profile cases, Norfolk farmer Tony Martin was jailed for life for murdering 16-year-old burglar Fred Barras, in 1999. The conviction was later reduced to manslaughter on appeal and the sentence cut to five years. Mr Martin was freed from prison in July 2003. The guidance published on Tuesday, said the police had a duty to investigate all incidents involving a death or injury. In cases involving householders attacking intruders prosecutors and police were "determined" they would be dealt with "as swiftly and as sympathetically as possible", it said.
| And the law protects those who use "something to hand" as a weapon, said the leaflet published jointly by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).In cases involving householders attacking intruders prosecutors and police were "determined" they would be dealt with "as swiftly and as sympathetically as possible", it said.The Tories have called for a change in the law so householders are only prosecuted if they use "grossly disproportionate" force.Doing what you "honestly and instinctively" believed was necessary would be the strongest evidence of acting lawfully, the guidance said.The guidance published on Tuesday, said the police had a duty to investigate all incidents involving a death or injury.A CPS spokesperson said the figures were not definitive because prosecutions are not listed according to whether they were committed by a householder on an intruder.The leaflet, published by police and prosecutors, aims to combat confusion about current legislation, which lets people use "reasonable force".The law also protects those who use "something to hand" as a weapon.But knocking someone unconscious then killing them or hurting them further, or setting a trap for an intruder without involving the police were given as examples of "excessive and gratuitous" force. |
1,937 | Viewers to be able to shape TV
Imagine editing Titanic down to watch just your favourite bits or cutting out the slushier moments of Star Wars to leave you with a bare bones action-fest.
Manipulating your favourite films to make a more personalised movie is just the beginning of an ambitious new 7.5m euro (£5.1m) project funded by the European Union. New Media for a New Millennium (NM2) will have as its endgame the development of a completely new media genre, which will allow audiences to create their own media worlds based on their specific interests or tastes. Viewers will be able to participate in storylines, manipulate plots and even the sets and props of TV shows. BT is one of 13 partners involved in the project. It will be contributing software that was originally designed to spot anomalies in CCTV pictures. The software uses content recognition algorithms. The three-year project will work on seven productions as it develops a set of software tools that will allow viewers to edit content to their needs.
One of the productions will be a experimental television show where the plot will be driven by text messages from the TV audience.
Participants will text selected words which will impact how the characters in the drama interact. It is being developed in Finland and will be shown to Finnish TV audiences. Another team will work on the BBC's big budget drama of Mervyn Peake's gothic fantasy Gormenghast. It will be re-engineered to allow people to choose a variety of edited versions. "The BBC is allowing us access to the material so that we can prove the technology and the principles," explained Dr Doug Williams of BT, who will be NM2's technical project manager. "The TV at the moment is a relatively dumb box which receives signals. This project is about teaching the machine to look at content like Lego blocks that can be reassembled to make perfect sense," he said. "At the moment we have interactive gaming and a limited form of interactive TV which usually means allowing audiences to vote on shows. We are hoping to occupy the space in-between," he added.
NM2's co-ordinator Peter Stollenmayer explained that the new genre would radically alter the role of the audience.
"Viewers will be able to interact directly with the medium and influence what they see and hear according to their personal tastes and wishes," he said. "Media users will no longer be passive viewers but become active engagers." It will also be important that the tools are sophisticated enough to obey the complex rules of cinematography and editing said John Wyver, from TV producer Illuminations Television Limited, which is also involved in the project. "It's not just a matter of stringing together the romantic or action portions of a production," said Mr Wyver. "The tool has to know which bits fit together both visually, by observing the time-honoured rules that go in editing, and in terms of the story." "Only then will the personalised version both make sense and be aesthetically pleasing," he added. Mr Wyver is planning a production entitled The Golden Age, about Renaissance art. It will allow viewers to create a so-called media world based on their own specific areas of interest such as poetry, music and architecture. Other productions that the NM2 team will make range from news, documentaries to a romantic comedy drama.
| The three-year project will work on seven productions as it develops a set of software tools that will allow viewers to edit content to their needs.It will also be important that the tools are sophisticated enough to obey the complex rules of cinematography and editing said John Wyver, from TV producer Illuminations Television Limited, which is also involved in the project.One of the productions will be a experimental television show where the plot will be driven by text messages from the TV audience.New Media for a New Millennium (NM2) will have as its endgame the development of a completely new media genre, which will allow audiences to create their own media worlds based on their specific interests or tastes.This project is about teaching the machine to look at content like Lego blocks that can be reassembled to make perfect sense," he said.Other productions that the NM2 team will make range from news, documentaries to a romantic comedy drama."It's not just a matter of stringing together the romantic or action portions of a production," said Mr Wyver.Manipulating your favourite films to make a more personalised movie is just the beginning of an ambitious new 7.5m euro (£5.1m) project funded by the European Union."At the moment we have interactive gaming and a limited form of interactive TV which usually means allowing audiences to vote on shows.It will allow viewers to create a so-called media world based on their own specific areas of interest such as poetry, music and architecture.BT is one of 13 partners involved in the project.Viewers will be able to participate in storylines, manipulate plots and even the sets and props of TV shows. |
1,723 | Taylor poised for Scotland return
Simon Taylor has been named in the Scotland squad for Saturday's Six Nations clash with Italy.
The 25-year-old number eight made a scoring return for Edinburgh at the weekend - his first game in a year for the capital side. Taylor suffered knee ligament damage playing against Ireland in Dublin in the 2004 Six Nations championship. "Simon is one of Scotland's truly world class players so it is a huge bonus," said team-mate Chris Paterson. "He brings a whole new dimension to us, especially in defence and his ability to slow the opposition ball down could be key against Italy if he is involved." Taylor has turned out for English side Saracens in recent weeks during a short-term loan to improve his fitness.
Edinburgh were not in action during the first two weeks of this season's Six Nations. So Taylor played the last 20 minutes of Saracens' win over Northampton and then 40 minutes in a friendly against South African Super 12 side The Cats. Scotland coach Matt Williams is due to name his match-day 22 on Thursday. Both Scotland and Italy have lost their opening two Six Nations games and, just like last season's encounter which Italy won, this weekend's game could turn out to be a battle to avoid the wooden spoon.
- M Blair (Edinburgh), A Craig (Glasgow), C Cusiter (Borders), S Danielli (Borders), M Di Rollo (Edinburgh), A Henderson (Glasgow), B Hinshelwood (Worcester), R Lamont (Glasgow), S Lamont (Glasgow), D Parks (Glasgow), C Paterson (Edinburgh), G Ross (Leeds), H Southwell (Edinburgh), S Webster (Edinburgh)
- R Beattie (Northampton), G Bulloch (Glasgow, capt), B Douglas (Borders), J Dunbar (Leeds), I Fullarton (Saracens), S Grimes (Newcastle), N Hines (Edinburgh), A Hogg (Edinburgh), G Kerr (Leeds), N Lloyd (Saracens), S Murray (Edinburgh), J Petrie (Glasgow), R Russell (London Irish), C Smith (Edinburgh), T Smith (Northampton), S Taylor (Edinburgh), J White (Sale).
| Simon Taylor has been named in the Scotland squad for Saturday's Six Nations clash with Italy.Edinburgh were not in action during the first two weeks of this season's Six Nations.Both Scotland and Italy have lost their opening two Six Nations games and, just like last season's encounter which Italy won, this weekend's game could turn out to be a battle to avoid the wooden spoon.Taylor suffered knee ligament damage playing against Ireland in Dublin in the 2004 Six Nations championship.Taylor has turned out for English side Saracens in recent weeks during a short-term loan to improve his fitness. |
643 | 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. |
780 | Hendrix guitar fetches £100,000
A much-loved guitar belonging to Jimi Hendrix has been sold for £100,000 at an auction in London.
The 1965 Fender Stratocaster was one of a number of guitars included in the sale dedicated to the rock legend. The vast archive of instruments, signed records and posters were collected by a dedicated fan who had become friendly with the star. The auction was billed as the biggest collection of Hendrix memorabilia to go under the hammer. The majority of the items were collected by fan Bob Terry who began collecting at the age of 17. He later sold it on to another collector.
Hendrix, widely considered one of the best guitarists of his era, died of a drug overdose in 1970 at the age of 27. The 1965 Fender Stratocaster was used by the musician on tour and in his studio. A poem written by Hendrix two weeks after his infamous appearance at the Monterey Festival where he set light to his guitar went for £10,000. The Jimi Hendrix Experience's first single Hey Joe, signed by all the band, was sold for £2,000. The sale, hosted by auctioneers Cooper Owen, was held at the Hard Rock Cafe in London.
| The Jimi Hendrix Experience's first single Hey Joe, signed by all the band, was sold for £2,000.A much-loved guitar belonging to Jimi Hendrix has been sold for £100,000 at an auction in London.The 1965 Fender Stratocaster was one of a number of guitars included in the sale dedicated to the rock legend.The auction was billed as the biggest collection of Hendrix memorabilia to go under the hammer.The 1965 Fender Stratocaster was used by the musician on tour and in his studio. |
1,767 | Hingis hints at playing comeback
Martina Hingis has admitted that she might consider a competitive return to tennis if an appearance in Thailand later this month goes well.
The former world number one will play at the Volvo Women's Open in Pattaya, which starts on 31 January, as part of her charity work in the region. "The tournament is a test," she said. "I don't know how my body will react. "I support several charities in Thailand. I'm also playing to see where I am." Speaking to Le Matin, the 24-year-old Swiss added: "At Pattaya there will not be as many people and the players are ranked between the 30th and 95th in the world." Hingis was 22 when she retired after having surgery on both ankles, and her last WTA event was in Filderstadt, Germany, in October 2002, when she lost to Elena Dementieva.
| "I support several charities in Thailand.The former world number one will play at the Volvo Women's Open in Pattaya, which starts on 31 January, as part of her charity work in the region.Martina Hingis has admitted that she might consider a competitive return to tennis if an appearance in Thailand later this month goes well.Speaking to Le Matin, the 24-year-old Swiss added: "At Pattaya there will not be as many people and the players are ranked between the 30th and 95th in the world." |
481 | Christmas sales worst since 1981
UK retail sales fell in December, failing to meet expectations and making it by some counts the worst Christmas since 1981.
Retail sales dropped by 1% on the month in December, after a 0.6% rise in November, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. The ONS revised the annual 2004 rate of growth down from the 5.9% estimated in November to 3.2%. A number of retailers have already reported poor figures for December. Clothing retailers and non-specialist stores were the worst hit with only internet retailers showing any significant growth, according to the ONS.
The last time retailers endured a tougher Christmas was 23 years previously, when sales plunged 1.7%.
The ONS echoed an earlier caution from Bank of England governor Mervyn King not to read too much into the poor December figures. Some analysts put a positive gloss on the figures, pointing out that the non-seasonally-adjusted figures showed a performance comparable with 2003. The November-December jump last year was roughly comparable with recent averages, although some way below the serious booms seen in the 1990s. And figures for retail volume outperformed measures of actual spending, an indication that consumers are looking for bargains, and retailers are cutting their prices.
However, reports from some High Street retailers highlight the weakness of the sector. Morrisons, Woolworths, House of Fraser, Marks & Spencer and Big Food all said that the festive period was disappointing.
And a British Retail Consortium survey found that Christmas 2004 was the worst for 10 years. Yet, other retailers - including HMV, Monsoon, Jessops, Body Shop and Tesco - reported that festive sales were well up on last year. Investec chief economist Philip Shaw said he did not expect the poor retail figures to have any immediate effect on interest rates. "The retail sales figures are very weak, but as Bank of England governor Mervyn King indicated last night, you don't really get an accurate impression of Christmas trading until about Easter," said Mr Shaw. "Our view is the Bank of England will keep its powder dry and wait to see the big picture."
| "The retail sales figures are very weak, but as Bank of England governor Mervyn King indicated last night, you don't really get an accurate impression of Christmas trading until about Easter," said Mr Shaw.The last time retailers endured a tougher Christmas was 23 years previously, when sales plunged 1.7%.A number of retailers have already reported poor figures for December.Retail sales dropped by 1% on the month in December, after a 0.6% rise in November, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.Clothing retailers and non-specialist stores were the worst hit with only internet retailers showing any significant growth, according to the ONS.UK retail sales fell in December, failing to meet expectations and making it by some counts the worst Christmas since 1981.Yet, other retailers - including HMV, Monsoon, Jessops, Body Shop and Tesco - reported that festive sales were well up on last year. |
1,614 | O'Sullivan quick to hail Italians
Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan heaped praise on Italy after seeing his side stutter to a 28-17 victory in Rome.
"It was a hell of a tough game," said O'Sullivan. "We struggled in the first half because we hadn't the football. "Italy played really well. They handled the ball well in terms of kicking it, if that's not an oxymoron. "We said before the game that it might take until 10 minutes from the end for this game to be won, and that's how it turned out." Ireland struggled to cope with Italy's fierce start and were indebted to skipper Brian O'Driscoll, who set up tries for Geordan Murphy and Peter Stringer. "We had our first attack in the Italian half after 22 minutes," said O'Sullivan. "We had a good return, with three first-half possessions in their half and we scored twice. "The second half was about spending more time in their half." Scrum-half Peter Stringer was also glad that Ireland escaped wtih a victory. "All credit to them," he told BBC Sport. "We knew it would be tough coming to Rome. They always give us a tough game here and they showed a lot of spirit. "They had a lot of ball in the first half but we got a few scores when we got into their 22."
| "It was a hell of a tough game," said O'Sullivan."We had our first attack in the Italian half after 22 minutes," said O'Sullivan."The second half was about spending more time in their half.""We struggled in the first half because we hadn't the football."They had a lot of ball in the first half but we got a few scores when we got into their 22."Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan heaped praise on Italy after seeing his side stutter to a 28-17 victory in Rome. |
102 | US company admits Benin bribery
A US defence and telecommunications company has agreed to pay $28.5m after admitting bribery in the West African state of Benin.
The Titan corporation was accused of funnelling more than $2m into the 2001 re-election campaign of President Mathieu Kerekou. At the time, Titan was trying to get a higher price for a telecommunications project in Benin. There is no suggestion that Mr Kerekou was himself aware of any wrongdoing. Titan, a California-based company, pleaded guilty to falsifying its accounts and violating US anti-bribery laws. It agreed to pay $13m in criminal penalties, as well as $15.5m to settle a civil lawsuit brought by the US financial watchdog, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The SEC had accused Titan of illegally paying $2.1m to an unnamed agent in Benin claiming ties with President Kerekou. Some of the money was used to pay for T-shirts with campaign slogans on them ahead of the 2001 election. Shortly after the poll, which Mr Kerekou won, Benin officials agreed to quadruple Titan's management fee. Prosecuting attorney Carol Lam said: "All US companies should take note that attempting to bribe foreign officials is criminal conduct and will be appropriately prosecuted." The company says it no longer tolerates such practices. Under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, it is a crime for American firms to bribe foreign officials.
| A US defence and telecommunications company has agreed to pay $28.5m after admitting bribery in the West African state of Benin.The Titan corporation was accused of funnelling more than $2m into the 2001 re-election campaign of President Mathieu Kerekou.The SEC had accused Titan of illegally paying $2.1m to an unnamed agent in Benin claiming ties with President Kerekou.At the time, Titan was trying to get a higher price for a telecommunications project in Benin.Titan, a California-based company, pleaded guilty to falsifying its accounts and violating US anti-bribery laws. |
1,551 | Ferguson puts faith in youngsters
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said he has no regrets after his second-string side lost 3-0 away at Fenerbahce in the Champions League.
Ferguson said: "The good thing about being manager is that you are in control of which team to pick. "I care about United, that's important, so while I am disappointed at the result I am not at the team I selected. "This game was important for the young lads. They will remember it and next time they come they will be better." Ferguson admitted his side were well-beaten by the Turks, a result which meant they finished second in Group D behind Lyon. He added: "They'll know not to play like that again. We showed a lack of strength. But I have no complaints about the scoreline. "In the second half we had some good moments in attack. And in that situation, you have to take one chance. "But we didn't do that, so the game just petered out for us. "I didn't think it made much difference whether we won the group or finished second and I still don't. "We could get Inter, AC Milan and Juventus but Bayern, Barcelona and Real Madrid were among the runners-up. All we can do is let fate decide how it works out."
| Ferguson admitted his side were well-beaten by the Turks, a result which meant they finished second in Group D behind Lyon.Ferguson said: "The good thing about being manager is that you are in control of which team to pick."I didn't think it made much difference whether we won the group or finished second and I still don't.Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said he has no regrets after his second-string side lost 3-0 away at Fenerbahce in the Champions League."I care about United, that's important, so while I am disappointed at the result I am not at the team I selected."This game was important for the young lads. |
903 | Fox attacks Blair's Tory 'lies'
Tony Blair lied when he took the UK to war so has no qualms about lying in the election campaign, say the Tories.
Tory co-chairman Liam Fox was speaking after Mr Blair told Labour members the Tories offered a "hard right agenda". Dr Fox told BBC Radio: "If you are willing to lie about the reasons for going to war, I guess you are going to lie about anything at all." He would not discuss reports the party repaid £500,000 to Lord Ashcroft after he predicted an election defeat.
The prime minister ratcheted up Labour's pre-election campaigning at the weekend with a helicopter tour of the country and his speech at the party's spring conference. He insisted he did not know the poll date, but it is widely expected to be 5 May.
In what was seen as a highly personal speech in Gateshead on Sunday, Mr Blair said: "I have the same passion and hunger as when I first walked through the door of 10 Downing Street." He described his relationship with the public as starting euphoric, then struggling to live up to the expectations, and reaching the point of raised voices and "throwing crockery". He warned his supporters against complacency, saying: "It's a fight for the future of our country, it's a fight that for Britain and the people of Britain we have to win."
Mr Blair said that whether the public chose Michael Howard or Mr Kennedy, it would result in "a Tory government not a Labour government and a country that goes back and does not move forward". Dr Fox accused Mr Blair and other Cabinet ministers of telling lies about their opponents' policies and then attacking the lies. "What we learned at the weekend is what Labour tactics are going to be and it's going to be fear and smear," he told BBC News. The Tory co-chairman attacked Labour's six new pledges as "vacuous" and said Mr Blair was very worried voters would take revenge for his failure to deliver. Dr Fox refused to discuss weekend newspaper reports that the party had repaid £500,000 to former Tory Treasurer Lord Ashcroft after he said the party could not win the election. "We repay loans when they are due but do not comment to individual financial matters," he said, insisting he enjoyed a "warm and constructive" relationship to Lord Ashcroft.
Meanwhile Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy is expected to attack Mr Blair's words as he begins a nationwide tour on Monday. Mr Kennedy is accelerating Lib Dem election preparations this week as he visits Manchester, Liverpool, Leicester, Somerset, Basingstoke, Shrewsbury, Dorset and Torbay. He said: "This is three-party politics. In the northern cities, the contest is between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. "In southern and rural seats - especially in the South West - the principal contenders are the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives, who are out of the running in Scotland and Wales." The Lib Dems accuse Mr Blair of making a "touchy-feely" speech to Labour delegates which will not help him regain public trust.
| Mr Blair said that whether the public chose Michael Howard or Mr Kennedy, it would result in "a Tory government not a Labour government and a country that goes back and does not move forward".Tory co-chairman Liam Fox was speaking after Mr Blair told Labour members the Tories offered a "hard right agenda".Dr Fox refused to discuss weekend newspaper reports that the party had repaid £500,000 to former Tory Treasurer Lord Ashcroft after he said the party could not win the election.The Lib Dems accuse Mr Blair of making a "touchy-feely" speech to Labour delegates which will not help him regain public trust.The Tory co-chairman attacked Labour's six new pledges as "vacuous" and said Mr Blair was very worried voters would take revenge for his failure to deliver.Dr Fox accused Mr Blair and other Cabinet ministers of telling lies about their opponents' policies and then attacking the lies.In what was seen as a highly personal speech in Gateshead on Sunday, Mr Blair said: "I have the same passion and hunger as when I first walked through the door of 10 Downing Street."Meanwhile Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy is expected to attack Mr Blair's words as he begins a nationwide tour on Monday.He would not discuss reports the party repaid £500,000 to Lord Ashcroft after he predicted an election defeat. |
687 | Hillbillies singer Scoggins dies
Country and Western musician Jerry Scoggins has died in Los Angeles at the age of 93, his family has said.
Scoggins was best remembered for singing the theme tune to popular US TV show The Beverly Hillbillies. The Texan-born singer approached the producers of the programme with theme tune The Ballad of Jed Clampett for the pilot which was screened in 1962. The show, which told the story of a poor man striking oil and moving to Beverly Hills, ran until 1971.
Scoggins' daugher Jane Kelly Misel said that her father never tired of the song and would sing it at least once a day. "He'd sing it at birthdays and anniversaries and variety shows. He never stopped performing it," she said. When a film version of The Beverly Hillbillies was made in 1993, Scoggins came out of retirement to perform the theme tune. Scoggins sang the lyrics while bluegrass stars Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs played guitar and banjo.
| Scoggins was best remembered for singing the theme tune to popular US TV show The Beverly Hillbillies.When a film version of The Beverly Hillbillies was made in 1993, Scoggins came out of retirement to perform the theme tune.Scoggins' daugher Jane Kelly Misel said that her father never tired of the song and would sing it at least once a day.Country and Western musician Jerry Scoggins has died in Los Angeles at the age of 93, his family has said. |
1,181 | Hague 'given up' his PM ambition
Former Conservative leader William Hague says he will not stand for the leadership again, having given up his ambition to be prime minister.
Mr Hague, 43, told the Daily Telegraph he would now find a life dominated by politics too "boring" and unfulfilling. Mr Hague, who stepped down after his party's 2001 election defeat, does not rule out a return to the front bench. He also told the paper he hopes to remain MP for Richmond, North Yorks, and start a family with wife Ffion. Mr Hague, who recently had published the biography of William Pitt the Younger, also said he wanted to continue writing books and speech-writing.
He told the newspaper: "I don't know whether I will ever go back on to the front, but don't rush me." Asked if he would stand for the leadership again, Mr Hague replied: "No. Definitely not." His determination to stay away from a central role will disappoint some senior Conservative members, who say the party needs him. Tim Collins, the shadow education secretary, said last week it would be a "huge boost" to the party if Mr Hague returned to the front bench. Mr Hague became an MP at 27 and Leader of the Opposition at 36. He said: "I feel fortunate that, by the age of 40, I had crammed in an entire political career. "I had been in the Cabinet and been leader of the party, so now I can branch out into other things...it is a very liberating feeling." Mr Hague added that he may have misjudged his own ambition to be prime minister. "Maybe I wasn't as driven by politics as I thought I was," he said.
| Mr Hague became an MP at 27 and Leader of the Opposition at 36.Tim Collins, the shadow education secretary, said last week it would be a "huge boost" to the party if Mr Hague returned to the front bench.Asked if he would stand for the leadership again, Mr Hague replied: "No.Mr Hague, 43, told the Daily Telegraph he would now find a life dominated by politics too "boring" and unfulfilling.Mr Hague added that he may have misjudged his own ambition to be prime minister.Former Conservative leader William Hague says he will not stand for the leadership again, having given up his ambition to be prime minister. |
364 | Durex maker SSL awaits firm bid
UK condom maker SSL International has refused to comment on reports it may be subject to a takeover early in 2005.
A Financial Times report said business intelligence firm GPW was understood to be starting due diligence work on SSL International, for a corporate client. An spokesman for SSL, which makes the famous Durex brand of condom, would not to comment on "market speculation". However the news sent shares in SSL, which also makes Scholl footwear, up more than 6%, or 16.75 pence to 293.5p.
The FT said most the high-profile firm that might woo SSL was Anglo-Dutch household products group Reckitt Benckiser. Eighteen months ago Reckitt Benckiser was at the centre of a rumoured takeover bid for SSL - but that came to nothing. Other firms that have been seen as would-be suitors include Kimberly-Clark, Johnson & Johnson, and private equity investors. Analysts have seen SSL as a takeover target for years. It sold off its surgical gloves and antiseptics businesses for £173m to a management team in May. SSL was formed by a three-way merger between Seton Healthcare, footwear specialists Scholl and condom-maker London International Group. Its other brands include Syndol analgesic, Meltus cough medicine, Sauber compression hosiery and deodorant products, and Mister Baby.
| UK condom maker SSL International has refused to comment on reports it may be subject to a takeover early in 2005.A Financial Times report said business intelligence firm GPW was understood to be starting due diligence work on SSL International, for a corporate client.The FT said most the high-profile firm that might woo SSL was Anglo-Dutch household products group Reckitt Benckiser.Analysts have seen SSL as a takeover target for years.SSL was formed by a three-way merger between Seton Healthcare, footwear specialists Scholl and condom-maker London International Group. |
1,403 | Relay squad thrilled with honours
Jason Gardener says being made an MBE in the New Year Honours List underlines the achievement of Great Britain's 4x100m relay squad at the Olympics.
Gardener, Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis have all been awarded MBEs after beating pre-race favourites USA to gold. "I think this award reinforces what we did on that fantastic night," he said. "This recognition is really inspiring and makes me want to have more success," said Lewis-Francis. The British sprint quartet produced a string of faultless baton changes in the final to put pressure on the Americans.
And when the USA stumbled with a poor switch between Justin Gatlin and Coby Miller at the 300m stage, Britain edged ahead going into the final bend. Then, on cue, Lewis-Francis ran a textbook final leg, holding off Maurice Greene to bring Team GB home in 38.07 seconds - just one hundredth of a second ahead of their rivals. "Winning the gold medal was the highlight of my athletics career so far," said the Birchfield Harrier. "This award is not just for me, but for all my friends, family and the people who have helped me to get to this level in my sport." Gardener added: "All of us had worked very hard for a long, long time to carry off what most believed was an impossible task. "Of course this award is very special, but for me nothing will ever take away winning an Olympic gold medal. It's all I ever wanted. "All my life that is what I dreamed of doing. Life since then has been fantastic." Campbell agreed receiving the honour capped off what has been a difficult year for the sprinter. "I think the MBE is important because the people closest to me know my journey," said the Newport-based athlete. "I've not just stumbled upon this. "It gives me a lot of joy and satisfaction to know the stuff you do for your country does mean something."
- There was also recognition for James Clarke, chairman of the London Marathon. He becomes an OBE.
| "I think this award reinforces what we did on that fantastic night," he said."Winning the gold medal was the highlight of my athletics career so far," said the Birchfield Harrier."Of course this award is very special, but for me nothing will ever take away winning an Olympic gold medal."I think the MBE is important because the people closest to me know my journey," said the Newport-based athlete.Life since then has been fantastic.""This recognition is really inspiring and makes me want to have more success," said Lewis-Francis.Gardener, Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis have all been awarded MBEs after beating pre-race favourites USA to gold.And when the USA stumbled with a poor switch between Justin Gatlin and Coby Miller at the 300m stage, Britain edged ahead going into the final bend. |
1,180 | Kennedy's cautious optimism
Charles Kennedy is far too canny to make any grand claims about how his party may fare at the general election.
In his 22 years in the Commons, he has seen his fair share of such claims dashed on the rocks of bitter experience and, he might say, the UK's political and electoral system. But even his caution cannot hide the fact that this is a party and a leader that believes it may well be on the way to something special in a few months' time. "Look, I have already said I am not going to put any artificial limits on our ambitions this time around," he said. He still seems to accept that the most likely outcome is another Labour victory of some sort. And his general election pitch is designed around the notion of the Lib Dems as the "real" opposition.
But doesn't that lead to the jibe that his is a party actively bidding to come second? He is prepared to go this far: "A clear conclusion has been reached, including by Conservatives, that the Conservatives are not going to win this election. "Therefore the potential is there for the Liberal Democrat advance to be one of the big stories of the election, given that we have the capacity to take on Labour and win as well as take on the Conservatives and win. "This is really going to be the first modern three party UK election that we have all experienced". But haven't we been here before, with suggestions in the 1980s that Labour was finished. Won't voters looking for an alternative to Labour still naturally gravitate to the Conservatives? "The problem is that, geographically, the Conservative party has melted away in about a third of Britain. "We have supplanted them as the main alternative to Labour in whole tracts of mainland Britain. And they are a party with an ageing and declining membership base and they just do not look vibrant or vital or in touch any longer with contemporary Britain".
Mr Kennedy is also eager to dispel any impression his party is the new party of the left and is likely to attract mostly disillusioned Labour voters.
He insists his three headline commitments, to be financed from a 1% tax increase on those earning over £100,000 a year, will appeal right across the political spectrum. They are to replace the council tax with a local income tax, provide free long term care for the elderly and scrap student fees. He also believes being the only major party promising to increases taxes will not land him in the same trouble a similar policy did to Old Labour. "I think the tax argument has moved on a lot in British politics particularly in the context of the forthcoming general election," he said. Under a Labour government the tax burden would have to rise, while the Tories' plans to increase spending in some areas while also reducing taxes is just incredible, he claims.
"We are being straightforward with people, saying you know there is likely to be an increase in the tax burden, we are only recommending one specific tax rise for the top end of income scale earners to fund three specific policies".
"That is a clear cut choice for people, one I am very comfortable with and I think will distinguish us from the others". As to his own future, he is clear. If, as expected, his party increases its showing at the election, he intends to go into the next parliament "on the front foot with a view to leading it right through that parliament into the next election because I see that as the decisive opportunity for us". That last remark reflects a view gaining ground in Westminster that, if the Tories do as badly as some fear, the election after next might really see that historic breakthrough by the third party. Perhaps then Mr Kennedy will be ready to put some of the caution to one side.
| He also believes being the only major party promising to increases taxes will not land him in the same trouble a similar policy did to Old Labour.Mr Kennedy is also eager to dispel any impression his party is the new party of the left and is likely to attract mostly disillusioned Labour voters."This is really going to be the first modern three party UK election that we have all experienced".Charles Kennedy is far too canny to make any grand claims about how his party may fare at the general election.Under a Labour government the tax burden would have to rise, while the Tories' plans to increase spending in some areas while also reducing taxes is just incredible, he claims.He is prepared to go this far: "A clear conclusion has been reached, including by Conservatives, that the Conservatives are not going to win this election."I think the tax argument has moved on a lot in British politics particularly in the context of the forthcoming general election," he said.If, as expected, his party increases its showing at the election, he intends to go into the next parliament "on the front foot with a view to leading it right through that parliament into the next election because I see that as the decisive opportunity for us".That last remark reflects a view gaining ground in Westminster that, if the Tories do as badly as some fear, the election after next might really see that historic breakthrough by the third party."We are being straightforward with people, saying you know there is likely to be an increase in the tax burden, we are only recommending one specific tax rise for the top end of income scale earners to fund three specific policies"."Therefore the potential is there for the Liberal Democrat advance to be one of the big stories of the election, given that we have the capacity to take on Labour and win as well as take on the Conservatives and win. |
1,508 | Juninho demand for O'Neill talks
Juninho's agent has confirmed that the player is hoping for talks with Martin O'Neill as the Brazilian midfielder comes closer to departing Celtic.
Brian Hassell says no official approach has been received from Manchester City but that the English club had been earmarked as a possible destination. But it was being stressed to BBC Sport that Juninho would prefer to remain with the Scottish champions. Juninho wants assurances that he will return to O'Neill's first-team plans. He has become frustrated with his lack of first-team action since his move from Middlesbrough in the summer. Hassel says Juninho, who has just bought a new home, would "desperately like to stay at Celtic" but will seek a move if it is made clear that he is not wanted.
The agent also stressed that nothing should be read into the 30-year-old's father being in Scotland and talk of a move back to Botafogo in Brazil. Juninho's father was simply in the country to see his son and grandchildren. "I know there is interest from a Brazilian club, but I know Juninho doesn't want to go there," said Hassel. "He wants to stay in Britain. In fact, he wants to stay at Celtic." Hassall made it clear that a move to Manchester City, who are badly in need of a midfield play-maker, was more of a possibility than Botafogo, or Mexican outfit Red Sharks Veracruz, who also expressed an interest. "It was a thought at one stage," he said. "If you are not going to get a game under one manager, you look for another whose style of play suits you. "He is a fan of Kevin Keegan's style of play. It would not be a bad move for him." Juninho had earlier told the Daily Record: "The manager has had a lot of chances to put me in his team but it hasn't happened. "If that is the case then this is the opportunity for me to go. That would be good for the club and good for me. "If I have no part in his plans, there is no point in remaining here waiting for a chance that never comes." The attacking midfielder also claims he has not had the backing of boss Martin O'Neill since his move to Celtic Park. "I can't understand why I am in this situation," he continued. "When a manager brings a new player to the club, he gives that player support."
| Hassel says Juninho, who has just bought a new home, would "desperately like to stay at Celtic" but will seek a move if it is made clear that he is not wanted."I know there is interest from a Brazilian club, but I know Juninho doesn't want to go there," said Hassel.The attacking midfielder also claims he has not had the backing of boss Martin O'Neill since his move to Celtic Park.In fact, he wants to stay at Celtic."Juninho's agent has confirmed that the player is hoping for talks with Martin O'Neill as the Brazilian midfielder comes closer to departing Celtic.It would not be a bad move for him."Juninho wants assurances that he will return to O'Neill's first-team plans.But it was being stressed to BBC Sport that Juninho would prefer to remain with the Scottish champions.He has become frustrated with his lack of first-team action since his move from Middlesbrough in the summer.Hassall made it clear that a move to Manchester City, who are badly in need of a midfield play-maker, was more of a possibility than Botafogo, or Mexican outfit Red Sharks Veracruz, who also expressed an interest. |
274 | Google shares fall as staff sell
Shares in Google have fallen 6.7% after employees and early investors in the web search took advantage of the first chance to sell their holdings.
Restrictions were imposed ahead of its flotation in August, to prevent shares being dumped quickly onto the market. In one of the most closely-watched initial public offerings in stock market history, the US-based company sold 19.6 million shares at $85 each. Google shares have risen since but fell $12.33 on Tuesday to close at $172.55. The restriction - known as a lockup - is being eased piecemeal: in all, some 227 million additional shares will become free to trade by February 2005. Selling the shares could turn many of Google's workers into millionaires.
There were fears that the potential increase of shares in circulation from Tuesday would ease demand for stock. However, analysts say they expected most shareholders would be holding back from selling all their shares immediately, as Google's good performance and future growth potential means demand will hold.
In its first earnings report since floating on the stock market, Google said it made a net profit of $52m in the three months ending 30 September. Sales surged to $805.9m in the third quarter, up from $393.9m a year earlier. Google's main service - its internet search - is free to users, so the firm makes much of its money from selling advertising space linked to the words for which its users search. It also sells the use of its technology to companies who need to make either their websites, or their internal information systems, searchable.
| Google shares have risen since but fell $12.33 on Tuesday to close at $172.55.There were fears that the potential increase of shares in circulation from Tuesday would ease demand for stock.In one of the most closely-watched initial public offerings in stock market history, the US-based company sold 19.6 million shares at $85 each.Selling the shares could turn many of Google's workers into millionaires.However, analysts say they expected most shareholders would be holding back from selling all their shares immediately, as Google's good performance and future growth potential means demand will hold. |
322 | Tokyo says deflation 'controlled'
The Japanese government has forecast that the country's economic growth will slow to 1.6% in the next fiscal year starting in April 2005.
While it predicts this fall from the current 2.1% level, it said it was making progress on ending deflation. The figures were given by economics minister Heizo Takenaka who said the economy would grow by 2% in 2006/07. He said the consumer price index (CPI) would rise 0.1% in the next fiscal year, the first gain since 2000/01. "We are attempting to make real economic conditions better and to overcome deflation. I think we are on track," said Mr Takenaka. Deflation - or falling consumer prices - has plagued Japan for more than five years. To ease the problem the Bank of Japan has regularly flooded the money market with excess cash to keep short term interest rates at 0% in an attempt to spur economic activity.
| He said the consumer price index (CPI) would rise 0.1% in the next fiscal year, the first gain since 2000/01.Deflation - or falling consumer prices - has plagued Japan for more than five years.The Japanese government has forecast that the country's economic growth will slow to 1.6% in the next fiscal year starting in April 2005.While it predicts this fall from the current 2.1% level, it said it was making progress on ending deflation. |
1,782 | Moya emotional after Davis Cup win
Carlos Moya described Spain's Davis Cup victory as the highlight of his career after he beat Andy Roddick to end the USA's challenge in Seville.
Moya made up for missing Spain's 2000 victory through injury by beating Roddick 6-2 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-5) to give the hosts an unassailable 3-1 lead. "I have woken up so many nights dreaming of this day," said Moya. "All my energy has been focused on today. "What I have lived today I do not think I will live again." Spain's only other Davis Cup title came two years ago in Valencia, when they beat Australia. And Moya, nicknamed Charly, admitted: "The Davis Cup is my dream and I was a bit nervous at the outset. "Some people have said that I am obsessed but I think that it is better this way. It helps me reach my goals if I am obsessed. "It's really incredible - to get the winning point is really something." Spanish captain Jordi Arrese said: "Charly played a great game. It was his opportunity and he hasn't let us down. "He had lost three times to Roddick, and this was his day to beat him. "He had been waiting years to be in this position." Spain's victory was also remarkable for the performance of Rafael Nadal, who beat Roddick in the opening singles.
Aged 18 years and 185 days, the Mallorcan became the youngest player to win the Davis Cup. "What a great way to finish the year," said Nadal afterwards. US coach Patrick McEnroe wants Roddick and the rest of his team to play more tennis on clay and hone their skills on the surface. "I think it will help these guys even on slow hard courts to learn how to mix things up a little bit and to play a little bit smarter and tactically better." "Obviously it's unrealistic to say that we're going to just start playing constantly on clay, with the schedule. "But certainly I think we can put the work in at the appropriate time and play a couple more events and play against these guys who are the best on this stuff," said McEnroe. Roddick was left frustrated after losing both his singles on the slow clay of Seville's Olympic Stadium. "It's just tough because I felt like I was in it the whole time against one of the top three clay-courters in the world," said the American. "I had my chances and just didn't convert them. The bottom line is they were just better than us this weekend. "They came out, took care of business and they beat us. It's as simple as that."
| "He had lost three times to Roddick, and this was his day to beat him."Some people have said that I am obsessed but I think that it is better this way.Spain's victory was also remarkable for the performance of Rafael Nadal, who beat Roddick in the opening singles.Carlos Moya described Spain's Davis Cup victory as the highlight of his career after he beat Andy Roddick to end the USA's challenge in Seville.Spain's only other Davis Cup title came two years ago in Valencia, when they beat Australia.And Moya, nicknamed Charly, admitted: "The Davis Cup is my dream and I was a bit nervous at the outset."What a great way to finish the year," said Nadal afterwards."But certainly I think we can put the work in at the appropriate time and play a couple more events and play against these guys who are the best on this stuff," said McEnroe.Roddick was left frustrated after losing both his singles on the slow clay of Seville's Olympic Stadium."It's just tough because I felt like I was in it the whole time against one of the top three clay-courters in the world," said the American."I think it will help these guys even on slow hard courts to learn how to mix things up a little bit and to play a little bit smarter and tactically better." |
22 | Sluggish economy hits German jobs
The number of people out of work in Europe's largest economy has risen for the tenth straight month as growth remains stubbornly slow.
German unemployment rose 7,000 in November to 4.464 million people, or 10.8% of the workforce. The seasonally adjusted rise showed a smaller rise than expected, as government measures to encourage job creation began to take effect. But officials said stagnant growth was still stifling the job market. "There are clear signs of a revival in domestic demand," said Frank-Juergen Weise, head of the Federal Labour Agency, in a statement. "But growth of 0.1%... in the third quarter is still insufficient to deliver positive momentum to the labour market." High oil prices and the soaring euro - which damages the competitiveness of exporters - were also having a negative effect, he said. The brunt of the unemployment is still being felt in the eastern part of Germany, where the rate is 18.8%.
With unemployment stuck above 4 million for years, the government of Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has put job creation at the top of the agenda. A controversial package of measures to shake up incentives to get back to work, paid for by cutting some cherished benefits, has sparked anger among some German workers. Strikes in a number of industries, notably among the country's iconic carmakers, have demonstrated the displeasure - as well as fears about further job losses as outsourcing takes hold. Among the new initiatives are the so-called "one-euro jobs" which top up unemployment benefit. The scheme's formal launch is January, but hirings for these positions are already taking place and affecting the unemployment statistics, economists said. "The deterioration of the labour market does not come as a surprise," said Isabelle Kronawitter at Hypovereinsbank. "Job creation measures probably prevented a stronger increase in the seasonally adjusted numbers."
| But officials said stagnant growth was still stifling the job market.With unemployment stuck above 4 million for years, the government of Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has put job creation at the top of the agenda.The seasonally adjusted rise showed a smaller rise than expected, as government measures to encourage job creation began to take effect."But growth of 0.1%... in the third quarter is still insufficient to deliver positive momentum to the labour market.""Job creation measures probably prevented a stronger increase in the seasonally adjusted numbers.""The deterioration of the labour market does not come as a surprise," said Isabelle Kronawitter at Hypovereinsbank. |
1,632 | Pountney handed ban and fine
Northampton coach Budge Pountney has been fined £2,000 and banned from match-day coaching for six weeks for calling a referee "a disgrace".
Pountney was found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute at a Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing in London on Thursday night. Pountney criticised referee Steve Lander's performance in Northampton's defeat by Saracens on 5 February. The last two weeks of the six-week ban are suspended. Pountney pleaded guilty to the offence before a panel consisting of chairman Robert Horner, Nigel Gillingham and Jeff Probyn. The ban means former Scotland international Pountney cannot enter the playing enclosure, technical areas or go near the touchline, tunnel or players and officials' areas on the day of a game.
| Northampton coach Budge Pountney has been fined £2,000 and banned from match-day coaching for six weeks for calling a referee "a disgrace".Pountney criticised referee Steve Lander's performance in Northampton's defeat by Saracens on 5 February.Pountney was found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute at a Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing in London on Thursday night. |
332 | Putin backs state grab for Yukos
Russia's president has defended the purchase of Yukos' key production unit by state-owned oil firm Rosneft, saying it followed free market principles.
Vladimir Putin said it was quite within the rights of a state-owned company to ensure its interests were met. Rosneft bought 100% of Baikal Finance Group, in a move that amounts to the renationalisation of a major chunk of Russia's booming oil industry. Rosneft will now control about 16% of Russia's total crude oil output. Yukos share jumped in Moscow, climbing as much as 50% before being suspended.
Rosneft is already in the process of merging with Gazprom, the world's biggest gas company, a move that will see Gazprom return to majority state-ownership.
Baikal was the surprise buyer of oil and gas giant Yukos's main production division at a forced auction on Sunday. "Everything was done by market methods," Mr Putin said at his year-end press conference in Moscow. Shedding some light on the Kremlin's motivation, Mr Putin referred to a period of so-called "cowboy capitalism" that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union.
He said privatisations carried out in the early 1990s had involved trickery, including law breaking, by people seeking to acquire valuable state property. "Now the state, using market methods, is safeguarding its interests. I think this is quite normal," the Russian president said. A Rosneft spokesman has said the acquisition is part of its plan to build a "balanced, national energy corporation."
The latest announcement comes after more than a year of wrangling that has pushed Yukos, one of Russia's biggest companies to the brink of collapse. The Russian government put Yukos's Yuganskneftegas subsidiary up for sale last week after hitting the company with a $27bn (£14bn) bill for back taxes and fines.
Analysts say that Yukos's legal attempts to block the auction by filing for bankruptcy protection in the US are probably what caused this week's cloak-and-dagger dealings. Gazprom, the company originally tipped to buy Yuganskneftegas, was banned from taking part in the auction by a US court injunction. By selling the Yukos unit to little-known Baikal and then to Rosneft, Russia is able to circumvent a host of tricky legal landmines, analysts said. "You cannot sue the Russian government," said Eric Kraus, a strategist at Moscow's Sovlink Securities. "The Russian government has sovereign immunity." "The government is renationalising Yuganskneftegas."
Even so, analysts reckon that the saga still has a long way to go. The Rosneft announcement came just hours after Yukos accused Gazprom of illegally taking part in Sunday's auction. It has said it will be seeking damages of $20bn. The claim was made at the latest hearing in the US bankruptcy court in Houston, Texas, where Yukos, had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. If found in contempt of the US court order blocking the auction, Gazprom could face having foreign assets seized. Yukos' lawyers had also been expected to try to have Baikal's assets frozen. Lawyers claimed the auction was illegal because Yukos - with an office in Houston - had filed for bankruptcy and therefore its assets were under the protection of US law which has worldwide jurisdiction. Further muddying the waters is a merger between Rosneft and Gazprom which authorities have said will go ahead as planned.
| Lawyers claimed the auction was illegal because Yukos - with an office in Houston - had filed for bankruptcy and therefore its assets were under the protection of US law which has worldwide jurisdiction.Russia's president has defended the purchase of Yukos' key production unit by state-owned oil firm Rosneft, saying it followed free market principles.It has said it will be seeking damages of $20bn.The Rosneft announcement came just hours after Yukos accused Gazprom of illegally taking part in Sunday's auction.Gazprom, the company originally tipped to buy Yuganskneftegas, was banned from taking part in the auction by a US court injunction.By selling the Yukos unit to little-known Baikal and then to Rosneft, Russia is able to circumvent a host of tricky legal landmines, analysts said.A Rosneft spokesman has said the acquisition is part of its plan to build a "balanced, national energy corporation."Further muddying the waters is a merger between Rosneft and Gazprom which authorities have said will go ahead as planned."Everything was done by market methods," Mr Putin said at his year-end press conference in Moscow.The latest announcement comes after more than a year of wrangling that has pushed Yukos, one of Russia's biggest companies to the brink of collapse.Vladimir Putin said it was quite within the rights of a state-owned company to ensure its interests were met."The Russian government has sovereign immunity." |
1,232 | Labour's core support takes stock
Tony Blair has told Labour supporters he's "back" and still hungry for the job of prime minister - but does that sum up the mood at the party's spring conference in Gateshead?
"The electorate are keener on the government than some Labour Party members," is the dry assessment of Graham Lane, leader of the Labour group on Newham Council. The problem, according to Mr Lane, is not continuing divisions over Iraq, foundation hospitals or tuition fees, or even voter apathy, but Mr Blair himself. "I have a new slogan. Vote Blair, Get Brown. That's what I am telling people on the doorstep. Don't worry, he will be gone soon." His friend, Saxon Spence, leader of Devon county Labour group, lays the blame for any lack of campaigning zeal on one issue above all others. "You cannot underestimate the impact of the war in Iraq. We lost people from our local party who had some key roles."
But the two friends were fired up by Gordon Brown's speech on Saturday, with its appeal to core Labour values on social justice, health and education.
"There was real passion. I think we have all felt a little jaded, but it reminded us why we joined the party in the first place," said Mrs Spence. "If he hadn't have walked off the stage, they would still be clapping," added Mr Lane. But for every Brownite at the spring conference there was an equally ardent fan of Mr Blair. Stephen Douglas, 26, from Wales, said after the PM's speech on Sunday: "I think it was a bit of a turning point, given the roasting he has had on some issues. The guy still has it."
Tony Martin, of Burnley, said: "He is the first leader who has won us two terms. This bloke has delivered for us." Malcolm Shipley, of Shipley, said it was "as if he is coming round to the right approach again". Katrina Bull, a prospective parliamentary candidate said Mr Blair had shown he could rouse the party's grassroots: "I think if every voter was able to spend time in a room with Tony, the way we have today, we will have no problem with turnout." She had just emerged from a Q&A session, in which Mr Blair - tieless and supremely at ease - answered questions posed via the party's website.
A party of councillors from Nottingham agreed that there was nothing wrong with Mr Blair's leadership - and they were adamant that the campaigning strength of the party in their city was as strong as ever. Iraq, they insisted, would not be a factor for most voters. "The biggest problem we have got at the moment is that we keep getting all these polls saying we are going to run away with the election. "It might sound great, but it does create this sense of complacency among our own voters and I think that is the greater problem than Iraq," said Nottingham City Councillor Brian Parbutt. And even Mr Blair's most vocal critics seemed to agree on one thing - he is a master of the sort of glossy, high-profile campaigning that has become Labour's hallmark, epitomised by Friday's whistle-stop tour of marginal seats. A group of shop stewards from the Swan Hunter shipyard, who said they were facing redundancy, could barely suppress their anger at Mr Blair's failure to, as they saw it, shake off his Tory leanings and stand up for manufacturing in the North East.
They were also scathing about the alleged benefits of showpiece projects such as conference venue Sage Centre, heralded by John Prescott and others this weekend as a symbol of Labour's success in urban regeneration.
"It is no good having the Sage or Baltic if you haven't got the money for the entrance fee," said Terry Telford. But when asked about Mr Blair's bravura performance on Friday, the men agreed he was "brilliant". And they would all be out on the doorstep pushing the Labour message come election time. "If you are not fired up about the election, then what's the point? There is no complacency as far as I can see in the Labour Party. We are fired up. We are up for this election," said Richie Porterhouse. Mr Telford agreed, but added it was becoming increasingly difficult to think of an answer when people asked "What has Labour done for the North East?" "I have had doors slammed in my face," he said.
Every activist I spoke to said they were proud of what they believed Labour had achieved in their local communities - the new hospitals and schools, the better life chances for young people. The problem they faced, they said, was converting this local feelgood factor into votes. But they could at least rely on one "secret weapon", as one activist put it - Tory leader Michael Howard.
| Mr Telford agreed, but added it was becoming increasingly difficult to think of an answer when people asked "What has Labour done for the North East?"Katrina Bull, a prospective parliamentary candidate said Mr Blair had shown he could rouse the party's grassroots: "I think if every voter was able to spend time in a room with Tony, the way we have today, we will have no problem with turnout."A party of councillors from Nottingham agreed that there was nothing wrong with Mr Blair's leadership - and they were adamant that the campaigning strength of the party in their city was as strong as ever.The problem they faced, they said, was converting this local feelgood factor into votes.Every activist I spoke to said they were proud of what they believed Labour had achieved in their local communities - the new hospitals and schools, the better life chances for young people.Stephen Douglas, 26, from Wales, said after the PM's speech on Sunday: "I think it was a bit of a turning point, given the roasting he has had on some issues.But for every Brownite at the spring conference there was an equally ardent fan of Mr Blair.The problem, according to Mr Lane, is not continuing divisions over Iraq, foundation hospitals or tuition fees, or even voter apathy, but Mr Blair himself.Tony Martin, of Burnley, said: "He is the first leader who has won us two terms.We are up for this election," said Richie Porterhouse.Tony Blair has told Labour supporters he's "back" and still hungry for the job of prime minister - but does that sum up the mood at the party's spring conference in Gateshead?But when asked about Mr Blair's bravura performance on Friday, the men agreed he was "brilliant"."It might sound great, but it does create this sense of complacency among our own voters and I think that is the greater problem than Iraq," said Nottingham City Councillor Brian Parbutt.And they would all be out on the doorstep pushing the Labour message come election time."The electorate are keener on the government than some Labour Party members," is the dry assessment of Graham Lane, leader of the Labour group on Newham Council.I think we have all felt a little jaded, but it reminded us why we joined the party in the first place," said Mrs Spence.Malcolm Shipley, of Shipley, said it was "as if he is coming round to the right approach again". |
2,175 | Nintendo DS makes its Euro debut
Nintendo's DS handheld game console has officially gone on sale in Europe.
Many stores around the UK opened at midnight to let keen gamers get their hands on the device. The two-screen clamshell gadget costs £99 (149 euros) and 15 games are available for it at launch, some featuring well-known characters such as Super Mario and Rayman. The DS spearheads Nintendo's attempt to continue its dominance of the handheld gaming market.
Since going on sale in Japan and the US at the end of 2004, Nintendo has sold almost 4m DS consoles.
Part of this popularity may be due to the fact that the DS can run any of the catalogue of 700 games produced for Nintendo's GameBoy Advance handheld. Games for the DS are expected to cost between £19 and £29. About 130 games for the DS are in development.
As well as having two screens, one of which is controlled by touch, the DS also lets players take on up to 16 other people via wireless. A "download play" option means DS owners can take each other on even if only one of them owns a copy of a particular game. Other DS owners can also be sent text messages and drawings. Nintendo is also planning to release a media adapter for the handheld so it can play music and video. Five Virgin megastores and 150 Game shops were expected to open early on Friday morning to let people buy a DS. "We know that customers want it as soon as it's released - and that means the minute, not the day," said Robert Quinn, Game's UK sales director.
But Nintendo will only have sole control of Europe's handheld gaming market for a few weeks because soon Sony is expected to release its PSP console. Although Nintendo is aiming for younger players and the PSP is more for older gamers, it is likely that the two firms will be competing for many of the same customers. Sony's PSP represents a real threat to Nintendo because of the huge number of PlayStation owners around the world and the greater flexibility of the sleek black gadget. The PSP uses small discs for games, can play music and movies without the need for add-ons and also supports short-range wireless play. When it goes on sale the PSP is likely to cost between £130 and £200.
| Nintendo's DS handheld game console has officially gone on sale in Europe.About 130 games for the DS are in development.Games for the DS are expected to cost between £19 and £29.A "download play" option means DS owners can take each other on even if only one of them owns a copy of a particular game.The DS spearheads Nintendo's attempt to continue its dominance of the handheld gaming market.Part of this popularity may be due to the fact that the DS can run any of the catalogue of 700 games produced for Nintendo's GameBoy Advance handheld.Five Virgin megastores and 150 Game shops were expected to open early on Friday morning to let people buy a DS.As well as having two screens, one of which is controlled by touch, the DS also lets players take on up to 16 other people via wireless. |
564 | Mumbai bombs movie postponed
The release of a film about the Mumbai (Bombay) blasts in 1993 has been postponed following protests by those on trial for the bombings.
Investigating the blasts which killed more than 250 people and wounded 1,000, the film Black Friday had been due to open across India on Friday. But 36 people accused in connection with the blasts said it should not be screened until the trial is over. Mumbai High Court postponed the film's launch until 3 February.
Black Friday is based upon the novel of the same name written by journalist S Hussain Zaidi, which looks at the 15 explosions which rocked Mumbai on 12 March 1993. Director Anurag Kashyap said the film's release should not be delayed as the book has already been on sale for two years. "If you have not gone against the book, then how can you go against the movie?" Mr Kashyap's lawyer Mihir Desai said. This is the second time that those accused in connection with the blasts have sought legal intervention regarding the film.
They previously asked that a line from the movie's poster, which claimed the film portrayed "the true story of the Bombay bomb blasts", be removed. Their lawyer, Majeed Memon, said: "We had argued that how can a film say it is telling the true story when the court itself is struggling to find the truth? "So we said they should remove the line from their promotional posters and they did give us an assurance that they would do so." The Mumbai bombings case is one of India's longest-running trials. A special court was set up to hear the case and regular hearings have taken place there for the last nine years, with more than six hundred witnesses questioned.
| The release of a film about the Mumbai (Bombay) blasts in 1993 has been postponed following protests by those on trial for the bombings.But 36 people accused in connection with the blasts said it should not be screened until the trial is over.Their lawyer, Majeed Memon, said: "We had argued that how can a film say it is telling the true story when the court itself is struggling to find the truth?Director Anurag Kashyap said the film's release should not be delayed as the book has already been on sale for two years.Investigating the blasts which killed more than 250 people and wounded 1,000, the film Black Friday had been due to open across India on Friday.This is the second time that those accused in connection with the blasts have sought legal intervention regarding the film. |
1,231 | Kennedy begins pre-election tour
Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has begun a week-long tour to persuade voters they are the "real opposition".
Mr Kennedy is visiting constituencies in Somerset and Hampshire on Monday - rural seats where his party is hoping to make gains from the Conservatives. Later he will visit places, such as Liverpool, where Labour is targeted. Labour say a Lib Dem vote could "let the Tories in", while the Tories say the Lib Dems would mean "higher taxes, soft crime laws, more power to Europe". Mr Kennedy's tour comes as he, Labour leader Tony Blair and Conservative leader Michael Howard all step up campaigning ahead of the next General Election, widely expected to be held on 5 May. On Tuesday Mr Kennedy will visit Leicester South, where Lib Dem MP Parmjit Singh Gill overturned a big Labour majority to win the seat in last year's by-election.
Stops in Shrewsbury, North Dorset, Liverpool, Manchester, Basingstoke and west London are planned for later in the week. The Liberal Democrats say in the northern cities, the race is between them and Labour, while in southern seats - particularly the south west - it is between them and the Tories. Speaking to the BBC's Westminster Hour on Sunday, Mr Kennedy said the upcoming general election - widely tipped for 5 May - would be much more unpredictable than any others in "recent experience". Asked whether it was realistic to assume the Liberal Democrats could win the general election, he said: "There's no limit to the ambitions we have as a party. "But we have got to be responsible, we have got to be credible, we have got to demonstrate to people that we are up to that task."
Mr Kennedy said the British public felt let down by Labour on issues from Iraq to top-up fees and the Conservatives were not "asking the critical questions". And he said people were "highly sceptical" about Labour and Conservative promises on tax. But he brushed off Labour suggestions a vote for his party would mean letting the Tories in "by the back door". "If you look at the four previous parliamentary by-elections, the Liberal Democrats have demonstrated that, not only can we leapfrog the Conservatives where we start in a third place position, but we can go on to defeat the government. "That's going to be the story, I think, of this coming general election."
| The Liberal Democrats say in the northern cities, the race is between them and Labour, while in southern seats - particularly the south west - it is between them and the Tories.Mr Kennedy said the British public felt let down by Labour on issues from Iraq to top-up fees and the Conservatives were not "asking the critical questions".Mr Kennedy's tour comes as he, Labour leader Tony Blair and Conservative leader Michael Howard all step up campaigning ahead of the next General Election, widely expected to be held on 5 May.On Tuesday Mr Kennedy will visit Leicester South, where Lib Dem MP Parmjit Singh Gill overturned a big Labour majority to win the seat in last year's by-election.Asked whether it was realistic to assume the Liberal Democrats could win the general election, he said: "There's no limit to the ambitions we have as a party.Speaking to the BBC's Westminster Hour on Sunday, Mr Kennedy said the upcoming general election - widely tipped for 5 May - would be much more unpredictable than any others in "recent experience".And he said people were "highly sceptical" about Labour and Conservative promises on tax. |
327 | Cannabis hopes for drug firm
A prescription cannabis drug made by UK biotech firm GW Pharmaceuticals is set to be approved in Canada.
The drug is used to treat the central nervous system and alleviate the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS). A few weeks ago, shares in GW Pharma lost a third of their value after UK regulators said they wanted more evidence about the drug's benefits. But now Canadian authorities have said the Sativex drug will be considered for approval.
Approximately 50,000 people in Canada have been diagnosed with MS and 85,000 people are suffering from the condition in the UK. Many patients already smoke cannabis to relieve their symptoms.
Now, GW Pharma's Sativex mouth spray could be legally available to MS sufferers in Canada within the next few months. This will be the first time a cannabis-based drug has been approved anywhere in the world, representing a landmark for GW Pharma and for patients with MS. Final approval in Canada should now be little more than a formality, analysts said, and the company expects full approval for Sativex early in 2005. "We are delighted to receive this qualifying notice from Health Canada and look forward to receiving regulatory approval for Sativex in Canada in the early part of 2005," said GW Pharma executive chairman Dr Geoffrey Guy.
The UK government granted GW Pharma a licence to grow the cannabis plant for medical research purposes. Satifex consists of a cannabis extract containing tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, a cocktail that has also proved effective in treating patients with arthritis. Thousands of plants are grown at a secret location somewhere in the English countryside. Despite hopes of regulatory approval last year, a series of delays has put back Sativex's launch in the UK. The latest news sent shares in GW Pharma up 8.5p, or 8.1%, to 113.5p.
| A prescription cannabis drug made by UK biotech firm GW Pharmaceuticals is set to be approved in Canada."We are delighted to receive this qualifying notice from Health Canada and look forward to receiving regulatory approval for Sativex in Canada in the early part of 2005," said GW Pharma executive chairman Dr Geoffrey Guy.This will be the first time a cannabis-based drug has been approved anywhere in the world, representing a landmark for GW Pharma and for patients with MS.The UK government granted GW Pharma a licence to grow the cannabis plant for medical research purposes.A few weeks ago, shares in GW Pharma lost a third of their value after UK regulators said they wanted more evidence about the drug's benefits.But now Canadian authorities have said the Sativex drug will be considered for approval. |
2,150 | DVD copy protection strengthened
DVDs will be harder to copy thanks to new anti-piracy measures devised by copy protection firm Macrovision.
The pirated DVD market is enormous because current copy protection was hacked more than five years ago. Macrovision says its new RipGuard technology will thwart most, but not all, of the current DVD ripping (copying) programs used to pirate DVDs. "RipGuard is designed to... reduce DVD ripping and the resulting supply of illegal peer to peer," said the firm. Macrovision said the new technology will work in "nearly all" current DVD players when applied to the discs, but it did not specify how many machines could have a problem with RipGuard. Some BBC News website users have expressed concerns that the new technology will mean that DVDs will not work on PCs running the operating system Linux. The new technology will be welcomed by Hollywood film studios which are increasingly relying on revenue from DVD sales.
The film industry has stepped up efforts to fight DVD piracy in the last 12 months, taking legal action against websites which offer pirated copies of DVD movies for download.
"Ultimately, we see RipGuard DVD... evolving beyond anti-piracy, and towards enablement of legitimate online transactions, interoperability in tomorrow's digital home, and the upcoming high-definition formats," said Steve Weinstein, executive vice president and general manager of Macrovision's Entertainment Technologies Group. Macrovision said RipGuard would also prevent against "rent, rip and return" - where people would rent a DVD, copy it and then return the original. RipGuard is expected to be rolled out on DVDs from the middle of 2005, the company said. The new system works specifically to block most ripping programs - if used, those programs will now most likely crash, the company said. Macrovision has said that Rip Guard can be updated if hackers find a way around the new anti-copying measures.
| Macrovision says its new RipGuard technology will thwart most, but not all, of the current DVD ripping (copying) programs used to pirate DVDs.Macrovision said the new technology will work in "nearly all" current DVD players when applied to the discs, but it did not specify how many machines could have a problem with RipGuard.Macrovision said RipGuard would also prevent against "rent, rip and return" - where people would rent a DVD, copy it and then return the original.DVDs will be harder to copy thanks to new anti-piracy measures devised by copy protection firm Macrovision."RipGuard is designed to... reduce DVD ripping and the resulting supply of illegal peer to peer," said the firm.The new system works specifically to block most ripping programs - if used, those programs will now most likely crash, the company said. |
2,071 | Nintendo adds media playing to DS
Nintendo is releasing an adapter for its DS handheld console so it can play music and video.
The add-on for the DS means people can download TV programmes, film clips or MP3 files to the adaptor and then play them back while on the move. The release of the media add-on is an attempt by the Japanese games giant to protect its dominance of the handheld gaming market. Nintendo said the media adapter will be available from February in Japan.
The Nintendo DS is the successor to the hugely successful GameBoy handheld game console and went on sale in Japan on 2 December. The DS has two screens, one of which is touch sensitive, and also has on-board a short-range wireless link that lets people play against each other.
The launch of the media adapter, and the attempt to broaden the appeal of the device, is widely seen as a response to the unveiling of the Sony PSP which was built as a multi-purpose media player and game gadget from the start. Sony is thought to be preparing pre-packaged movies and music for the PSP. The add-on will also work with the GameBoy Advance SP. Nintendo dominates the handheld gaming console world thanks to successive versions of the GameBoy. More than 28 million GameBoy Advance handhelds have been sold around the world. The dual-screen DS is also thought to be selling well with more than 2.5 million expected to be sold by the end of 2004. Nintendo said it had no plans to sell the media adapter outside Japan. When it goes on sale the adapter is expected to cost about 5000 yen (£25), roughly the difference in price between the DS and the higher-priced Sony PSP.
| Nintendo is releasing an adapter for its DS handheld console so it can play music and video.The Nintendo DS is the successor to the hugely successful GameBoy handheld game console and went on sale in Japan on 2 December.Nintendo said the media adapter will be available from February in Japan.Nintendo said it had no plans to sell the media adapter outside Japan.Nintendo dominates the handheld gaming console world thanks to successive versions of the GameBoy.When it goes on sale the adapter is expected to cost about 5000 yen (£25), roughly the difference in price between the DS and the higher-priced Sony PSP. |
1,002 | Howard attacks cost of asylum
Michael Howard has launched an attack on the cost of Britain's "chaotic" asylum system under Tony Blair.
The Tory leader said English local authorities have spent more than £3bn - or £140 per household - on asylum since Labour won power in 1997. Mr Howard is expected to tell activists in Kent that voters' tolerance and desire to help others are being abused. Other parties and refugee agencies have already attacked Tory plans for annual limits on numbers.
Mr Howard said Britain should take its fair share of the world's "genuine refugees".
"The anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz - where my grandmother was murdered along with over a million others - has reminded all of us that we have a moral responsibility to those fleeing persecution," he was due to say. "But if we are to fulfil responsibility, we have to get a grip of the system. "Fair play matters. People want a government that upholds the rules - not one that turns a blind eye when they are bent and abused," he said. "And let's be clear. Our asylum system is being abused - and with it Britain's generosity." Earlier this week, Mr Howard said his party's plans to cut immigration were not racist, arguing they would make the asylum system fairer for genuine refugees. If elected, his party would institute an annual limit on asylum and all claims would be processed overseas.
That prompted some charities to say the plans would put refugees' lives at risk if they were turned away once quotas were filled. "If we have a moral responsibility towards people fleeing persecution, then these policies will not provide a safe haven," said Hannah Ward of the Refugee Council. "If people turn up in the UK asking for help they will be turned away. Michael Howard's policy effectively means there is no safe haven in the UK. "When it comes to costs, then perhaps we should start with how decisions are made on asylum seekers. So many of them are shown to be wrong - one in five decisions that are appealed are successfully overturned, rising to half for some nationalities. "We need good quality decision-making on asylum applications because it is delays in the system which cost so much."
Tony Blair said Labour would set out workable plans for tackling immigration abuse in the next few weeks and attacked the Tory plans. "By cutting the number of front-line immigration staff at our borders, they will actually make the problem worse," said Mr Blair. Liberal Democrat chairman Matthew Taylor said there needed to be a quick, fair and firm asylum system. But he said it was "absolutely disgusting" to propose a system which could turn away genuine refugees. The Conservatives say there is little risk of this happening as demand for asylum will be considered when quotas are set. On Monday, Mr Howard said: "It's not racist, as some people to claim, to talk about controlling immigration far from it."
| Earlier this week, Mr Howard said his party's plans to cut immigration were not racist, arguing they would make the asylum system fairer for genuine refugees.Liberal Democrat chairman Matthew Taylor said there needed to be a quick, fair and firm asylum system.But he said it was "absolutely disgusting" to propose a system which could turn away genuine refugees.Our asylum system is being abused - and with it Britain's generosity."Michael Howard has launched an attack on the cost of Britain's "chaotic" asylum system under Tony Blair.Mr Howard said Britain should take its fair share of the world's "genuine refugees".On Monday, Mr Howard said: "It's not racist, as some people to claim, to talk about controlling immigration far from it."Tony Blair said Labour would set out workable plans for tackling immigration abuse in the next few weeks and attacked the Tory plans."If we have a moral responsibility towards people fleeing persecution, then these policies will not provide a safe haven," said Hannah Ward of the Refugee Council.People want a government that upholds the rules - not one that turns a blind eye when they are bent and abused," he said.The Tory leader said English local authorities have spent more than £3bn - or £140 per household - on asylum since Labour won power in 1997. |
1,424 | Bridge could miss rest of season
Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge could miss the rest of the season with a suspected broken ankle.
The England international, 24, was hurt in an innocuous challenge with Alan Shearer during the Londoners' FA Cup defeat at Newcastle on Sunday. "We think it's a big injury," said Jose Mourinho, whose Chelsea team this week meet Barcelona in the Champions League and Liverpool in the Carling Cup final. William Gallas and Damien Duff could also miss the Barcelona game. France defender Gallas and Ireland winger Duff both picked up their injuries in the closing stages of Chelsea's 1-0 defeat at St James' Park.
With Bridge having gone off after Mourinho used all three substitutes, those knocks plus Carlo Cudicini's red card meant Chelsea finished the game with seven able-bodied players. Cudicini would not have played against Barcelona, but had been promised a game in the Carling Cup final, although he will now miss the Cardiff showpiece through suspension. The manager is not planning to add any new names to his squad ahead of the trip to Barcelona, even though he has few options to replace Bridge at left-back.
Celestine Babayaro left the club in January, ironically to join Newcastle, and although Gallas has deputised at left-back before, he is struggling to be fit himself. It could be that Paulo Ferreira, usually a right-back, is switched to left-back with Glen Johnson, who ended the Newcastle game in goal, playing on the right. Youngsters Ben Hudell, Joe Keenan and Sam Tillen would be options should Mourinho decide to call up a replacement, but it is unlikely he would risk an untried prospect in a Champions League tie. Bridge's injury also means Mourinho, who reportedly wants to sign Ashley Cole from Arsenal, will not have a specialist, senior left-back for the run-in to the season.
"He (Bridge) has no chance of playing against Barcelona, probably will not play against Liverpool (in the Carling Cup final) and maybe not for the rest of the season," he said. "The medical department will try to do everything to recover Gallas and Duff. We will have to wait and see, but I won't cry about injuries because we will have 11 players to play on Tuesday." Shearer said he was unsure what caused Bridge's injury. "I don't know what happened." he said. "It was just a shame. I don't think we even touched each other. "By all accounts it's pretty serious. I went into the dressing-room after the game and wished him all the best." Mourinho, whose team are chasing three trophies, has already lost winger Arjen Robben to a serious injury.
| "We think it's a big injury," said Jose Mourinho, whose Chelsea team this week meet Barcelona in the Champions League and Liverpool in the Carling Cup final."He (Bridge) has no chance of playing against Barcelona, probably will not play against Liverpool (in the Carling Cup final) and maybe not for the rest of the season," he said.William Gallas and Damien Duff could also miss the Barcelona game.Shearer said he was unsure what caused Bridge's injury.Cudicini would not have played against Barcelona, but had been promised a game in the Carling Cup final, although he will now miss the Cardiff showpiece through suspension.Mourinho, whose team are chasing three trophies, has already lost winger Arjen Robben to a serious injury.Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge could miss the rest of the season with a suspected broken ankle.Bridge's injury also means Mourinho, who reportedly wants to sign Ashley Cole from Arsenal, will not have a specialist, senior left-back for the run-in to the season.The manager is not planning to add any new names to his squad ahead of the trip to Barcelona, even though he has few options to replace Bridge at left-back.France defender Gallas and Ireland winger Duff both picked up their injuries in the closing stages of Chelsea's 1-0 defeat at St James' Park. |
1,497 | Cup holders Man Utd visit Everton
Holders Manchester United and Premiership leaders Chelsea both face difficult away ties against Premiership opposition in the FA Cup fifth round.
United were drawn against Everton, while Chelsea face a trip to Newcastle. Brentford and Hartlepool - the only sides left from outside the top two divisions - will replay for the right to travel to Southampton. Burnley's reward for a place in the last 16 was a home tie against Lancashire rivals Blackburn. The tie between Manchester United and Everton could see the return of teenage striker Wayne Rooney to his former club for the first time since his acrimonious £27m move.
Nottingham Forest boss Gary Megson could face a trip back to old club West Brom if they come through their fourth-round replay against Tottenham. Arsenal were handed a potential home tie against fellow Londoners West Ham, providing the Hammers come through their replay against Sheffield United. Charlton will play Leicester and Bolton await the winners of the Derby-Fulham replay.
: Bolton v Derby or Fulham
West Bromwich Albion or Tottenham v Nottingham Forest
Everton v Manchester United
Charlton Athletic v Leicester City
Burnley v Blackburn
Southampton v Brentford or Hartlepool
Newcastle v Chelsea
Arsenal v West Ham or Sheffield United
Ties to be played on 19/20 February.
| Arsenal were handed a potential home tie against fellow Londoners West Ham, providing the Hammers come through their replay against Sheffield United.: Bolton v Derby or Fulham West Bromwich Albion or Tottenham v Nottingham Forest Everton v Manchester United Charlton Athletic v Leicester City Burnley v Blackburn Southampton v Brentford or Hartlepool Newcastle v Chelsea Arsenal v West Ham or Sheffield United Ties to be played on 19/20 February.United were drawn against Everton, while Chelsea face a trip to Newcastle.Nottingham Forest boss Gary Megson could face a trip back to old club West Brom if they come through their fourth-round replay against Tottenham. |
235 | Pension hitch for long-living men
Male life expectancy is much higher than originally estimated, leading pension researchers have said.
The Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) said life expectancy for unskilled and professional men has been understated. Life expectancy at birth is 71 years for a manual worker and 79 years for a professional - a gap of eight years. But if measured at age 65 instead, the PPI said, a manual worker will live to 81 years and a professional worker to 86 years - a gap of just five years. The PPI's estimate is higher because it excludes people who have died before they reach 65 years of age and also takes into account ongoing improvements in life expectancy.
The government has ruled out raising the state pension age, because it says it would penalise lower-skilled workers who generally have lower life expectancies. Chris Curry, PPI research director, said its calculations suggested there could be more pressure on state pension spending than originally envisaged. "Even people in social class V [unskilled manual workers] who are widely likely to have the lowest life expectancy can still expect to live 16 years after state pension age," he said. Researchers have not updated life expectancy projections for women, who on average live longer than men.
| "Even people in social class V [unskilled manual workers] who are widely likely to have the lowest life expectancy can still expect to live 16 years after state pension age," he said.Life expectancy at birth is 71 years for a manual worker and 79 years for a professional - a gap of eight years.But if measured at age 65 instead, the PPI said, a manual worker will live to 81 years and a professional worker to 86 years - a gap of just five years.The Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) said life expectancy for unskilled and professional men has been understated. |
942 | Blair and Blunkett Sheffield trip
Tony Blair is to join Home Secretary David Blunkett in a visit to Sheffield on Thursday.
Mr Blunkett's conduct is being looked at to establish whether he abused his position in relation to his ex-lover. The Parliamentary standards watchdog is looking at his decision to give Kimberly Quinn free rail tickets. He is also being investigated over the visa application of Mrs Quinn's ex-nanny. The visit to Sheffield will be seen as a show of unity by Mr Blair.
On Wednesday during Prime Minister's Questions, Tory leader Michael Howard went on the offensive over comments Mr Blunkett is alleged to have made in a new biography. He is understood to have made a series of criticisms about his Cabinet colleagues from the prime minister down. Mr Howard said Mr Blunkett had complained he had inherited a "giant mess" when he took over at the Home Office from Jack Straw, now foreign secretary. The Tory leader went on: "He doesn't stop there: he thinks the culture secretary's weak; he thinks the trade secretary doesn't think strategically and he thinks the education secretary hasn't developed as expected. "He says the prime minister doesn't like being told the truth and the chancellor - no doubt the prime minister will agree with this - is a bully." Mr Blair retorted voters remembered the record of a government and no comments by politicians.
The home secretary has already admitted he was wrong to give the two first class tickets, given to him as an MP, to Mrs Quinn and has since paid the £180 back. He has apologised for "a genuine mistake" and says he will write to the watchdog to answer further questions. The rail tickets are meant to help MPs' spouses get between Westminster and their constituencies. After his inquiry, Parliamentary watchdog Sir Philip Mawer will report to the Commons Standards and Privileges Committee, the group of MPs who will recommend to the full House of Commons what action - if any - should be taken against Mr Blunkett.
The separate inquiry by ex-senior civil servant Sir Alan Budd is investigating whether the home secretary helped fast-track a bid by Mrs Quinn's nanny, Leoncia Casalme, to stay in the UK. Last week, Mr Blunkett won the first round of a High Court battle with Mrs Quinn for access to her son. Mr Blunkett declined to comment about his own position, saying the inquiry was under way and the High Court had stressed his right to privacy did not affect his job in improving security and stability. Downing Street has stressed Mr Blair's support for the home secretary.
| Mr Howard said Mr Blunkett had complained he had inherited a "giant mess" when he took over at the Home Office from Jack Straw, now foreign secretary.Downing Street has stressed Mr Blair's support for the home secretary.On Wednesday during Prime Minister's Questions, Tory leader Michael Howard went on the offensive over comments Mr Blunkett is alleged to have made in a new biography.Last week, Mr Blunkett won the first round of a High Court battle with Mrs Quinn for access to her son.Tony Blair is to join Home Secretary David Blunkett in a visit to Sheffield on Thursday.The home secretary has already admitted he was wrong to give the two first class tickets, given to him as an MP, to Mrs Quinn and has since paid the £180 back.Mr Blunkett declined to comment about his own position, saying the inquiry was under way and the High Court had stressed his right to privacy did not affect his job in improving security and stability.The visit to Sheffield will be seen as a show of unity by Mr Blair. |
1,295 | Tories reject rethink on axed MP
Sacked MP Howard Flight's local Conservative association has insisted he will not be its candidate at the general election.
Russell Tanguay, agent for Arundel and South Downs Tories, said Mr Flight was ineligible to be a candidate and the association was seeking a substitute. The news comes despite Mr Flight's allies saying they had enough support to hold a meeting to discuss his fate. Mr Flight landed in trouble over remarks on Tory tax and spending plans. He quit as Tory deputy chairman after apparently suggesting the Tories planned extra spending cuts - but he wants to continue as an MP.
Tory headquarters says he cannot stand as a Conservative candidate because he is no longer an approved candidate. Mr Tanguay backed that view on Tuesday, saying: "Howard Flight is ineligible to stand as a Conservative Party candidate. "The association is in the process of selecting a new candidate."
But the local Tory chairman made similar comments on Friday and dissent continues. Two local councillors who back Mr Flight met Mr Tanguay and the local association's chairman in Arundel on Tuesday afternoon but did not comment as they left the meeting. Mr Flight says he will not stand down as a candidate unless his local party instructs him to do so at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM). The MP, who is consulting his lawyers, told BBC News: "They selected me and they, if you like, dispose of me or keep me." Mr Flight's supporters also say they have the 50 signatures needed to trigger the EGM.
At a news conference, Mr Howard insisted he had played by the party's rules. The Tory leader, who argues he is ensuring honesty, said: "We do not say one thing in private and another thing in public."
Labour election campaign coordinator Alan Milburn said the Tories were in "turmoil" because Mr Flight had exposed their hidden plans. The comments were not a "one-off", he said, claiming Mr Howard and other senior Tories were obsessively committed to cutting public spending. Liberal Democrat chairman Matthew Taylor said: "Whilst I disagree with Howard Flight's views, it seems extraordinary to sack somebody for telling the truth."
It has also emerged Mr Howard has suspended Slough's constituency Conservative association for refusing to deselect its candidate. Adrian Hilton was abandoned after suggesting the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, under John Major's government, was an act of treason. The Catholic Herald also highlighted articles he wrote about the role of Catholicism in the European Union. Mr Hilton was chosen to fight the seat after the previous candidate, Robert Oulds, was sacked for being pictured with a range of guns and a hunting knife. Slough Conservative Association has now been placed on "support status" and is being run from Conservative campaign headquarters, says a senior party spokesman.
Mr Hilton on Tuesday said he was considering taking legal action against his deposal. He said the local party had only learned of the final decision on the BBC News website on Monday evening. "There are people at Central Office who are behaving like little dictators and seemingly people who are ordinary members are being treated with contempt," he said. The party says it did try to contact the local Conservative chairman.
| Mr Flight says he will not stand down as a candidate unless his local party instructs him to do so at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM).Mr Tanguay backed that view on Tuesday, saying: "Howard Flight is ineligible to stand as a Conservative Party candidate.Russell Tanguay, agent for Arundel and South Downs Tories, said Mr Flight was ineligible to be a candidate and the association was seeking a substitute.Sacked MP Howard Flight's local Conservative association has insisted he will not be its candidate at the general election.Two local councillors who back Mr Flight met Mr Tanguay and the local association's chairman in Arundel on Tuesday afternoon but did not comment as they left the meeting.It has also emerged Mr Howard has suspended Slough's constituency Conservative association for refusing to deselect its candidate.The comments were not a "one-off", he said, claiming Mr Howard and other senior Tories were obsessively committed to cutting public spending.Tory headquarters says he cannot stand as a Conservative candidate because he is no longer an approved candidate.The party says it did try to contact the local Conservative chairman.Mr Hilton on Tuesday said he was considering taking legal action against his deposal.Mr Flight's supporters also say they have the 50 signatures needed to trigger the EGM. |
2,003 | Seamen sail into biometric future
The luxury cruise liner Crystal Harmony, currently in the Gulf of Mexico, is the unlikely setting for tests of biometric technology.
As holidaymakers enjoy balmy breezes, their ship's crew is testing prototype versions of the world's first internationally issued biometric ID cards, the seafarer's equivalent of a passport. Along with the owner's picture, name and personal details, the new Seafarers' Identity Document incorporates a barcode representing unique features of its holder's fingerprints. The cards are due to be issued in February next year, in line with the revised UN Convention on Seafarers' Identity Documents of June 2003. Tests currently under way in the Caribbean are designed to ensure that new cards and their machine readers, produced by different companies in different countries, are working to interoperable standards. Results of the current tests, which involve seafarers from a wide range of occupations and nationalities, will be published by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) by the end of November. Crystal Cruises, which operates the Crystal Harmony, is exploring the use of biometrics but has not yet committed to the technology.
Authenti-corp, the US technology consultancy, has been working with the ILO on its technical specifications for the cards.
"If you're issued a seafarer's ID in your country, you want to be sure that when the ship lands in a port in, say, my country you can validate yourself using whatever equipment we have installed," Authenti-corp's CEO, Cynthia Musselman, told the BBC's Go Digital programme. She said French, Jordanian and Nigerian nationals would be the first seafarers to get the new ID cards since their countries have already ratified the convention. It aims to combat international terrorism whilst guaranteeing the welfare the one million seafarers estimated to be at sea. The convention highlights the importance of access to shore facilities and shore leave as vital elements to a sailor's wellbeing and, therefore, it says, to safer shipping and cleaner oceans. "By increasing security on the seas as well as border control and protection, the cards will hopefully reduce the number of piracy problems around the world," said Ms Musselman. "It should be a safer environment for seafarers to work in, and will allow people protecting their borders to have confidence that the people getting off the ship are, in fact, seafarers."
| She said French, Jordanian and Nigerian nationals would be the first seafarers to get the new ID cards since their countries have already ratified the convention.The cards are due to be issued in February next year, in line with the revised UN Convention on Seafarers' Identity Documents of June 2003."It should be a safer environment for seafarers to work in, and will allow people protecting their borders to have confidence that the people getting off the ship are, in fact, seafarers."As holidaymakers enjoy balmy breezes, their ship's crew is testing prototype versions of the world's first internationally issued biometric ID cards, the seafarer's equivalent of a passport."If you're issued a seafarer's ID in your country, you want to be sure that when the ship lands in a port in, say, my country you can validate yourself using whatever equipment we have installed," Authenti-corp's CEO, Cynthia Musselman, told the BBC's Go Digital programme.The luxury cruise liner Crystal Harmony, currently in the Gulf of Mexico, is the unlikely setting for tests of biometric technology. |
765 | Cult band Kasabian surge forward
Indie dance band Kasabian built up a cult following throughout 2004 to secure three Brit Award nominations.
The four-piece Leicester band blends dark electronics with rock, earning Kasabian places on the best British group, rock act and live act shortlists. They have also earned a reputation as outspoken and charismatic, in contrast to fellow Brit nominees such as Keane and Snow Patrol. "British music needs a kick up the arse and Britain needs a new band to breathe life into the British people again," declared Kasabian's singer Tom Meighan.
"No-one's doing it at the minute. Music feels like it's in the afterlife right now. We don't want people to give up on it. "The serpent's going to rise from the sea and scare all the pirates away!" Meighan grew up in Leicester with Kasabian songwriter/guitarist Sergio Pizzorno and bassist Chris Edwards, a trio which began making music from the age of 17.
They enlisted guitarist and keyboard player Christopher Karloff after spotting him in a pub. "We saw his long sideburns and thought 'hey, he looks the part, we'll ask him,'" said Meighan. Inspired by Britpop and a mutual love of hardcore, an early 1990s genre that fused house music with hip hop beats and a dark sensibility, they added an electronic element to the traditional guitar sound. "We got a computer and we cut rock'n'roll up, because there's no point in going back to how it was," said Meighan. "It's all about new ideas and creativity."
The band's original approach is reflected in its name, inspired by Linda Kasabian - the getaway driver of US serial killer Charles Manson. Coincidentally it is also the Armenian term for "butcher". Kasabian moved into a remote farmhouse in Rutland to record their debut album, benefiting from its isolation but also managing to sneak in a few parties while they were there. Signed to the RCA record label, Kasabian tested the water with two singles, Club Foot and LSF, which reached numbers 19 and 10 in the UK singles chart respectively.
They built up their following on the summer festival circuit, opening both Glastonbury and T in the Park, and at a series of "guerilla gigs" at unusual venues including Half Time Orange, a pub next to Leicester City football club's headquarters. Kasabian's self-titled album was released last September to widespread critical acclaim, its indie dance stance drawing comparisons to The Stone Roses, Primal Scream and The Happy Mondays.
Regarding it as "both a fiery assertion of rock 'n' roll ethics and proof that a siege mentality is alive and well in the badlands of Rutland Water", the NME's praise was typical of the album's reception. As 2004 progressed Kasabian would score a further two hits - Processed Beats and Cutt Off - and embark upon a well-received UK tour. "We take our music seriously, definitely, but we want to have fun with it," said Pizzorno. "This is not a job to us," added Meighan. "This is the best life we could ever have. This is what it's all about and without it we'd be lost souls. But music needs us as well."
| "British music needs a kick up the arse and Britain needs a new band to breathe life into the British people again," declared Kasabian's singer Tom Meighan.Meighan grew up in Leicester with Kasabian songwriter/guitarist Sergio Pizzorno and bassist Chris Edwards, a trio which began making music from the age of 17.But music needs us as well.""We take our music seriously, definitely, but we want to have fun with it," said Pizzorno.Indie dance band Kasabian built up a cult following throughout 2004 to secure three Brit Award nominations.The four-piece Leicester band blends dark electronics with rock, earning Kasabian places on the best British group, rock act and live act shortlists.Kasabian moved into a remote farmhouse in Rutland to record their debut album, benefiting from its isolation but also managing to sneak in a few parties while they were there."We saw his long sideburns and thought 'hey, he looks the part, we'll ask him,'" said Meighan."We got a computer and we cut rock'n'roll up, because there's no point in going back to how it was," said Meighan."This is not a job to us," added Meighan.Signed to the RCA record label, Kasabian tested the water with two singles, Club Foot and LSF, which reached numbers 19 and 10 in the UK singles chart respectively. |
1,285 | EU rules 'won't stop UK spending'
The shape of the UK's economy In graphics
But he denied that he was ruling out British membership of the euro despite saying there would be no assessment of the five economic tests this year. Mr Brown said that it was vital the UK continued to invest in infrastructure, science, and education in the future. Otherwise it would be overtaken by the likes of China, he told MPs.
The chancellor said that the EU's planned changes in the growth and stability pact - designed to ensure that countries in the euro zone do not borrow too much - would force Britain to run a budget surplus of 1% over the economic cycle.
Under Mr Brown's rules, the UK current budget must be in balance over the economic cycle, but public investment is not counted as part of that deficit. He told the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee that the EU rules "make it difficult for a low debt country to run the investment programmes that are necessary to improve its infrastructure". But he argued that the EU was moving in the direction of the UK principles, and would eventually recognise the need to consider budget deficits over a longer period than one year, to include investment, and to take more account of the total size of government debt as well as the balance each year. Under Mr Brown's "sustainable investment" rule, government debt should be under 40% - in contrast to the 60% allowed under the growth and stability pact.
Mr Brown vigorously denied Conservative claims that he had in effect fiddled the figures to ensure that he met his own fiscal rules. In March the Office of National Statistics (ONS) reclassified £3.4bn of spending on road repairs as public investment - shortly before the chancellor announced in the Budget that he would meet his own fiscal budget rule by only £6bn. Conservative Michael Fallon asked Mr Brown whether the Treasury had leaned on ONS to make this change, and said that the ONS had received a written paper from the Treasury on this matter. But the chancellor said Mr Fallon was "impugning the integrity" of the Office of National Statistics and said the decision had been made completely independently. Mr Brown also denied that he was increasing taxes to fund his spending gap. He told the Treasury Select Committee that a growing economy meant more people in work and more profits for companies which would boost Treasury coffers.
Earlier, ex-Conservative chancellor Ken Clarke welcomed a relaxation of the rules governing the euro zone. Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Clarke said political give and take would replace more "rigid" rules. But fellow Tory David Heathcoat-Amory said the folly of the system was in trying to run Europe's varied economies on one set of rules. "The essential point here is that the stability and growth pact has turned out to be a fake," he said. "The warning is about the European constitution, which we are going to have a vote on in a year or two, and that centralises and entrenches these rules in a constitution. It gives more powers to Brussels to co-ordinate things like employment and economic policy." But, speaking to the Treasury Select Committee, Gordon Brown said that the new stability pact rules were not part of a binding Treaty and could be changed again the future - potentially opening the way for future euro membership. "The conditions for euro entry are unchanged by this new decision about the stability and growth pact," Mr. Brown said.
| "The conditions for euro entry are unchanged by this new decision about the stability and growth pact," Mr. Brown said.The chancellor said that the EU's planned changes in the growth and stability pact - designed to ensure that countries in the euro zone do not borrow too much - would force Britain to run a budget surplus of 1% over the economic cycle.But, speaking to the Treasury Select Committee, Gordon Brown said that the new stability pact rules were not part of a binding Treaty and could be changed again the future - potentially opening the way for future euro membership.Under Mr Brown's "sustainable investment" rule, government debt should be under 40% - in contrast to the 60% allowed under the growth and stability pact.Mr Brown said that it was vital the UK continued to invest in infrastructure, science, and education in the future.But the chancellor said Mr Fallon was "impugning the integrity" of the Office of National Statistics and said the decision had been made completely independently.Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Clarke said political give and take would replace more "rigid" rules.Under Mr Brown's rules, the UK current budget must be in balance over the economic cycle, but public investment is not counted as part of that deficit.Conservative Michael Fallon asked Mr Brown whether the Treasury had leaned on ONS to make this change, and said that the ONS had received a written paper from the Treasury on this matter. |
597 | Global release for Japan hit film
Oscar-winning animator Hayao Miyazaki's latest film, Howl's Moving Castle, is to be released in 50 countries around the world, its distributor has said.
Howl's Moving Castle set a Japanese box office record last week, taking 1.5bn yen (£7.7m) in its first two days. Miyazaki won an Oscar earlier this year for Spirited Away, Japan's first Academy Award for nearly 50 years. Howl's Moving Castle is based on a children's fantasy novel by UK author Diana Wynne Jones. It tells the story of an 18-year-old woman who ages dramatically after falling under a witch's spell. She heads to a moving castle kept by Howl, a wizard, and searches for a way to become normal again. A spokesman for distributor Toho said the film "has received strong interest from domestic audiences and foreign media and viewers alike". "We have a good feeling about this film. We saw very good viewer response," he added. The film's worldwide release will start in South Korea on 24 December, and France on 12 January.
| Oscar-winning animator Hayao Miyazaki's latest film, Howl's Moving Castle, is to be released in 50 countries around the world, its distributor has said.Howl's Moving Castle set a Japanese box office record last week, taking 1.5bn yen (£7.7m) in its first two days.Howl's Moving Castle is based on a children's fantasy novel by UK author Diana Wynne Jones."We have a good feeling about this film. |
1,167 | Tory leader unveils spending plan
Tory leader Michael Howard says his party can save £35bn in government spending by tackling waste.
The money would be ploughed back into frontline services like the NHS and schools with the rest used to cut government borrowing and reduce taxes. The Tory leader has also shrugged off the defection of one of his MPs, Robert Jackson, a former minister, to Labour. Mr Howard said that these things happened in politics and it would not affect the outcome of the election. "Let's be realistic - the election is not going to be decided on the basis of what Mr Jackson did", he told BBC 1's Breakfast with Frost programme. However the defection on Saturday has cast a shadow over the launch of the Conservatives' spending plans. Fuller details are due to be unveiled on Monday.
The bulk of the £35bn saved by tackling bureaucracy and inefficient systems will go back into frontline services, Mr Howard said. The £12bn left over would then be spent on reducing government borrowing, he added. However, the remainder would deal with some of the "unfair taxes". "Almost every independent expert says if you get another Labour government you are going to have to pay higher taxes," Mr Howard insisted. "Because borrowing is going up, it is out of control, that is bound to lead to higher taxes or higher interest rates or both. "So part of the £12bn we are going to apply to filling the government's black hole, reducing the borrowing. "The rest will be used to reduce these unfair taxes which are bearing so heavily on the people of our country today."
Mr Howard is expected to say that around £6bn will be available for tax cuts when he makes his announcement on Monday. The cuts will be paid for out of the savings identified by business trouble-shooter David James. Home Office spending could be cut by £1.6bn, according to the final instalment of his year-long review. Savings of £153m at the Foreign Office and £336m at the Department for Culture Media and Sport, have also been identified. In all, almost a quarter of a million jobs and 168 public bodies would go under Mr James' proposals.
Mr Howard said: "All this adds up to a bottom line and the bottom line is at this election people will have a clear choice between Mr Blair, who will waste more and tax more, and a Conservative government that will give them value for money and tax less." However, Chief Treasury Secretary Paul Boateng said: "None of the Tories' figures add up so they can't make these savings and can't pay for any tax cuts, which means the only guaranteed cut from the Tories is £35bn of cuts, hitting frontline public services hard." Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy added: "People will not be taken in by Michael Howard's claims of £35bn worth of savings. "This can't be achieved without drastic cuts in local services in their own communities." A poll for the News of the World newspaper suggests the Conservatives are on course for their worst election defeat in a century. Labour will hold key marginal constituencies, winning a majority of 160, the Populus survey suggests. And the Liberal Democrats will take three key seats from the Conservatives, leaving the Tories with just 163 MPs, two less than they returned atLabour's 1997 landslide and their worst showing since 1906.
| Mr Howard is expected to say that around £6bn will be available for tax cuts when he makes his announcement on Monday.Tory leader Michael Howard says his party can save £35bn in government spending by tackling waste."Almost every independent expert says if you get another Labour government you are going to have to pay higher taxes," Mr Howard insisted.The money would be ploughed back into frontline services like the NHS and schools with the rest used to cut government borrowing and reduce taxes.Mr Howard said: "All this adds up to a bottom line and the bottom line is at this election people will have a clear choice between Mr Blair, who will waste more and tax more, and a Conservative government that will give them value for money and tax less."The £12bn left over would then be spent on reducing government borrowing, he added.The bulk of the £35bn saved by tackling bureaucracy and inefficient systems will go back into frontline services, Mr Howard said.Mr Howard said that these things happened in politics and it would not affect the outcome of the election.However, Chief Treasury Secretary Paul Boateng said: "None of the Tories' figures add up so they can't make these savings and can't pay for any tax cuts, which means the only guaranteed cut from the Tories is £35bn of cuts, hitting frontline public services hard."Home Office spending could be cut by £1.6bn, according to the final instalment of his year-long review."So part of the £12bn we are going to apply to filling the government's black hole, reducing the borrowing. |
2,210 | Video phones act as dating tools
Technologies, from e-mail, to net chatrooms, instant messaging and mobiles, have proved to be a big pull with those looking for love.
The lure once was that you could hide behind the technology, but now video phones are in on the act to add vision. Hundreds have submitted a mobile video profile to win a place at the world's first video mobile dating event. The top 100 meet their match on 30 November at London's Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA). The event, organised by the 3G network, 3, could catch on as the trend for unusual dating events, like speed dating, continues. "It's the beginning of the end of the blind date as we know it," said Graeme Oxby, 3's marketing director. The response has been so promising that 3 says it is planning to launch a proper commercial dating service soon. Hundreds of hopefuls submitted their profiles, and special booths were set up in a major London department store for two weeks where expert tips were given on how to visually improve their chances. The 100 most popular contestants voted by the public will gather at the ICA in separate rooms and "meet" by phone.
Dating services and other more adult match-making services are proving to be a strong stream of revenue worth millions for mobile companies. Whether it does actually provide an interesting match for video phone technologies remains to be seen. Flic Everett, journalist and dating expert for Company magazine and the Daily Express, thinks technology has been liberating for some nervous soul-mate seekers. There are currently about 1.3 million video phones in use in the UK and three times more single people in Britain than there were 30 years ago, With more people buying video mobiles, 3G dating could be the basis for a successful and safe way to meet people.
"One of the problems with video phones is people don't really know what to video. It is a weird technology. We have not quite worked out what it is for. This gives it a focus and a useful one," she told BBC News. "I would never have thought online dating would take off the way it did," she said. "Lots of people find it easier to be honest writing e-mail or text than face-to-face. Lots people are quite shy and they feel vulnerable." "When you are writing, it comes directly onto the page so they tend to be more honest." But the barrier that comes with SMS chat and online match-making is that the person behind the profile may not be who they really are. Scare stories have put people off as a result, according to Ms Everett. Many physical clues, body language, odd twitches, are obviously missing with SMS and online dating services. Still images do not necessarily provide all those necessary cues. "It could really take off because you do get the whole package. With a static e-mail picture, you don't know who the person is behind it is." So checking out a potential date by video phone also gives singletons a different kind of barrier, an extra layer of protection; a case of WLTS before WLTM. "If you are trapped in real-life blind date context, you can't get away and you feel embarrassed. "With a video meeting, you really have the barrier of the phone so if you don't like them you don't have to suffer the embarrassment."
There is a more serious side to this new use of technology though. With money being made through more adult-themes content and services which let people meet and chat, the revenue streams for mobile carriers will grow with 3G, thinks Paolo Pescatore mobile industry specialist for analysts IDC. "Wireless is a medium that is being exploited with a number of features and services. One is chatting and the dating element is key there," he said. "The foundation has been set by SMS and companies are using media like MMS and video to grow the market further." But carriers need to be wary and ensure that if they do launch such 3G dating services, they ensure mechanism are in place to monitor and be aware who is registers and accesses these services on regular basis, he cautioned. In July, Vodafone introduced a content control system to protect children from such adult content. The move was as a result of a code of practice agreed by the UK's six largest mobile phone operators in January. The system means Vodafone users need to prove they are over 18 before firewalls are lifted on explicit websites or chat rooms dealing with adult themes. The impetus was the growing number of people with handsets that could access the net, and the growth of 3G technologies.
| "One of the problems with video phones is people don't really know what to video.There are currently about 1.3 million video phones in use in the UK and three times more single people in Britain than there were 30 years ago, With more people buying video mobiles, 3G dating could be the basis for a successful and safe way to meet people.The lure once was that you could hide behind the technology, but now video phones are in on the act to add vision.Hundreds have submitted a mobile video profile to win a place at the world's first video mobile dating event.Whether it does actually provide an interesting match for video phone technologies remains to be seen."With a video meeting, you really have the barrier of the phone so if you don't like them you don't have to suffer the embarrassment."With money being made through more adult-themes content and services which let people meet and chat, the revenue streams for mobile carriers will grow with 3G, thinks Paolo Pescatore mobile industry specialist for analysts IDC.The event, organised by the 3G network, 3, could catch on as the trend for unusual dating events, like speed dating, continues.The impetus was the growing number of people with handsets that could access the net, and the growth of 3G technologies.Dating services and other more adult match-making services are proving to be a strong stream of revenue worth millions for mobile companies.Lots people are quite shy and they feel vulnerable."One is chatting and the dating element is key there," he said.But the barrier that comes with SMS chat and online match-making is that the person behind the profile may not be who they really are.Flic Everett, journalist and dating expert for Company magazine and the Daily Express, thinks technology has been liberating for some nervous soul-mate seekers."The foundation has been set by SMS and companies are using media like MMS and video to grow the market further."So checking out a potential date by video phone also gives singletons a different kind of barrier, an extra layer of protection; a case of WLTS before WLTM. |
1,984 | Halo 2 sells five million copies
Microsoft is celebrating bumper sales of its Xbox sci-fi shooter, Halo 2.
The game has sold more than five million copies worldwide since it went on sale in mid-November, the company said. Halo 2 has proved popular online, with gamers notching up a record 28 million hours playing the game on Xbox Live. According to Microsoft, nine out of 10 Xbox Live members have played the game for an average of 91 minutes per session.
The sequel to the best-selling Need for Speed: Underground has inched ahead of the competition to take the top slot in the official UK games charts. The racing game moved up one spot to first place, nudging GTA: San Andreas down to second place. Halo 2 dropped one place to five, while Half-Life 2 fell to number nine. Last week's new releases, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent and Killzone, both failed to make it into the top 10, debuting at number 11 and 12 respectively.
Record numbers of Warcraft fans are settling in the games online world. On the opening day of the World of Warcraft massive multi-player online game more than 200,000 players signed up to play. On the evening of the first day more than 100,000 players were in the world, forcing Blizzard to add another 34 servers to cope with the influx. The online game turns the stand alone Warcraft games into a persistent world that players can inhabit not just visit
Europe's gamers could be waiting until January to hear when they can get their mitts on Nintendo's handheld device, Nintendo DS, says gamesindustry.biz. David Yarnton, Nintendo UK general manager, told a press conference to look out for details in the New Year. Its US launch was on Sunday and it goes on sale in Japan on 2 December. Nintendo has a 95% share of the handheld gaming market and said it expected to sell around five million of the DS by March 2005.
| Record numbers of Warcraft fans are settling in the games online world.Halo 2 has proved popular online, with gamers notching up a record 28 million hours playing the game on Xbox Live.The online game turns the stand alone Warcraft games into a persistent world that players can inhabit not just visit Europe's gamers could be waiting until January to hear when they can get their mitts on Nintendo's handheld device, Nintendo DS, says gamesindustry.biz.On the opening day of the World of Warcraft massive multi-player online game more than 200,000 players signed up to play.The game has sold more than five million copies worldwide since it went on sale in mid-November, the company said.According to Microsoft, nine out of 10 Xbox Live members have played the game for an average of 91 minutes per session. |
1,558 | Bomb threat at Bernabeu stadium
Spectators were evacuated from Real Madrid's Bernabeu stadium on Sunday following a bomb scare during the game between the hosts and Real Sociedad.
More than 70,000 people abandoned the ground with the score at 1-1 and only three minutes left to play. The Basque newspaper Gara apparently received a telephone call saying a bomb was due to explode at 2100 local time. But after searching the stadium with sniffer dogs, the police said that no explosive device had been found.
"The police have said they have completed their search and have not found anything," said Real Madrid president Florentino Perez. "The best thing we can all do now is to put this nightmare behind us." Madrid midfielder Guti told private Spanish radio station Cadena Ser: "I have never seen this before and sport should be above it all." Real took the lead just before the break when Brazilian striker Ronaldo cracked home with his left foot. Sociedad levelled the match midway through the second half when Turkish striker Nihat Kahveci smashed home with an acrobatic finish. It is not yet clear if the remaining three minutes of the game will be played at a later date or if the result will be allowed to stand.
If the result remains at 1-1, Real will drop to third place in the standings, 11 points behind leaders Barcelona, who snatched a late 2-1 win at Albacete on Saturday. Initial reports suggested the Basque separatist group ETA may be responsible for the bomb threat after issuing similar warnings before a series of small explosions in recent days. The Bernabeu was targeted by ETA on 1 May, 2002, when Madrid were about to play FC Barcelona in a Champions League semi-final. A car bomb exploded in a street outside the stadium and 17 people were slightly injured.
| Spectators were evacuated from Real Madrid's Bernabeu stadium on Sunday following a bomb scare during the game between the hosts and Real Sociedad."The police have said they have completed their search and have not found anything," said Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.The Bernabeu was targeted by ETA on 1 May, 2002, when Madrid were about to play FC Barcelona in a Champions League semi-final.Real took the lead just before the break when Brazilian striker Ronaldo cracked home with his left foot.If the result remains at 1-1, Real will drop to third place in the standings, 11 points behind leaders Barcelona, who snatched a late 2-1 win at Albacete on Saturday.A car bomb exploded in a street outside the stadium and 17 people were slightly injured. |
2,061 | Microsoft takes on desktop search
Microsoft has entered the desktop search fray, releasing a test version of its tool to find documents, e-mails and other files on a PC hard drive.
The beta program only works on PCs running Windows XP or Windows 2000. The desktop search market is becoming increasingly crowded with firms touting programs that help people find files. Search giant Google launched its desktop search tool in October, while Yahoo is planning to release similar software in January.
"Our ambition for search is to provide the ultimate information tool that can find anything you're looking for," said Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president at Microsoft's MSN internet division. Microsoft's program can be used as a toolbar on the Windows desktop, the Internet Explorer browser and within the Outlook e-mail program. The software giant is coming late to the desktop search arena, competing with a large number of rivals. Google has already released a desktop tool. Yahoo is planning to get into the game in January and AOL is expected to offer desktop searching early next year. Small firms such as Blinkx, Copernic, Enfish X1 Technologies and X-Friend offer tools that catalogue the huge amounts of information that people increasingly store on their desktop or home computer. Apple will release a similar search system for its computers called Spotlight that is due to be released with the Tiger operating system.
| Search giant Google launched its desktop search tool in October, while Yahoo is planning to release similar software in January.The desktop search market is becoming increasingly crowded with firms touting programs that help people find files.Google has already released a desktop tool.Microsoft has entered the desktop search fray, releasing a test version of its tool to find documents, e-mails and other files on a PC hard drive.Microsoft's program can be used as a toolbar on the Windows desktop, the Internet Explorer browser and within the Outlook e-mail program. |
793 | Prodigy join V Festival line-up
Essex act Prodigy are to headline the second stage at this year's V Festival, joining main stage headliners Scissor Sisters and Franz Ferdinand.
The event, which is in its 10th year, will be held at two venues - Hylands Park in Essex and Weston Park in Staffordshire on 20 and 21 August. Meanwhile, rock veterans New Order have joined the T in the Park line-up alongside Athlete and Green Day. The Manchester band will play on 9 July at Scotland's biggest festival. It will be their debut performance at the music event which is held over the weekend of 9 and 10 July in Balado near Kinross. Other bands at the sold-out festival include Queens of the Stone Age, The Killers, Keane, The Streets and Foo Fighters.
A month later at the V Festival, Prodigy will play at Weston Park on Saturday 20 August and Hylands Park on Sunday 21 August and the Chemical Brothers vice versa. It will be the Chemical Brothers' only UK festival performance of the year. V festival director Bob Angus said: "With the Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers now confirmed to headline the second stage, we are headed for a really stellar line-up. "We pride ourselves on putting on an unbeatable live music experience and V Festival 2005 will not disappoint." Tickets for the V festival go on sale on Friday 11 March.
| A month later at the V Festival, Prodigy will play at Weston Park on Saturday 20 August and Hylands Park on Sunday 21 August and the Chemical Brothers vice versa.V festival director Bob Angus said: "With the Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers now confirmed to headline the second stage, we are headed for a really stellar line-up.It will be the Chemical Brothers' only UK festival performance of the year."We pride ourselves on putting on an unbeatable live music experience and V Festival 2005 will not disappoint."Tickets for the V festival go on sale on Friday 11 March. |
2,199 | Cabs collect mountain of mobiles
Gadgets are cheaper, smaller and more common than ever. But that just means we are more likely to lose them.
In London alone over the past six months more than 63,000 mobile phones have been left in the back of black cabs, according to a survey. That works out at about three phones per cab. Over the same period almost 5,000 laptops and 5,800 PDAs such as Palms and Pocket PCs were left in licensed cabs. Even the great and good are not immune to losing their beloved gadgets. Jemima Khan reportedly left her iPod, phone and purse in a cab and asked for them to be returned to her friend who turned out to be Hugh Grant. As the popularity of portable gadgets has grown, and we trust more of our lives to them, we seem to be forgetting them in ever larger numbers. The numbers of lost laptops has leapt by 71% in the last three years.
This has left Londoners, or those travelling by cab in the capital, as the world's best at losing laptops, according to the research by the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association and Pointsec, a mobile-data backup firm. More than twice as many laptops were left in the back of black cabs in London as in any of the nine other cities (Helsinki, Oslo, Munich, Paris, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Chicago and Sydney) where the research into lost and found gadgets was carried out. By contrast Danes were most adept at losing mobile phones being seven times more likely to leave it behind in a cab than travellers in Germans, Norwegians and Swedes. Top of the range phones can carry enormous amounts of data - enough to hold hundreds of pictures or thousands of contact details. Given that few people back up the data on their PC it is a fair bet that even fewer do so with the phone they carry around. You could be losing a fair chunk of your life in the back of that cab not least because many people collect numbers on their phone that they do not have anywhere else.
Equally, phones let you navigate through contacts by name so many people have completely forgotten their friends' numbers and could not reconstruct them if they had to. This growing habit of losing gadgets explains the rise of firms such as Retrofone which lets people buy a cheap old-fashioned phone to replace the tiny, shiny expensive one they have just lost. Briton's growing love of phones has also led to the creation of the Mobile Equipment National Database that lets you register the unique ID number of your phone so it can be returned to you in the event of it being lost or stolen. According to statistics 50% of all muggings and snatch theft offences involve mobiles. Millions of gadgets are now logged in the database and organisations such as Transport For London regularly consult it when trying to re-unite folk with their phones and other gadgets. For the drivers, finding a mobile in the back of their cab is one of the more pleasant things many have found. The survey of what else has been left behind included a harp, a dog, a hamster and a baby.
| You could be losing a fair chunk of your life in the back of that cab not least because many people collect numbers on their phone that they do not have anywhere else.In London alone over the past six months more than 63,000 mobile phones have been left in the back of black cabs, according to a survey.Briton's growing love of phones has also led to the creation of the Mobile Equipment National Database that lets you register the unique ID number of your phone so it can be returned to you in the event of it being lost or stolen.That works out at about three phones per cab.By contrast Danes were most adept at losing mobile phones being seven times more likely to leave it behind in a cab than travellers in Germans, Norwegians and Swedes.More than twice as many laptops were left in the back of black cabs in London as in any of the nine other cities (Helsinki, Oslo, Munich, Paris, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Chicago and Sydney) where the research into lost and found gadgets was carried out.This growing habit of losing gadgets explains the rise of firms such as Retrofone which lets people buy a cheap old-fashioned phone to replace the tiny, shiny expensive one they have just lost.This has left Londoners, or those travelling by cab in the capital, as the world's best at losing laptops, according to the research by the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association and Pointsec, a mobile-data backup firm.Given that few people back up the data on their PC it is a fair bet that even fewer do so with the phone they carry around. |
1,703 | Dawson set for new Wasps contract
European champions Wasps are set to offer Matt Dawson a new deal.
The 31-year-old World Cup winning scrum-half has impressed since joining the London side from Northampton this summer on a one-year contract. Wasps coach Warren Gatland told the Daily Mirror: "We have not yet offered Matt a new contract but we will be doing so. "I'm very happy with his contribution and I think he's good enough to play for another couple of years." Dawson played a vital part in England's World Cup win last year but has fallen out of favour with new coach Andy Robinson after missing a training session in September. However he hopes the new deal will help him regain his England place.
"Rugby is still my priority and there's still a burning desire within me to play the best rugby I possibly can," he said. "I know within myself, if I was given the chance I could play for England again. "I know I'm fit enough, I'm strong enough, I'm skilful enough."
| European champions Wasps are set to offer Matt Dawson a new deal."I'm very happy with his contribution and I think he's good enough to play for another couple of years."Wasps coach Warren Gatland told the Daily Mirror: "We have not yet offered Matt a new contract but we will be doing so.However he hopes the new deal will help him regain his England place. |
1,935 | Sony wares win innovation award
Sony has taken the prize for top innovator at the annual awards of PC Pro Magazine.
It won the award for taking risks with products and for its "brave" commitment to good design. Conferring the award, PC Pro's staff picked out Sony's PCG-X505/P Vaio laptop as a "stunning piece of engineering". The electronics giant beat off strong competition from Toshiba and chip makers AMD and Intel to take the gong.
Paul Trotter, news and features editor of PC Pro, said several Sony products helped it to take the innovation award.
He said Sony's Clie PEG UX50 media player with its swivel screen and qwerty keyboard "broke the design rules yet again". Other Sony products that helped included the Vaio W1 desktop computer and the RA-104 media server. Mr Trotter said Sony's combining of computer, screen and keyboard in the W1 was likely to be widely copied in future home PCs. The company has also become one of the first to use organic LEDs in its products. "While not always inventing new technology itself, Sony was never afraid to innovate around various formats," said Mr Trotter.
Other awards decided by PC Pro's staff and contributors included one for Canon's EOS 300D digital camera in the Most Wanted Hardware category.
Microsoft's Media Player 10 took the award for Most Wanted Software. This year was the 10th anniversary of the PC Pro awards, which splits its prizes into two sections. The first are chosen by the magazine's writers and consultants, the second are voted for by readers. Mr Trotter said more than 13,000 people voted for the Reliability and Service Awards, twice as many as in 2003. Net-based memory and video card shop Crucial shared the award for Online Vendor of the year with Novatech.
| Paul Trotter, news and features editor of PC Pro, said several Sony products helped it to take the innovation award.Sony has taken the prize for top innovator at the annual awards of PC Pro Magazine.Other awards decided by PC Pro's staff and contributors included one for Canon's EOS 300D digital camera in the Most Wanted Hardware category.Mr Trotter said Sony's combining of computer, screen and keyboard in the W1 was likely to be widely copied in future home PCs.Conferring the award, PC Pro's staff picked out Sony's PCG-X505/P Vaio laptop as a "stunning piece of engineering".Mr Trotter said more than 13,000 people voted for the Reliability and Service Awards, twice as many as in 2003."While not always inventing new technology itself, Sony was never afraid to innovate around various formats," said Mr Trotter. |
1,175 | Amnesty chief laments war failure
The lack of public outrage about the war on terror is a powerful indictment of the failure of human rights groups, Amnesty International's chief has said.
In a lecture at the London School of Economics, Irene Khan said human rights had been flouted in the name of security since 11 September, 2001. She said the human rights movement had to use simpler language both to prevent scepticism and spread a moral message. And it had to fight poverty, not just focus on political rights for elites.
Ms Khan highlighted detentions without trial, including those at the US camp at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, and the abuse of prisoners as evidence of increasing human rights problems. "What's a new challenge is the way in which this age-old debate on security and human rights has been translated into the language of war," she said. "By using the language of war, human rights are being sidelined because we know human rights do not apply in times of war." Ms Khan said such breaches were infectious and were now seen in almost very major country in the world. "The human rights movement faces a crisis of faith in the value of human rights," she said. That was accompanied by a crisis of governance, where the United Nations system did not seem able to hold countries to account.
The Amnesty secretary-general said a growing gap between the perceived influence of human rights group and what they could actually achieve was fuelling scepticism. "Public passivity on the war against terror is the single most powerful indictment on the failures of human rights groups," she said. Ms Khan said the movement had failed to mobilise public outrage about what was happening to the human rights system. There needed to be a drive to use simpler language, talking about the basic morality of the issues rather than the complexity of legal processes. Such efforts could make the issues more relevant to people across the world, she said.
The human rights groups also had to recognise there were new groups which had to be tackled in new ways as power dripped away from state governments. Al-Qaeda, for example, was not going to be impressed by a traditional Amnesty letter writing campaign. More also needed to be done to develop a human rights framework for international business corporations. Amnesty International members voted in 2001 to extend the organisation's work from political and civil rights to cover social and economic rights too. Ms Khan said the human rights movement would make itself irrelevant if it turned away from the suffering caused by economic strife. "We would be an elitist bunch working for the elites, for those who cannot read the newspaper of their choice rather than those who cannot read," she said. Despite her concerns, Ms Khan dubbed herself a "hope-monger", saying she was confident the passions of the human rights movement could overcome the new challenges.
| Ms Khan said the movement had failed to mobilise public outrage about what was happening to the human rights system."The human rights movement faces a crisis of faith in the value of human rights," she said."By using the language of war, human rights are being sidelined because we know human rights do not apply in times of war."Ms Khan said the human rights movement would make itself irrelevant if it turned away from the suffering caused by economic strife.She said the human rights movement had to use simpler language both to prevent scepticism and spread a moral message."Public passivity on the war against terror is the single most powerful indictment on the failures of human rights groups," she said.The lack of public outrage about the war on terror is a powerful indictment of the failure of human rights groups, Amnesty International's chief has said."What's a new challenge is the way in which this age-old debate on security and human rights has been translated into the language of war," she said.The Amnesty secretary-general said a growing gap between the perceived influence of human rights group and what they could actually achieve was fuelling scepticism. |
969 | No to Royal succession shake-up
A Labour peer has withdrawn proposals to give female members of the Royal Family the same rights as males.
The legislation would have ended the right of male heirs with older sisters to succeed to the Crown. It would also have torn up ancient legislation banning heirs to the throne marrying Roman Catholics. But the government refused to back Lord Dubs' Succession to the Crown Bill, saying it was too complex and raised too many constitutional issues.
The Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, agreed the 1701 Act of Settlement, which governs the succession, was discriminatory but added that "for all practical purposes its effects are limited".
The changes proposed by Lord Dubs were a "complex and controversial undertaking raising major constitutional issues", he said. Lord Falconer said there were 22 members of the Royal Family in the line of succession after the Prince of Wales - all of who were eligible to succeed and had been unaffected by the act. "It is not a simple matter that can be tinkered with lightly. While we wish to remove all forms of discrimination... this isn't the proper form," he added.
He did not rule out change in the future but said if Lord Dubs' private member's bill was passed by peers, he would urge MPs to oppose it in the Commons. Lord Dubs agreed to withdraw his bill after its second reading in the House of Lords, but urged the government to think again at a later stage. "We cannot forever say we don't want to change things because it is too difficult," he told peers. During the debate, the Labour peer and former minister said: "The monarchy should symbolise the values of this country. "What we don't want is a situation where the values of the country have moved on and the monarchy is centuries behind the times. "We are surely all opposed to discrimination on the grounds of gender and we are surely also opposed to discrimination against Catholics." But opponents of the bill, including Tory Lord Campbell of Alloway and the Bishop of Winchester, the Rt Rev Michael Scott-Joynt, said it would separate the state from both the Church of England and the Christian faith. Such a "secular" state would be markedly "less tolerant", Rt Rev Scott-Joynt argued.
| He did not rule out change in the future but said if Lord Dubs' private member's bill was passed by peers, he would urge MPs to oppose it in the Commons.But the government refused to back Lord Dubs' Succession to the Crown Bill, saying it was too complex and raised too many constitutional issues.The changes proposed by Lord Dubs were a "complex and controversial undertaking raising major constitutional issues", he said.But opponents of the bill, including Tory Lord Campbell of Alloway and the Bishop of Winchester, the Rt Rev Michael Scott-Joynt, said it would separate the state from both the Church of England and the Christian faith.Lord Falconer said there were 22 members of the Royal Family in the line of succession after the Prince of Wales - all of who were eligible to succeed and had been unaffected by the act.The Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, agreed the 1701 Act of Settlement, which governs the succession, was discriminatory but added that "for all practical purposes its effects are limited".Lord Dubs agreed to withdraw his bill after its second reading in the House of Lords, but urged the government to think again at a later stage. |
2,047 | Satellite mapping aids Darfur relief
Aid workers trying to house, feed and clothe millions of homeless refugees in the Sudanese region of Darfur are getting a helping hand from advanced mapping technology.
A European consortium of companies and university groups known as Respond is working to provide accurate and up to date maps. The aim is to overcome some of the huge logistical challenges in getting supplies to where they are needed. Respond is using satellite imagery to produce accurate maps that can be used in the field rapidly. "Respond has produced very detailed maps for example for the road networks, for the rivers and for the villages, to more large-scale maps useful for very general planning purposes," said Einar Bjorgo from Unosat, the UN satellite mapping organisation that is part of the Respond consortium.
The group uses satellites from Nasa, the European Space Agency and the Disaster Monitoring Constellation. The satellite data is transmitted to ground stations. From there, the information makes its way to Respond organisations that specialise in interpreting such data. "You have to convert the data into images, then the interpreter has to convert all this into crisis, damage, or situation maps," said Stefan Voigt, who works in the remote sensing department of one of those organisations, the German Aerospace Centre.
This kind of detailed analysis usually takes a couple of months but Respond gets it done in about 12 hours. "Our users are usually not so much familiar with reading satellite imagery, reading satellite maps, so it's our task to transfer the data into information that non-technical people can read and understand easily and very, very efficiently," said Mr Voigt. Respond supplies maps to aid groups via the web, and on compact disc. But the best map is one you can hold in your hands, especially in remote areas where internet connections and laptops are scarce. "A map is a working document," explains Herbert Hansen of Respond's Belgian partner Keyobs. "You need to use it, you need to write on it, correct, give feedback and so on, so you need paper to write on. "We print maps, we laminate the maps, we encapsulate the maps if needed so you can take a shower with the map, it's completely protected."
Humanitarian groups in Darfur have been making good use of Respond's maps. They have come in especially handy during Sudan's rainy season, when normally dry riverbeds, or wadis, became flooded. "These wadis had a very small amount of flooding, generally, in terms of depth, but greatly impeded the transport capabilities and capacities of the humanitarian groups on the ground," says Stephen Candillon of Respond imaging partner Sertit. Respond's rapid imaging has allowed aid groups to find ways around the wadis, allowing then to mark on their maps which roads were washed out at which times. Aid groups say that combination of satellite technology and on-the-ground observation helped keep relief flowing to those who needed it.
Clark Boyd is technology correspondent for The World, a BBC World Service and WGBH-Boston co-production
| Respond supplies maps to aid groups via the web, and on compact disc."Respond has produced very detailed maps for example for the road networks, for the rivers and for the villages, to more large-scale maps useful for very general planning purposes," said Einar Bjorgo from Unosat, the UN satellite mapping organisation that is part of the Respond consortium.Respond is using satellite imagery to produce accurate maps that can be used in the field rapidly.Respond's rapid imaging has allowed aid groups to find ways around the wadis, allowing then to mark on their maps which roads were washed out at which times."We print maps, we laminate the maps, we encapsulate the maps if needed so you can take a shower with the map, it's completely protected."A European consortium of companies and university groups known as Respond is working to provide accurate and up to date maps.Aid groups say that combination of satellite technology and on-the-ground observation helped keep relief flowing to those who needed it.Humanitarian groups in Darfur have been making good use of Respond's maps."Our users are usually not so much familiar with reading satellite imagery, reading satellite maps, so it's our task to transfer the data into information that non-technical people can read and understand easily and very, very efficiently," said Mr Voigt. |
659 | Spector facing more legal action
Music producer Phil Spector is facing legal action from the mother of the actress he has been accused of killing.
Donna Clarkson, whose daughter Lana was found dead in Mr Spector's home in February 2003, is seeking unspecified damages in a civil action. The legal action accuses Mr Spector of murdering the actress at his LA home. Mr Spector is currently free on $1m (£535,000) bail and is awaiting trial. The 64-year-old has denied the killing, saying her death was accidental.
Ms Clarkson's legal action, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, also accuses Mr Spector of negligence and battery, alleging he "grabbed, hit, fought with and restrained" Lana Clarkson before shooting her to death. Her lawyers said in a statement: "The Clarkson family had hoped that there would be some resolution with regard to the criminal proceedings before moving forward with the civil action. "However, Ms Clarkson and her family understand that the fair administration of justice takes time and in light of the numerous changes Mr Spector has made in his legal defence team over the last two years, Ms Clarkson was forced to file the action before (the statute of limitations expired) on 3 February 2005." Mr Spector, known for his work with the Beatles, has claimed that Lana Clarkson committed suicide. His lawyers, led by Bruce Cutler, have vowed to prove him innocent at trial.
Mr Cutler said: "Phil did not cause the death of this woman, he's not criminally responsible and he's not civilly responsible either. "But I'm not surprised they filed a suit for money, that seems to be de rigueur nowadays." A Los Angeles Superior Court judge is expected to set a trial date later this month for Spector, who was indicted on murder charges in September. Roderick Lindblom, one of Ms Clarkson's lawyers, said: "Our intent is to let the criminal proceedings go forward and not do anything that would interfere with the prosecution."
| Ms Clarkson's legal action, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, also accuses Mr Spector of negligence and battery, alleging he "grabbed, hit, fought with and restrained" Lana Clarkson before shooting her to death.The legal action accuses Mr Spector of murdering the actress at his LA home."However, Ms Clarkson and her family understand that the fair administration of justice takes time and in light of the numerous changes Mr Spector has made in his legal defence team over the last two years, Ms Clarkson was forced to file the action before (the statute of limitations expired) on 3 February 2005."Mr Spector, known for his work with the Beatles, has claimed that Lana Clarkson committed suicide.Music producer Phil Spector is facing legal action from the mother of the actress he has been accused of killing.Donna Clarkson, whose daughter Lana was found dead in Mr Spector's home in February 2003, is seeking unspecified damages in a civil action. |
1,053 | Kilroy-Silk attacked with slurry
Euro MP Robert Kilroy-Silk has had a bucket of farm slurry thrown over him by a protester in Manchester.
The UK Independence Party member was arriving for a BBC radio show when the attacker emerged from behind a bush. Fellow guest Ruth Kelly MP was also hit by the slurry. Mr Kilroy-Silk said the man, who later disappeared, claimed he was "doing it in the name of Islam". In January, Mr Kilroy-Silk quit his BBC One show for remarks he made about Arabs, who he called "suicide bombers".
Mr Kilroy-Silk had already been taken off air by BBC bosses for the comments, in which he also described Arabs as "limb-amputators, women repressors". The remarks prompted outrage among Muslim groups. The slurry attack took place on Friday as Mr Kilroy-Silk and Ms Kelly, a Cabinet Office minister and Bolton West MP, arrived at Manchester High School for Girls for the recording of BBC Radio 4's Any Questions.
The police were called but the attacker had disappeared by the time officers arrived. They are treating the incident as assault. The programme's host, Jonathan Dimbleby, later told the audience the MEP had been covered from "head to toe". Mr Kilroy-Silk was still able appear to appear on the show after being loaned a change of clothes.
He told reporters he was "very angry" and planned to press charges if his attacker was caught. He said the man shouted: "You've offended my religion, I'm doing this in the name of Islam." "As I started to turn round a guy tipped a bucket of farmyard muck over me and then threw the rest of it over me and the car," Mr Kilroy-Silk said. "I was totally covered, it was all through my clothes, and it stank to high heaven. It went all inside the car and splattered Ruth Kelly." A BBC spokesman said: "He took his seat as Jonathan Dimbleby was introducing the show. Fortunately someone at the school had a change of clothes to let him have." Greater Manchester Police said people near Mr Kilroy-Silk had also been hit by the waste. Officers took statements at the scene, but no arrests have been made. Police say the suspect ran off after towards Wilmslow Road after committing the offence but is believed to have been driving a red Vauxhall Corsa earlier. The suspect is described as white, aged 30 to 40, with a ginger beard. Police want to hear from anyone who has any information.
Mr Kilroy-Silk, an MEP for the East Midlands, resigned the UK Independence Party whip in the European Parliament in October, after criticising UKIP and stating his ambition to be leader. However, he remains a member of the party. He said on Friday he hoped to be elected party leader before Christmas. "I think that is sufficient time for us to put in process what is necessary... in time for us to fight and have a significant impact upon the General Election." But a UKIP spokesman said that would be impossible under the party's constitution, which requires 70 days before any leadership ballot can take place.
| Mr Kilroy-Silk said the man, who later disappeared, claimed he was "doing it in the name of Islam".Greater Manchester Police said people near Mr Kilroy-Silk had also been hit by the waste.A BBC spokesman said: "He took his seat as Jonathan Dimbleby was introducing the show.Mr Kilroy-Silk was still able appear to appear on the show after being loaned a change of clothes.In January, Mr Kilroy-Silk quit his BBC One show for remarks he made about Arabs, who he called "suicide bombers".The slurry attack took place on Friday as Mr Kilroy-Silk and Ms Kelly, a Cabinet Office minister and Bolton West MP, arrived at Manchester High School for Girls for the recording of BBC Radio 4's Any Questions.The UK Independence Party member was arriving for a BBC radio show when the attacker emerged from behind a bush.Mr Kilroy-Silk had already been taken off air by BBC bosses for the comments, in which he also described Arabs as "limb-amputators, women repressors".Fellow guest Ruth Kelly MP was also hit by the slurry."As I started to turn round a guy tipped a bucket of farmyard muck over me and then threw the rest of it over me and the car," Mr Kilroy-Silk said."I was totally covered, it was all through my clothes, and it stank to high heaven.Mr Kilroy-Silk, an MEP for the East Midlands, resigned the UK Independence Party whip in the European Parliament in October, after criticising UKIP and stating his ambition to be leader. |
325 | Indy buys into India paper
Irish publishing group Independent News & Media is buying up a 26% stake in Indian newspaper company Jagran in a deal worth 25m euros ($34.1m).
Jagran publishes India's top-selling daily newspaper, the Hindi-language Dainik Jagran, which has been in circulation for 62 years. News of the deal came as the group announced that its results would meet market forecasts. The company reported strong revenue growth across all its major markets.
Group advertising revenues were up over 10% year-on-year, the group said, with overall circulation revenues are expected to increase almost 10% year-on-year. This was helped by the positive impact of "compact" newspaper editions in Ireland and the UK, it said. "2004 has proven to be an important year for Independent News & Media," said chief executive Sir Anthony O'Reilly. "Our simple aim at Independent is to be the low cost producer in every region in which we operate. I am confident that we will show a meaningful increase in earnings for 2005."
Meanwhile, the group made no comment about the future of the Independent newspaper despite recent speculation that Sir Anthony had held talks with potential buyers over a stake in the daily publication. He has consistently denied suggestions that the Independent and the Independent on Sunday are up for sale. Buy it is understood that the recent success of the smaller edition of the Independent, which has pushed circulation up by 20% to 260,000, has prompted interest from industry rivals, with Daily Mail & General Trust tipped as the most likely suitor. The loss-making newspaper is not expected to reach break-even until 2006.
| Irish publishing group Independent News & Media is buying up a 26% stake in Indian newspaper company Jagran in a deal worth 25m euros ($34.1m).Meanwhile, the group made no comment about the future of the Independent newspaper despite recent speculation that Sir Anthony had held talks with potential buyers over a stake in the daily publication."2004 has proven to be an important year for Independent News & Media," said chief executive Sir Anthony O'Reilly.Group advertising revenues were up over 10% year-on-year, the group said, with overall circulation revenues are expected to increase almost 10% year-on-year.He has consistently denied suggestions that the Independent and the Independent on Sunday are up for sale.Buy it is understood that the recent success of the smaller edition of the Independent, which has pushed circulation up by 20% to 260,000, has prompted interest from industry rivals, with Daily Mail & General Trust tipped as the most likely suitor. |
242 | Q&A: Malcolm Glazer and Man Utd
The battle for control of Manchester United has taken another turn after the club confirmed it had received a fresh takeover approach from US business tycoon Malcolm Glazer.
No formal offer has been made yet, but Manchester United have confirmed they have received a "detailed proposal" from the US entrepreneur which could lead to a bid. Reports have put the offer at 300p per share, which would value Manchester United at about £800m ($1.5bn). The approach by the 76-year-old owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers American football team is reportedly being led by his two sons, Avi and Joel. A previous approach to the United board by Mr Glazer in October last year was turned down. However, the BBC has learnt that the club is unlikely to reject the latest plan out of hand.
Mr Glazer's previous offer involved borrowing large amounts of money to finance any takeover. That would have left the club with debt levels which were deemed "not... in the best interests of the company" by Manchester United's board when they rejected his approach last year. However, Mr Glazer's latest offer is reported to have cut the amount of borrowing needed by £200m.
While United's board may be casting a serious eye over Mr Glazer's latest proposals, supporters remain fiercely opposed to any deal.
Supporters' group Shareholders United - which has proved adept in rallying opposition to Mr Glazer's campaign - said it would fight any move. "Manchester United are a debt-free company. We don't want to fall into debt and we don't need to fall into debt," Shareholders United's Sean Bones told the BBC. United's players also appear unhappy at the prospect of a takeover. "A lot of people want the club's interest to be with people who have grown up with the club and got its interests at heart," Rio Ferdinand told BBC Radio Five Live. "No-one knows what this guy will be bringing to the table."
The key to any successful bid will be attracting the support of United's largest shareholders, the Irish horse racing tycoons John Magnier and JP McManus. Through their Cubic Expression vehicle they own 28.9% of the club. Mr Glazer owns 28.1%. Joe McLean, a football specialist at accountancy firm Grant Thornton, said the support of Mr Magnier and Mr McManus was "utterly crucial". "Mr Glazer's bid will not proceed without their support and they have previously indicated that they are holding their stake as an investment. "If that's the case, the shares will therefore need a price attachment of about 300 pence, maybe 305. "If that's the case then Mr Glazer might well secure their support - if he does, this bid could well go ahead."
Indeed it is. Malcolm Glazer was little-known in the UK until he started to build up his stake in Manchester United in late 2003. In February 2004 he said he was "considering" whether to bid for the club. No bid emerged, but Mr Glazer continued to increase his holding in the club. In October 2004, Manchester United said they had received a "preliminary approach", which turned out to have come from Mr Glazer. However, the board rejected the move because of the amount of debt it would involve. At the club's annual general meeting in November, Mr Glazer took revenge by using his hefty stake in the club to oust three directors from the board. Legal adviser Maurice Watkins, commercial director Andy Anson and non-executive director Philip Yea were voted out, against the wishes of chief executive David Gill. But the move led to bankers JP Morgan and public relations firm Brunswick withdrawing from the Glazer bid team.
| In October 2004, Manchester United said they had received a "preliminary approach", which turned out to have come from Mr Glazer.A previous approach to the United board by Mr Glazer in October last year was turned down.No bid emerged, but Mr Glazer continued to increase his holding in the club.Mr Glazer owns 28.1%.The battle for control of Manchester United has taken another turn after the club confirmed it had received a fresh takeover approach from US business tycoon Malcolm Glazer.That would have left the club with debt levels which were deemed "not... in the best interests of the company" by Manchester United's board when they rejected his approach last year.At the club's annual general meeting in November, Mr Glazer took revenge by using his hefty stake in the club to oust three directors from the board.Supporters' group Shareholders United - which has proved adept in rallying opposition to Mr Glazer's campaign - said it would fight any move."If that's the case then Mr Glazer might well secure their support - if he does, this bid could well go ahead."However, Mr Glazer's latest offer is reported to have cut the amount of borrowing needed by £200m.Joe McLean, a football specialist at accountancy firm Grant Thornton, said the support of Mr Magnier and Mr McManus was "utterly crucial"."Mr Glazer's bid will not proceed without their support and they have previously indicated that they are holding their stake as an investment.Malcolm Glazer was little-known in the UK until he started to build up his stake in Manchester United in late 2003. |
1,631 | Williams says he will never quit
Defiant Matt Williams says he will not quit as Scotland coach even if his side slump to a new low with defeat by Italy at Murrayfield.
That would leave the Scots as favourites to win the Wooden Spoon for the second year running. "I have never quit anything in my life, apart from maybe painting the kitchen," he told BBC Sport. "The support we have been given from Murrayfield in my whole time here has been 100%." Williams has yet to experience an RBS Six Nations victory after seven attempts and Scotland have lost 12 of their 14 games under his leadership. But he rejected the comparison made in some media sources with Berti Vogts, recently sacked as Scotland football manager after a poor run of results.
"How can a German football coach and an Australian rugby coach have anything in common?" he asked. "It is a bizarre analogy. It is so absurd that it borders on the humorous." Williams insists that he is revelling in the pressure, despite the possibility of a second Six Nations series without a victory. "That is not beyond the realms of possibility," he admitted. "There's nothing much between the teams, so we could win the next three games or lose them. "But I actually really enjoy seeing how you cope with such pressure as a coach. "It helps the team grow and helps you grow as a coach. "We could have won in Paris but for the last five minutes and now we have two defeats, but we were confident for those two first games and we are confident we can beat Italy too."
| Defiant Matt Williams says he will not quit as Scotland coach even if his side slump to a new low with defeat by Italy at Murrayfield.Williams has yet to experience an RBS Six Nations victory after seven attempts and Scotland have lost 12 of their 14 games under his leadership.Williams insists that he is revelling in the pressure, despite the possibility of a second Six Nations series without a victory."How can a German football coach and an Australian rugby coach have anything in common?""But I actually really enjoy seeing how you cope with such pressure as a coach."There's nothing much between the teams, so we could win the next three games or lose them."It helps the team grow and helps you grow as a coach. |
736 | Fox 'too reliant on reality TV'
The head of US TV network Fox has admitted the broadcaster had relied too heavily on reality TV shows such as the poor-rating Who's Your Daddy.
Chief executive Gail Berman said "in the case of this fall we drifted to too much on the unscripted side". The series Who's Your Daddy, where a young woman tries to pick her natural father for a cash prize caused outrage from adoption groups and rated badly. Last season, Fox's prime-time audience fell by 600,000 to 5.9 million. Ms Berman said: "I think the audience expects loud things from Fox. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't."
Who's Your Daddy, the first episode of which was shown on 3 January, pulled in a disappointing audience of 6.3 million, according to the Nielsen ratings system. Five other episodes of the show had also been filmed will be dropped from Fox's schedules, Ms Berman said. She was predicting a drop in ratings even for some of the network's established reality shows, such as American Idol, which is due to start its fourth series this week. Fox had unveiled a new strategy last year promising to launch new shows every season, including the traditionally quiet summer season. Though that had met with a poor reception, Ms Berman said "there's no question that the audience, in our mind, is ready, willing and able to accept new programming in the summer". Fox has changed this plan, launching new shows in May instead of June. One of the new shows will be the animated series American Dad, made by Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy. That series, after becoming a hit on DVD, is also set to return with new episodes.
| Five other episodes of the show had also been filmed will be dropped from Fox's schedules, Ms Berman said.Ms Berman said: "I think the audience expects loud things from Fox.Fox had unveiled a new strategy last year promising to launch new shows every season, including the traditionally quiet summer season.Though that had met with a poor reception, Ms Berman said "there's no question that the audience, in our mind, is ready, willing and able to accept new programming in the summer".Fox has changed this plan, launching new shows in May instead of June.One of the new shows will be the animated series American Dad, made by Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy. |
1,504 | Tottenham bid £8m for Forest duo
Nottingham Forest have confirmed they have received an £8m bid from Tottenham for Andy Reid and Michael Dawson.
Reid rejected a move to Southampton after Forest accepted a cash-plus-players offer while Spurs had made previous bids for the 22-year-old. Spurs had also made an undisclosed offer for 21-year-old defender Dawson. Forest chief executive Mark Arthur said: "We've received an £8m bid from Spurs for the two players and we're considering the offer." Southampton's offer for Republic of Ireland international Reid comprised £3m-plus and two players - Brett Ormerod and Darren Kenton.
Spurs had seen previous bids of £3m, £4m and £5m for Reid rejected by the Championship club.
| Reid rejected a move to Southampton after Forest accepted a cash-plus-players offer while Spurs had made previous bids for the 22-year-old.Forest chief executive Mark Arthur said: "We've received an £8m bid from Spurs for the two players and we're considering the offer."Spurs had seen previous bids of £3m, £4m and £5m for Reid rejected by the Championship club. |
276 | India power shares jump on debut
Shares in India's largest power producer, National Thermal Power Corp (NTPC) have risen 13% on their stock market debut.
The government's partial sell-off of NTPC is part of a controversial programme to privatise state-run firms. The 865 million share offer, a mix of new shares and sales by the government, raised 54bn rupees($1.2bn). It was India's second $1bn stock debut in three months, coming after the flotation by software firm Tata. The share offer was eleven times oversubscribed. "It is a good investment bet," said Suhas Naik, an investment analyst from ING Mutual Fund. "Power needs in India are set to rise and NTPC will benefit from that." Analysts say the success of the NTPC flotation would encourage the government to reduce stakes in more power companies. NTPC has said it will use the money from the share sale to feed the growing needs of the country's energy-starved economy. The firm is the largest utility company in India, and the sixth largest power producer in the world.
| Shares in India's largest power producer, National Thermal Power Corp (NTPC) have risen 13% on their stock market debut."Power needs in India are set to rise and NTPC will benefit from that."NTPC has said it will use the money from the share sale to feed the growing needs of the country's energy-starved economy.Analysts say the success of the NTPC flotation would encourage the government to reduce stakes in more power companies. |
1,368 | Holmes is hit by hamstring injury
Kelly Holmes has been forced out of this weekend's European Indoor Athletics Championships after picking up a hamstring injury during training.
The double Olympic champion said: "I am very disappointed that I have been forced to withdraw. "I can hardly walk at the moment and I won't be able to do any running for two or three weeks although I'll be keeping fit as best I can." Holmes will have now have intensive treatment in South Africa.
The 34-year-old made a cautious start to the season but looked back to her best when she stormed to the 1,000m title at the Birmingham Grand Prix 10 days ago. After that race and more progress in training, Holmes revealed she had decided to compete at the European Indoors before her plans were wrecked last weekend. "On Saturday night I pulled my hamstring running the last bend on my final 200m of the night," said Holmes. "I was going really, really well when I felt a massive spasm in my left leg and my hamstring blew. "I saw the doctor here and he has said it is not serious but it's frustrating missing Madrid when I knew I was in great shape." Holmes has now been advised by her coach Margot Jennings not to rush back into training and it is unlikely she will compete again until the summer. Helen Clitheroe now goes to Madrid as the only British competitor in the women's 1500m while there will be no representative in the 800m.
| Kelly Holmes has been forced out of this weekend's European Indoor Athletics Championships after picking up a hamstring injury during training."On Saturday night I pulled my hamstring running the last bend on my final 200m of the night," said Holmes.Holmes has now been advised by her coach Margot Jennings not to rush back into training and it is unlikely she will compete again until the summer.After that race and more progress in training, Holmes revealed she had decided to compete at the European Indoors before her plans were wrecked last weekend."I saw the doctor here and he has said it is not serious but it's frustrating missing Madrid when I knew I was in great shape." |
1,796 | Hewitt survives Nalbandian epic
Home favourite Lleyton Hewitt came through a dramatic five-set battle with Argentine David Nalbandian to reach the Australian Open semi-finals.
Hewitt looked to be cruising to victory after racing into a two-set lead. But Nalbandian broke his serve three times in both of the next two sets to set up a nailbiting decider. Hewitt eventually grabbed the vital break in the 17th game and served out to win 6-3 6-2 1-6 3-6 10-8 and set up a meeting with Andy Roddick. The winner of that match will face either Roger Federer or Marat Safin in the final. Ninth seed Nalbandian had never come back from two sets down to win a match, and there was no indication he would do so as Hewitt dominated the first two sets.
The Argentine had stoked up the temperature ahead of the match by saying Hewitt's exuberant on-court celebrations were "not very good for the sport". And he had words with Hewitt during one change of ends in the second set when the Australian appeared to brush shoulders with him as they went to their chairs. The balance of power changed completely in the third set as Hewitt allowed his level to dip, and he double-faulted twice as Nalbandian broke on the way to taking the fourth set. But the tiring third seed showed incredible reserves of strength to force the break despite being outplayed for much of the final set and three times coming within two points of defeat. He then produced a love service game to finish off the match in four hours and five minutes. "I just kept hanging in there. It was always tough serving second in the fifth set," said Hewitt, who had never reached the last four at his home Grand Slam. "I told myself to give everything and in the end it paid off once again. "It's a long way from holding that trophy up there but I'm hanging in there. "Only four guys left that can win and we're the top four in the world. It's set up for a pretty good showdown in the semis and finals."
| Ninth seed Nalbandian had never come back from two sets down to win a match, and there was no indication he would do so as Hewitt dominated the first two sets.The balance of power changed completely in the third set as Hewitt allowed his level to dip, and he double-faulted twice as Nalbandian broke on the way to taking the fourth set.But Nalbandian broke his serve three times in both of the next two sets to set up a nailbiting decider.It was always tough serving second in the fifth set," said Hewitt, who had never reached the last four at his home Grand Slam.And he had words with Hewitt during one change of ends in the second set when the Australian appeared to brush shoulders with him as they went to their chairs.Hewitt eventually grabbed the vital break in the 17th game and served out to win 6-3 6-2 1-6 3-6 10-8 and set up a meeting with Andy Roddick.It's set up for a pretty good showdown in the semis and finals." |
43 | Saudi ministry to employ women
Women will be employed in Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry for the first time this year, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal has been reported as saying.
The move comes as the conservative country inches open the door to working women. Last year, Crown Prince Abdullah, the de-facto ruler, told government departments to put plans in place for employing women. But progress has been slow, reports from the country say.
Earlier this week, the local Arab News said Labour Minister Ghazi al-Gosaibi had "caused uproar" when he said his ministry was having difficulty hiring women because they demanded segregated offices. The newspaper said many Saudi women found his explanation "a pitiful excuse for not employing women". Women now make up more than half of all graduates from Saudi universities but only 5% of the workforce. "Our educational reforms have created a new generation of highly-educated and professionally trained Saudi women who are acquiring their rightful position in Saudi society," Arab News quoted Prince Saud as saying. "I am proud to mention here that this year we shall have women working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the first time."
| Women will be employed in Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry for the first time this year, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal has been reported as saying.The newspaper said many Saudi women found his explanation "a pitiful excuse for not employing women"."I am proud to mention here that this year we shall have women working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the first time.""Our educational reforms have created a new generation of highly-educated and professionally trained Saudi women who are acquiring their rightful position in Saudi society," Arab News quoted Prince Saud as saying. |
81 | BMW to recall faulty diesel cars
BMW is to recall all cars equipped with a faulty diesel fuel-injection pump supplied by parts maker Robert Bosch.
The faulty part does not represent a safety risk and the recall only affects pumps made in December and January. BMW said that it was too early to say how many cars were affected or how much the recall would cost. The German company is to extend a planned production break at one of its plants due to the faulty Bosch part. The Dingolfing site will now be closed all next week instead of for just two days. The additional three-day stoppage will mean a production loss of up to 3,600 vehicles, BMW said, adding that it was confident it could make up the numbers later.
Bosch has stopped production of the part but expects to restart by 2 February. The faulty component does not represent a safety risk but causes the motor to stall after a significant amount of mileage. When asked if BMW would be seeking compensation from Bosch, the carmaker's chief executive Helmut Panke said: "we will first solve the problem before talking about who will pay". Audi and Mercedes Benz were also supplied with the defective diesel fuel-injection pumps but neither of them have to recall any vehicles. A spokesman for DaimlerChrysler, parent company of Mercedes Benz, said it will however have to halt some production. It is to close the Mercedes factory in Sindelfingen on Monday and Tuesday. Audi said it had been hit by production bottlenecks, due to a shortage of unaffected Bosch parts.
| BMW is to recall all cars equipped with a faulty diesel fuel-injection pump supplied by parts maker Robert Bosch.The German company is to extend a planned production break at one of its plants due to the faulty Bosch part.The faulty part does not represent a safety risk and the recall only affects pumps made in December and January.Audi said it had been hit by production bottlenecks, due to a shortage of unaffected Bosch parts.A spokesman for DaimlerChrysler, parent company of Mercedes Benz, said it will however have to halt some production.Audi and Mercedes Benz were also supplied with the defective diesel fuel-injection pumps but neither of them have to recall any vehicles. |
1,072 | Councils 'must find Gypsy sites'
Ministers are telling councils to find more sites for travellers, amid continuing rows concerning a string of unauthorised encampments.
Councils are also to be given stronger powers to move on illegal settlements by Gypsy communities on rural land. More money is to be given to councils to develop official caravan parks, said housing minister Yvette Cooper. In November, MPs urged ministers to make councils create sites because 3,500 travellers have no place to stop. Ms Cooper said an annual scheme to refurbish existing traveller sites would now be extended to consider council bids for new stopping places. That scheme has paid out £25m in four years, with £8m available for 2005.
"There are two major problems in the planning system at the moment concerning Gypsy and traveller sites," said Ms Cooper. "Firstly, local authorities are not identifying enough appropriate locations either for private or public sites. And secondly, they do not have enough powers to deal swiftly with development on inappropriate sites. "The result is that there are too many developments on inappropriate sites, causing tensions and difficulties for both the neighbouring communities and the Gypsies and travellers. "That is why we are consulting on a new obligation on local authorities to identify more appropriate sites, as well as new powers to take immediate action if the development is in the wrong place and cannot be tolerated in even the short-term because of risk to local amenity and the environment." Under the new regulations, expected to be in force in the spring, officials will be able to serve "temporary stop notices" aimed at preventing works on a site before a council has had chance to obtain a full legal ban. Many MPs with rural constituencies, particularly in eastern England, have been pressing the government to create stronger enforcement powers, saying villagers are suffering because of the legal delays in removing illegal encampments.
Andrew Ryder, of the Traveller Law Reform Coalition, said: "We welcome talk about an obligation on councils to identify land for Gypsies and travellers, so long as it is a real obligation as opposed to a recommendation which could be and was easily ignored. "New accommodation proposals for travellers need to be backed up with decent funding and intervention by the government when councils attempt to dodge their responsibilities towards travellers, as they often do. "Living on the side of the road or being worn down by planning appeals, legal action and eviction is no one's idea of fun." In their November report, MPs from the committee scrutinising the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister, responsible for housing, said most illegal traveller encampments were caused by a lack of places to stop. Numerous communities and councils were paying for lengthy and expensive evictions against travelling communities, said the MPs. In turn, the problems had worsened because councils were reluctant to voluntarily provide sites because of resistance from residents. Two of the most controversial traveller sites - Cottenham in Cambridgeshire and Minety in Wiltshire - remain embroiled in an ongoing legal battle.
| In November, MPs urged ministers to make councils create sites because 3,500 travellers have no place to stop.Ms Cooper said an annual scheme to refurbish existing traveller sites would now be extended to consider council bids for new stopping places."There are two major problems in the planning system at the moment concerning Gypsy and traveller sites," said Ms Cooper.Numerous communities and councils were paying for lengthy and expensive evictions against travelling communities, said the MPs.More money is to be given to councils to develop official caravan parks, said housing minister Yvette Cooper.Under the new regulations, expected to be in force in the spring, officials will be able to serve "temporary stop notices" aimed at preventing works on a site before a council has had chance to obtain a full legal ban.In their November report, MPs from the committee scrutinising the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister, responsible for housing, said most illegal traveller encampments were caused by a lack of places to stop.Andrew Ryder, of the Traveller Law Reform Coalition, said: "We welcome talk about an obligation on councils to identify land for Gypsies and travellers, so long as it is a real obligation as opposed to a recommendation which could be and was easily ignored. |
924 | Lib Dems demand new inquiry
A judge should look into the David Blunkett controversy as key questions remain unanswered, the Lib Dems say.
Sir Alan Budd's inquiry linked the ex-home secretary to the speeding up of a visa claim by his ex-lover's nanny. But he could not say whether Mr Blunkett had treated the nanny as a special case or had used her as an example of immigration problems. Lib Dem spokesman Mark Oaten said the number of officials who had forgotten what happened was worrying. He told BBC News: "I'm extremely concerned that 20 individuals appear to have forgotten what happened or more suspiciously are not prepared to say what happened. "That must be bad for government, it must be bad for public confidence in the system."
Mr Oaten said people would be mystified why Sir Alan's inquiry failed to uncover why processing of the visa application was speeded up. He said: "There is a strong case for a judge-led judicial review of this because, of course, next time it happens it may not be about a nanny and their visa. It may be about something even more important than that. "So we do need to understand what took place and who was involved." The Tories criticised the Lib Dem stance, saying Mr Oaten had initially said he accepted Mr Blunkett's word unless further evidence emerged. But Lib Dem officials say Mr Oaten was speaking when an inquiry was under way and was avoiding rushing to judgement.
| But Lib Dem officials say Mr Oaten was speaking when an inquiry was under way and was avoiding rushing to judgement.Lib Dem spokesman Mark Oaten said the number of officials who had forgotten what happened was worrying.Mr Oaten said people would be mystified why Sir Alan's inquiry failed to uncover why processing of the visa application was speeded up.The Tories criticised the Lib Dem stance, saying Mr Oaten had initially said he accepted Mr Blunkett's word unless further evidence emerged.He said: "There is a strong case for a judge-led judicial review of this because, of course, next time it happens it may not be about a nanny and their visa. |
21 | Rank 'set to sell off film unit'
Leisure group Rank could unveil plans to demerge its film services unit and sell its media business, reports claim.
Rank, formerly famous for the Carry On series, will expose the shake-up at the announcement of its results on Friday, the Sunday Telegraph reported. Advisors Goldman Sachs are understood to have valued its demerged Deluxe Film unit at £300m, the report added. Speculation of a possible shake-up has mounted since Rank announced a study into a possible demerger in September. Since Mike Smith's appointment as chief executive in 1999, the group has focused on fewer businesses and embarked on a major cost-cutting programme which has seen it dispose of a number of businesses, including the Odeon cinema chain and the Pinewood studios. The move left the group with three core divisions: gaming, Hard Rock and Deluxe Films, which provides technical services to Hollywood studios.
Rank now aims to concentrate on its gaming, bars and hotels business, including extending its Hard Rock brand to its casinos - trials of which have been a success. It also owns Deluxe Media, which makes and distributes DVDs and videos. However, that business is seen as less successful. Last year it made profits of £21.5m on a turnover of £392.1m and experts suggest its success in moving to DVDs from VHS video could make it an attractive target for a private equity buyer. A spokesman for the firm refused to comment on the reports, but said any results from the demerger study were likely to be set out when it unveiled its results on Friday. Analysts predict the firm is likely to report a slight drop in annual pre-tax profits to £170m from £194m last year. Formed in the 1940s the firm was a leading UK film producer and cinema owner for many years. It has now diversified into a range of other leisure activities - mainly in the UK - including hotels, roadside service areas and holiday centres. It now owns 34 Grosvenor casinos, the Mecca Bingo chain and more than 100 Hard Rock Cafes in 38 countries.
| Leisure group Rank could unveil plans to demerge its film services unit and sell its media business, reports claim.Rank now aims to concentrate on its gaming, bars and hotels business, including extending its Hard Rock brand to its casinos - trials of which have been a success.Since Mike Smith's appointment as chief executive in 1999, the group has focused on fewer businesses and embarked on a major cost-cutting programme which has seen it dispose of a number of businesses, including the Odeon cinema chain and the Pinewood studios.The move left the group with three core divisions: gaming, Hard Rock and Deluxe Films, which provides technical services to Hollywood studios.Speculation of a possible shake-up has mounted since Rank announced a study into a possible demerger in September.Analysts predict the firm is likely to report a slight drop in annual pre-tax profits to £170m from £194m last year. |
289 | UK economy facing 'major risks'
The UK manufacturing sector will continue to face "serious challenges" over the next two years, the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) has said.
The group's quarterly survey of companies found exports had picked up in the last three months of 2004 to their best levels in eight years. The rise came despite exchange rates being cited as a major concern. However, the BCC found the whole UK economy still faced "major risks" and warned that growth is set to slow. It recently forecast economic growth will slow from more than 3% in 2004 to a little below 2.5% in both 2005 and 2006.
Manufacturers' domestic sales growth fell back slightly in the quarter, the survey of 5,196 firms found. Employment in manufacturing also fell and job expectations were at their lowest level for a year.
"Despite some positive news for the export sector, there are worrying signs for manufacturing," the BCC said. "These results reinforce our concern over the sector's persistent inability to sustain recovery." The outlook for the service sector was "uncertain" despite an increase in exports and orders over the quarter, the BCC noted.
The BCC found confidence increased in the quarter across both the manufacturing and service sectors although overall it failed to reach the levels at the start of 2004. The reduced threat of interest rate increases had contributed to improved confidence, it said. The Bank of England raised interest rates five times between November 2003 and August last year. But rates have been kept on hold since then amid signs of falling consumer confidence and a slowdown in output. "The pressure on costs and margins, the relentless increase in regulations, and the threat of higher taxes remain serious problems," BCC director general David Frost said. "While consumer spending is set to decelerate significantly over the next 12-18 months, it is unlikely that investment and exports will rise sufficiently strongly to pick up the slack."
| "Despite some positive news for the export sector, there are worrying signs for manufacturing," the BCC said.The BCC found confidence increased in the quarter across both the manufacturing and service sectors although overall it failed to reach the levels at the start of 2004.The outlook for the service sector was "uncertain" despite an increase in exports and orders over the quarter, the BCC noted.The UK manufacturing sector will continue to face "serious challenges" over the next two years, the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) has said.However, the BCC found the whole UK economy still faced "major risks" and warned that growth is set to slow.The reduced threat of interest rate increases had contributed to improved confidence, it said.The rise came despite exchange rates being cited as a major concern. |
856 | Abba queen enters music rich list
The woman behind the Abba musical Mamma Mia! has joined a list of British-based music millionaires.
Producer Judy Craymer is the highest new entry in the Sunday Times' music rich list, with a £67m fortune. Ms Craymer remortgaged her home to finance her idea of a musical based around Abba's hits, which has since become a global triumph. Teenage soul singer Joss Stone is a new entry on a list of Britain's young music millionaires with £5m.
Ms Craymer, who developed Mamma Mia! with playwright Catherine Johnson and members of Abba, is at number 31 on the music rich list. But taking the top spot for a second year is former record label boss Clive Calder, whose wealth has risen to £1.3bn. Mr Calder is the man behind acts including Britney Spears. He made his fortune by selling his independent label Zomba to record giant BMG. Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney is second on the list with £800m - up £40m on last year. Andrew Lloyd-Webber's wealth rose an estimated £300m on last year, to £700m, while theatre impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh's fortune rose from £340m to £400m.
His recent hits have included the West End show Mary Poppins. But Pop Idol mogul Simon Fuller has seen his wealth plummet from £220m last year to £75m after selling his entertainment company 19 for less than expected, according to the Sunday Times. Joss Stone, the 17-year-old soul singer from Devon, was a new entry in the young music millionaires list. The list also features Charlotte Church, Coldplay, Daniel Bedingfield, Will Young and David and Victoria Beckham. At number one is Dhani Harrison, son of the late Beatle George Harrison, who has inherited £140m. The Beckhams - who qualify thanks to Victoria's former singing career - are in second place with £75 million between them - up £10m on last year.
| Producer Judy Craymer is the highest new entry in the Sunday Times' music rich list, with a £67m fortune.Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney is second on the list with £800m - up £40m on last year.Teenage soul singer Joss Stone is a new entry on a list of Britain's young music millionaires with £5m.Joss Stone, the 17-year-old soul singer from Devon, was a new entry in the young music millionaires list.has joined a list of British-based music millionaires.But taking the top spot for a second year is former record label boss Clive Calder, whose wealth has risen to £1.3bn.with playwright Catherine Johnson and members of Abba, is at number 31 on the music rich list.But Pop Idol mogul Simon Fuller has seen his wealth plummet from £220m last year to £75m after selling his entertainment company 19 for less than expected, according to the Sunday Times. |
484 | UK young top Euro earnings league
British children enjoy the highest average annual income in Europe - more than double that of Spanish or Italian youngsters, a report suggests.
Children in the UK between the ages of 10 and 17 had an annual income of £775, said market analyst Datamonitor. They use "pester power" to get their parents to stump up nearly a third of this income, the report said. As for how they spend their cash, the bulk goes on personal care, soft drinks and food, Datamonitor said.
Datamonitor adds that British teenagers are keen on personal care because it helps them combine two seemingly contradictory emotional needs - the desire to fit in and the desire to express their individuality.
British teenage girls, compared to their counterparts in seven European countries, are the most keen to use make-up products. Nearly three out of four girls said they used make-up. According to the Datamonitor report the trend marked British teenagers out as "particularly important to cosmetics manufacturers as they are likely to experiment more with brands and products and form long-term beauty routines". And the good times are likely to keep rolling for British children, as the report predicts that they will still be topping the earnings table in 2008.
| Children in the UK between the ages of 10 and 17 had an annual income of £775, said market analyst Datamonitor.They use "pester power" to get their parents to stump up nearly a third of this income, the report said.According to the Datamonitor report the trend marked British teenagers out as "particularly important to cosmetics manufacturers as they are likely to experiment more with brands and products and form long-term beauty routines".British children enjoy the highest average annual income in Europe - more than double that of Spanish or Italian youngsters, a report suggests. |
1,108 | Tory expert denies defeatism
The Conservatives' campaign director has denied a report claiming he warned Michael Howard the party could not win the next general election.
The Times on Monday said Australian Lynton Crosby told the party leader to focus on trying to increase the Tories' Commons presence by 25 to 30 seats. But Mr Crosby said in a statement: "I have never had any such conversation... and I do not hold that view." Mr Howard later added there was not "one iota" of truth in the report. The strategist helped Australia's PM, John Howard, win four elections. Mr Howard appointed Mr Crosby as his elections chief last October. Mr Crosby's statement said: "The Conservative Party has been making an impact on the issues of lower tax and controlled immigration over the past week." It added: "The Labour Party will be wanting to do all they can to distract attention away from the issues that really matter to people."
| Mr Howard appointed Mr Crosby as his elections chief last October.Mr Crosby's statement said: "The Conservative Party has been making an impact on the issues of lower tax and controlled immigration over the past week."Mr Howard later added there was not "one iota" of truth in the report.But Mr Crosby said in a statement: "I have never had any such conversation... and I do not hold that view." |
2,157 | US woman sues over ink cartridges
A US woman is suing Hewlett Packard (HP), saying its printer ink cartridges are secretly programmed to expire on a certain date.
The unnamed woman from Georgia says that a chip inside the cartridge tells the printer that it needs re-filling even when it does not. The lawsuit seeks to represent anyone in the US who has purchased an HP inkjet printer since February 2001. HP, the world's biggest printer firm, declined to comment on the lawsuit. HP ink cartridges use a chip technology to sense when they are low on ink and advise the user to make a change.
But the suit claims the chips also shut down the cartridges at a predetermined date regardless of whether they are empty. "The smart chip is dually engineered to prematurely register ink depletion and to render a cartridge unusable through the use of a built-in expiration date that is not revealed to the consumer," the suit said. The lawsuit is asking for restitution, damages and other compensation. The cost of printer cartridges has been a contentious issue in Europe for the last 18 months. The price of inkjet printers has come down to as little as £34 but it could cost up to £1,700 in running costs over an 18-month period due to cartridge, a study by Computeractive Magazine revealed last year. The inkjet printer market has been the subject of an investigation by the UK's Office of Fair Trading (OFT), which concluded in a 2002 report that retailers and manufacturers needed to make pricing more transparent for consumers.
| A US woman is suing Hewlett Packard (HP), saying its printer ink cartridges are secretly programmed to expire on a certain date.The cost of printer cartridges has been a contentious issue in Europe for the last 18 months.The lawsuit seeks to represent anyone in the US who has purchased an HP inkjet printer since February 2001.The price of inkjet printers has come down to as little as £34 but it could cost up to £1,700 in running costs over an 18-month period due to cartridge, a study by Computeractive Magazine revealed last year.HP ink cartridges use a chip technology to sense when they are low on ink and advise the user to make a change. |
378 | Ukraine strikes Turkmen gas deal
Ukraine has agreed to pay 30% more for natural gas supplied by Turkmenistan.
The deal was sealed three days after Turkmenistan cut off gas supplies in a price dispute that threatened the Ukrainian economy. Supplies from Turkmenistan account for 45% of all natural gas imported by Ukraine, which has large coal deposits but no gas fields. Turkmenistan is also trying to strike a similar deal with Russia, which is not so dependent on its gas. Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov, who signed the contract, said the Turkmen side agreed to lower the price demanded by $2 per 1,000 cubic metres, bringing it down to $58. But the new price is still $14 higher than the price fixed in the contract for 2004. The head of the Ukrainian state-owned Naftohaz company, Yury Boyko, said he was "fully happy" with the deal. On Friday, Turkmenistan acted on a threat and shut off gas supplies to Ukraine in attempt to bring the price dispute to a head. Mr Niyazov said that his government would insist on the same price for supplies to Russia. Analysts say thay may not happen as Russia, the world's leading gas producer, needs the cheap Turkmen gas only to relieve is state-owned Gazprom from costly investment in the exploration of oil fields in Siberia. Turkmenistan is the second-largest gas producer in the world.
| The deal was sealed three days after Turkmenistan cut off gas supplies in a price dispute that threatened the Ukrainian economy.On Friday, Turkmenistan acted on a threat and shut off gas supplies to Ukraine in attempt to bring the price dispute to a head.Supplies from Turkmenistan account for 45% of all natural gas imported by Ukraine, which has large coal deposits but no gas fields.Ukraine has agreed to pay 30% more for natural gas supplied by Turkmenistan.Turkmenistan is the second-largest gas producer in the world. |
724 | Volcano drama erupts on BBC One
Supervolcano, a docu-drama about a volcanic eruption in Yellowstone National Park in the US, is among the highlights on the BBC One this winter.
The £178m winter schedule also includes the return of Doctor Who and a drama about Angela Cannings, who was wrongly convicted of killing two of her babies. Sarah Lancashire and Timothy Spall will star in the real-life drama, Cherished. ITV also unveiled their festive season on Tuesday, which includes Stephen Fry in a remake of Tom Brown's Schooldays. Supervolcano, follows in the footsteps of last year's Pompei, which drew 10 million viewers to BBC One in October 2003.
The programme merges science, drama and computer imagery to reveal what could happen if Yellowstone - home to the only currently active supervolcano in the world - were to erupt again. BBC Two will run a two-part documentary, The Science Behind Supervolcano, in conjunction with the transmission. Other educational highlights include a documentary about infamous Mongolian warrior Genghis Khan and Grandchild of The Holocaust. Grandchild of The Holocaust, part of the BBC commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day, follows Adrian, 13, on a journey to uncover the truth about what happened to his grandmother in Auschwitz and Belsen.
New drama includes Archangel, an adaptation of the Robert Harris best-seller, which stars Daniel Craig on the trail of Stalin's diaries in Communist Russia. And Sarah Waters' gets her second adaptation on BBC One with Imelda Staunton and Charles Dance lined up to star in Fingersmith. The adaptation, about a conman in Victorian England, will make an interesting contrast to Julie Burchill's Sugar Rush - a lesbian teenage drama part of Channel Four's winter season. On a lighter note, Jessica Stevenson will star in new BBC One sitcom, The World According to Bex, penned by My Family creator Fred Barron and the Two Ronnies return for a celebration of their classic comedy series.
Fry's portrayal of headmaster Dr Arnold dominates a muted Christmas schedule on ITV1, which sees the channel retreat from broadcasting blockbuster movies in favour of extended soap episodes and popular quiz shows.
Sir Paul McCartney, wife Heather Mills and Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will join a celebrity edition of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? on Christmas Day. Also on Christmas Day, John Nettles will return in a one-off edition of Midsomer Murders, while two episodes of the new Miss Marple drama will air over the festive period. Films on ITV1 include Gus Van Sant's Finding Forrester, starring Sean Connery, and classics such a Mary Poppins, Star Wars and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. In contrast, BBC's Christmas season includes terrestrial debuts of the first Harry Potter film, Shrek and Steven Spielberg's AI, as well as new epipsodes of the Vicar of Dibley and the final Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.
| Also on Christmas Day, John Nettles will return in a one-off edition of Midsomer Murders, while two episodes of the new Miss Marple drama will air over the festive period.On a lighter note, Jessica Stevenson will star in new BBC One sitcom, The World According to Bex, penned by My Family creator Fred Barron and the Two Ronnies return for a celebration of their classic comedy series.The £178m winter schedule also includes the return of Doctor Who and a drama about Angela Cannings, who was wrongly convicted of killing two of her babies.Supervolcano, a docu-drama about a volcanic eruption in Yellowstone National Park in the US, is among the highlights on the BBC One this winter.New drama includes Archangel, an adaptation of the Robert Harris best-seller, which stars Daniel Craig on the trail of Stalin's diaries in Communist Russia.BBC Two will run a two-part documentary, The Science Behind Supervolcano, in conjunction with the transmission.And Sarah Waters' gets her second adaptation on BBC One with Imelda Staunton and Charles Dance lined up to star in Fingersmith.Grandchild of The Holocaust, part of the BBC commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day, follows Adrian, 13, on a journey to uncover the truth about what happened to his grandmother in Auschwitz and Belsen. |
1,478 | Unclear future for striker Baros
Liverpool forward Milan Baros is uncertain whether he remains part of boss Rafa Benitez's plans after being dropped for the Carling Cup final.
Baros, who is Liverpool's leading scorer this season, denied reports of a row with Benitez but claims he is mystified at being left on the bench. He told Czech newspaper Daily Sport: "I don't know why I didn't play on Sunday. I didn't argue with anybody. "I was disappointed but I am not thinking of leaving right now." The Czech international came on as a substitute after 74 minutes but could not prevent his side losing 3-2 to Chelsea after extra-time.
Baros denied suggestions he wanted to leave the Millennium Stadium before the match upon learning of his omission from the starting line-up. But his admission that he "guessed something like this was going to happen on Saturday", will do little to quell claims of a falling-out with Benitez. And although Baros insisted thoughts of quitting Anfield are "not in my mind right now", he admitted "everything is possible".
| He told Czech newspaper Daily Sport: "I don't know why I didn't play on Sunday.Baros, who is Liverpool's leading scorer this season, denied reports of a row with Benitez but claims he is mystified at being left on the bench.And although Baros insisted thoughts of quitting Anfield are "not in my mind right now", he admitted "everything is possible".Baros denied suggestions he wanted to leave the Millennium Stadium before the match upon learning of his omission from the starting line-up. |
311 | Stormy year for property insurers
A string of storms, typhoons and earthquakes has made 2004 the most expensive year on record for property insurers, according to Swiss Re.
The world's second biggest insurer said disasters around the globe have seen property claims reach $42bn (£21.5bn). "2004 reinforces the trend towards higher losses," said Swiss Re. Tightly packed populations in the areas involved in natural and man-made disasters were to partly to blame for the rise in claims, it said. Some 95% of insurance claims were for natural catastrophes, with the rest attributed to made-made events.
The largest claims came from the US, which was struck by four hurricanes, and Japan, which suffered the highest concentration of typhoons for decades plus a major earthquake.
Europe suffered fewer natural disasters, but 191 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured in March after the terrorist attack on train stations in Madrid. The damages claimed in 2004 eclipsed previous years, including 2001 when the 11 September attacks pushed claims up to $37bn. Swiss Re said it had registered about 300 natural and man-made disasters around the world in 2004. Twenty-one thousand people lost their lives in the catastrophes with a cost to the global economy of around $105bn (£54bn).
| Swiss Re said it had registered about 300 natural and man-made disasters around the world in 2004.The world's second biggest insurer said disasters around the globe have seen property claims reach $42bn (£21.5bn).Tightly packed populations in the areas involved in natural and man-made disasters were to partly to blame for the rise in claims, it said.The damages claimed in 2004 eclipsed previous years, including 2001 when the 11 September attacks pushed claims up to $37bn. |
434 | Asia quake increases poverty risk
Nearly two million people across Asia could be thrown into poverty because of the Indian Ocean tsunami, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has said.
In its first overview of the disaster, the ADB said the impact on economic growth would be slight because major cities and factories escaped damage. But the blow to many low-income people could be "enormous". The Paris Club of rich creditor nations on Wednesday offered to freeze debts owed by tsunami-hit countries.
The move was aimed at helping South Asian governments find budgets to rebuild devastated coastal areas, though so far only Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Seychelles have indicated that they will take it up.
Other countries believe their economies are strong enough to cope or wish to avoid being viewed as credit risks. "Poverty is potentially the most important impact of this natural disaster," said ADB chief economist Ifzal Ali. Donor nations have promised to give $717m (£379m) in disaster relief over the next six months, according to the United Nations.
Mr Ali added his voice to those warning that aid pledges must be promptly delivered, saying the number of people at risk of poverty hinged on "concerns over sanitation and health conditions, and other basic needs" being "properly and quickly addressed".
There are 1.9 billion people in Asia living on less than $2 a day. The ADB fears that 1 million Indonesians could join them, while in India just over half a million people - 645,000 - are at risk of falling into poverty. A quarter of a million Sri Lankans and 23,500 people in the Maldives are also facing poverty. In the Maldives, where 43% of the population already lives on less than $2 a day, this could rise to half. Sri Lanka and the Maldives are the two countries the ADB fears are most at risk of suffering lasting economic damage from the tsunami. Sri Lanka's government has estimated reconstruction costs at nearly $3bn. A government task force held meetings to discuss an emergency rebuilding plan with the ADB, World Bank and Japanese aid agencies on Wednesday, and promised to publish the plan within 10 days.
Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and India have enjoyed strong economic growth in recent years, which should cushion them against reconstruction costs. Although Indonesia's northern province of Aceh suffered the worst death toll, the region's oil and natural gas production facilities "have survived intact", the report said. However, it remains too soon to asses the damage to poor people's livelihoods in Aceh because it would depend on how much farm land had been flooded by seawater. "This is a profoundly tragic event for the region and for the millions who are suffering. But the economies of the affected countries except Sri Lanka and the Maldives should emerge with minimal damage," the ADB report said. Some businesses may even gain from the reconstruction efforts, thereby creating jobs. At a meeting in Thailand, ABD president Thadao Chino said he was confident of the country's "own capabilities to restore normalcy to the affected areas and meet the rehabilitation requirements". Thailand has said it does not wish to opt for a debt repayment freeze, while India has also rejected international aid, saying it can cope on its own resources. Debt repayment holidays carry the risk of credit ratings downgrades, making it more expensive to borrow money in future. Indonesia, however, is pressing for greater help with its debts than the current freeze would bring. It is one of the world's most indebted countries.
| Nearly two million people across Asia could be thrown into poverty because of the Indian Ocean tsunami, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has said.The ADB fears that 1 million Indonesians could join them, while in India just over half a million people - 645,000 - are at risk of falling into poverty.Sri Lanka and the Maldives are the two countries the ADB fears are most at risk of suffering lasting economic damage from the tsunami.But the economies of the affected countries except Sri Lanka and the Maldives should emerge with minimal damage," the ADB report said.A quarter of a million Sri Lankans and 23,500 people in the Maldives are also facing poverty.Thailand has said it does not wish to opt for a debt repayment freeze, while India has also rejected international aid, saying it can cope on its own resources.In its first overview of the disaster, the ADB said the impact on economic growth would be slight because major cities and factories escaped damage."Poverty is potentially the most important impact of this natural disaster," said ADB chief economist Ifzal Ali.Sri Lanka's government has estimated reconstruction costs at nearly $3bn.Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and India have enjoyed strong economic growth in recent years, which should cushion them against reconstruction costs.The Paris Club of rich creditor nations on Wednesday offered to freeze debts owed by tsunami-hit countries. |
74 | Turkey-Iran mobile deal 'at risk'
Turkey's investment in Iran's mobile industry looks set to be scrapped after its biggest mobile firm saw its investment there slashed by MPs.
Iran's parliament voted by a large majority to cut Turkcell's stake in a new mobile network from 70% to 49%. The move, which was justified on national security grounds, follows an earlier vote by MPs to give themselves a veto over foreign investments. Turkcell said the decision "increases the risks" attached to the project. Although the company's statement said it would continue to monitor developments, observers said they thought Turkcell was set to pull out of the $3bn deal. "The possibility of carrying out this project is next to zero," said Atinc Ozkan, analyst at Finans Investment in Istanbul. If Turkcell does back out, MTN - the South African firm which lost out in the original tender - may well be back in the running. The company has said it is prepared to accept a minority stake if Iran will award it the mobile deal.
Turkcell's mobile deal is the second Turkish investment in Iran to run into trouble. Turkish-Austrian consortium TAV was chosen to build and run Tehran's new Imam Khomeini International Airport - but the army closed it just hours after it opened in May 2004. In both cases, the justification has been national security, amid allegations that the Turkish firms are too close to Israel. The hardline posture taken by parliament, which is dominated by religious conservatives, could yet impact other inward investments.
| Turkcell's mobile deal is the second Turkish investment in Iran to run into trouble.The company has said it is prepared to accept a minority stake if Iran will award it the mobile deal.Turkey's investment in Iran's mobile industry looks set to be scrapped after its biggest mobile firm saw its investment there slashed by MPs.Although the company's statement said it would continue to monitor developments, observers said they thought Turkcell was set to pull out of the $3bn deal.Iran's parliament voted by a large majority to cut Turkcell's stake in a new mobile network from 70% to 49%. |
1,635 | Scotland v Italy (Sat)
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Saturday, 26 February
1400 GMT
BBC1, Five Live and this website
Victory for the Azzurri in Rome last year saw Scotland end their campaign without a victory. And the pressure is on Scotland coach Matt Williams as he seeks a first Six Nations victory at the eighth attempt. Italy have lost both their opening games at home to Ireland and Wales, but travel to Edinburgh with high hopes.
Their coach John Kirwan has warned his side they must eradicate the errors that blighted their loss to Wales however or risk suffering a third successive defeat. "If the defeat against Wales has taught us anything, it's that at this level we can't make any mistakes," Kirwan said. "In the Six Nations, every error you make will come at a high price. "We have to be aggressive for 80 minutes, keep calm in every situation and display great maturity on the pitch.
"It will be fundamental to keep cool in the difficult moments - in the key situations of the game." Kirwan has recalled the experienced Cristian Stoica at centre and drafted in David dal Maso at open-side after star flanker Mauro Bergamasco was ruled out for the rest of the tournament. Scotland have also made two changes, Simon Webster replacing Simon Danielli on the wing and Simon Taylor returning for his first Test in a year, for injured flanker Jason White. Taylor's recovery from a serious knee injury is a major boost to Scottish hopes. "He is one of the world-class players in the tournament and you want them in your team," acknowledged Williams.
Despite a record of only two victories from 14 Tests, Williams insists he is revelling in the pressure. "I actually really enjoy seeing how you cope with such pressure as a coach," he said, optimistic despite opening defeats to France and Ireland. "We were confident for those two first games and we are confident we can beat Italy too," he added.
: C Paterson; S Webster, A Craig, H Southwell, S Lamont; D Parks, C Cusiter; T Smith, G Bulloch (capt), G Kerr; S Grimes, S Murray; S Taylor, J Petrie, A Hogg.
R Russell, B Douglas, N Hines, J Dunbar, M Blair, G Ross, B Hinshelwood.
R de Marigny; Mirco Bergamasco, C Stoica, A Masi, L Nitoglia; L Orquera, A Troncon; A Lo Cicero, F Ongaro, M Castrogiovanni; S Dellape, M Bortolami (capt); A Persico, D Dal Maso, S Parisse.
G Intoppa, S Perugini, CA del Fava, S Orlando, P Griffen, R Pedrazzi, KP Robertson.
| And the pressure is on Scotland coach Matt Williams as he seeks a first Six Nations victory at the eighth attempt.Italy have lost both their opening games at home to Ireland and Wales, but travel to Edinburgh with high hopes.Despite a record of only two victories from 14 Tests, Williams insists he is revelling in the pressure."I actually really enjoy seeing how you cope with such pressure as a coach," he said, optimistic despite opening defeats to France and Ireland."If the defeat against Wales has taught us anything, it's that at this level we can't make any mistakes," Kirwan said.Their coach John Kirwan has warned his side they must eradicate the errors that blighted their loss to Wales however or risk suffering a third successive defeat."We were confident for those two first games and we are confident we can beat Italy too," he added."In the Six Nations, every error you make will come at a high price. |
952 | Citizenship event for 18s touted
Citizenship ceremonies could be introduced for people celebrating their 18th birthday, Charles Clarke has said.
The idea will be tried as part of an overhaul of the way government approaches "inclusive citizenship" particularly for ethnic minorities. A pilot scheme based on ceremonies in Australia will start in October. Mr Clarke said it would be a way of recognising young people reaching their voting age when they also gain greater independence from parents. Britain's young black and Asian people are to be encouraged to learn about the nation's heritage as part of the government's new race strategy which will also target specific issues within different ethnic minority groups. Officials say the home secretary wants young people to feel they belong and to understand their "other cultural identities" alongside being British. The launch follows a row about the role of faith schools in Britain. On Monday school inspection chief David Bell, accused some Islamic schools of failing to teach pupils about their obligations to British society.
The Muslim Council of Britain said Ofsted boss Mr Bell's comments were "highly irresponsible". The Home Office started work on its Community Cohesion and Race Equality Strategy last year and the outcome, launched on Wednesday, is called 'Improving Opportunity, Strengthening Society'. It is aimed at tackling racism, exclusion, segregation and the rise in political and religious extremism. "It represents a move away from the one-size-fits-all approach to focus on specifics within cultural groups," said a Home Office spokesman. "It is not right to say that if you are from a black or ethnic minority group you must be disadvantaged." The spokesman highlighted specific issues that affect particular communities - for example people of south Asian origin tend to suffer from a high incidence of heart disease.
"It is about drilling down and focusing on these sorts of problems," the spokesman added. Launching the initiative Mr Clarke said enormous progress had been made on race issues in recent years. He added: "But while many members of black and minority ethnic communities are thriving, some may still find it harder to succeed in employment or gain access to healthcare, education or housing. "This strategy sets out the government's commitment to doing more to identify and respond to the specific needs of minorities in our society." Some 8% of the UK population described themselves as coming from a non-white ethnic minority in the 2001 Census.
The Downing Street Strategy Unit in 2003 said people from Indian and Chinese backgrounds were doing well on average, often outperforming white people in education and earnings. But those of Pakistani, Bangladeshi and black Caribbean origin were significantly more likely to be unemployed and earn less than whites, it said. The Home Office wants more initiatives which try to promote a sense of belonging by encouraging young people to take part in voluntary work. The programmes are designed to support the citizenship lessons already taking place in schools.
| Britain's young black and Asian people are to be encouraged to learn about the nation's heritage as part of the government's new race strategy which will also target specific issues within different ethnic minority groups.Citizenship ceremonies could be introduced for people celebrating their 18th birthday, Charles Clarke has said.Mr Clarke said it would be a way of recognising young people reaching their voting age when they also gain greater independence from parents."It represents a move away from the one-size-fits-all approach to focus on specifics within cultural groups," said a Home Office spokesman.The Downing Street Strategy Unit in 2003 said people from Indian and Chinese backgrounds were doing well on average, often outperforming white people in education and earnings.The Home Office wants more initiatives which try to promote a sense of belonging by encouraging young people to take part in voluntary work.Officials say the home secretary wants young people to feel they belong and to understand their "other cultural identities" alongside being British."It is not right to say that if you are from a black or ethnic minority group you must be disadvantaged."Launching the initiative Mr Clarke said enormous progress had been made on race issues in recent years.The spokesman highlighted specific issues that affect particular communities - for example people of south Asian origin tend to suffer from a high incidence of heart disease. |
83 | Yukos accused of lying to court
Russian oil firm Yukos lied to a US court in an attempt to stop the Russian government selling off its key production unit, the court has heard.
The unit, Yugansk, was sold to pay off a $27.5bn (£14.5bn) back tax bill. Yukos argued that since it had a US subsidiary and local bank accounts, the US court could declare it bankrupt and stop the auction of Yugansk. But Deutsche Bank - itself a target of a Yukos lawsuit - said documents had been backdated to strengthen the case.
Deutsche Bank's evidence came on the first day of a two-day hearing in Houston. Its lawyer, Hugh Ray, told the court that Yukos had claimed it had transferred $27m into two Texas bank accounts opened by its new US subsidiary. By doing so, he said, the firm had intended to reinforce its US presence - and thus its chances of getting its case heard in US courts. But he said that the papers documenting the transaction were not drawn up till weeks after Yukos made its bankruptcy application on 14 December, and then backdated.
Yukos chief financial officer Bruce Misamore, who had moved to the US in early December to set up Yukos USA, acknowledged the point. He said the discrepancy was only in the paperwork, but that money had indeed been transferred on 14 December. Even so, he told the court that only $480,000 had been in the accounts that day, with the rest arriving a day later.
Deutsche Bank is involved in the case because it is itself being sued by Yukos. It had agreed to loan to an arm of Russian state gas firm Gazprom the money to bid for Yuganskneftegaz, as the Yukos unit is formally known. The sale went ahead, despite an order from the US bankruptcy court ordered that it should be stopped. In the end, the auction was won by an unknown shell company for $9.4bn - much less than most assessments of its value - before ending up in the hands of state-controlled oil firm Rosneft. Rosneft, meanwhile, has agreed to merge with Gazprom, bringing a large chunk of Russia's very profitable oil business back under state control.
Yukos maintains that it filed for bankruptcy in the US because it feared it would not be able to do so in Russia. It also said that in the event of going bust, it could offer the chance of restructuring. "It gives us a kind of life after death alternative," said Yukos chief executive Steven Theede. Yukos is currently suing four companies - Gazprom, its unit Gazpromneft, Rosneft and the shell company which won the bidding - for their part in Yugansk's disposal. It has also threatened to sue the Russian government for $28bn. Analysts have questioned whether a US court has any jurisdiction over Russian companies, while Moscow officials have dismissed Yukos' legal wrangling as meaningless. Yukos claims that the rights of its shareholders have been ignored and that is has been punished for the political ambitions of its founder Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Mr Khodorkovsky, once Russia's richest man, is in prison, having been charged with fraud and tax evasion and repeatedly denied bail.
| Russian oil firm Yukos lied to a US court in an attempt to stop the Russian government selling off its key production unit, the court has heard.Yukos argued that since it had a US subsidiary and local bank accounts, the US court could declare it bankrupt and stop the auction of Yugansk.But Deutsche Bank - itself a target of a Yukos lawsuit - said documents had been backdated to strengthen the case.Analysts have questioned whether a US court has any jurisdiction over Russian companies, while Moscow officials have dismissed Yukos' legal wrangling as meaningless.Its lawyer, Hugh Ray, told the court that Yukos had claimed it had transferred $27m into two Texas bank accounts opened by its new US subsidiary.Yukos chief financial officer Bruce Misamore, who had moved to the US in early December to set up Yukos USA, acknowledged the point.Deutsche Bank is involved in the case because it is itself being sued by Yukos.Yukos maintains that it filed for bankruptcy in the US because it feared it would not be able to do so in Russia.It had agreed to loan to an arm of Russian state gas firm Gazprom the money to bid for Yuganskneftegaz, as the Yukos unit is formally known.By doing so, he said, the firm had intended to reinforce its US presence - and thus its chances of getting its case heard in US courts. |
1,990 | 'Brainwave' cap controls computer
A team of US researchers has shown that controlling devices with the brain is a step closer.
Four people, two of them partly paralysed wheelchair users, successfully moved a computer cursor while wearing a cap with 64 electrodes. Previous research has shown that monkeys can control a computer with electrodes implanted into their brain. The New York team reported their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "The results show that people can learn to use scalp-recorded electroencephalogram rhythms to control rapid and accurate movement of a cursor in two directions," said Jonathan Wolpaw and Dennis McFarlane. The research team, from New York State Department of Health and State University of New York in Albany, said the research was another step towards people controlling wheelchairs or other electronic devices by thought.
The four people faced a large video screen wearing a special cap which, meant no surgery or implantation was needed.
Brain activity produces electrical signals that can be read by electrodes. Complex algorithms then translate those signals into instructions to direct the computer. Such brain activity does not require the use of any nerves of muscles, so people with stroke or spinal cord injuries could use the cap effectively. "The impressive non-invasive multidimensional control achieved in the present study suggests that a non-invasive brain control interface could support clinically useful operation of a robotic arm, a motorised wheelchair or a neuroprosthesis," said the researchers. The four volunteers also showed that they could get better at controlling the cursor the more times they tried. Although the two partially-paralysed people performed better overall, the researchers said this could be because their brains were more used to adapting or that they were simply more motivated. It is not the first time researchers have had this sort of success in brain-control experiments. Some teams have used eye motion and other recording techniques. Earlier this year, a team at the MIT Media Labs Europe demonstrated a wireless cap which read brain waves to control a computer character.
| Although the two partially-paralysed people performed better overall, the researchers said this could be because their brains were more used to adapting or that they were simply more motivated.A team of US researchers has shown that controlling devices with the brain is a step closer.Earlier this year, a team at the MIT Media Labs Europe demonstrated a wireless cap which read brain waves to control a computer character.Four people, two of them partly paralysed wheelchair users, successfully moved a computer cursor while wearing a cap with 64 electrodes.Previous research has shown that monkeys can control a computer with electrodes implanted into their brain.The research team, from New York State Department of Health and State University of New York in Albany, said the research was another step towards people controlling wheelchairs or other electronic devices by thought.Such brain activity does not require the use of any nerves of muscles, so people with stroke or spinal cord injuries could use the cap effectively. |
1,778 | Henin-Hardenne beaten on comeback
Justine Henin-Hardenne lost to Elena Dementieva in a comeback exhibition match in Belgium on Sunday for her second defeat in two days.
And the Belgian, who has slipped to eight in the world after struggling with a virus, faces a tough Australian Open title defence next month. "I will be heading to Australia with a lot of question marks over me, I know that," she said. "But I think there'll be less pressure than last time even if I am champion." Henin-Hardenne was speaking after a 6-2 5-7 6-2 loss to world number six Dementieva in Charleroi, Belgium, on Sunday. The previous day, the Olympic champion went down 6-2 7-5 to France's Nathalie Dechy.
"I have to be positive, I still have a few weeks," she said. "My body has to get accustomed again to the stress, the rhythm." Henin-Hardenne slid down the world rankings in the second half of 2004 after contracting the illness in April. After an initial lay-off, she was forced off the circuit for a second time after being knocked out of the French Open in the second round. A comeback at the US Open after a three-month absence ended when she crashed out at the fourth-round stage. But despite her problems, she still won five of the nine official tournaments she entered in 2004 and won Olympic gold in Athens, an achievement which saw her named Belgian sportswoman of the year on Friday. "Physically, it's obvious that I hit rock bottom," said the 22-year-old, who will make her comeback in the Sydney International from 10-16 January. "Since April, with the exception of the Olympics, I have not done much. "All the successes I had prior to that were mainly due to the work I put in on building up my fitness. "Now it's time to get back to putting in 200% effort and I think I am capable of doing that."
| Henin-Hardenne slid down the world rankings in the second half of 2004 after contracting the illness in April.Justine Henin-Hardenne lost to Elena Dementieva in a comeback exhibition match in Belgium on Sunday for her second defeat in two days.After an initial lay-off, she was forced off the circuit for a second time after being knocked out of the French Open in the second round.Henin-Hardenne was speaking after a 6-2 5-7 6-2 loss to world number six Dementieva in Charleroi, Belgium, on Sunday."Now it's time to get back to putting in 200% effort and I think I am capable of doing that.""I have to be positive, I still have a few weeks," she said."But I think there'll be less pressure than last time even if I am champion." |
1,008 | Blair 'damaged' by Blunkett row
A majority of voters (68%) believe the prime minister has been damaged by the row over David Blunkett's involvement in a visa application, a poll suggests.
But nearly half those surveyed said Mr Blunkett should return to Cabinet if Labour won the next election. Some 63% of respondents in the Sunday Times poll thought his former lover - Kimberly Quinn - acted vindictively and 61% that he had been right to resign. YouGov polled a weighted sample of 1,981 voters online on 16-18 December. Mr Blunkett resigned as Home Secretary on Wednesday after an inquiry uncovered an e-mail showing a visa application by Mrs Quinn's former nanny had been speeded up. Sir Alan Budd's inquiry also found Mr Blunkett's account of events had been wrong. Almost a quarter (21%) of those polled for the Sunday Times said he should return to the Cabinet straight after the election. One in four said he should be back in the Government's top ranks within a year or two while 39% opposed a comeback.
Three-quarters said Mr Blunkett was right to go to court for the right to see Mrs Quinn's son - whom he says he fathered - and just 14% voiced sympathy for Mrs Quinn. A total of 53% of those polled said they had sympathy for Mr Blunkett, with 40% saying they did not. Forty-three per cent thought Mr Blunkett had done a good job as home secretary and 17% disagreed. Meantime, 32% said Mr Blair was a good prime minister and 38% disagreed. A majority, 52%, said Chancellor Gordon Brown had done a good job and just 16% disagreed.
A second poll for the Independent on Sunday found that support for all political parties remained largely unchanged after the Blunkett controversy. Labour lead the Conservatives by 39% to 34% with the Liberal Democrats on 19%. CommunicateResearch interviewed 401 people before David Blunkett's resignation and 601 afterwards. Some 82% said Mr Blunkett had set a good example by wanting to take responsibility for the child he says is his, but 42% backed his legal action compared to 45% who thought it was unbecoming. Thirty per cent said the affair showed Mr Blunkett could not be trusted as a minister while 63%, disagreed.
| A total of 53% of those polled said they had sympathy for Mr Blunkett, with 40% saying they did not.But nearly half those surveyed said Mr Blunkett should return to Cabinet if Labour won the next election.Meantime, 32% said Mr Blair was a good prime minister and 38% disagreed.Thirty per cent said the affair showed Mr Blunkett could not be trusted as a minister while 63%, disagreed.Forty-three per cent thought Mr Blunkett had done a good job as home secretary and 17% disagreed.Some 82% said Mr Blunkett had set a good example by wanting to take responsibility for the child he says is his, but 42% backed his legal action compared to 45% who thought it was unbecoming.Three-quarters said Mr Blunkett was right to go to court for the right to see Mrs Quinn's son - whom he says he fathered - and just 14% voiced sympathy for Mrs Quinn.Almost a quarter (21%) of those polled for the Sunday Times said he should return to the Cabinet straight after the election. |
776 | Help for indies in download sales
A campaign has been launched to help independent labels get their music online and benefit from the growing trend for downloading music.
The British Phonographic Industry has identified a lack of independent music available for download. "We want to ensure that independent repertoire is as successful in the download world as it is in the physical world," said BPI chief Peter Jamieson. Downloaded singles have now overtaken physical singles in the UK. Mr Jamieson said his organisation was lobbying music service providers, which include iTunes and Napster, to urge them to promote independent releases. Download sales are due to be incorporated into the UK singles chart later this year. "With downloads shortly to be eligible for the singles chart, this is a key commercial issue on which the BPI committed to assisting its members," added Mr Jamieson. As part of the campaign the BPI is running a series of seminars entitled Getting Your Music Online, focusing on how independent labels can embrace digital music. The US has already begun incorporating download sales in the Billboard's Hot 100 chart.
| The British Phonographic Industry has identified a lack of independent music available for download.A campaign has been launched to help independent labels get their music online and benefit from the growing trend for downloading music.Download sales are due to be incorporated into the UK singles chart later this year.As part of the campaign the BPI is running a series of seminars entitled Getting Your Music Online, focusing on how independent labels can embrace digital music. |
1,436 | England's defensive crisis grows
England's defensive worries have deepened following the withdrawal of Tottenham's Ledley King from the squad to face Holland.
Chelsea's John Terry and Wayne Bridge are also out, leaving coach Sven-Goran Eriksson with a real problem for Wednesday's match at Villa Park. Injured Rio Ferdinand and Sol Campbell were both left out of the squad, and Matthew Upson has already pulled out. Wes Brown and Jamie Carragher are likely to be the makeshift partnership. Terry, the captain of Chelsea as they push for the Premiership title, would have been a certain starter in the absence of Campbell and Ferdinand. But now he has pulled out with a bruised knee and is likely to be replaced by Carragher, alongside Brown.
Manchester United's Brown last played for England in the defeat by Australia at Upton Park in February 2003. The 25-year-old was only called into the squad on Sunday night as cover following the enforced withdrawal of Upson, who has a hamstring injury. And Brown now looks certain to add to his tally of seven senior appearances for England. King was forced to pull out after his groin injury was assessed by England's medical staff. Eriksson has still not decided whether to call up any further back-up, having already summoned Phil Neville after Bridge pulled out with a foot injury.
| But now he has pulled out with a bruised knee and is likely to be replaced by Carragher, alongside Brown.The 25-year-old was only called into the squad on Sunday night as cover following the enforced withdrawal of Upson, who has a hamstring injury.Injured Rio Ferdinand and Sol Campbell were both left out of the squad, and Matthew Upson has already pulled out.Eriksson has still not decided whether to call up any further back-up, having already summoned Phil Neville after Bridge pulled out with a foot injury.Wes Brown and Jamie Carragher are likely to be the makeshift partnership. |
1,043 | Labour accused of broken pledge
Labour has already broken its pre-election promise on immigration before the ink has dried on its new pledge card, the Tories have claimed.
Home Secretary Charles Clarke has been quoted as telling Labour members he wants more migrants to come to the UK. Tory co-chairman Liam Fox said the comments were at odds with Tony Blair's prediction of a net cut in immigration. But Mr Clarke accused him of trying to score "cheap political points" by muddling immigration with asylum.
London's Evening Standard quoted Mr Clarke telling Labour activists at a question and answer session in Gateshead that he wanted Britain to offer refuge for those fleeing tyranny. "That's not only a moral duty and a legal duty, but something which is part of the essence of this country," he said.
"We want more migration, more people come to study and to work. "We want more people coming to look for refuge." Mr Blair's was asked last Wednesday if the government's new immigration plans, including a point system for economic migrants, would reduce net migration. The prime minister told MPs: "The abusers will be weeded out, and as a result of the end of chain migration [where families have an automatic right to settle], the numbers will probably fall."
On Monday, Dr Fox told reporters: "The prime minister has broken his word so many times in the past but now his promises do not even last a week. "The Labour Party election pledges, even when they are so incredibly vague, do not even last four days."
The Tories want quotas for economic migrants and refugees and on Tuesday will outline more details of their plans for health checks on migrants. Mr Clarke dismissed the latest Tory attack. "This is simply a scurrilous attempt by the Tories to score cheap political points," he said. "The Tories are purposely mixing together two separate issues of immigration and asylum."
Mr Clarke said he had made clear the UK would welcome genuine economic migrants for key jobs on a strict points based system. And only asylum seekers genuinely fleeing death or persecution would be admitted. "Under our plans we expect unfounded applications to continue to fall," he added. Earlier, Dr Fox accused Mr Blair and other Cabinet ministers of telling lies about Tory policies and then attacking the lies. He told BBC Radio: "If you are willing to lie about the reasons for going to war, I guess you are going to lie about anything at all." The latest pre-election spats come after Mr Blair told Labour members the Tories offered a "hard right agenda" which would take Britain backwards. Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy accelerating Lib Dem election preparations this week as he visits Manchester, Liverpool, Leicester, Somerset, Basingstoke, Shrewsbury, Dorset and Torbay.
| Home Secretary Charles Clarke has been quoted as telling Labour members he wants more migrants to come to the UK.The latest pre-election spats come after Mr Blair told Labour members the Tories offered a "hard right agenda" which would take Britain backwards.But Mr Clarke accused him of trying to score "cheap political points" by muddling immigration with asylum.Mr Blair's was asked last Wednesday if the government's new immigration plans, including a point system for economic migrants, would reduce net migration.Mr Clarke said he had made clear the UK would welcome genuine economic migrants for key jobs on a strict points based system.Earlier, Dr Fox accused Mr Blair and other Cabinet ministers of telling lies about Tory policies and then attacking the lies.London's Evening Standard quoted Mr Clarke telling Labour activists at a question and answer session in Gateshead that he wanted Britain to offer refuge for those fleeing tyranny.Mr Clarke dismissed the latest Tory attack.Labour has already broken its pre-election promise on immigration before the ink has dried on its new pledge card, the Tories have claimed.On Monday, Dr Fox told reporters: "The prime minister has broken his word so many times in the past but now his promises do not even last a week. |
1,143 | Kennedy to make temple address
Charles Kennedy is set to address 2,000 people at a Hindu temple as part of an appeal to ethnic minority voters.
The Liberal Democrat leader will visit the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Temple in Neasden, north west London. He will say Labour "can no longer lay exclusive claim to the votes of Britain's ethnic minorities". Mr Kennedy will also highlight the anger among people of "all races" over the Iraq war and call for a "balanced approach" to tackling terrorism. Saturday's speech comes days after the Lib Dems launched their ethnic minority mini-manifesto. Mr Kennedy is to tell the audience: "Many people in Britain, of all races, cultures and religions, were angry about the way we were taken to war in Iraq. "And they saw the principled stand the Liberal Democrats took at the time."
He will also say that the Lib Dems want to "restore Britain's reputation on the world stage" by fighting international poverty and climate change, and protecting human rights. Mr Kennedy will say that a "balanced approach" to tackling terrorism would mean "tough measures to make Britain safe - but not at the expense of people's fundamental legal rights like has happened at Belmarsh". He will say it also means acting through the United Nations on terrorism. Mr Kennedy held talks with Tony Blair on Friday over government plans to hold terror suspects under house arrest. He said afterwards that the Prime Minister had offered some "movement" to address his concerns. The plans face trouble in the Lords if Conservative and Lib Dem opposition continues.
| Mr Kennedy will also highlight the anger among people of "all races" over the Iraq war and call for a "balanced approach" to tackling terrorism.Charles Kennedy is set to address 2,000 people at a Hindu temple as part of an appeal to ethnic minority voters.Mr Kennedy will say that a "balanced approach" to tackling terrorism would mean "tough measures to make Britain safe - but not at the expense of people's fundamental legal rights like has happened at Belmarsh".Mr Kennedy is to tell the audience: "Many people in Britain, of all races, cultures and religions, were angry about the way we were taken to war in Iraq.He will say it also means acting through the United Nations on terrorism.He will also say that the Lib Dems want to "restore Britain's reputation on the world stage" by fighting international poverty and climate change, and protecting human rights. |
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