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1,664 | Teenager Tait picked for England
Newcastle's teenage centre Mathew Tait has been named as a centre in England's team to face Wales in the Six Nations opener in Cardiff on Saturday.
The 18-year-old will play alongside Falcons' team-mate Jamie Noon in England's midfield. Scrum-half Matt Dawson is also recalled, despite been left out of the initial squad after a row over clashing TV and training commitments. Bath lock Danny Grewcock will also start, pending a possible citing. England coach Andy Robinson has also awarded Gloucester flanker Andy Hazell his first Six Nations start. In another change to the side that lost to Australia in November, Leicester lock Ben Kay replaces Bath second row Steve Borthwick. Robinson was already without Jonny Wilkinson, Mike Tindall, Stuart Abbott, Richard Hill and Will Greenwood, while Mike Catt had been left out of England's squad.
J Robinson (Sale Sharks, capt); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tait (Newcastle), J Noon (Newcastle), J Lewsey (Wasps); C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), M Dawson (Wasps); G Rowntree (Leicester), S Thompson (Northampton), J White (Leicester), D Grewcock (Bath), B Kay (Leicester), L Moody (Leicester), A Hazell (Gloucester), J Worsley (Wasps). Replacements: A Titterrell (Sale Sharks), P Vickery (Gloucester), S Borthwick (Bath), J Forrester (Gloucester), H Ellis (Leicester), O Barkley (Bath), B Cohen (Northampton).
| Replacements: A Titterrell (Sale Sharks), P Vickery (Gloucester), S Borthwick (Bath), J Forrester (Gloucester), H Ellis (Leicester), O Barkley (Bath), B Cohen (Northampton).J Robinson (Sale Sharks, capt); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tait (Newcastle), J Noon (Newcastle), J Lewsey (Wasps); C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), M Dawson (Wasps); G Rowntree (Leicester), S Thompson (Northampton), J White (Leicester), D Grewcock (Bath), B Kay (Leicester), L Moody (Leicester), A Hazell (Gloucester), J Worsley (Wasps).England coach Andy Robinson has also awarded Gloucester flanker Andy Hazell his first Six Nations start.Bath lock Danny Grewcock will also start, pending a possible citing. |
735 | Stallone evicted from Big Brother
Jackie Stallone, mother of actor Sylvester, has become the first star to be evicted from Celebrity Big Brother.
She and John McCririck faced the public vote on Friday - 67% of people voted to keep the racing pundit in the house. Stallone, 71, appeared not to have enjoyed her time in the house saying: "I'm a total wreck, I need a vacation, this was a nightmare". But she was pleased to have patched things up with actress Brigitte Nielsen, her former daughter-in-law. "That alone was worth $1m," she said. Stallone joined the Channel 4 show on Monday as a surprise for Nielsen. She was hot favourite to be evicted first, with odds of 1/4 to leave.
But McCririck has made some enemies with his outspoken views about women. Ladbrokes spokesman Warren Lush said: "We may have underestimated the power of the anti-McCririck brigade, but it's so hard to call with him, there are people out there who either love him or hate him, there is no middle ground." The bookmakers have made former Happy Mondays dancer Bez favourite to win the show at 7/4, while Blazin' Squad singer Kenzie is second at 2/1. "Bez has wooed the viewers and looks the one to beat, he's kept his nose clean and doesn't take anything too seriously," Mr Lush said. Earlier on Friday 15 protesters from the Fathers 4 Justice campaign group were arrested after entering the Big Brother compound at 0300 GMT and throwing fireworks. Feminist icon Germaine Greer quit the show earlier in the week over what she called "bullying" tactics used by the programme's producers. The show is currently attracting an average audience of about 4.2 million viewers a night.
| "That alone was worth $1m," she said.Jackie Stallone, mother of actor Sylvester, has become the first star to be evicted from Celebrity Big Brother.She was hot favourite to be evicted first, with odds of 1/4 to leave.Stallone joined the Channel 4 show on Monday as a surprise for Nielsen.The bookmakers have made former Happy Mondays dancer Bez favourite to win the show at 7/4, while Blazin' Squad singer Kenzie is second at 2/1.Stallone, 71, appeared not to have enjoyed her time in the house saying: "I'm a total wreck, I need a vacation, this was a nightmare". |
1,761 | Kuznetsova 'failed a drugs test'
US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova has tested positive for a banned drug, according to Belgian authorities.
Belgian sports minister Claude Eerdekens said that the Russian world number five tested positive for the stimulant ephedrine on 19 December. Kuznetsova was playing in an exhibition event in Charleroi at the time. Eerdekens said: "There is a problem. Ephedrine was discovered. She remains innocent until proved guilty. She can ask for it to be tested again." The situation remains unclear as the tournament was not commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), the International Tennis Federation (ITF) or the Women's Tennis Accosiation (WTA). The test was carried out by regional Belgian authorities and Kuznetsova has not yet been able to have a B sample tested.
Speaking at the Australian Open on Monday, before Eerdekens identified her, Kuznetsova said: "I'm not worried. I'm not using anything to push myself. "I have not been notified of any positive test, and I think it is unfair that it's come out the way it did." Eerdekens said that confirmation of the findings was sent last Friday to the player's address in Spain, as well as to the Belgian prosecutors' office and the Belgian and Russian tennis federations. He conceded Kuznetsova might have taken a medicine which contained the banned substance. "We have simply stated a fact," he said. "It is for the federation concerned to impose the disciplinary measures after a procedure that respects the defence.
"Either the ephedrine was taken to improve her performance or it is because she took some medicine legitimately to cure an infection." However, Kuznetsova's naming was condemned by Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpishchev. "First of all, this Belgian sports minister has broken every ethical rule in the book by naming a player without any proof of wrongdoing, without any basic evidence," Tarpishchev said. "We all know the basic principle in doping cases. If there is a positive sample, then they should notify the International Tennis Federation (ITF) as well as the national federation within three days," he said. "This is not the case here. As of today we have not received any statement from the doping officials, nor did the ITF. "Today I called the ITF headquarters and they told me they know nothing about it. "If WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency) was behind the testing, then we would also have known something by now. "Otherwise, all these looks to me as pure fiction and fabrication of the facts."
| Belgian sports minister Claude Eerdekens said that the Russian world number five tested positive for the stimulant ephedrine on 19 December.The situation remains unclear as the tournament was not commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), the International Tennis Federation (ITF) or the Women's Tennis Accosiation (WTA).Eerdekens said that confirmation of the findings was sent last Friday to the player's address in Spain, as well as to the Belgian prosecutors' office and the Belgian and Russian tennis federations.The test was carried out by regional Belgian authorities and Kuznetsova has not yet been able to have a B sample tested.If there is a positive sample, then they should notify the International Tennis Federation (ITF) as well as the national federation within three days," he said.Speaking at the Australian Open on Monday, before Eerdekens identified her, Kuznetsova said: "I'm not worried.US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova has tested positive for a banned drug, according to Belgian authorities.Ephedrine was discovered.Eerdekens said: "There is a problem.Kuznetsova was playing in an exhibition event in Charleroi at the time.However, Kuznetsova's naming was condemned by Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpishchev. |
356 | S Korea spending boost to economy
South Korea will boost state spending next year in an effort to create jobs and kick start its sputtering economy.
It has earmarked 100 trillion won ($96bn) for the first six months of 2005, 60% of its total annual budget. The government's main problems are "slumping consumption and a contraction in the construction industry". It aims to create 400,000 jobs and will focus on infrastructure and home building, as well as providing public firms with money to hire new workers.
The government has set an economic growth rate target of 5% for next year and hinted that would be in danger unless it took action. "Internal and external economic conditions are likely to remain unfavourable in 2005," the Finance and Economy Ministry said in a statement.
It blamed "continuing uncertainties such as fluctuating oil prices and foreign exchange rates and stagnant domestic demand that has shown few signs of a quick rebound". In 2004, growth will be between 4.7% and 4.8%, the ministry said. Not everyone is convinced the plan will work. "Our primary worry centres on the what we believe is the government's overly optimistic view that its front loading of the budget will be enough to turn the economy around," consultancy 4Cast said in a report.
The problem facing South Korea is that many consumers are reeling from the effects of a credit bubble that only recently burst. Millions of South Koreans are defaulting on their credit card bills, and the country's biggest card lender has been hovering on the verge of bankruptcy for months. As part of its spending plans, the government said it will ask firms to "roll over mortgage loans that come due in the first half of 2005" . It also pledged to look at ways of helping families on low incomes.
The government voiced concern about the effect of redundancies in the building trade. "Given the economic spill over and employment effect in the construction sector, a sharp downturn in the construction industry could have other adverse effects," the ministry said.
As a result, South Korea will give private companies also will be given the chance to build schools, hospitals, houses and other public buildings. It also will look at real estate tax system. Other plans on the table include promoting new industries such as bio-technology and nano-technology, as well as offering increased support to small and medium sized businesses. "The focus will be on job creation and economic recovery, given that unfavourable domestic and global conditions are likely to dog the Korean economy in 2005," the ministry said.
| "The focus will be on job creation and economic recovery, given that unfavourable domestic and global conditions are likely to dog the Korean economy in 2005," the ministry said."Given the economic spill over and employment effect in the construction sector, a sharp downturn in the construction industry could have other adverse effects," the ministry said."Internal and external economic conditions are likely to remain unfavourable in 2005," the Finance and Economy Ministry said in a statement.In 2004, growth will be between 4.7% and 4.8%, the ministry said.South Korea will boost state spending next year in an effort to create jobs and kick start its sputtering economy.The government has set an economic growth rate target of 5% for next year and hinted that would be in danger unless it took action.As a result, South Korea will give private companies also will be given the chance to build schools, hospitals, houses and other public buildings.As part of its spending plans, the government said it will ask firms to "roll over mortgage loans that come due in the first half of 2005" . |
1,246 | Brown 'proud of economy record'
Gordon Brown has delivered a rousing speech to Labour's spring conference setting out the government's agenda for the next general election.
The chancellor said he was proud of his party's record on the economy, and would strive for continuing stability if elected. The Gateshead conference was told he would help young people who were struggling to buy their own homes. And the chancellor vowed to continue the fight against child poverty. Later, Prime Minister Tony Blair will answer questions sent by the public via text and e-mail.
Analysing Mr Brown's position before the speech, BBC correspondent James Hardy said Mr Brown would draw "sharp dividing lines" with the Conservatives for the forthcoming election campaign. He would contrast Labour's plan to invest £60bn in services with a Tory plan to cut spending by £35bn. "Mr Brown will lay out his credentials as a reforming chancellor determined to take on and beat the Asian tiger economies which increasingly dominate world trade," our correspondent said.
On Friday night, Mr Brown confirmed he would not make any tax commitments until the Labour manifesto had been published after the Budget, expected in March. But commentators will listen to his speech closely for hints on whether, as the Conservatives claim, he plans to raise tax after the election. The Tories accuse Labour of raising taxes 66 times since coming to power in 1997.
Following the chancellor's keynote speech, the prime minister will face interactive questioning from ordinary voters on Saturday. Mr Blair is thought to be deliberately putting himself on the line in a bid to engage the electorate ahead of an expected May election. Capital Radio DJ Margherita Taylor will select questions to put to him from thousands e-mailed and sent by text. The prime minister's enthusiasm for the job remains undimmed, Alan Milburn, Labour's election strategist told Radio 4's Today programme on Saturday. Mr Blair has "the same passion and the same commitments for the job" as when Labour came to power in 1997, he said.
And he confirmed Mr Blair's insistence that no poll date had yet been set. He said: "I'm the General Election co-ordinator and I don't know, and Tony has not made up his mind." On Friday, the prime minister completed a whistle-stop tour of England, during which he unveiled his party's six pre-election pledges. Starting in London, he visited marginal constituencies pledging to build on what he said were Labour's achievements on the economy, crime, education and public services. The Conservatives and Lib Dems said the pledges - set to underpin Labour's election campaign - were "worthless".
| Analysing Mr Brown's position before the speech, BBC correspondent James Hardy said Mr Brown would draw "sharp dividing lines" with the Conservatives for the forthcoming election campaign.Mr Blair has "the same passion and the same commitments for the job" as when Labour came to power in 1997, he said.The Conservatives and Lib Dems said the pledges - set to underpin Labour's election campaign - were "worthless".On Friday night, Mr Brown confirmed he would not make any tax commitments until the Labour manifesto had been published after the Budget, expected in March.Gordon Brown has delivered a rousing speech to Labour's spring conference setting out the government's agenda for the next general election.The chancellor said he was proud of his party's record on the economy, and would strive for continuing stability if elected."Mr Brown will lay out his credentials as a reforming chancellor determined to take on and beat the Asian tiger economies which increasingly dominate world trade," our correspondent said.He said: "I'm the General Election co-ordinator and I don't know, and Tony has not made up his mind."The prime minister's enthusiasm for the job remains undimmed, Alan Milburn, Labour's election strategist told Radio 4's Today programme on Saturday. |
1,862 | Movie body hits peer-to-peer nets
The movie industry has struck out at file-sharing networks with another round of lawsuits in the US.
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) also said it had succeeded in getting a network called LokiTorrent closed down. It is the latest network which uses the peer-to-peer system called BitTorrent to be hit by the MPAA. The MPAA began its legal campaign against operators of similar networks across four continents in December. A Dallas court agreed that Hollywood lawyers would be allowed access to LokiTorrent's server records which could let them single out those who were sharing files illegally. In October 2004, the site had provided links to more than 30,000 files. The action came after the operators of LokiTorrent agreed a settlement with the MPAA. A stark message has appeared on the site from the MPAA warning "You can click, but you can't hide". In BitTorrent systems, server sites do not host the files being shared. They host links, called "trackers" that direct people to others that have it instead.
As well as filing an unspecified number of file suits across the US, the MPAA said it had given operators that host eDonkey servers "take down" notices. Hollywood studios are aggressively clamping down on file-sharers who it says infringe copyright laws by copying films and TV programmes then share the files online. But it is now targeting the operators of BitTorrent networks themselves. It has filed 100 lawsuits against operators of BitTorrent server sites since December. The strategy of hitting those who run the servers which link to copyrighted material is intended to stunt file-sharers' ability to swap content using BitTorrent systems. The film industry says the black market for illegally copied videos and DVDs already costs them billions every year and it is worried that illegal file-sharing is adding to their losses. In December, the legal action claimed its most high-profile victim. The popular Suprnova.org website was forced to close, and others like Phoenix Torrent followed soon after.
| It has filed 100 lawsuits against operators of BitTorrent server sites since December.In BitTorrent systems, server sites do not host the files being shared.It is the latest network which uses the peer-to-peer system called BitTorrent to be hit by the MPAA.But it is now targeting the operators of BitTorrent networks themselves.As well as filing an unspecified number of file suits across the US, the MPAA said it had given operators that host eDonkey servers "take down" notices.The MPAA began its legal campaign against operators of similar networks across four continents in December.The action came after the operators of LokiTorrent agreed a settlement with the MPAA.The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) also said it had succeeded in getting a network called LokiTorrent closed down. |
1,491 | Cole refuses to blame van Persie
Ashley Cole has refused to blame Robin van Persie for leaving Arsenal with no fully-fit strikers for the FA Cup fifth round replay at Sheffield United.
Van Persie is suspended alongside Dennis Bergkamp and Jose Antonio Reyes after being sent off at Southampton when Arsenal had a numerical advantage. Thierry Henry is ruled out with an Achilles tendon injury but Cole said: "No-one is putting the blame on Robin. "It's just something that happens on the spur of the moment." Cole added: "I've done it before and I hope they didn't blame me for anything. "Of course he'll learn. I've been sent off a couple of times now and it's just one of those things when you go a bit crazy for one or two seconds. Freddie Ljungberg is likely to be used in an emergency striking role and will be partnered by either Arturo Lupoli, Quincy Owusu-Abeyie or Jeremie Aliadiere. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said: "Freddie is an option but we need a second striker. "I have to decide whether it will be Aliadiere, Quincy or Lupoli who will start with him up front. Those three will be involved." Arsenal are also without winger Robert Pires, who sustained an ankle injury at St Mary's. Wenger added: "It doesn't look like anything is fractured, but it is a good ankle sprain. "It does not look like Pires will be ready for two to three weeks."
| "It does not look like Pires will be ready for two to three weeks."Ashley Cole has refused to blame Robin van Persie for leaving Arsenal with no fully-fit strikers for the FA Cup fifth round replay at Sheffield United.Cole added: "I've done it before and I hope they didn't blame me for anything.Wenger added: "It doesn't look like anything is fractured, but it is a good ankle sprain.Thierry Henry is ruled out with an Achilles tendon injury but Cole said: "No-one is putting the blame on Robin.Freddie Ljungberg is likely to be used in an emergency striking role and will be partnered by either Arturo Lupoli, Quincy Owusu-Abeyie or Jeremie Aliadiere. |
1,398 | Tulu to appear at Caledonian run
Two-time Olympic 10,000 metres champion Derartu Tulu has confirmed she will take part in the BUPA Great Caledonian Run in Edinburgh on 8 May.
The 32-year-old Ethiopian is the first star name to enter the event. Tulu has won the Boston, London and Tokyo Marathons, as well as the world 10,000m title in 2001. "We are delighted to have secured the services of one the most decorated competitors the sport has ever seen," said race director Matthew Turnbull. "Her record speaks for herself and there are few other women distance runners who would dare compare their pedigree with Tulu's," he added. "She might be 33 next month, but that didn't stop her winning the Olympic 10,000m bronze medal last summer. She's an ultra-consistent championships racer."
| Two-time Olympic 10,000 metres champion Derartu Tulu has confirmed she will take part in the BUPA Great Caledonian Run in Edinburgh on 8 May.Tulu has won the Boston, London and Tokyo Marathons, as well as the world 10,000m title in 2001."We are delighted to have secured the services of one the most decorated competitors the sport has ever seen," said race director Matthew Turnbull. |
1,012 | CSA 'could close', says minister
Ministers would not rule out scrapping the Child Support Agency if it failed to improve, Work and Pensions Secretary Alan Johnson has warned.
But he said replacing the controversial CSA would be "the nuclear option". A report by the Commons work and pensions committee called for the agency to be wound up unless it improved its service within weeks. Chairman Sir Archy Kirkwood said: "If the agency cannot be rescued, then it must be replaced."
The committee reached its conclusions after it found that nearly 250,000 cases have yet to be processed. It warned that it could be five years before the CSA was "fit for purpose", describing it as "a failing organisation" and "in crisis" with parents facing payment delays and inaccurate maintenance calculations. The report urged the CSA to draw up contingency plans, including the "abandonment option", to be presented to Parliament by Easter, in case the CS2 computer system could not be made to work.
And responding to calls for the agency to be scrapped, Mr Johnson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I certainly wouldn't rule out the nuclear option of moving to a completely new system. "But I think the select committee would agree with me we would only do that when we were absolutely convinced that this system just isn't going to work."
The MPs launched their inquiry into the CSA's performance after it became clear that, despite the introduction of a simpler system of calculating maintenance payments for new cases in 2003, a backlog of claims was building up. The MPs found the £456m system from American IT giant EDS was "nowhere near being fully functional and the number of dissatisfied, disenchanted and angry customers continues to escalate". Faced with the committee's criticism, the government has suspended its plan to cut the agency's staff by 25%. The CSA has been surrounded in controversy since its introduction in 1993 to assess and enforce child support payments by absent parents.
It is currently chasing outstanding payments of more than £720m, while a further £947m has been designated as "unrecoverable".
Michelle, a mother of twins, said she had not received a penny of the £57 a week she should be receiving from her ex-partner and had faced an "on-going battle" with the CSA. Her forms have twice been lost in the post, she said. "I don't receive correspondence, I don't receive phone calls, I have to chase them all the time," she said. Theresa May, Tory shadow work and pensions secretary, said: "We have got to find a way that's going to ensure those payments get through to the people who are due them." The agency's former chief executive Doug Smith quit last autumn claiming he was "seriously disappointed" with its performance. The committee said the National Audit Office should investigate why the EDS system had gone so badly wrong. It blamed the agency's senior management for a "multitude of problems" within the agency, including for an apparent lack of training of frontline staff.
| But he said replacing the controversial CSA would be "the nuclear option".Ministers would not rule out scrapping the Child Support Agency if it failed to improve, Work and Pensions Secretary Alan Johnson has warned.The committee said the National Audit Office should investigate why the EDS system had gone so badly wrong.The report urged the CSA to draw up contingency plans, including the "abandonment option", to be presented to Parliament by Easter, in case the CS2 computer system could not be made to work."But I think the select committee would agree with me we would only do that when we were absolutely convinced that this system just isn't going to work."The MPs launched their inquiry into the CSA's performance after it became clear that, despite the introduction of a simpler system of calculating maintenance payments for new cases in 2003, a backlog of claims was building up.Theresa May, Tory shadow work and pensions secretary, said: "We have got to find a way that's going to ensure those payments get through to the people who are due them."The CSA has been surrounded in controversy since its introduction in 1993 to assess and enforce child support payments by absent parents.A report by the Commons work and pensions committee called for the agency to be wound up unless it improved its service within weeks. |
2,119 | More power to the people says HP
The digital revolution is focused on letting people tell and share their own stories, according to Carly Fiorina, chief of technology giant Hewlett Packard.
The job of firms such as HP now, she said in a speech at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), was to ensure digital and physical worlds fully converged. She said the goal for 2005 was to make people the centre of technology. CES showcases 50,000 new gadgets that will be hitting the shelves in 2005. The tech-fest, the largest of its kind in the world, runs from 6 to 9 January. "The digital revolution is about the democratisation of technology and the experiences it makes possible," she told delegates. "Revolution has always been about giving power to the people." She added: "The real story of the digital revolution is not just new products, but the millions of experiences made possible and stories that millions can tell." Part of giving people more control has been about the freeing up of content, such as images, video and music. Crucial to this has been the effort to make devices that speak to each other better so that content can be more easily transferred from one device, such as a digital camera, to others, such as portable media players. A lot of work still needs to be done, however, to sort out compatibility issues and standards within the technology industry so that gadgets just work seamlessly, she said.
Ms Fiorina's talk also touted the way technology is being designed to focus on lifestyle, fashion and personalisation, something she sees as key to what people want.
Special guest, singer Gwen Stefani, joined her on-stage to promote her own range of HP digital cameras which Ms Stefani has helped design and which are heavily influenced by Japanese youth culture. The digital cameras, which are due to go on sale in the US by the summer, are based on the HP 607 model. The emphasis on personalisation and lifestyle is a big theme at this year's CES, with tiny, wearable MP3 players at every turn and rainbow hues giving colour to everything. Ms Fiorina also announced that HP was working with Nokia to launch a visual radio service for mobiles, which would launch in Europe early this year. The service will let people listen to radio on their mobiles and download relevant content, like a track's ringtone, simultaneously. The service is designed to make mobile radio more interactive.
Among the other new products she showcased was the Digital Media Hub, a big upgrade to HP's Digital Entertainment Centre. Coming out in the autumn in the US, the box is a networked, high-definition TV, cable set-top box, digital video recorder and DVD recorder. It has a removable hard drive cartridge, memory card slots, and Light Scribe labelling software which lets people design and print customised DVD labels and covers. It is designed to contain all a household's digital media, such as pre-recorded TV shows, pictures, videos and music so it can all be managed in one place. The hub reflects the increasing move to re-box the PC so that it can work as part of other key centres of entertainment. Research suggests that about 258 million images are saved and shared every day, equating to 94 billion a year. Eighty per cent of those remain on cameras. Media hubs are designed to encourage people to organise them on one box. Ms Fiorina was one of several keynote speakers, who also included Microsoft chief Bill Gates, to set out what major technology companies think people will be doing with technologies and gadgets in the next 12 months. In a separate announcement during the keynote speech, Ms Fiorina said that HP would be partnering MTV to replace this year's MTV Asia music award. MTV's Asia Aid will be held in Bangkok on 3 February, and is aimed at helping to raise money for the Asian tsunami disaster.
| She said the goal for 2005 was to make people the centre of technology.Among the other new products she showcased was the Digital Media Hub, a big upgrade to HP's Digital Entertainment Centre.The digital revolution is focused on letting people tell and share their own stories, according to Carly Fiorina, chief of technology giant Hewlett Packard."The digital revolution is about the democratisation of technology and the experiences it makes possible," she told delegates.Ms Fiorina was one of several keynote speakers, who also included Microsoft chief Bill Gates, to set out what major technology companies think people will be doing with technologies and gadgets in the next 12 months.The job of firms such as HP now, she said in a speech at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), was to ensure digital and physical worlds fully converged.Media hubs are designed to encourage people to organise them on one box."Revolution has always been about giving power to the people."Part of giving people more control has been about the freeing up of content, such as images, video and music.Ms Fiorina's talk also touted the way technology is being designed to focus on lifestyle, fashion and personalisation, something she sees as key to what people want.It is designed to contain all a household's digital media, such as pre-recorded TV shows, pictures, videos and music so it can all be managed in one place.The digital cameras, which are due to go on sale in the US by the summer, are based on the HP 607 model. |
193 | Borussia Dortmund near bust
German football club and former European champion Borussia Dortmund has warned it will go bankrupt if rescue talks with creditors fail.
The company's shares tumbled after it said it has "entered a life-threatening profitability and financial situation". Borussia Dortmund has posted record losses and missed rent payments on its Westfallen stadium. Chief executive Gerd Niebaum stepped down last week and creditors are now pushing for greater control. Shares in Borussia Dortmund, Germany's only stock-market listed football club, dropped by almost 23% to 2.05 euros during early afternoon trading.
Fund manager Florian Hamm - Borussia Dortmund's largest investor - said he would only invest more money in the company if he got a greater say in how it is run. "I demand better transparency," he is quoted as saying by Germany's Manger Magazin. The club has also faced calls to appoint executives from outside the club.
Borussia Dortmund posted a record loss of 68m euros ($89m; £47m) in the 12 months through June. It made a loss of 27.2m euros in the first half of the current fiscal year and said that total debts will increase to 134.7m euros by the middle of 2006 unless a restructuring plan is pushed through. "This is the bill for their mismanagement over the past years," said HVB analyst Peter-Thilo Halser. The club appointed an auditor, who has recommended a number of steps, including deferring the rent due on the stadium and suspending debt repayments until at least the 2006-2007 fiscal year. Stephen Schechter, a UK investment banker who has held talks with Borussia Dortmund over a possible bond sale, said the club needs a capital injection of 35m euros. "They need strong people on the board who do not have a history with the club," he said.
| Stephen Schechter, a UK investment banker who has held talks with Borussia Dortmund over a possible bond sale, said the club needs a capital injection of 35m euros.Borussia Dortmund has posted record losses and missed rent payments on its Westfallen stadium.German football club and former European champion Borussia Dortmund has warned it will go bankrupt if rescue talks with creditors fail.Shares in Borussia Dortmund, Germany's only stock-market listed football club, dropped by almost 23% to 2.05 euros during early afternoon trading.Borussia Dortmund posted a record loss of 68m euros ($89m; £47m) in the 12 months through June.The club has also faced calls to appoint executives from outside the club. |
1,839 | Xbox power cable 'fire fear'
Microsoft has said it will replace more than 14 million power cables for its Xbox consoles due to safety concerns.
The company said the move was a "preventative step" after reports of fire hazard problems with the cables. It affects Xboxes made before 23 October 2003 for all regions but mainland Europe - and consoles in that region made before 13 January 2004. Microsoft said it had received 30 reports of minor injury or property damage due to faulty cables. The firm said fewer than one in 10,000 consoles had experienced component failures. The recall affects almost three quarters of all Xboxes sold around the world since its launch in 2001.
In a statement, it added: "In almost all instances, any damage caused by these failures was contained within the console itself or limited to the tip of the power cord at the back of the console." But in seven cases, customers reported sustaining a minor burn to their hand. In 23 cases, customers reported smoke damage, or minor damage to a carpet or entertainment centre. "This is a preventative step we're choosing to take despite the rarity of these incidents," said Robbie Bach, senior vice president, Microsoft home and entertainment division. "We regret the inconvenience, but believe offering consumers a free replacement cord is the responsible thing to do." Consumers can order a new cable from the Xbox website or by telephoning 0800 028 9276 in the UK. Microsoft said customers would get replacement cords within two to four weeks from the time of order. It advised users to turn off their Xboxes when not in use. A follow-up to Xbox is expected to released at the end of this year or the beginning of 2006.
| Microsoft has said it will replace more than 14 million power cables for its Xbox consoles due to safety concerns.Microsoft said it had received 30 reports of minor injury or property damage due to faulty cables.Microsoft said customers would get replacement cords within two to four weeks from the time of order.In a statement, it added: "In almost all instances, any damage caused by these failures was contained within the console itself or limited to the tip of the power cord at the back of the console."In 23 cases, customers reported smoke damage, or minor damage to a carpet or entertainment centre.The firm said fewer than one in 10,000 consoles had experienced component failures. |
1,254 | 'UK will stand firm on EU rebate'
Britain's £3bn EU rebate is not up for renegotiation at next week's European Council summit, Jack Straw said.
The foreign secretary told MPs the rebate, secured by Margaret Thatcher in 1984, was "entirely justified". New European commission president Jose Manuel Barroso has suggested the cash could be shared out among net contributors to the EU budget. Mr Straw acknowledged some countries in the newly enlarged 25 nation EU still had to "see the light" on the rebate.
But the foreign secretary told the Commons foreign affairs committee: "Our position is very clear: it is entirely justified and it is not for negotiation." He added that he did not think there would be a political price to pay for the UK's stance - Britain contributed more and received less than other EU states. The two-day European Council summit in Brussels begins on 16 December and is widely expected to mark the beginning of a lengthy negotiating period over the EU's budget for 2007-13. The wrangling could stretch into 2005, even 2006.
The UK, France, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Sweden want the EU budget to be capped at 1% of member states' combined national incomes - the Commission wants it to be 1.26%. Mr Straw said the EU commission's proposal would mean a 35% hike in the budget. "I don't know of any national government thinking of increasing its budget by that amount," he added. The foreign secretary said he hoped the talks next week could produce a date in 2005 for the beginning of negotiations with Turkey about possible EU membership although that there would be no prospect of a date for joining for some time.
| Mr Straw said the EU commission's proposal would mean a 35% hike in the budget.Britain's £3bn EU rebate is not up for renegotiation at next week's European Council summit, Jack Straw said.The foreign secretary said he hoped the talks next week could produce a date in 2005 for the beginning of negotiations with Turkey about possible EU membership although that there would be no prospect of a date for joining for some time.New European commission president Jose Manuel Barroso has suggested the cash could be shared out among net contributors to the EU budget.Mr Straw acknowledged some countries in the newly enlarged 25 nation EU still had to "see the light" on the rebate. |
2,050 | Millions to miss out on the net
By 2025, 40% of the UK's population will still be without internet access at home, says a study.
Around 23 million Britons will miss out on a wide range of essential services such as education and medical information, predicts the report by telecoms giant BT. It compares to 27 million, or 50%, of the UK, who are not currently online. The idea that the digital divide will evaporate with time is "wishful thinking", the report concludes.
The study calls on the government and telecoms industry to come up with new ways to lure those that have been bypassed by the digital revolution. Although the percentage of Britons without home access will have fallen slightly, those that remain digital refuseniks will miss out on more, the report suggests. As more and more everyday tasks move online and offline services become less comprehensive, the divide will become more obvious and more burdensome for those that have not got net access, it predicts.
The gap between "have-nets" and "have-nots" has been much talked about, but predictions about how such a divide will affect future generations has been less discussed. BT set out to predict future patterns based on current information and taking account of the way technology is changing. Optimists who predict that convergence and the emergence of more user-friendly technology will bridge the digital divide could be way off mark, the report suggests. "Internet access on other devices tends to be something taken up by those who already have it," said Adrian Hosford, director of corporate responsibility at BT. Costs of internet access have fallen dramatically and coverage in remote areas have vastly improved over the last year but the real barrier remains psychological. "There is a hard rump of have-nots who are not engaging with the net. They don't have the motivation or skills or perceive the benefits," said Mr Hosford.
As now, the most disadvantaged groups are likely to remain among low income families, the older generation and the disabled.
Those on low incomes will account for a quarter of the digital have-nots, the disabled will make up 16% and the elderly nearly a third by 2025, the report forecasts. Organisations such as BT have a responsibility to help tackle the problem, said Mr Hosford. The telco has seen positive results with its Everybody Online project which offers internet access to people in eight deprived communities around Britain. In one area of Cornwall with high levels of unemployment, online training helped people rewrite CVs and learn skills to get new jobs, explained Mr Hosford. Such grassroot activity addressing the specific needs of individual communities is essential is the problem of the digital divide is to be overcome, he said. "If we don't address this problem now, it will get a lot worse and people will find it more difficult to find jobs, education opportunities will be limited and they'll simply not be able to keep up with society," he said. The Alliance for Digital Inclusion, an independent body with members drawn from government, industry and the voluntary sector has recently been set up to tackle some of the issues faced by the digital refuseniks.
| Although the percentage of Britons without home access will have fallen slightly, those that remain digital refuseniks will miss out on more, the report suggests."Internet access on other devices tends to be something taken up by those who already have it," said Adrian Hosford, director of corporate responsibility at BT.Optimists who predict that convergence and the emergence of more user-friendly technology will bridge the digital divide could be way off mark, the report suggests.Organisations such as BT have a responsibility to help tackle the problem, said Mr Hosford.Such grassroot activity addressing the specific needs of individual communities is essential is the problem of the digital divide is to be overcome, he said.The idea that the digital divide will evaporate with time is "wishful thinking", the report concludes.Those on low incomes will account for a quarter of the digital have-nots, the disabled will make up 16% and the elderly nearly a third by 2025, the report forecasts.As more and more everyday tasks move online and offline services become less comprehensive, the divide will become more obvious and more burdensome for those that have not got net access, it predicts.The telco has seen positive results with its Everybody Online project which offers internet access to people in eight deprived communities around Britain. |
1,337 | Chepkemei joins Edinburgh line-up
Susan Chepkemei has decided she is fit enough to run in next month's Great Edinburgh International Cross Country.
The Kenyan was initially unsure if she would have recovered from her gruelling tussle with Paula Radcliffe in the New York Marathon in time to compete. But she has declared herself up to the task and joins a field headed by World cross country champion Benita Johnson. Race director Matthew Turnbull said: "Susan will add even more strength in depth to the world-class line up." Chepkemei, who won the six kilometre event three years ago when it was staged in Newcastle, endured an epic battle with Radcliffe in the Big Apple until the Briton outsprinted her in the final 400m. Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia will defend the title she won last year in Tyneside - before the race was moved north of the border. Recently-crowned European cross country champion Briton Hayley Yelling also competes in Edinburgh on 15 January, as does in-form Scot Kathy Butler.
| Susan Chepkemei has decided she is fit enough to run in next month's Great Edinburgh International Cross Country.Recently-crowned European cross country champion Briton Hayley Yelling also competes in Edinburgh on 15 January, as does in-form Scot Kathy Butler.Chepkemei, who won the six kilometre event three years ago when it was staged in Newcastle, endured an epic battle with Radcliffe in the Big Apple until the Briton outsprinted her in the final 400m. |
685 | Alicia Keys to open US Super Bowl
R&B star Alicia Keys is to open February's Super Bowl singing a song only previously performed there by Ray Charles and Vicki Carr.
Keys, who will sing America the Beautiful, will be accompanied by 150 students from the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. Charles, who died last year, attended the school as a child in 1937. Keys said she was "very excited", describing Charles as "an artist I admire, miss and respect". "I know that this is going to be a very touching and memorable moment," she said.
It will be her first performance at the Super Bowl, which will be watched by millions in the US on 6 February. Sir Paul McCartney will provide the half-time entertainment in the slot filled by Janet Jackson last year. Organisers have promised there will be no repeat of her nipple-baring incident that sparked thousands of complaints on US TV's most-watched broadcast. A National Football League spokesman said they were "comfortable" this show would be acceptable to a mass audience. The game and show were watched by 144 million people in the US in 2003.
Twenty CBS-owned TV stations were fined $550,000 (£300,000) by the country's TV regulatory agency after more than 542,000 complaints were made about Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction". Sir Paul said: "There's nothing bigger than being asked to perform at the Super Bowl. "We're looking forward to rocking the millions at home and in the stadium."
| It will be her first performance at the Super Bowl, which will be watched by millions in the US on 6 February.Sir Paul said: "There's nothing bigger than being asked to perform at the Super Bowl.The game and show were watched by 144 million people in the US in 2003.Keys said she was "very excited", describing Charles as "an artist I admire, miss and respect".R&B star Alicia Keys is to open February's Super Bowl singing a song only previously performed there by Ray Charles and Vicki Carr.Charles, who died last year, attended the school as a child in 1937. |
297 | Dutch bank to lay off 2,850 staff
ABN Amro, the Netherlands' largest bank, is to cut 2,850 jobs as a result of falling profits.
The cuts - amounting to 3% of the bank's workforce - will result in a one-off charge of 790m euros ($1.1bn). About 1,100 jobs will go in investment banking while 1,200 and 550 will go in IT and human resources respectively. ABN Amro is the third large European bank to announce cutbacks in the past month following Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse Group.
Its profitability has been hit by a fall in mortgage lending in the United States - the bank's largest single market - following recent interest rate rises. ABN Amro's operations in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom will be hardest hit. Jobs will also be lost in the US - which accounted for 46% of profit in the first half of 2004 - and across its operations in the Americas and Asia-Pacific regions.
The restructuring is designed to improve efficiency by reducing administrative costs and increasing focus on client service. The bank said it was on course for a 10% rise in net income this year but operating profits are set to fall because of a fall in US revenues. ABN Amro currently has more than 100,000 staff. "To get any profit growth in the coming years, they will have to lower costs, so shedding jobs makes total sense," Ivo Geijsen, an analyst with Bank Oyens & Van Eeghen, told Bloomberg. Europe's leading banks seem set for a period of retrenchment. Deutsche Bank said earlier this month it would reduce its German workforce by 1,920 while as many as 300 jobs will be lost at Credit Suisse First Boston.
| ABN Amro, the Netherlands' largest bank, is to cut 2,850 jobs as a result of falling profits.ABN Amro is the third large European bank to announce cutbacks in the past month following Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse Group.Deutsche Bank said earlier this month it would reduce its German workforce by 1,920 while as many as 300 jobs will be lost at Credit Suisse First Boston.The bank said it was on course for a 10% rise in net income this year but operating profits are set to fall because of a fall in US revenues.ABN Amro currently has more than 100,000 staff.ABN Amro's operations in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom will be hardest hit. |
913 | Tsunami debt deal to be announced
Chancellor Gordon Brown has said he hopes to announce a deal to suspend debt interest repayments by tsunami-hit nations later on Friday.
The agreement by the G8 group of wealthy nations would save affected countries £3bn pounds a year, he said. The deal is thought to have been hammered out on Thursday night after Japan, one of the biggest creditor nations, finally signed up to it. Mr Brown first proposed the idea earlier this week.
G8 ministers are also believed to have agreed to instruct the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to complete a country by country analysis of the reconstruction problems faced by all states hit by the disaster. Mr Brown has been locked in talks with finance ministers of the G8, which Britain now chairs. Germany also proposed a freeze and Canada has begun its own moratorium. The expected deal comes as Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the number of Britons dead or missing in the disaster have reached 440.
| Mr Brown has been locked in talks with finance ministers of the G8, which Britain now chairs.Chancellor Gordon Brown has said he hopes to announce a deal to suspend debt interest repayments by tsunami-hit nations later on Friday.The agreement by the G8 group of wealthy nations would save affected countries £3bn pounds a year, he said.Mr Brown first proposed the idea earlier this week. |
2,114 | Fast moving phone viruses appear
Security firms are warning about several mobile phone viruses that can spread much faster than similar bugs.
The new strains of the Cabir mobile phone virus use short-range radio technology to leap to any vulnerable phone as soon as it is in range. The Cabir virus only affects high-end handsets running the Symbian Series 60 phone operating system. Despite the warnings, there are so far no reports of any phones being infected by the new variants of Cabir.
The original Cabir worm came to light in mid-June 2004 when it was sent to anti-virus firms as a proof-of-concept program. A mistake in the way the original Cabir was written meant that even if it escaped from the laboratory, the bug would only have been able to infect one phone at a time.
However, the new Cabir strains have this mistake corrected and will spread via short range Bluetooth technology to any vulnerable phone in range. Bluetooth has an effective range of a few tens of metres. The risk of being infected by Cabir is low because users must give the malicious program permission to download on to their handset and then must manually install it. Users can protect themselves by altering a setting on Symbian phones that conceals the handset from other Bluetooth using devices. Finnish security firm F-Secure issued a warning about the new strains of Cabir but said that the viruses do not do any damage to a phone. All they do is block normal Bluetooth activity and drain the phone's battery. Anti-virus firm Sophos said the source code for Cabir had been posted on the net by a Brazilian programmer which might lead to even more variants of the program being created. So far seven versions of Cabir are know to exist, one of which was inside the malicious Skulls program that was found in late November. Symbian's Series 60 software is licenced by Nokia, LG Electronics, Lenovo, Panasonic, Samsung, Sendo and Siemens.
| The new strains of the Cabir mobile phone virus use short-range radio technology to leap to any vulnerable phone as soon as it is in range.However, the new Cabir strains have this mistake corrected and will spread via short range Bluetooth technology to any vulnerable phone in range.Finnish security firm F-Secure issued a warning about the new strains of Cabir but said that the viruses do not do any damage to a phone.The Cabir virus only affects high-end handsets running the Symbian Series 60 phone operating system.Despite the warnings, there are so far no reports of any phones being infected by the new variants of Cabir.A mistake in the way the original Cabir was written meant that even if it escaped from the laboratory, the bug would only have been able to infect one phone at a time. |
55 | SA unveils 'more for all' budget
The South African government has put tax cuts and increased social spending at the centre of its latest budget.
Aiming to both stir economic growth and aid the country's poor, finance minister Trevor Manuel said the focus of the 2005 budget was "more for all". The tax cuts target firms and individuals, cutting corporate tax from 30% to 29% and offering income tax cuts worth 6.8bn rand ($1.2bn; £910m). Spending on health and education will rise by 9.4% and 8.1% respectively. Spending on housing and sanitation will rise by 12%. All the spending increases will run over the next three years.
Unveiling the 418bn-rand budget to parliament, Mr Manuel said the South African economy had grown by an average of 3.2% over the past four years, slightly below the African average of 4%.
He predicted that the South African economy would grow by 4.3% in 2005 and 4.2% in 2006. Mr Manuel added that inflation fell to 4.3% in 2004 and is expected to remain at between 3% and 6% from now until at least 2008, helped by interest rates which are at their lowest level in 24 years. Given that both corporate and personal taxes are being cut - under the new measures, those earning less than 35,000 rand a year will be exempt from income tax - the extra 22.3bn rand in social spending will be partly met by higher fuel, tobacco and alcohol taxes.
"In this budget, the focus is on more for all, not more for some, and not a hell of a lot more for a few, but spread across all of South Africa," said Mr Manuel. He said that the economic situation was a "marked improvement" on the position at the end of apartheid, but acknowledged that more needed to be done to improve the lives and livelihoods of the disadvantaged. About 280,000 jobs a year have been created in South Africa since 2000 but unemployment remains high, currently close to 30%. Economist Colen Garrow said the budget looked as if it would stimulate economic growth. "It's pleasant to see the cut in company taxes, it's a good incentive for business," he said.
| The South African government has put tax cuts and increased social spending at the centre of its latest budget.Unveiling the 418bn-rand budget to parliament, Mr Manuel said the South African economy had grown by an average of 3.2% over the past four years, slightly below the African average of 4%."In this budget, the focus is on more for all, not more for some, and not a hell of a lot more for a few, but spread across all of South Africa," said Mr Manuel.Aiming to both stir economic growth and aid the country's poor, finance minister Trevor Manuel said the focus of the 2005 budget was "more for all".Given that both corporate and personal taxes are being cut - under the new measures, those earning less than 35,000 rand a year will be exempt from income tax - the extra 22.3bn rand in social spending will be partly met by higher fuel, tobacco and alcohol taxes.Economist Colen Garrow said the budget looked as if it would stimulate economic growth. |
1,195 | Conservative backing for ID cards
The Tories are to back controversial government plans to introduce ID cards.
The shadow cabinet revealed its support ahead of next week's Commons vote on a bill to introduce compulsory ID. The decision follows a "tough meeting" where some senior Tories argued vociferously against the move, party sources told the BBC. The bill, which ministers claim will tackle crime, terrorism and illegal immigration, is expected to be opposed by the Liberal Democrats.
They have said the scheme is "deeply flawed" and a waste of money. Sources within the Conservative Party told the BBC Michael Howard has always been in favour of ID cards, and tried to introduce them when he was Home Secretary. The party has been "agnostic" on the issue until now but had now decided to come off the fence, the Tory source said. Despite giving their backing to ID cards, the Conservatives insisted they would hold ministers to account over the precise purpose of the scheme.
They said they would also press Labour over whether objectives could be met and whether the Home Office would deliver them. And they pledged to assess the cost effectiveness of ID cards and whether people's privacy would be properly protected. "It is important to remember that this bill will take a decade to come into full effect," a spokesman said. "It will do nothing to solve the immediate problems of rising crime and uncontrolled immigration."
Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten said: "This has all the signs of Michael Howard overruling colleagues' concerns over ID cards. "The Tories should have the courage to try and change public opinion not follow it." The new chairman of the Bar Council, Guy Mansfield QC warned there was a real risk that people on the "margins of society" would be driven into the hands of extremists. "What is going to happen to young Asian men when there has been a bomb gone off somewhere? They are going to be stopped. If they haven't [ID cards] they are going to be detained."
| If they haven't [ID cards] they are going to be detained."Sources within the Conservative Party told the BBC Michael Howard has always been in favour of ID cards, and tried to introduce them when he was Home Secretary.Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten said: "This has all the signs of Michael Howard overruling colleagues' concerns over ID cards.The Tories are to back controversial government plans to introduce ID cards.Despite giving their backing to ID cards, the Conservatives insisted they would hold ministers to account over the precise purpose of the scheme.The party has been "agnostic" on the issue until now but had now decided to come off the fence, the Tory source said.They said they would also press Labour over whether objectives could be met and whether the Home Office would deliver them.And they pledged to assess the cost effectiveness of ID cards and whether people's privacy would be properly protected. |
803 | Singer Ian Brown 'in gig arrest'
Former Stone Roses singer Ian Brown was arrested after a fight during a concert in San Francisco on Tuesday, his spokesman has said.
A fan jumped on stage and attacked the singer, who then became involved in a fracas with a security guard, Fiction Records spokesman Paul Smernicki said. He said Brown was arrested at his hotel after the show at the Great American Music Hall but released without charge. San Francisco police said they could find no record of his arrest. Mr Smernicki said he had been told a fan "rugby-tackled" the singer during the gig, which resulted in "pushing and shoving".
Brown then got into a brawl with another man who tried to restrain him - without realising he was a security guard, Mr Smernicki added. The star went off for 15 minutes before returning to finish his set. Police took witness statements and apprehended Brown at his hotel, Mr Smernicki said. But he was released without charge and "as far as we're aware, that's the end of it", Mr Smernicki added. A spokesperson for the San Francisco Police Department said he may have been detained but they could find no record of the incident. Brown, 42, was lead singer with The Stone Roses, one of the most seminal bands in British rock, until they split in 1996. He has since forged a successful solo career, scoring nine UK top 30 singles since 1998. In 1998, he was sentenced to four months in jail for using threatening behaviour towards an aeroplane captain and stewardess.
| Former Stone Roses singer Ian Brown was arrested after a fight during a concert in San Francisco on Tuesday, his spokesman has said.Police took witness statements and apprehended Brown at his hotel, Mr Smernicki said.He said Brown was arrested at his hotel after the show at the Great American Music Hall but released without charge.Brown then got into a brawl with another man who tried to restrain him - without realising he was a security guard, Mr Smernicki added.San Francisco police said they could find no record of his arrest.But he was released without charge and "as far as we're aware, that's the end of it", Mr Smernicki added. |
550 | Wine comedy up for six film gongs
Sideways, a wine-tasting comedy starring Paul Giamatti, is up for six Independent Spirit Awards, the art-house version of the Oscars.
The awards are held on 26 February, the day before the Oscars. Spanish drama Maria Full of Grace, about a Colombian woman who becomes a drug courier, got five nominations. Controversial biopic Kinsey, starring Liam Neeson as sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, was one of four films to get four nominations. The awards, now in their 20th year, honour quirky low-budget films, all of which must have a degree of independent financing. Sideways is written and directed by Alexander Payne, who directed the 2002 hit About Schmidt, winning Jack Nicholson his 12th Academy Award nomination.
"These awards, for better or worse, mean everything," said Sideways producer Michael London, adding they were a "huge first step" toward getting recognition from other awards. Among the other films receiving four nominations apiece were Brother to Brother, a drama about a young gay black man forced to live on the streets, Robbing Peter and Primer. Primer, a $7,000 (£3,650) tale of discovery, won top prize at the Sundance film festival earlier this year. Walter Salles critically acclaimed The Motorcycle Diaries and the forthcoming thriller The Woodsman, starring Kevin Bacon, received three nominations each. Also in the running, with two nominations, are high school comedy Napoleon Dynamite, The Door in the Floor and Garden State - written, directed and starring Scrubs star Zach Braff alongside Natalie Portman. The awards were announced by actors Selma Blair and Dennis Quaid in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
| Sideways, a wine-tasting comedy starring Paul Giamatti, is up for six Independent Spirit Awards, the art-house version of the Oscars.Sideways is written and directed by Alexander Payne, who directed the 2002 hit About Schmidt, winning Jack Nicholson his 12th Academy Award nomination.Controversial biopic Kinsey, starring Liam Neeson as sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, was one of four films to get four nominations.Among the other films receiving four nominations apiece were Brother to Brother, a drama about a young gay black man forced to live on the streets, Robbing Peter and Primer.Also in the running, with two nominations, are high school comedy Napoleon Dynamite, The Door in the Floor and Garden State - written, directed and starring Scrubs star Zach Braff alongside Natalie Portman. |
68 | India seeks to boost construction
India has cleared a proposal allowing up to 100% foreign direct investment in its construction sector.
Kamal Nath, Commerce and Industry Minister, announced the decision in Delhi on Thursday following a cabinet meeting. Analysts say improving India's infrastructure will boost foreign investment in other sectors too. The Indian government's decision has spread good cheer in the construction sector, according to some Indian firms.
A spokesman for DLF Builders, Dr Vancheshwar, told the BBC this will mean "better offerings" for consumers as well as builders. He said the firm will benefit from world class "strategic partnerships, design expertise and technology, while consumers will have better choice."
The government proposal states that foreign investment of up to 100% will be allowed on the 'automatic route' in the construction sector, on projects including housing, hotels, resorts, hospitals and educational establishments. The automatic route means that construction companies need only get one set of official approvals and do not need to gain clearance from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board, which can be bureaucratic. The government hopes its new policy will create employment for construction workers, and benefit steel and brick-making industries.
Mr Nath also announced plans to allow foreign investors to develop a smaller area of any land they acquired. "Foreign investors can enter any construction development area, be it to build resorts, townships or commercial premises but they will have to construct at least 50,000 square meters (538,000 square feet) within a specific timeframe," said Mr Nath, without specifying the timeframe. Previously foreign investors had to develop a much larger area, discouraging some from entering the Indian market. This measure is designed to discourage foreign investors from buying and selling land speculatively, without developing it. Anshuman Magazine, managing director, of CB Richard Ellis - an international real estate company - told the BBC this was "a big positive step."
However, Chittabrata Majumdar, general secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), said allowing FDI in the country is compromising India's own "self reliance". He said, "No country can develop on the basis of foreign investment alone." Mr Majumdar also said an assessment should be made as to whether foreign investment is indeed beneficial to the country - in terms of employment and money generated - or just another way of international companies filling their deep pockets.
| He said, "No country can develop on the basis of foreign investment alone."India has cleared a proposal allowing up to 100% foreign direct investment in its construction sector.The government proposal states that foreign investment of up to 100% will be allowed on the 'automatic route' in the construction sector, on projects including housing, hotels, resorts, hospitals and educational establishments.Mr Nath also announced plans to allow foreign investors to develop a smaller area of any land they acquired.Mr Majumdar also said an assessment should be made as to whether foreign investment is indeed beneficial to the country - in terms of employment and money generated - or just another way of international companies filling their deep pockets.Analysts say improving India's infrastructure will boost foreign investment in other sectors too.Previously foreign investors had to develop a much larger area, discouraging some from entering the Indian market. |
755 | Mogul Wilson backing UK rap band
Tony Wilson, the music mogul who established the influential Factory Records in the 1980s, is to launch a new label - convinced he has discovered his "third major band".
Factory were the label of both Joy Division - who became New Order after singer Ian Curtis committed suicide - and the Happy Mondays. Now Wilson believes rap act Raw T - signed to his F4 label, the fourth incarnation of Factory - will "complete the hat-trick". "Suddenly, when Raw T came into my life, I realised they are my third major band," he told BBC World Service's The Music Biz programme. The group are set to release their first single on 21 February, and follow it up with an album, Realise And Witness, in March.
Wilson has twice tried to resurrect Factory - which lasted for 14 years before folding - but conceded these efforts had been "despondent and dismal experiences". But it has not put him off. "Of all the things I do in my life the most exciting thing I've ever done, and the thing I have most loved, is being part of a record company," he added.
"The idea of working with brilliant young musicians, and being close to the centre of popular culture, is just the biggest thrill in my life." Wilson explained how his son persuaded him to go and see Raw T, but he had initially been reluctant saying he "detested" young British people rapping. "It's always inauthentic, it's always crass, it never really works for me," he said. "I went to see this group, Raw T - which stands for Realise And Witness Talent - and like everyone else in the room that night, we were utterly blown away." Wilson believes Raw T could be "to F4 as Joy Division were to Factory records".
The story of Factory records - which also owned the legendary Hacienda club in Manchester - was told in the Michael Winterbottom film 24 Hour Party People, in which Wilson was played by Steve Coogan.
Wilson stressed that the independent music scene remained "as important" as it had been during the 1980s, when labels such as Factory and Rough Trade proliferated. He pointed out that Franz Ferdinand and The White Stripes - "perhaps the two most important bands since the millennium" - were signed to indies. "I think that is a reflection of how useful and how powerful the indie philosophy is, and how bands prefer it," he added. "They can make more money that way - it's a more generous relationship, and also it's a more understanding relationship. "I think independents are in a wonderful position at this moment in time."
| Tony Wilson, the music mogul who established the influential Factory Records in the 1980s, is to launch a new label - convinced he has discovered his "third major band".Wilson believes Raw T could be "to F4 as Joy Division were to Factory records".Now Wilson believes rap act Raw T - signed to his F4 label, the fourth incarnation of Factory - will "complete the hat-trick".Wilson stressed that the independent music scene remained "as important" as it had been during the 1980s, when labels such as Factory and Rough Trade proliferated.Wilson has twice tried to resurrect Factory - which lasted for 14 years before folding - but conceded these efforts had been "despondent and dismal experiences"."Suddenly, when Raw T came into my life, I realised they are my third major band," he told BBC World Service's The Music Biz programme.The story of Factory records - which also owned the legendary Hacienda club in Manchester - was told in the Michael Winterbottom film 24 Hour Party People, in which Wilson was played by Steve Coogan.Wilson explained how his son persuaded him to go and see Raw T, but he had initially been reluctant saying he "detested" young British people rapping. |
2,167 | Ultra fast wi-fi nears completion
Ultra high speed wi-fi connections moved closer to reality on Thursday when Intel said it would list standards for the technology later this year.
Intel is developing ultra-wideband technology (UWB) which would allow fast data transfer but with low power needs. UWB is tipped to be used for wireless transfer of video in the home or office and for use in wireless USB devices which need low power consumption. A rival UWB standard is being developed by Motorola and chip firm Freescale. At the mobile phone conference 3GSM in Cannes last month Samsung demonstrated a phone using UWB technology from Freescale.
At a press conference on Thursday Intel announced that two UWB groups, WiMedia Alliance and Multi-band OFDM alliance had merged to support the technology. UWB makes it possible to stream huge amounts of data through the air over short distances. One of the more likely uses of UWB is to make it possible to send DVD quality video images wirelessly to TV screens or to let people beam music to media players around their home.
The technology has the potential to transmit hundreds of megabits of data per second. "Consumer electronics companies want UWB to replace cables and simplify set-up," Jeff Ravencraft, technology strategist at Intel and chairman of the Wireless USB Promoter Group, told technology site ZDNet. "Thirty percent of consumer electronics returns are because the consumer couldn't set up the equipment." The first products using UWB technology from Intel are due to hit the market later this year. Initially they will be products using wireless USB 2.0 connections. UWB could also be used to create so-called Personal Area Networks that let a person's gadgets quickly and easily swap data amongst themselves. The technology works over a range up to 10 metres and uses billions of short radio pulses every second to carry data. Intel says the benefit of UWB is that it does not interfere with other wi-fi technologies already in use such as wi-fi, wimax and mobile phone networks.
| "Consumer electronics companies want UWB to replace cables and simplify set-up," Jeff Ravencraft, technology strategist at Intel and chairman of the Wireless USB Promoter Group, told technology site ZDNet.The first products using UWB technology from Intel are due to hit the market later this year.Intel is developing ultra-wideband technology (UWB) which would allow fast data transfer but with low power needs.Intel says the benefit of UWB is that it does not interfere with other wi-fi technologies already in use such as wi-fi, wimax and mobile phone networks.At the mobile phone conference 3GSM in Cannes last month Samsung demonstrated a phone using UWB technology from Freescale.At a press conference on Thursday Intel announced that two UWB groups, WiMedia Alliance and Multi-band OFDM alliance had merged to support the technology.UWB is tipped to be used for wireless transfer of video in the home or office and for use in wireless USB devices which need low power consumption. |
262 | Asian quake hits European shares
Shares in Europe's leading reinsurers and travel firms have fallen as the scale of the damage wrought by tsunamis across south Asia has become apparent.
More than 23,000 people have been killed following a massive underwater earthquake and many of the worst hit areas are popular tourist destinations. Reisurance firms such as Swiss Re and Munich Re lost value as investors worried about rebuilding costs. But the disaster has little impact on stock markets in the US and Asia.
Currencies including the Thai baht and Indonesian rupiah weakened as analysts warned that economic growth may slow. "It came at the worst possible time," said Hans Goetti, a Singapore-based fund manager. "The impact on the tourist industry is pretty devastating, especially in Thailand." Travel-related shares dropped in Europe, with companies such as Germany's TUI and Lufthansa and France's Club Mediterranne sliding. Insurers and reinsurance firms were also under pressure in Europe.
Shares in Munich Re and Swiss Re - the world's two biggest reinsurers - both fell 1.7% as the market speculated about the cost of rebuilding in Asia. Zurich Financial, Allianz and Axa also suffered a decline in value.
However, their losses were much smaller, reflecting the market's view that reinsurers were likely to pick up the bulk of the costs. Worries about the size of insurance liabilities dragged European shares down, although the impact was exacerbated by light post-Christmas trading. Germany's benchmark Dax index closed the day 16.29 points lower at 3.817.69 while France's Cac index of leading shares fell 5.07 points to 3.817.69. Investors pointed out, however, that declines probably would be industry specific, with the travel and insurance firms hit hardest. "It's still too early for concrete damage figures," Swiss Re's spokesman Floiran Woest told Associated Press. "That also has to do with the fact that the damage is very widely spread geographically."
The unfolding scale of the disaster in south Asia had little immediate impact on US shares, however. The Dow Jones index had risen 20.54 points, or 0.2%, to 10,847.66 by late morning as analsyts were cheered by more encouraging reports from retailers about post-Christmas sales. In Asian markets, adjustments were made quickly to account for lower earnings and the cost of repairs. Thai Airways shed almost 4%. The country relies on tourism for about 6% of its total economy. Singapore Airlines dropped 2.6%. About 5% of Singapore's annual gross domestic product (GDP) comes from tourism. Malaysia's budget airline, AirAsia fell 2.9%. Resort operator Tanco Holdings slumped 5%.
Travel companies also took a hit, with Japan's Kinki Nippon sliding 1.5% and HIS dropping 3.3%. However, the overall impact on Asia's largest stock market, Japan's Nikkei, was slight. Shares fell just 0.03%. Concerns about the strength of economic growth going forward weighed on the currency markets. The Indonesian rupiah lost as much as 0.6% against the US dollar, before bouncing back slightly to trade at 9,300. The Thai baht lost 0.3% against the US currency, trading at 39.10. In India, where more than 2,000 people are thought to have died, the rupee shed 0.1% against the dollar Analysts said that it was difficult to predict the total cost of the disaster and warned that share prices and currencies would come under increasing pressure as the bills mounted.
| The unfolding scale of the disaster in south Asia had little immediate impact on US shares, however.But the disaster has little impact on stock markets in the US and Asia.Shares in Munich Re and Swiss Re - the world's two biggest reinsurers - both fell 1.7% as the market speculated about the cost of rebuilding in Asia.In India, where more than 2,000 people are thought to have died, the rupee shed 0.1% against the dollar Analysts said that it was difficult to predict the total cost of the disaster and warned that share prices and currencies would come under increasing pressure as the bills mounted.Shares in Europe's leading reinsurers and travel firms have fallen as the scale of the damage wrought by tsunamis across south Asia has become apparent.The Thai baht lost 0.3% against the US currency, trading at 39.10.Shares fell just 0.03%.Investors pointed out, however, that declines probably would be industry specific, with the travel and insurance firms hit hardest.However, the overall impact on Asia's largest stock market, Japan's Nikkei, was slight.Reisurance firms such as Swiss Re and Munich Re lost value as investors worried about rebuilding costs.Travel companies also took a hit, with Japan's Kinki Nippon sliding 1.5% and HIS dropping 3.3%.Insurers and reinsurance firms were also under pressure in Europe.Germany's benchmark Dax index closed the day 16.29 points lower at 3.817.69 while France's Cac index of leading shares fell 5.07 points to 3.817.69.Travel-related shares dropped in Europe, with companies such as Germany's TUI and Lufthansa and France's Club Mediterranne sliding. |
2,188 | 'Podcasters' look to net money
Nasa is doing it, 14-year-old boys in bedrooms are doing it, couples are doing it, gadget lovers - male and female - are definitely doing it.
It is podcasting - DIY radio in the form of downloadable MP3 audio files. They can done by anyone who has a microphone, simple software, the net, and something to say. Some liken them to talking "audioblogs" because many complement text-based weblogs - diary-like sites where people share their thoughts. They are essentially amateur radio shows on the net, on demand, and the "movement" is at very early stages. "It's about real people saying real things and communicating," says Adam Curry, former MTV VJ and the Pied Piper of podcasting. He was one of a community of people who created iPodder, a small computer program, known as an "aggregator".
It collects and automatically sends MP3 files to any digital music-playing device that can play WMP formats. Those with digital music players can select which podcasts they like, and subscribe - for free - to that show's "feed". When a new podcast is available, it is automatically sent to the device when connected to a computer. "It is totally going to kill the business model of radio," thinks Curry. "I just did a tour of Madison Avenue where all the big brands and advertising agencies of the world are," he says. "And they are scared to death of the next generation - like my daughter who is 14 - who don't listen to radio. "They are on MSN, they've got their iPod, their MP3 player, they've got their Xbox - they are not listening to radio. "So how are they going to reach these audiences? "It is the distribution that is changing and the barriers are being brought down so everyone can be part of it."
It is a fledgling movement, but it is gaining momentum now that people have started thinking about how to make a business from it. Ian Fogg, Jupiter Research analyst, thinks there could be potential for business, but it could take an interesting turn if big companies, like Apple and Microsoft, get involved. "It is a nascent area but quite exciting. It is yet another area that demonstrates the move to a digital lifestyle and digital home is not over," he says.
"Podcasting is one of those interesting areas that bridges what you do at home and what you do out and about - a classic hybrid. It is another aspect of the "time-shifting" of content - the latest industry buzzword for being able to listen to what you want, when, and wherever you want. Audiences are in the 10s, 100s, and 1,000s rather than millions. More than 4,300 podcasts are currently listed. Curry's Daily Source Code - which he committed to doing daily to inspire the community - has 10s of thousands of listeners.
But Dave Winer is doubtful. He designed the format called RSS (Really Simple Syndication), which gives web users an easy way to keep updated automatically on sites they like. Podcasts rely on his technology because it is the way they are distributed. He is also writer of the longest-running weblog on the net, Scripting News. He thinks its power lies in its democratising potential, not in its "over-hyped" business promise.
"We're the sources, the people doing stuff, and podcasting is a way to tell people who care what we're doing. "No matter how you look at it, commercialising this medium isn't going to make very much money," he says. "Podcasting is going to be a medium of niches, with 'audiences' measured in the single digits, like e-mail or blogs. "Maybe in a few years, maybe six or seven digits. But it will have to sustain interest beyond the hype balloon." Curry and associate Ron Bloom's new venture, called PodShow, is to help ordinary people produce, post, distribute and market their podcasts. Because of the way podcasts work, based on RSS, the latest podcasts which people can select mean that they are ready-made targets. "When you look at podcasting - wow this is a pretty interesting audience. The audience is pre-selected. They have decided to subscribe to your program," explains Curry. Advertising, in his eyes, can be tailored to podcasts, to make it more imaginative and unobtrusive. "How I believe this will work, is to create a network that, in aggregation, will have enough numbers to support a return on investment for the advertisers and for the podcasters. "I have 50, 60, 70,000 listeners. I could make a couple of bucks off that, but not much. If you are talking a million podcasters, and then you can kind of divide that amongst ourselves, then that is kind of interesting." Essentially, he says, if you are doing a bass fishing podcast, someone who is selling bait and tackle will probably want to advertise on your show. He is clear the ads will not be the traditional "in-your-face" type familiar to commercial radio now. "We are really going to see these microcosms and commerce will be all over the place."
It is happening already. Coffee-loving Curry has sold $4,000 worth of coffee machines through a referral link to Amazon from his site.
Others use in-show promotions, like The Dawn and Drew Show. One, Eric Rice, has won sponsorship from Warner Bros. He can now legally play the music of a band Warner Bros wants to push. Some commentators on the net say it has a similar feel to the dotcom days. Others say it is just another element of setting media free from big companies and letting people be creative. One thing is for sure; they are not about to disappear in a hurry. The creative forces behind radio are elated, says Curry. For now, he tunes out the negative comments within the podcasting community. "I should be knighted for this," he adds, with a wry chuckle, "People are going to be so happy to sit at home, make their podcast, and make a little money."
| "It is totally going to kill the business model of radio," thinks Curry."Podcasting is going to be a medium of niches, with 'audiences' measured in the single digits, like e-mail or blogs.Because of the way podcasts work, based on RSS, the latest podcasts which people can select mean that they are ready-made targets."We're the sources, the people doing stuff, and podcasting is a way to tell people who care what we're doing."I should be knighted for this," he adds, with a wry chuckle, "People are going to be so happy to sit at home, make their podcast, and make a little money.""Podcasting is one of those interesting areas that bridges what you do at home and what you do out and about - a classic hybrid."It's about real people saying real things and communicating," says Adam Curry, former MTV VJ and the Pied Piper of podcasting."No matter how you look at it, commercialising this medium isn't going to make very much money," he says.Those with digital music players can select which podcasts they like, and subscribe - for free - to that show's "feed".The creative forces behind radio are elated, says Curry.Others say it is just another element of setting media free from big companies and letting people be creative."When you look at podcasting - wow this is a pretty interesting audience.It is a fledgling movement, but it is gaining momentum now that people have started thinking about how to make a business from it.Curry and associate Ron Bloom's new venture, called PodShow, is to help ordinary people produce, post, distribute and market their podcasts.It is podcasting - DIY radio in the form of downloadable MP3 audio files.He was one of a community of people who created iPodder, a small computer program, known as an "aggregator".They are essentially amateur radio shows on the net, on demand, and the "movement" is at very early stages."So how are they going to reach these audiences?Advertising, in his eyes, can be tailored to podcasts, to make it more imaginative and unobtrusive.Ian Fogg, Jupiter Research analyst, thinks there could be potential for business, but it could take an interesting turn if big companies, like Apple and Microsoft, get involved.They can done by anyone who has a microphone, simple software, the net, and something to say.Some commentators on the net say it has a similar feel to the dotcom days.It is yet another area that demonstrates the move to a digital lifestyle and digital home is not over," he says.One, Eric Rice, has won sponsorship from Warner Bros. |
359 | GM in crunch talks on Fiat future
Fiat will meet car giant General Motors (GM) on Tuesday in an attempt to reach agreement over the future of the Italian firm's loss-making auto group.
Fiat claims that GM is legally obliged to buy the 90% of the car unit it does not already own; GM says the contract, signed in 2000, is no longer valid. Press reports have speculated that Fiat may be willing to accept a cash payment in return for dropping its claim. Both companies want to cut costs as the car industry adjusts to waning demand.
The meeting between Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne and GM's Rick Wagoner is due to take place at 1330 GMT in Zurich, according to the Reuters news agency.
Mr Marchionne is confident of his firm's legal position, saying in an interview with the Financial Times that GM's argument "has no legs". The agreement in question dates back to GM's decision to buy 20% of Fiat's auto division in 2000. At the time, it gave the Italian firm the right, via a 'put option', to sell the remaining stake to GM. In recent weeks, Fiat has reiterated its claims that this 'put' is still valid and legally binding. However, GM argues that a Fiat share sale made last year, which cut GM's holding to 10%, together with asset sales made by Fiat have terminated the agreement.
Selling the Fiat's car-making unit may not prove so simple, analysts say, especially as it is a company that is so closely linked to Italy's industrial heritage. Political and public pressure may well push the two firms to reach a compromise. "We are not expecting Fiat to exercise its put of the auto business against an unwilling GM at this point," brokerage Merrill Lynch said in a note to investors, adding that any legal battle would be protracted and damaging to the business. "As far as we are aware, the Agnelli family, which indirectly controls at least 30% of Fiat, has not given a firm public indication that it wants to sell the auto business. "Fiat may be willing to cancel the 'put' in exchange for money."
| Fiat claims that GM is legally obliged to buy the 90% of the car unit it does not already own; GM says the contract, signed in 2000, is no longer valid."Fiat may be willing to cancel the 'put' in exchange for money."Fiat will meet car giant General Motors (GM) on Tuesday in an attempt to reach agreement over the future of the Italian firm's loss-making auto group.However, GM argues that a Fiat share sale made last year, which cut GM's holding to 10%, together with asset sales made by Fiat have terminated the agreement."As far as we are aware, the Agnelli family, which indirectly controls at least 30% of Fiat, has not given a firm public indication that it wants to sell the auto business.In recent weeks, Fiat has reiterated its claims that this 'put' is still valid and legally binding. |
388 | Venezuela identifies 'idle' farms
Venezuelan authorities have identified more than 500 farms, including 56 large estates, as idle as it continues with its controversial land reform policy.
Under a 2001 land law, the government can tax or seize unused farm sites. A further 40,000 farms are yet to be inspected, the state's National Land Institute has told Associated Press. Vice president Jose Vicente Rangel has said farmers and ranchers with their titles in order and their lands productive have "nothing to fear." Critics of the land reform policy claim president Hugo Chavez is trying to enforce a communist-style economic programme that ignores property rights and will damage the country. Land owners claim the National Land Institute has made mistakes in classifying lands as public or private.
But the government - Venezuela's largest land owner - say they are proceeding cautiously to prevent conflicts. In a statement, Mr Rangel said the land reform is not against the constitution, which permits private property, while stressing the efforts are to "vindicate social and economically" years of inequality in the country.
One property in conflict with the government is the El Charcote cattle ranch, run by Agroflora, a subsidiary of the UK food group Vestey. Agriculture minister Arnoldo Marquez told Reuters news agency the site's documents "do not guarantee that this is a private land". Administrators of the ranch, however, have complained that pro-Chavez squatters have taken over 80% of the property in the last four years, and the UK government has asked Venezuelan authorities to resolve the conflict. "You should ask the company when they are going to put their papers in order and hand over the land that is not theirs," said Mr Marquez.
| Land owners claim the National Land Institute has made mistakes in classifying lands as public or private.Under a 2001 land law, the government can tax or seize unused farm sites.In a statement, Mr Rangel said the land reform is not against the constitution, which permits private property, while stressing the efforts are to "vindicate social and economically" years of inequality in the country.A further 40,000 farms are yet to be inspected, the state's National Land Institute has told Associated Press.Vice president Jose Vicente Rangel has said farmers and ranchers with their titles in order and their lands productive have "nothing to fear." |
2,139 | Warning over tsunami aid website
Net users are being told to avoid a scam website that claims to collect cash on behalf of tsunami victims.
The site looks plausible because it uses an old version of the official Disasters Emergency Committee webpage. However, DEC has no connection with the fake site and says it has contacted the police about it. The site is just the latest in a long list of scams that try to cash in on the goodwill generated by the tsunami disaster.
The link to the website is contained in a spam e-mail that is currently circulating. The message's subject line reads "Urgent Tsunami Earthquake Appeal" and its text bears all the poor grammar and bad spelling that characterises many other phishing attempts. The web address of the fake site is decuk.org which could be close enough to the official www.dec.org.uk address to confuse some people keen to donate. Patricia Sanders, spokeswoman for the Disaster Emergency Committee said it was aware of the site and had contacted the Computer Crime Unit at Scotland Yard to help get it shut down. She said the spam e-mails directing people to the site started circulating two days ago shortly after the domain name of the site was registered. It is thought that the fake site is being run from Romania. Ms Sanders said DEC had contacted US net registrars who handle domain ownership and the net hosting firm that is keeping the site on the web.
DEC was going to push for all cash donated via the site to be handed over to the official organisation. BT and DEC's hosting company were also making efforts to get the site shut down, she said.
Ms Sanders said sending out spam e-mail to solicit donations was not DEC's style and that it would never canvass support in this way. She said that DEC hoped to get the fake site shut down as soon as possible. All attempts by the BBC News website to contact the people behind the site have failed. None of the e-mail addresses supplied on the site work and the real owner of the domain is obscured in publicly available net records. This is not the first attempt to cash in on the outpouring of goodwill that has accompanied appeals for tsunami aid. One e-mail sent out in early January came from someone who claimed that he had lost his parents in the disaster and was asking for help moving an inheritance from a bank account in the Netherlands. The con was very similar to the familiar Nigerian forward fee fraud e-mails that milk money out of people by promising them a cut of a much larger cash pile. Other scam e-mails included a link to a website that supposedly let people donate money but instead loaded spyware on their computers that grabbed confidential information. In a monthly report anti-virus firm Sophos said that two e-mail messages about the tsunami made it to the top 10 hoax list during January. Another tsunami-related e-mail is also circulating that carries the Zar worm which tries to spread via the familiar route of Microsoft's Outlook e-mail program. Anyone opening the attachment of the mail will have their contact list plundered by the worm keen to find new addresses to send itself to.
| She said the spam e-mails directing people to the site started circulating two days ago shortly after the domain name of the site was registered.She said that DEC hoped to get the fake site shut down as soon as possible.The site is just the latest in a long list of scams that try to cash in on the goodwill generated by the tsunami disaster.Patricia Sanders, spokeswoman for the Disaster Emergency Committee said it was aware of the site and had contacted the Computer Crime Unit at Scotland Yard to help get it shut down.Ms Sanders said DEC had contacted US net registrars who handle domain ownership and the net hosting firm that is keeping the site on the web.DEC was going to push for all cash donated via the site to be handed over to the official organisation.None of the e-mail addresses supplied on the site work and the real owner of the domain is obscured in publicly available net records.All attempts by the BBC News website to contact the people behind the site have failed.BT and DEC's hosting company were also making efforts to get the site shut down, she said.The web address of the fake site is decuk.org which could be close enough to the official www.dec.org.uk address to confuse some people keen to donate. |
26 | Safety alert as GM recalls cars
The world's biggest carmaker General Motors (GM) is recalling nearly 200,000 vehicles in the US on safety grounds, according to federal regulators.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the largest recall involves 155,465 pickups, vans and sports utility vehicles (SUVs). This is because of possible malfunctions with the braking systems. The affected vehicles in the product recall are from the 2004 and 2005 model years, GM said. Those vehicles with potential faults are the Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Kodiak, Silverade and Suburban; the GMC Savana, Sierra and Yukon.
The NHTSA said a pressure accumulator in the braking system could crack during normal driving and fragments could injure people if the hood was open. This could allow hydraulic fluid to leak, which could make it harder to brake or steer and could cause a crash, it warned. GM is also recalling 19,924 Cadillac XLR coupes, SRX SUVs and Pontiac Grand Prix sedans from the 2004 model year. This is because the accelerator pedal may not work properly in extremely cold temperatures, requiring more braking. In addition, the car giant is calling back 17,815 Buick Raniers, Chevrolet Trailblazers, GMC Envoys and Isuzu Ascenders from the 2005 model years because the windshield is not properly fitted and could fall out in a crash. However, GM stressed that it did not know of any injuries related to the problems. News of the recall follows an announcement last month that GM expects earnings this year be lower than in 2004. The world's biggest car maker is grappling with losses in its European business, weak US sales and now a product recall. In January, GM said higher healthcare costs in North America, and lower profits at its financial services subsidiary would hurt its performance in 2005.
| The affected vehicles in the product recall are from the 2004 and 2005 model years, GM said.The NHTSA said a pressure accumulator in the braking system could crack during normal driving and fragments could injure people if the hood was open.The world's biggest carmaker General Motors (GM) is recalling nearly 200,000 vehicles in the US on safety grounds, according to federal regulators.News of the recall follows an announcement last month that GM expects earnings this year be lower than in 2004.In addition, the car giant is calling back 17,815 Buick Raniers, Chevrolet Trailblazers, GMC Envoys and Isuzu Ascenders from the 2005 model years because the windshield is not properly fitted and could fall out in a crash.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the largest recall involves 155,465 pickups, vans and sports utility vehicles (SUVs). |
2,203 | Apple laptop is 'greatest gadget'
The Apple Powerbook 100 has been chosen as the greatest gadget of all time, by US magazine Mobile PC.
The 1991 laptop was chosen because it was one of the first "lightweight" portable computers and helped define the layout of all future notebook PCs. The magazine has compiled an all-time top 100 list of gadgets, which includes the Sony Walkman at number three and the 1956 Zenith remote control at two. Gadgets needed moving parts and/or electronics to warrant inclusion. The magazine staff compiled the list and specified that gadgets also needed to be a "self-contained apparatus that can be used on its own, not a subset of another device".
"In general we included only items that were potentially mobile," said the magazine.
"In the end, we tried to get to the heart of what really makes a gadget a gadget," it concluded. The oldest "gadget" in the top 100 is the abacus, which the magazine dates at 190 A.D., and put in 60th place. Other pre-electronic gadgets in the top 100 include the sextant from 1731 (59th position), the marine chronometer from 1761 (42nd position) and the Kodak Brownie camera from 1900 (28th position). The Tivo personal video recorder is the newest device to make the top 10, which also includes the first flash mp3 player (Diamond Multimedia), as well as the first "successful" digital camera (Casio QV-10) and mobile phone (Motorola Startac). The most popular gadget of the moment, the Apple iPod, is at number 12 in the list while the first Sony transistor radio is at number 13.
Sony's third entry in the top 20 is the CDP-101 CD player from 1983. "Who can forget the crystalline, hiss-free blast of Madonna's Like A Virgin emanating from their first CD player?" asked the magazine. Karl Elsener's knife, the Swiss Army Knife from 1891, is at number 20 in the list. Gadgets which could be said to feature surprisingly low down in the list include the original telephone (23rd), the Nintendo GameBoy (25th), and the Pulsar quartz digital watch (36th). The list also contains plenty of oddities: the Pez sweet dispenser (98th), 1990s toy Tamagotchi (86th) and the bizarre Ronco inside the shell egg scrambler (84th).
Almost everyone has a mobile phone, how many people own a Powerbook? or an iPod? The findings of this magazine are not very convincing.
What about the magnetic compass? We still use it 1,000 years after it was invented.
I am amazed by the obsession with individual gadgets rather than genre. For example the Sony walkman was the first truly portable way of listening to your own music on the move whereas Minidisc, Flash MP3, portable CD players etc. are really just improvements in technology.
My favourite 'true' gadgets are probably my portable MiniDisc player and the little battery powered whizzy thing I use to froth up my coffee!
Calm down it's only in their opinion, and any list that includes the Taser in the top 100 gadgets has to be suspect....
Swiss army knife and no question about it. How many of the other items are still relatively unchanged from the original idea and still as useful/popular? You don't need a laptop or even a pocket calculator to work that one out!
This list merely illustrates interesting cultural divides between the American authors and the overwhelmingly British responses. Brits see no further than mobile phones and the over thirties Sinclair; whilst the Americans focus on Apple, TV remotes and TiVO (which probably is rather obscure in Europe).
What about the Soda Stream. This gadget changed my pre-teen life. Lap tops may enable you to "think different, but you cant use them to "get busy with the fizzy"
How about Astro Wars, one of the pioneers for computer games, i remember spending many an hour playing this and it still works today! However tried it the other day and it was rubbish, still a great gadget of its time.
Why worry about mobile phones. Soon they will be subsumed into the PDA's / laptops etc.
What about the Marine Chronometer? Completely revolutionised navigation for boats and was in use for centuries. For it's time, a technological marvel!
Sony Net Minidisc! It paved the way for more mp3 player to explode onto the market. I always used my NetMD, and could not go anywhere without it.
A laptop computer is not a gadget! It's a working tool!
The Sinclair Executive was the world's first pocket calculator. I think this should be there as well.
How about the clockwork radio? Or GPS? Or a pocket calculator? All these things are useful to real people, not just PC magazine editors.
Are the people who created this list insane ? Surely the most important gadget of the modern age is the mobile phone? It has revolutionised communication, which is more than can be said for a niche market laptop. From outside the modern age, the marine chronometer is the single most important gadget, without which modern transportation systems would not have evolved so quickly.
Has everyone forgot about the Breville pie maker??
An interesting list. Of the electronic gadgets, thousands of journalists in the early 1980s blessed the original noteboook pc - the Tandy 100. The size of A4 paper and light, three weeks on a set of batteries, an excellent keyboard, a modem. A pity Tandy did not make it DOS compatible.
What's an Apple Powerbook 100 ? It's out of date - not much of a "gadget". Surely it has to be something simple / timeless - the tin opener, Swiss Army Knife, safety razor blade, wristwatch or the thing for taking stones out of horses hooves ?
It has to be the mobile phone. No other single device has had such an effect on our way of living in such a short space of time.
The ball point pen has got to be one of the most used and common gadgets ever. Also many might be grateful for the pocket calculator which was a great improvement over the slide rule.
The Casio pocket calculator that played a simple game and made tinny noises was also a hot gadget in 1980. A true gadget, it could be carried around and shown off.
All top 10 are electronic toys, so the list is probably a better reflection of the current high-tech obsession than anything else. I say this as the Swiss Army Knife only made No 20.
Sinclair QL a machine far ahead of its time. The first home machine with a true multi-takings OS. Shame the marketing was so bad!!!
Apple.. a triumph of fashion over... well everything else.
Utter rubbish. Yes, the Apple laptop and Sony Walkman are classic gadgets. But to call the sextant and the marine chronometer 'gadgets' and rank them as less important than a TV remote control reveals a quite shocking lack of historical perspective. The former literally helped change the world by vastly improving navigation at see. The latter is the seed around which the couch potato culture has developed. No competition.
I'd also put Apple's Newton and the first Palm Pilot there as the front runners for portable computing, and possibly the Toshiba Libretto for the same reason. I only wish that Vulcan Inc's Flipstart wasn't just vapourware otherwise it would be at the top.
How did a laptop ever manage to beat off the challenge of the wristwatch or the telephone (mobile or otherwise)? What about radios and TVs?
The swiss army knife. By far the most useful gadget. I got mine 12 years ago. Still wearing and using it a lot! It stood the test of time.
Psion Organiser series 3, should be up there. Had a usable qwerty keyboard, removable storage, good set of apps and programmable. Case design was good (batteries in the hinge - a first, I think). Great product innovation.
The first mobile PC was voted best gadget by readers of...err... mobile PC?! Why do you keep putting these obviously biased lists on your site? It's obviously the mobile phone or remote control, and readers of a less partisan publication would tell you that.
The Motorola Startac should be Number One. Why? There will be mobile phones long after notebook computers and other gadgets are either gone or integrated in communications devices.
The Psion series 3c! The first most practical way to carry all your info around...
I too would back the Sinclair Spectrum - without this little beauty I would never have moved into the world of IT and earn the living that I do now.
I'd have put the mobile phone high up the list. Probably a Nokia model.
Sinclair Spectrum - 16k. It plugged into the tv. Games were rubbish but it gave me a taste for programming and that's what I do for a living now.
I wish more modern notebooks -- even Apple's newest offerings -- were more like the PB100. Particularly disheartening is the demise of the trackball, which has given way to the largely useless "trackpad" which every notebook on the market today uses. They're invariably inaccurate, uncomfortable, and cumbersome to use.
Congratulations to Apple, a deserved win!
| The Apple Powerbook 100 has been chosen as the greatest gadget of all time, by US magazine Mobile PC.The most popular gadget of the moment, the Apple iPod, is at number 12 in the list while the first Sony transistor radio is at number 13.However tried it the other day and it was rubbish, still a great gadget of its time.The first mobile PC was voted best gadget by readers of...err... mobile PC?!Calm down it's only in their opinion, and any list that includes the Taser in the top 100 gadgets has to be suspect.... Swiss army knife and no question about it.Surely the most important gadget of the modern age is the mobile phone?A laptop computer is not a gadget!The magazine has compiled an all-time top 100 list of gadgets, which includes the Sony Walkman at number three and the 1956 Zenith remote control at two.It has to be the mobile phone.Almost everyone has a mobile phone, how many people own a Powerbook?The Tivo personal video recorder is the newest device to make the top 10, which also includes the first flash mp3 player (Diamond Multimedia), as well as the first "successful" digital camera (Casio QV-10) and mobile phone (Motorola Startac)."In the end, we tried to get to the heart of what really makes a gadget a gadget," it concluded.The Sinclair Executive was the world's first pocket calculator.There will be mobile phones long after notebook computers and other gadgets are either gone or integrated in communications devices.The magazine staff compiled the list and specified that gadgets also needed to be a "self-contained apparatus that can be used on its own, not a subset of another device".The oldest "gadget" in the top 100 is the abacus, which the magazine dates at 190 A.D., and put in 60th place.The Casio pocket calculator that played a simple game and made tinny noises was also a hot gadget in 1980.I'd have put the mobile phone high up the list.The 1991 laptop was chosen because it was one of the first "lightweight" portable computers and helped define the layout of all future notebook PCs.The ball point pen has got to be one of the most used and common gadgets ever.By far the most useful gadget.Brits see no further than mobile phones and the over thirties Sinclair; whilst the Americans focus on Apple, TV remotes and TiVO (which probably is rather obscure in Europe).My favourite 'true' gadgets are probably my portable MiniDisc player and the little battery powered whizzy thing I use to froth up my coffee!It's out of date - not much of a "gadget".For example the Sony walkman was the first truly portable way of listening to your own music on the move whereas Minidisc, Flash MP3, portable CD players etc.We still use it 1,000 years after it was invented.Also many might be grateful for the pocket calculator which was a great improvement over the slide rule.A true gadget, it could be carried around and shown off.Case design was good (batteries in the hinge - a first, I think).Karl Elsener's knife, the Swiss Army Knife from 1891, is at number 20 in the list.From outside the modern age, the marine chronometer is the single most important gadget, without which modern transportation systems would not have evolved so quickly.Yes, the Apple laptop and Sony Walkman are classic gadgets.This gadget changed my pre-teen life.Other pre-electronic gadgets in the top 100 include the sextant from 1731 (59th position), the marine chronometer from 1761 (42nd position) and the Kodak Brownie camera from 1900 (28th position).It's obviously the mobile phone or remote control, and readers of a less partisan publication would tell you that."In general we included only items that were potentially mobile," said the magazine.No other single device has had such an effect on our way of living in such a short space of time.I am amazed by the obsession with individual gadgets rather than genre.It has revolutionised communication, which is more than can be said for a niche market laptop.An interesting list.You don't need a laptop or even a pocket calculator to work that one out!All top 10 are electronic toys, so the list is probably a better reflection of the current high-tech obsession than anything else.Lap tops may enable you to "think different, but you cant use them to "get busy with the fizzy" How about Astro Wars, one of the pioneers for computer games, i remember spending many an hour playing this and it still works today!Gadgets which could be said to feature surprisingly low down in the list include the original telephone (23rd), the Nintendo GameBoy (25th), and the Pulsar quartz digital watch (36th).How did a laptop ever manage to beat off the challenge of the wristwatch or the telephone (mobile or otherwise)? |
1,605 | Wales coach elated with win
Mike Ruddock paid tribute to his Wales side after they came from 15-6 down to beat France 24-18 in the Six Nations.
"After going two tries down in 12 minutes we had to show character," said the national team coach. "I didn't have to tell them anything at half-time because those players have stared down the barrel of a gun before. "They decided they didn't want to do that again and came out fighting. It was a great team effort and we showed great character to come back." Man-of-the-match Stephen Jones, who kicked three penalties, a drop goal and conversion, was ecstatic following after the win at Stade de France.
"It's just a special moment. Two years ago we didn't win a single game in the Six Nations. But we're a very happy camp now," he said. "We worked hard as a squad and I'm a proud Welshman. We've got hard matches to come, so we're just happy with the start." Double try scorer Martyn Williams was keen not to talk about a possible Grand Slam for Wales. "We've got more self-belief these days. Two or three years ago we might have collapsed after going behind so early. "There's no mention of a Grand Slam among the players. We've got a tough game against Scotland at Murrayfield. They could bring us crashing down to earth."
| Two years ago we didn't win a single game in the Six Nations.We've got hard matches to come, so we're just happy with the start.""After going two tries down in 12 minutes we had to show character," said the national team coach.We've got a tough game against Scotland at Murrayfield."We've got more self-belief these days.Double try scorer Martyn Williams was keen not to talk about a possible Grand Slam for Wales.Two or three years ago we might have collapsed after going behind so early. |
361 | US consumer confidence up
Consumers' confidence in the state of the US economy is at its highest for five months and they are optimistic about 2005, an influential survey says.
The feel-good factor among US consumers rose in December for the first time since July according to new data. The Conference Board survey of 5,000 households pointed to renewed optimism about job creation and economic growth. US retailers have reported strong sales over the past 10 days after a slow start to the crucial festive season.
According to figures also released on Tuesday, sales in shopping malls in the week to 25 December were 4.3% higher than in 2003 following a last minute rush. Wal-Mart, the largest US retailer, has said its December sales are expected to be better than previously forecast because of strong post-Christmas sales.
It is expecting annual sales growth of between 1% and 3% for the month. Consumer confidence figures are considered a key economic indicator because consumer spending accounts for about two thirds of all economic activity in the United States. "The continuing economic expansion, combined with job growth, has consumers ending this year on a high note," said Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board's consumer research centre. "And consumers' outlook suggests that the economy will continue to expand in the first half of next year." The overall US economy has performed strongly in recent months, prompting the Federal Reserve to increase interest rates five times since June.
| Wal-Mart, the largest US retailer, has said its December sales are expected to be better than previously forecast because of strong post-Christmas sales."The continuing economic expansion, combined with job growth, has consumers ending this year on a high note," said Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board's consumer research centre.The feel-good factor among US consumers rose in December for the first time since July according to new data.Consumers' confidence in the state of the US economy is at its highest for five months and they are optimistic about 2005, an influential survey says.US retailers have reported strong sales over the past 10 days after a slow start to the crucial festive season. |
335 | Boeing secures giant Japan order
Boeing is to supply Japan Airlines with up to 50 of its forthcoming 7E7 planes in a deal that could be worth as much as $6bn (£3.1bn) for the US giant.
Japan Airlines has made a firm order for 30 of the aircraft, at $120m each, with the option to buy 20 more. Asia's biggest airline joins Japanese rival All Nippon as one of the first carriers to order the mid-size 7E7, which Boeing says is super-economical. Airbus this week announced the first pre-sale of its 7E7 rival - the A350. Boeing's great European competitor is to sell 10 of its forthcoming A350 to Spanish carrier Air Europe, which has the option to buy two more in a deal that could be worth more than $1.8bn. Both the 7E7 and the A350 are being designed to be as fuel-efficient as possible in the 200- to 300-seat sector, and each will be available in both short and long range versions.
Japan Airlines said it had looked at both aircraft before choosing the 7E7, also known as the Dreamliner. "We chose the 7E7 after carefully considering both it and Airbus' aircraft," said a Japan Airlines spokesman. "The 7E7 fits better for what we needed and it could be delivered when we hoped to get it." Boeing continues to enjoy a dominance over Airbus in Japan, and Japanese companies are taking key roles in building the 7E7. The first 7E7s will be delivered to Japan Airlines in April 2008. Boeing has set itself a target of getting 200 firm commitments for the 7E7 by the end of this year, and has orders for 56 so far. Airbus hopes to have 50 orders in place for the A350 by mid-2005.
| "We chose the 7E7 after carefully considering both it and Airbus' aircraft," said a Japan Airlines spokesman.Japan Airlines has made a firm order for 30 of the aircraft, at $120m each, with the option to buy 20 more.Boeing is to supply Japan Airlines with up to 50 of its forthcoming 7E7 planes in a deal that could be worth as much as $6bn (£3.1bn) for the US giant.Japan Airlines said it had looked at both aircraft before choosing the 7E7, also known as the Dreamliner.Boeing continues to enjoy a dominance over Airbus in Japan, and Japanese companies are taking key roles in building the 7E7.Airbus this week announced the first pre-sale of its 7E7 rival - the A350. |
467 | European losses hit GM's profits
General Motors (GM) saw its net profits fall 37% in the last quarter of 2004, as it continued to be hit by losses at its European operations.
The US giant earned $630m (£481.5m) in the October-to-December period, down from $1bn in the fourth quarter of 2003. GM's revenues rose 4.7% to $51.2bn from $48.8bn a year earlier. The fourth-quarter losses at General Motors Europe totalled $345m, up from $66m during the same period in 2003. GM's main European brands are Opel and Vauxhall.
Excluding special items, GM's global income from continuing operations totalled $569m during the quarter, down from $838m a year earlier. The results were in line with Wall Street expectations and shares in GM rose by about 1% in pre-market trade. For the whole of 2004, GM earned $3.7bn, down from $3.8bn in 2003, while its annual revenue rose 4.5% to $193bn. GM said its profits were also hit by higher healthcare costs in the US. "GM reported solid overall results in 2004, despite challenging competitive conditions in many markets around the globe," GM chairman and chief executive Rick Wagoner said in a statement. The company recently announced that it expected profits in 2005 to be lower than in 2004.
| For the whole of 2004, GM earned $3.7bn, down from $3.8bn in 2003, while its annual revenue rose 4.5% to $193bn.GM's revenues rose 4.7% to $51.2bn from $48.8bn a year earlier.General Motors (GM) saw its net profits fall 37% in the last quarter of 2004, as it continued to be hit by losses at its European operations.The US giant earned $630m (£481.5m) in the October-to-December period, down from $1bn in the fourth quarter of 2003.GM said its profits were also hit by higher healthcare costs in the US. |
1,976 | New Year's texting breaks record
A mobile phone was as essential to the recent New Year's festivities as a party mood and Auld Lang Syne, if the number of text messages sent is anything to go by.
Between midnight on 31 December and midnight on 1 January, 133m text messages were sent in the UK. It is the highest ever daily total recorded by the Mobile Data Association (MDA). It represents an increase of 20% on last year's figures.
Wishing a Happy New Year to friends and family via text message has become a staple ingredient of the year's largest party. While texting has not quite overtaken the old-fashioned phone call, it is heading that way, said Mike Short, chairman of the MDA. "In the case of a New Years Eve party, texting is useful if you are unable to speak or hear because of a noisy background," he said. There were also lots of messages sent internationally, where different time zones made traditional calls unfeasible, he said. The British love affair with texting shows no signs of abating and the annual total for 2004 is set to exceed 25bn, according to MDA. The MDA predicts that 2005 could see more than 30bn text messages sent in the UK. "We thought texting might slow down as MMS took off but we have seen no sign of that," said Mr Short. More and more firms are seeing the value in mobile marketing. Restaurants are using text messages to tell customers about special offers and promotions.
Anyone in need of a bit of January cheer now the party season is over, can use a service set up by Jongleurs comedy club, which will text them a joke a day. For those still wanting to drink and be merry as the long days of winter draw in, the Good Pub Guide offers a service giving the location and address of their nearest recommended pub. Users need to text the word GOODPUB to 85130. If they want to turn the evening into a pub crawl, they simply text the word NEXT. And for those still standing at the end of the night, a taxi service in London is available via text, which will locate the nearest available black cab.
| The MDA predicts that 2005 could see more than 30bn text messages sent in the UK.A mobile phone was as essential to the recent New Year's festivities as a party mood and Auld Lang Syne, if the number of text messages sent is anything to go by.Wishing a Happy New Year to friends and family via text message has become a staple ingredient of the year's largest party.Between midnight on 31 December and midnight on 1 January, 133m text messages were sent in the UK.Restaurants are using text messages to tell customers about special offers and promotions.Users need to text the word GOODPUB to 85130.Anyone in need of a bit of January cheer now the party season is over, can use a service set up by Jongleurs comedy club, which will text them a joke a day."In the case of a New Years Eve party, texting is useful if you are unable to speak or hear because of a noisy background," he said. |
1,849 | Sony PSP console hits US in March
US gamers will be able to buy Sony's PlayStation Portable from 24 March, but there is no news of a Europe debut.
The handheld console will go on sale for $250 (£132) and the first million sold will come with Spider-Man 2 on UMD, the disc format for the machine. Sony has billed the machine as the Walkman of the 21st Century and has sold more than 800,000 units in Japan. The console (12cm by 7.4cm) will play games, movies and music and also offers support for wireless gaming. Sony is entering a market which has been dominated by Nintendo for many years.
It launched its DS handheld in Japan and the US last year and has sold 2.8 million units. Sony has said it wanted to launch the PSP in Europe at roughly the same time as the US, but gamers will now fear that the launch has been put back. Nintendo has said it will release the DS in Europe from 11 March. "It has gaming at its core, but it's not a gaming device. It's an entertainment device," said Kaz Hirai, president of Sony Computer Entertainment America.
| Sony has billed the machine as the Walkman of the 21st Century and has sold more than 800,000 units in Japan.Sony has said it wanted to launch the PSP in Europe at roughly the same time as the US, but gamers will now fear that the launch has been put back.Nintendo has said it will release the DS in Europe from 11 March.It launched its DS handheld in Japan and the US last year and has sold 2.8 million units. |
2,159 | Mobile networks seek turbo boost
Third-generation mobile (3G) networks need to get faster if they are to deliver fast internet surfing on the move and exciting new services.
That was one of the messages from the mobile industry at the 3GSM World Congress in Cannes last week. Fast 3G networks are here but the focus has shifted to their evolution into a higher bandwidth service, says the Global Mobile Suppliers Association. At 3GSM, Siemens showed off a system that transmits faster mobile data. The German company said data could be transmitted at one gigabit a second - up to 20 times faster than current 3G networks. The system is not available commercially yet, but Motorola, the US mobile handset and infrastructure maker, held a clinic for mobile operators on HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), a high-speed, high bandwidth technology available now. Early HSDPA systems typically offer around two megabits per second (Mbps) compared with less than 384 kilobits per second (Kbps) on standard 3G networks.
"High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) - sometimes called Super 3G - will be vital for profitable services like mobile internet browsing and mobile video clips," according to a report published by UK-based research consultancy Analysys. A number of companies are developing the technology. Nokia and Canada-based wireless communication products company Sierra Wireless recently agreed to work together on High Speed Downlink Packet Access. The two companies aim to jointly market the HSDPA solution to global network operator customers.
"While HSDPA theoretically enables data rates up to a maximum of 14Mbps, practical throughputs will be lower than this in wide-area networks," said Dr Alastair Brydon, author of the Analysys report: Pushing Beyond the Limits of 3G with HSDPA and Other Enhancements. "The typical average user rate in a real implementation is likely to be in the region of one megabit per second which, even at this lower rate, will more than double the capacity... when compared to basic WCDMA [3G]," he added. Motorola has conducted five trials of its technology and says speeds of 2.9Mbps have been recorded at the edge of an outdoor 3G cell using a single HSDPA device. But some mobile operators are opting for a technology called Evolution, Data Optimised (EV-DO).
US operator Sprint ordered a broadband data upgrade to its 3G network at the end of last year. We are "expanding our network and deploying EV-DO technology to meet customer demand for faster wireless speeds," said Oliver Valente, Sprint's vice president for technology development, when the contract was announced. As part of $3bn in multi-year contracts announced late last year, Sprint will spend around $1bn on EV-DO technology from Lucent Technologies, Nortel Networks and Motorola that provides average data speeds of 0.3-0.5 megabits a second, and peak download rates of 2.4Mbps. MMO2, the UK-based operator with services in the UK, Ireland and Germany, has opted for technology based on HSDPA. Using technology from Lucent, it will offer data speeds of 3.6Mbps from next summer on its Isle of Man 3G network, and will eventually support speeds of up to 14.4Mbps. US operator Cingular Wireless is also adopting HSDPA, using technology from Lucent alongside equipment from Siemens and Ericsson.
Siemens' plans for a one gigabit network may be more than a user needs today, but Christoph Caselitz, president of the mobile networks division at the firm says that: "By the time the next generation of mobile communication debuts in 2015, the need for transmission capacities for voice, data, image and multimedia is conservatively anticipated to rise by a factor of 10." Siemens - in collaboration with the Fraunhofer German-Sino Lab for Mobile Communications and the Institute for Applied Radio System Technology - has souped up mobile communications by using three transmitting and four receiving antennae, instead of the usual one. This enables a data transmission, such as sending a big file or video, to be broken up into different flows of data that can be sent simultaneously over one radio frequency band. The speeds offered by 3G mobile seemed fast at the time mobile operators were paying huge sums for 3G licences. But today, instead of connecting to the internet by slow, dial-up phone connection, many people are used to broadband networks that offer speeds of 0.5 megabits a second - much faster than 3G. This means users are likely to find 3G disappointing unless the networks are souped up. If they aren't, those lucrative "power users", such as computer geeks and busy business people will avoid them for all but the most urgent tasks, reducing the potential revenues available to mobile operators. But one gigabit a second systems will not be available immediately. Siemens says that though the system works in the laboratory, it still has to assess the mobility of multiple-antennae devices and conduct field trials. A commercial system could be as far away as 2012, though Siemens did not rule out an earlier date.
| The speeds offered by 3G mobile seemed fast at the time mobile operators were paying huge sums for 3G licences.The system is not available commercially yet, but Motorola, the US mobile handset and infrastructure maker, held a clinic for mobile operators on HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), a high-speed, high bandwidth technology available now.Using technology from Lucent, it will offer data speeds of 3.6Mbps from next summer on its Isle of Man 3G network, and will eventually support speeds of up to 14.4Mbps.But some mobile operators are opting for a technology called Evolution, Data Optimised (EV-DO).At 3GSM, Siemens showed off a system that transmits faster mobile data.The German company said data could be transmitted at one gigabit a second - up to 20 times faster than current 3G networks.Siemens' plans for a one gigabit network may be more than a user needs today, but Christoph Caselitz, president of the mobile networks division at the firm says that: "By the time the next generation of mobile communication debuts in 2015, the need for transmission capacities for voice, data, image and multimedia is conservatively anticipated to rise by a factor of 10."Siemens - in collaboration with the Fraunhofer German-Sino Lab for Mobile Communications and the Institute for Applied Radio System Technology - has souped up mobile communications by using three transmitting and four receiving antennae, instead of the usual one.Fast 3G networks are here but the focus has shifted to their evolution into a higher bandwidth service, says the Global Mobile Suppliers Association.Motorola has conducted five trials of its technology and says speeds of 2.9Mbps have been recorded at the edge of an outdoor 3G cell using a single HSDPA device.US operator Sprint ordered a broadband data upgrade to its 3G network at the end of last year."High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) - sometimes called Super 3G - will be vital for profitable services like mobile internet browsing and mobile video clips," according to a report published by UK-based research consultancy Analysys.Third-generation mobile (3G) networks need to get faster if they are to deliver fast internet surfing on the move and exciting new services. |
2,206 | Tough rules for ringtone sellers
Firms that flout rules on how ringtones and other mobile extras are sold could be cut off from all UK phone networks.
The rules allow offenders to be cut off if they do not let consumers know exactly what they get for their money and how to turn off the services. The first month under the new rules has seen at least ten firms suspended while they clean up the way they work. The rules have been brought in to ensure that the problems plaguing net users do not spread to mobile phones.
In the last couple of years ringtones, wallpapers, screensavers and lots of other extras for phones have become hugely popular. But fierce competition is making it difficult for firms to get their wares in front of consumers, said Jeremy Flynn, head of third party services at Vodafone.
"If you are not on the operator's portal you are going to have quite heavy marketing costs because it's a problem of how people discover your services," he said. To combat this many ringtone and other mobile content sellers started using a new tactic to squeeze more cash out of customers. This tactic involved signing people up for a subscription to give them, for instance, several ringtones per week or month instead of the single track they thought they were getting. Mr Flynn said that the move to using subscriptions happened over the space of a few weeks at the end of 2004. Websites such as grumbletext.co.uk started getting reports from customers who were racking up large bills for phone content they did not know they had signed up for. "What made us uncomfortable was that these services were not being marketed transparently," said Mr Flynn. "People did not know they were being offered a subscription service." "We saw potential for substantial consumer harm here," he added.
The swift adoption of subscription services led to the creation of a new code of conduct for firms that want to sell content for mobile phones. The drafting of the new rules was led by the Mobile Entertainment Forum and the UK's phone firms. "Everyone is required to conform to this code of conduct," said Andrew Bud, regulatory head of the MEF and executive chairman of messaging firm MBlox.
"It's all about transparency," he said. "Consumers have to be told what they have got themselves into and how to get out of it." "The consumer has a right to be protected," he said. Christian Harris, partnership manager of mobile content firm Zed, said the new system was essential if consumers were to trust companies that sell ringtones and other downloads. "The groundrules must be applied across the whole industry and if that's done effectively we will see the cowboys driven out," he said. The new rules came in to force on 15 January and the first month under the new regime has seen many firms cautioned for not honouring them. Some have been told to revamp websites so customers know what they get for their money and what they are signing up for, said Mr Flynn. Also, said Mr Flynn, Vodafone has briefly cut off between eight and ten content sellers flouting the rules. "We have quite draconian contracts with firms," he said. "We do not have to say why. We can just cut them off." Under the rules consumers must be able to switch off the services by using a universal "stop" command sent via text message. He said the system had been designed to limit how much a consumer will pay if they inadvertently signed up for a service. "The mobile is so personal that people really resent the abuse of what is effectively part of their personality," said Mr Flynn.
| Christian Harris, partnership manager of mobile content firm Zed, said the new system was essential if consumers were to trust companies that sell ringtones and other downloads.Some have been told to revamp websites so customers know what they get for their money and what they are signing up for, said Mr Flynn.Also, said Mr Flynn, Vodafone has briefly cut off between eight and ten content sellers flouting the rules."The consumer has a right to be protected," he said."The mobile is so personal that people really resent the abuse of what is effectively part of their personality," said Mr Flynn."What made us uncomfortable was that these services were not being marketed transparently," said Mr Flynn."It's all about transparency," he said.Mr Flynn said that the move to using subscriptions happened over the space of a few weeks at the end of 2004.But fierce competition is making it difficult for firms to get their wares in front of consumers, said Jeremy Flynn, head of third party services at Vodafone.He said the system had been designed to limit how much a consumer will pay if they inadvertently signed up for a service.The swift adoption of subscription services led to the creation of a new code of conduct for firms that want to sell content for mobile phones.Firms that flout rules on how ringtones and other mobile extras are sold could be cut off from all UK phone networks.The rules allow offenders to be cut off if they do not let consumers know exactly what they get for their money and how to turn off the services. |
992 | Tories 'would cut number of MPs'
The Conservative Party would cut the number of MPs by about one-fifth if they were elected, Tory leader Michael Howard has said.
The plan forms part of the party's "smaller government bill", to be unveiled later this week. Mr Howard told the Sunday Times the party would also reduce the number of government special advisers. And he said a referendum would be held in Wales to decide whether or not to scrap the Welsh Assembly.
The changes would all take place within five years of the Conservatives winning a general election, Mr Howard told the paper.
The precise number of MPs to go would depend on the result of the Welsh referendum, but it would probably mean a reduction of around 120 from the current total of 659. If Wales decided to keep its assembly it would stand to lose more MPs. Mr Howard said as both parties planned to cut the number of civil servants at Whitehall - Labour by more than 80,000 and the Tories by almost 100,000 - they should accept a similar drop in their own numbers. "It is all very well saying government departments should be reduced, but what about ministers, Parliament and special advisers?" he said. Shadow leader of the Commons Oliver Heald said: "This will be part of our aim to reduce unnecessary and costly interference in people's lives by reducing the size and role of the State".
Mr Howard said the plan would also even out the "great unfairness" of there being proportionately more Scottish and Welsh MPs at Westminster than those from England. The average size of an English constituency was 70,000 people, Mr Howard said. In Northern Ireland it was just over 66,000, in Wales just over 59,000 and in Scotland 53,000. The number of Welsh MPs would be set at an amount that was "consistent and fair in terms of representation with the rest of the United Kingdom" if the assembly was scrapped. Mr Howard said the changes should be carried out quickly and could even be implemented by the election after next. "You have got to have a big bang. We don't want this like the House of Lords reform, getting to one stage and then not having the next stage."
| Mr Howard said the plan would also even out the "great unfairness" of there being proportionately more Scottish and Welsh MPs at Westminster than those from England.Mr Howard told the Sunday Times the party would also reduce the number of government special advisers.The Conservative Party would cut the number of MPs by about one-fifth if they were elected, Tory leader Michael Howard has said.The average size of an English constituency was 70,000 people, Mr Howard said.And he said a referendum would be held in Wales to decide whether or not to scrap the Welsh Assembly.Mr Howard said the changes should be carried out quickly and could even be implemented by the election after next.he said.Mr Howard said as both parties planned to cut the number of civil servants at Whitehall - Labour by more than 80,000 and the Tories by almost 100,000 - they should accept a similar drop in their own numbers. |
1,400 | GB quartet get cross country call
Four British athletes have been pre-selected to compete at the World Cross Country Championships in March after impressive starts to the season.
Hayley Yelling, Jo Pavey, Karl Keska and Adam Hickey will represent Team GB at the event in France. Yelling clinched the women's European cross country title last month and Pavey followed up with bronze. Keska helped the men's team to overall third place while Hickey finished in 10th place on his junior debut. "Winning the European cross country title meant so much to me," said Yelling. "And being pre-selected for the Worlds means that I can focus on preparing in the best way possible." The 32-year-old will race alongside Olympic 5,000m finalist Pavey in the women's 8km race on 19 March. Keska, who has made a successful return from a long-term injury lay-off, contests the men's 12km race on 20 March, while 16-year-old Hickey goes in the junior men's 8km on the same day. The rest of the team will be named after the trials at Wollaton Park in Nottingham, which take place on 5 March.
| Yelling clinched the women's European cross country title last month and Pavey followed up with bronze.Keska, who has made a successful return from a long-term injury lay-off, contests the men's 12km race on 20 March, while 16-year-old Hickey goes in the junior men's 8km on the same day.The 32-year-old will race alongside Olympic 5,000m finalist Pavey in the women's 8km race on 19 March."Winning the European cross country title meant so much to me," said Yelling. |
228 | Tsunami 'to hit Sri Lanka banks'
Sri Lanka's banks face hard times following December's tsunami disaster, officials have warned.
The Sri Lanka Banks Association said the waves which killed more than 30,000 people also washed away huge amounts of property which was securing loans. According to its estimate, as much as 13.6% of the loans made by private banks to clients in the disaster zone has been written off or damaged. State-owned lenders may be even worse hit, it said.
The association estimates that the private banking sector has 25bn rupees ($250m; £135m) of loans outstanding in the disaster zone. On one hand, banks are dealing with the death of their customers, along with damaged or destroyed collateral. On the other, most are extending cheap loans for rebuilding and recovery, as well as giving their clients more time to repay existing borrowing. The combination means a revenue shortfall during 2005, SLBA chairman - and Commercial Bank managing director - AL Gooneratne told a news conference. "Most banks have given moratoriums and will not be collecting interest, at least in this quarter," he said. In the public sector, more than one in ten of the state-owned People's Bank's customers in the south of Sri Lanka were affected, a bank spokesman told Reuters. He estimated the bank's loss at 3bn rupees.
| According to its estimate, as much as 13.6% of the loans made by private banks to clients in the disaster zone has been written off or damaged.In the public sector, more than one in ten of the state-owned People's Bank's customers in the south of Sri Lanka were affected, a bank spokesman told Reuters.The association estimates that the private banking sector has 25bn rupees ($250m; £135m) of loans outstanding in the disaster zone.Sri Lanka's banks face hard times following December's tsunami disaster, officials have warned."Most banks have given moratoriums and will not be collecting interest, at least in this quarter," he said. |
520 | Uganda bans Vagina Monologues
Uganda's authorities have banned the play The Vagina Monologues, due to open in the capital, Kampala this weekend.
The Ugandan Media Council said the performance would not be put on as it promoted and glorified acts such as lesbianism and homosexuality. It said the production could go ahead if the organisers "expunge all the offending parts". But the organisers of the play say it raises awareness of sexual abuse against women. "The play promotes illegal, unnatural sexual acts, homosexuality and prostitution, it should be and is hereby banned," the council's ruling said.
The show, which has been a controversial sell-out around the world, explores female sexuality and strength through individual women telling their stories through monologues. Some parliamentarians and church leaders are also siding with the Media Council, Uganda's New Vision newspaper reports. "The play is obscene and pornographic although it was under the guise of women's liberation," MP Kefa Ssempgani told parliament.
But the work's author, US playwright Eve Ensler, says it is all about women's empowerment. "There is obviously some fear of the vagina and saying the word vagina," Ms Ensler told the BBC. "It's not a slang word or dirty word it's a biological, anatomical word." She said the play is being produced and performed by Ugandan women and it is not being forced on them. The four Ugandan NGOs organising the play intended to raise money to campaign to stop violence against women and to raise funds for the war-torn north of the country. "I'm extremely outraged at the hypocrisy," the play's organiser in Uganda, Sarah Mukasa, told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. "I'm amazed that this country Uganda gives the impression that it is progressive and supports women's rights and the notions of free speech; yet when women want to share their stories the government uses the apparatus of state to shut us up."
| She said the play is being produced and performed by Ugandan women and it is not being forced on them.But the organisers of the play say it raises awareness of sexual abuse against women."The play promotes illegal, unnatural sexual acts, homosexuality and prostitution, it should be and is hereby banned," the council's ruling said.Uganda's authorities have banned the play The Vagina Monologues, due to open in the capital, Kampala this weekend.The four Ugandan NGOs organising the play intended to raise money to campaign to stop violence against women and to raise funds for the war-torn north of the country."There is obviously some fear of the vagina and saying the word vagina," Ms Ensler told the BBC. |
844 | Singer's film to show at festival
A documentary which takes a candid look at the life of chart-topping singer George Michael will be shown at this year's Berlin Film Festival.
A Different Story will screen in the Panorama section of the festival, which runs from 10-20 February. It features the singer talking about both his career and his personal life, from his days in Wham! through to more recent events. Michael will attend the festival to introduce the screening on 16 February. Director Southan Morris and executive producer Andy Stephens will also attend the festival.
The 93 minute film will see Michael discussing his early days in Wham! along with his later career, including his legal battles with record label Sony and his stance against the Iraq war and American politics. It will also touch upon his turbulent personal life, including his arrest in a Beverly Hills park toilet in 1998 for "lewd behaviour", and the death of his boyfriend Anselmo Feleppa from Aids. The film, which includes previously unseen footage of the singer also features contributions from Michael's former Wham! partner Andrew Ridgeley, as well as ex-Wham! backing singers Pepsi and Shirlie. Other contributors include Sting, Mariah Carey, Elton John, Noel Gallagher, Geri Halliwell and Simon Cowell. This year's festival will open with Man To Man, a historical epic starring Joseph Fiennes and Kristin Scott-Thomas. It will be one of 21 films competing for the festival's top prize, the Golden Bear. Other films in competition will include The Life Aquatic, a quirky comedy starring Bill Murray, and the biopic Kinsey, which features Liam Neeson. The full programme will be announced on 1 February.
| A documentary which takes a candid look at the life of chart-topping singer George Michael will be shown at this year's Berlin Film Festival.It features the singer talking about both his career and his personal life, from his days in Wham!Michael will attend the festival to introduce the screening on 16 February.The film, which includes previously unseen footage of the singer also features contributions from Michael's former Wham!The 93 minute film will see Michael discussing his early days in Wham!Other films in competition will include The Life Aquatic, a quirky comedy starring Bill Murray, and the biopic Kinsey, which features Liam Neeson.A Different Story will screen in the Panorama section of the festival, which runs from 10-20 February. |
1,471 | Stam spices up Man Utd encounter
AC Milan defender Jaap Stam says Manchester United "know they made a mistake" by selling him in 2001.
The sides meet at Old Trafford in the Champions League game on Wednesday and the 32-year-old's Dutchman's presence is sure to add spice to the fixture. "United made a mistake in selling me," Stam told Uefa's Champions magazine. "I was settled at Manchester United, but they wanted to sell me. If a club want to sell you, there is nothing you can do. You can be sold like cattle." Sir Alex Ferguson surprised the football world - and Stam - by selling the Dutchman to Lazio for £16.5m in August 2001. The decision came shortly after Stam claimed in his autobiography that Ferguson had tapped him up when he was at PSV Eindhoven. But Ferguson insisted he sold the defender because the transfer fee was too good to refuse for a player past his prime. The affair still rankles with the Dutchman.
"I was settled at Manchester United, I had even just ordered a new kitchen, but they wanted to sell me," he said. "In what other industry can a good employee be ushered out the door against their wishes? "Of course, you can refuse to go, but then the club have the power to put you on the bench. I don't agree that players control the game. "There have been opportunities to confront them in the newspapers, but I have turned them down. What's the point?"
Wednesday's game at Old Trafford will provide an intriguing confrontation between United's young attackers Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo and Milan's veteran defence of Stam, Paolo Maldini, Cafu and Alessandro Costacurta. Stam says Rooney's teenage stardom is in stark contract to his own start in the game. "We can't all be Wayne Rooneys - at his age I was training to be an electrician and thought my chance of becoming a professional footballer had gone," he said. "Starting late can be a good thing. Some kids who start early get bored. "I had my youth - having fun, drinking beers, blowing up milk cannisters. It sounds strange but it's a tradition where I grew up in Kampen - and I had done all the things I wanted to do."
| "I was settled at Manchester United, but they wanted to sell me."I was settled at Manchester United, I had even just ordered a new kitchen, but they wanted to sell me," he said.But Ferguson insisted he sold the defender because the transfer fee was too good to refuse for a player past his prime.AC Milan defender Jaap Stam says Manchester United "know they made a mistake" by selling him in 2001.Stam says Rooney's teenage stardom is in stark contract to his own start in the game."United made a mistake in selling me," Stam told Uefa's Champions magazine.Sir Alex Ferguson surprised the football world - and Stam - by selling the Dutchman to Lazio for £16.5m in August 2001.The decision came shortly after Stam claimed in his autobiography that Ferguson had tapped him up when he was at PSV Eindhoven.Wednesday's game at Old Trafford will provide an intriguing confrontation between United's young attackers Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo and Milan's veteran defence of Stam, Paolo Maldini, Cafu and Alessandro Costacurta."Starting late can be a good thing. |
405 | House prices rebound says Halifax
UK house prices increased by 1.1% in December, the first monthly rise since September, the Halifax has said.
The UK's biggest mortgage lender said prices rose 15.1% over the whole of 2004, but by only 2.8% in the second half of the year. The average price of a house in the UK now stands at £162,086, Halifax said. The survey seems to fly in the face of recent evidence that the UK housing market has been slowing substantially in response to interest rate rises.
Last week, the Nationwide said that house prices fell 0.2% in December, with annual inflation running at a three year low.
On Tuesday, figures from the Bank of England showed that the number of mortgages approved in the UK has fallen to the lowest level for nearly a decade. New loans in November fell to 77,000, from 85,000 in October, the lowest rate since September 1995, the Bank of England said. Growth in unsecured lending, such as personal loans and credit cards, also slowed last month. Capital Economics, which has in the past predicted a sharp fall in UK house prices, branded Halifax's findings a "temporary surprise," which would be reversed over the coming months. "The month by month volatility of the Halifax house price data should not distract from the fact that there is a clear downward trend in house prices," a Capital Economics statement said.
Experts believe five interest rate rises since November 2003 are cutting borrowers' appetite for debt.
Despite recording a price rise in December, the Halifax survey concluded that there was "continuing signs of a genuine slowdown in the housing market." Martin Ellis, Halifax chief economist, said that there was no need to revise the bank's prediction, made last month, that prices would fall by 2% in 2005. "Sound housing market fundamentals will continue to underpin the market in 2005, ensuring that the market remains healthy and that house prices fall only slightly," Mr Ellis said. If the bank's prediction of a 2% price drop comes true, it will be the first annual fall in nine years.
The bank said that the recent pattern of house prices rising the fastest in the north of England continued in December. In the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber, Halifax said prices rose by 3% and 1.2% in the two regions respectively during the month. At the other send of the scale, prices in the South East and London fell by 1.6% and 0.5% respectively. The biggest decline was seen in Wales where prices fell by 6.2%, an area that had experienced strong house price growth during most of 2004. Overall, Halifax said prices in the final quarter of 2004 were 0.1% higher than in the previous quarter. This was the smallest quarterly rise since the second quarter of 2000, the bank said. As a result, annual house price inflation dipped below 20% during the final few months of 2004.
| UK house prices increased by 1.1% in December, the first monthly rise since September, the Halifax has said.The average price of a house in the UK now stands at £162,086, Halifax said.The bank said that the recent pattern of house prices rising the fastest in the north of England continued in December."The month by month volatility of the Halifax house price data should not distract from the fact that there is a clear downward trend in house prices," a Capital Economics statement said.Last week, the Nationwide said that house prices fell 0.2% in December, with annual inflation running at a three year low.Martin Ellis, Halifax chief economist, said that there was no need to revise the bank's prediction, made last month, that prices would fall by 2% in 2005.The biggest decline was seen in Wales where prices fell by 6.2%, an area that had experienced strong house price growth during most of 2004.In the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber, Halifax said prices rose by 3% and 1.2% in the two regions respectively during the month.As a result, annual house price inflation dipped below 20% during the final few months of 2004. |
491 | Indonesia 'declines debt freeze'
Indonesia no longer needs the debt freeze offered by the Paris Club group of creditors, Economics Minister Aburizal Bakrie has reportedly said.
Indonesia, which originally accepted the debt moratorium offer, owes the Paris Club about $48bn (£25.5bn). Mr Bakrie told the Bisnis Indonesia newspaper that a $1.7bn donors' aid package meant that the debt moratorium was unnecessary. This aid comes on top of a previously-pledged $3.4bn package. Most of this 'normal aid' would be used to finance the country's budget deficit. The Indonesian Economics Minister explained that the money - $1.2bn in grants and $500m in soft loans - was for the rebuilding of Aceh province, which was badly hit by the tsunami of 26 December. Nevertheless, one of Mr Bakrie's deputies, Mahendra Siregar, told AFP news agency that Indonesia was still considering the offer by the Paris Club of rich creditor nations to temporarily suspend its debt payments. "What is true is that we are still discussing... the Paris Club decision to find out more details such as how much of our debt will be subject to a moratorium. That's how far we are at this stage," said Mr Siregar.
The 19 member countries of the Paris Club are owed about $5bn this year in debt repayments by nations affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami. Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Seychelles accepted the Paris Club offer, which was criticised by some aid groups as being too little. Thailand and India have however declined the offer, with Thailand prefering to keep up with its payments while India said it would prefer to rely on its own resources rather than on international aid. Putting off payments may lower a country's rating among financial organisations, making it more expensive and more difficult for them to borrow money in the future, analysts said. Separately, the Indonesian government has said it will announce monthly how much it has received in foreign donations and how it has spent the money. Welfare Minister Alwi Shihab told AP news agency that this announcement should allay suspicion of official corruption in relief operations.
| Indonesia, which originally accepted the debt moratorium offer, owes the Paris Club about $48bn (£25.5bn).Mr Bakrie told the Bisnis Indonesia newspaper that a $1.7bn donors' aid package meant that the debt moratorium was unnecessary.Indonesia no longer needs the debt freeze offered by the Paris Club group of creditors, Economics Minister Aburizal Bakrie has reportedly said.Nevertheless, one of Mr Bakrie's deputies, Mahendra Siregar, told AFP news agency that Indonesia was still considering the offer by the Paris Club of rich creditor nations to temporarily suspend its debt payments.Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Seychelles accepted the Paris Club offer, which was criticised by some aid groups as being too little.The 19 member countries of the Paris Club are owed about $5bn this year in debt repayments by nations affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami. |
283 | Stock market eyes Japan recovery
Japanese shares have ended the year at their highest level since 13 July amidst hopes of an economic recovery during 2005.
The Nikkei index of leading shares gained 7.6% during the year to close at 11,488.76 points. In 2005 it "will rise toward 13,000", predicted Morgan Stanley equity strategist Naoki Kamiyama. The optimism in the financial markets contrast sharply with pessimism in the Japanese business community. Earlier this month, the quarterly Tankan survey of Japanese manufacturers found that business confidence had weakened for the first time since March 2003.
Slower economic growth, rising oil prices, a stronger yen and weaker exports were blamed for the fall in confidence. Despite this, traders expect strength in the global economy to benefit Japan, which has been close to sliding into recession in recent months. Structural reform within Japan and an anticipated end to the banking sector's bad debt problems should also help, they say.
| Japanese shares have ended the year at their highest level since 13 July amidst hopes of an economic recovery during 2005.Earlier this month, the quarterly Tankan survey of Japanese manufacturers found that business confidence had weakened for the first time since March 2003.The Nikkei index of leading shares gained 7.6% during the year to close at 11,488.76 points.The optimism in the financial markets contrast sharply with pessimism in the Japanese business community. |
1,327 | McIlroy aiming for Madrid title
Northern Ireland man James McIlroy is confident he can win his first major title at this weekend's Spar European Indoor Championships in Madrid.
The 28-year-old has been in great form in recent weeks and will go in as one of the 800 metres favourites. "I believe after my wins abroad and in our trial race in Sheffield, I can run my race from the front, back or middle," said McIlroy. New coach Tony Lester has helped get McIlroy's career back on track. The 28-year-old 800 metres runner has not always matched his promise with performances but believes his decision to change coaches and move base will bring the rewards. McIlroy now lives in Windsor and feels his career has been transformed by the no-nonsense leadership style of former Army sergeant Lester. Lester is better known for his work with 400m runners Roger Black and Mark Richardson in the past but under his guidance McIlroy has secured five wins this indoor season.
McIlroy now claims he is in his best shape since finishing fourth for Ireland at the outdoor European Championships in 1998. "That was my last decent year," said McIlroy, who temporarily retired last August before returning to the sport under Lester's shrewd guidance. "Before, every race was like trying to climb Mount Everest and I now know you can't do it on your own. "Trying to succeed saw me sometimes standing half-dead and terrified on the starting line, which became a bit too much." McIlroy, who was compared to the likes of Sebastian Coe, Steve Cram and Steve Ovett in his younger days, is now competing without the benefit of National Lottery funding. That situation could change if he maintains his current form and repeats the world-class times he produced in the 800m and 1000m at major races in Erfurt and Stuttgart earlier this season. Russian Dmitriy Bogdanov won at the same Madrid venue last week and then claimed the European Championship race would be between himself, Dutchman Arnoud Okken and Antonio Reina of Spain but McIlroy is unfazed.
He admitted: "He looked quite good in his win and fair enough everyone has the right to their own opinion. "I never write myself off and let's face it, I haven't or looked like being beaten this season." And McIlroy, whose time of one minute 46.68seconds in Erfurt elevated him to sixth place on the UK All-Time list, is also already looking beyond Madrid. He said: "I've been much more focused this year about my career and having such a good team around me has been very important. "Ultimately of course, this weekend is a means to an end and that is getting prepared for the summer's world championships. "That ambition has meant that I've had only two nights out since last August. The rest of my time has seen me just concentrating on rebuilding my career."
| Lester is better known for his work with 400m runners Roger Black and Mark Richardson in the past but under his guidance McIlroy has secured five wins this indoor season.McIlroy now lives in Windsor and feels his career has been transformed by the no-nonsense leadership style of former Army sergeant Lester.He said: "I've been much more focused this year about my career and having such a good team around me has been very important."I believe after my wins abroad and in our trial race in Sheffield, I can run my race from the front, back or middle," said McIlroy.Northern Ireland man James McIlroy is confident he can win his first major title at this weekend's Spar European Indoor Championships in Madrid.The rest of my time has seen me just concentrating on rebuilding my career.""That ambition has meant that I've had only two nights out since last August.New coach Tony Lester has helped get McIlroy's career back on track."That was my last decent year," said McIlroy, who temporarily retired last August before returning to the sport under Lester's shrewd guidance. |
714 | No charges against TV's Cosby
US comedian Bill Cosby will not face charges stemming from an allegation of sexual misconduct.
Authorities in Philadelphia said they found insufficient evidence to support the woman's allegations regarding an alleged incident in January 2004. The woman reported the allegations to Canadian authorities last month. Cosby's lawyer, Walter M Phillips Jr, said the comedian was pleased with the decision. "He looks forward to moving on with his life," he said. District Attorney Bruce L Castor Jr, who was in charge of the case, said that detectives could find no instance "where anyone complained to law enforcement of conduct which would constitute a criminal offence.
He also said that the fact the woman waited a year before coming forward, and she had had further contact with Cosby during that time, were also factors in his decision. The unidentified woman's lawyer, Dolores M Troiani, said her client was likely to sue the comedian. "I think that's the only avenue open to her. She felt, as we did, that it's a very strong case and she was telling the truth." She also said that the woman supplied further evidence to prosecutors that she believed strengthened her allegations. Cosby emerged as one of the first black comics to have mainstream success in the US. He was a successful stand-up before hosting the children's show Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, and starring in The Cosby Show, one of the biggest sitcoms of the 1980s.
| Cosby's lawyer, Walter M Phillips Jr, said the comedian was pleased with the decision.He also said that the fact the woman waited a year before coming forward, and she had had further contact with Cosby during that time, were also factors in his decision.The unidentified woman's lawyer, Dolores M Troiani, said her client was likely to sue the comedian.She also said that the woman supplied further evidence to prosecutors that she believed strengthened her allegations.US comedian Bill Cosby will not face charges stemming from an allegation of sexual misconduct.Authorities in Philadelphia said they found insufficient evidence to support the woman's allegations regarding an alleged incident in January 2004. |
1,373 | McIlroy wins 800m indoor title
James McIlroy motored to the AAA's Indoor 800m title in Sheffied on Sunday in a time of one minute, 47.97 seconds.
The Larne athlete dominated the race from start to finish although he had to hold off a late challenge from Welshman Jimmy Watkins in the final 100 metres. "I had to go out and go through all the gears before the Europeans and I won't run again until then," said McIlroy. ''I though if I got lucky I'd get close to the British record but I blew up in the end.'' McIlroy has been in superb form at the start of the season and will now start his build-up for the European Indoors at Madrid on 4-6 March. Meanwhile, Paul Brizzel and Anna Boyle reached the semi-finals of the 60m hurdles with Boyle setting a season's best of 7.48. In the women's 60m final, Ailis McSweeney broke Michelle Carroll's long-standing Irish record by clocking 7.37 which left her in third place. David Gillick showed that he is a genuine medal contender in the European Indoor Championships by claiming an impressive 400m victory. Gillick was more than half-a-second clear when taking gold in 46.45 - .02 outside his personal best set in Saturday's semi-finals.
The Irishman is now the fastest European this season. Derval O'Rourke broke her own Irish 60m hurdles record by clocking 8.06 which left her third behind new British record holder Sarah Claxton (7.96). James Nolan (3:46.04) took second in the men's 1500m behind Neil Speaight (3:45.86) but the Offaly man was outside the European Indoor standard. Colin Costello was seventh in the 1500m final in 3:48.82). Deirdre Ryan was second in the women's high jump with a clearance of 1.87m while Aoife Byrne took silver in the 800m in a personal best of 2:06.73. Lisburn's Kelly McNeice Reid (4:31.34) was seventh in the women's 1500m while Gary Murray (8:11.22) was 11th in the men's 3000m. Meanwhile, Stephen Cairns and Jill Shannon claimed the individual titles at Saturday's Northern Ireland Cross Country Championship in Coleraine. Cairns came in ahead of Paul Rowan and Allan Bogle in the men's race. Willowfield claimed their first men's team title in 72 years while Shannon helped Lagan Valley win the women's team honours.
| James Nolan (3:46.04) took second in the men's 1500m behind Neil Speaight (3:45.86) but the Offaly man was outside the European Indoor standard.Lisburn's Kelly McNeice Reid (4:31.34) was seventh in the women's 1500m while Gary Murray (8:11.22) was 11th in the men's 3000m.Gillick was more than half-a-second clear when taking gold in 46.45 - .02 outside his personal best set in Saturday's semi-finals.In the women's 60m final, Ailis McSweeney broke Michelle Carroll's long-standing Irish record by clocking 7.37 which left her in third place.Deirdre Ryan was second in the women's high jump with a clearance of 1.87m while Aoife Byrne took silver in the 800m in a personal best of 2:06.73.Colin Costello was seventh in the 1500m final in 3:48.82).Derval O'Rourke broke her own Irish 60m hurdles record by clocking 8.06 which left her third behind new British record holder Sarah Claxton (7.96).McIlroy has been in superb form at the start of the season and will now start his build-up for the European Indoors at Madrid on 4-6 March. |
470 | Saudi investor picks up the Savoy
London's famous Savoy hotel has been sold to a group combining Saudi billionaire investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and a unit of HBOS bank.
Financial details of the deal, which includes the nearby Simpson's in the Strand restaurant, were not disclosed. The seller - Irish-based property firm Quinlan Private - bought the Savoy along with the Berkeley, Claridge's and the Connaught for £750m last year. Prince Alwaleed's hotel investments include the luxury George V in Paris. He also has substantial stakes in Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, which will manage the Savoy and Simpson's in the Strand, and Four Seasons. Fairmont said it planned to invest $48m (£26m) in renovating parts of the Savoy including the River Room and suites with views over the River Thames. Work was expected to be completed by summer 2006, Fairmont said.
| He also has substantial stakes in Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, which will manage the Savoy and Simpson's in the Strand, and Four Seasons.Fairmont said it planned to invest $48m (£26m) in renovating parts of the Savoy including the River Room and suites with views over the River Thames.London's famous Savoy hotel has been sold to a group combining Saudi billionaire investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and a unit of HBOS bank. |
386 | Krispy Kreme shares hit
Shares in Krispy Kreme Doughnuts have taken a dunking on Wall Street after the firm revealed it would have to restate its 2004 financial reports.
The company warned the move would cut its profits by $3.8m to $4.9m (£2m to £2.6m) - or between 6.6% and 8.6%. Krispy Kreme said accounting errors had forced the move, adding that its board of directors made the decision to restate its accounts on 28 December. However, the company was unavailable to comment on why it had delayed the news.
It also warned it might have to further restate results for 2004 and 2005.
Shares in Krispy Kreme sank 14.87% - or $1.83 - to close at $10.48 on the news. The revelation comes just a month after the firm warned earnings would be cut by as much as 7.6% as a result of accounting errors. Krispy Kreme said the latest adjustments involved the way it accounted for the repurchase of three franchise restaurants. It added it would now be reviewing how it accounts for its leases. In a further blow, the firm said it had been advised that some of its franchise owners were not in compliance with their loan agreements, and warned it might need to borrow extra money if it was required to honour agreements on franchisee debts or operating leases.
Krispy Kreme added that it had enough cash to fund its current operations, but it could not borrow any more under its existing agreements. "There are many more questions than answers, especially given increased concerns regarding company liquidity," JP Morgan Securities analyst John Ivankoe said in a research note on the firm. The announcement is the latest blow for the one-time darling of Wall Street, which has lost 80% of its stock value in just over a year. The firm is currently facing Securities and Exchange Commission investigation of its accounts. Shareholders have also launched lawsuits against the group, claiming it made false statements and inflated sales.
| Shares in Krispy Kreme Doughnuts have taken a dunking on Wall Street after the firm revealed it would have to restate its 2004 financial reports.Krispy Kreme said accounting errors had forced the move, adding that its board of directors made the decision to restate its accounts on 28 December.The company warned the move would cut its profits by $3.8m to $4.9m (£2m to £2.6m) - or between 6.6% and 8.6%.The revelation comes just a month after the firm warned earnings would be cut by as much as 7.6% as a result of accounting errors.In a further blow, the firm said it had been advised that some of its franchise owners were not in compliance with their loan agreements, and warned it might need to borrow extra money if it was required to honour agreements on franchisee debts or operating leases.Shares in Krispy Kreme sank 14.87% - or $1.83 - to close at $10.48 on the news. |
1,374 | Johnson edges out rival Sotherton
Jade Johnson edged out rival Kelly Sotherton with her last effort to claim the AAAs long jump title at the Norwich Union European Indoor trials.
Olympic heptathlon bronze medallist, Sotherton, led the event with her first leap of 6.43m - a personal best. But Johnson, who has not competed indoors for five years, leapt to a life-time best of 6.50m in her last jump, after four fouls. Both Johnson and Sotherton passed the European Championships qualifying mark. Although Sotherton's main aim in Madrid next month will be the pentathlon where she will take on Olympic heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft. Ireland's
delivered a shock in the men's 200m as he stormed to his first major title in 21.01 seconds. British favourite Chris Lambert had to settle for second place while defending champion Ireland's Paul Brizzel took third. There was some consolation for Lambert as he set a personal best of 20.94 in the first round - good enough to qualify for Europe.
Two-time AAAs champion Allyn Condon and Ian Mackie had no such luck as they were disqualified in the heats. There was plenty of hot action in the men's 60m hurdles where Scotland's
was vying for top spot with Olympian Andy Turner. Scott, 22, smashed his personal best on the way to the final, where he broke it again to win the AAAs title in 7.58 seconds. Turner finished second in 7.82 after previously setting a personal best on the 7.83 in the semi-finals, while Damien Greaves did not finish the final. The trio of athletes have reached the European qualifying mark this season though one of them is set to miss out on a call-up to the British squad.
comfortably defended her 3,000m title, clocking eight minutes, 49.87 seconds to easily surpass the European qualifying mark. The European cross country bronze medallist is ranked number one in Europe this season and will go to Madrid with high hopes. Helen Clitheroe was agonisingly close to the 9:05.00 qualifying mark as she claimed the runners-up spot in a personal best of 9:05.73. In the men's 800m heats,
qualified fastest in the 800m heats to lay down a challenge to in-form
. The Welsh runner attacked the last 200m to come through ahead of James Thie in one minute, 49.87 seconds. McIlroy, who is third in the European rankings, eased across the finish in 1:50.87 to set up a showdown in Sunday's final in Sheffield. Both Watkins and McIlroy have already achieved the European qualifying mark. Scotland's Susan Deacon stole
's thunder in the final of the women's 200m. Fraser became the fastest British woman over the distance this season when she qualified for the final in 23.68 seconds - though that time is outside the European standard. But Deacon claimed her first AAAs title over the distance, edging Fraser into second in 23.67. In the women's shot put veteran
claimed her fourth AAAs title with a throw of 15.27m. But that mark was not good enough for the 39-year-old to book her place at next month's European Indoor Championships in Madrid. Sotherton finished fifth after producing two throws of 13.77m. In the absence of injured British number one Carl Myerscough,
claimed the men's shot put title with a throw of 17.64m, which was below the qualifying mark.
Sale's Robert Mitchell climbed to a season's best of 2.20m - just 3cm short of the European standard - to claim the British indoor high jump title.
could only clear 2.16m to finish in fourth but the 27-year-old's disappointment will be tempered as he had already achieved the qualifying mark at a meeting in Slovenia on Tuesday. There was bad luck for British number one
in the pole vault as he failed to clear the bar after deciding to come in at 5.45m. The AAAs indoor title went instead to Ashley Swain, who climbed to a season's best of 5.25m And Ireland's Taniesha Scanlon set a new national record of 13.28m in the women's triple jump.
| In the absence of injured British number one Carl Myerscough, claimed the men's shot put title with a throw of 17.64m, which was below the qualifying mark.Both Johnson and Sotherton passed the European Championships qualifying mark.Helen Clitheroe was agonisingly close to the 9:05.00 qualifying mark as she claimed the runners-up spot in a personal best of 9:05.73.comfortably defended her 3,000m title, clocking eight minutes, 49.87 seconds to easily surpass the European qualifying mark.The trio of athletes have reached the European qualifying mark this season though one of them is set to miss out on a call-up to the British squad.Sale's Robert Mitchell climbed to a season's best of 2.20m - just 3cm short of the European standard - to claim the British indoor high jump title.Scott, 22, smashed his personal best on the way to the final, where he broke it again to win the AAAs title in 7.58 seconds.Both Watkins and McIlroy have already achieved the European qualifying mark.But that mark was not good enough for the 39-year-old to book her place at next month's European Indoor Championships in Madrid.But Deacon claimed her first AAAs title over the distance, edging Fraser into second in 23.67.Jade Johnson edged out rival Kelly Sotherton with her last effort to claim the AAAs long jump title at the Norwich Union European Indoor trials.Fraser became the fastest British woman over the distance this season when she qualified for the final in 23.68 seconds - though that time is outside the European standard.The AAAs indoor title went instead to Ashley Swain, who climbed to a season's best of 5.25m And Ireland's Taniesha Scanlon set a new national record of 13.28m in the women's triple jump. |
1,099 | New foot and mouth action urged
A senior Tory MP has criticised agriculture department Defra's "lackadaisical" approach to planning for a future foot and mouth outbreak.
Public accounts committee chairman Edward Leigh was giving his reaction to a report by a government watchdog on lessons to be learnt from the crisis. The National Audit Office said Defra had improved its capacity to deal with future livestock disease outbreaks. But Mr Leigh said the department was "dragging its heels".
That comment referred to the setting up of a scheme to share any future compensation costs with industry. He also said Defra had been "dreadfully slow" in paying some of its bills dating from the foot and mouth crisis.
The outbreak, which began in 2001, led to the slaughter of 6.5 million animals, devastated many farms and rural businesses, and is estimated to have cost the UK up to £8bn. "Four years after the outbreak, Defra is yet to begin its planned review of some of its contractors' costs, and £40m of invoices remain unpaid," Mr Leigh said. Mr Leigh also pointed out that the introduction of an IT system to help control future outbreaks had been delayed. In November it emerged European Commission compensation amounted to just over a third of the money the UK government had hoped to get as reimbursement for the billions lost through the foot and mouth crisis.
Ministers had hoped to get £900m from the European Union Vet Fund to help with animal slaughter and other costs but in the end was granted £349m. That was because the UK had valued the culled animals at between "two and three times" the commission's assessment of their likely market value. National Audit Office chief Sir John Bourn said a new compensation scheme was now being looked at. On the issue of the unpaid invoices, Sir John said Defra had paid 97% of the £1.3bn submitted by contractors since 2001, "but has not agreed a final settlement with 57 contractors pending the results of its investigations".
Mr Leigh said being "better prepared" would also help avoid the need for "mass funeral pyres which provided an unsettling images of the 2001 outbreak". A Defra spokesman said: "We welcome the report. It acknowledges the progress the department has made since 2001 - particularly on contingency planning and our improved capacity and preparedness for combating another major disease outbreak. "However, the department is aware that there are some areas requiring further work and we are working to resolve them as soon as is practicable."
| But Mr Leigh said the department was "dragging its heels"."Four years after the outbreak, Defra is yet to begin its planned review of some of its contractors' costs, and £40m of invoices remain unpaid," Mr Leigh said.The National Audit Office said Defra had improved its capacity to deal with future livestock disease outbreaks.Mr Leigh said being "better prepared" would also help avoid the need for "mass funeral pyres which provided an unsettling images of the 2001 outbreak".He also said Defra had been "dreadfully slow" in paying some of its bills dating from the foot and mouth crisis.Mr Leigh also pointed out that the introduction of an IT system to help control future outbreaks had been delayed.National Audit Office chief Sir John Bourn said a new compensation scheme was now being looked at.A Defra spokesman said: "We welcome the report. |
1,670 | Wales want rugby league training
Wales could follow England's lead by training with a rugby league club.
England have already had a three-day session with Leeds Rhinos, and Wales are thought to be interested in a similar clinic with rivals St Helens. Saints coach Ian Millward has given his approval, but if it does happen it is unlikely to be this season. Saints have a week's training in Portugal next week, while Wales will play England in the opening Six Nations match on 5 February. "We have had an approach from Wales," confirmed a Saints spokesman. "It's in the very early stages but it is something we are giving serious consideration to." St Helens, who are proud of their Welsh connections, are obvious partners for the Welsh Rugby Union, despite a spat in 2001 over the collapse of Kieron Cunningham's proposed £500,000 move to union side Swansea. A similar cross-code deal that took Iestyn Harris from Leeds to Cardiff in 2001 did go through, before the talented stand-off returned to the 13-man code with Bradford Bulls. Kel Coslett, who famously moved from Wales to league in the 1960s, is currently Saints' football manager, while Clive Griffiths - Wales' defensive coach - is a former St Helens player and is thought to be the man behind the latest initiative. Scott Gibbs, the former Wales and Lions centre, played for St Helens from 1994-96 and was in the Challenge Cup-winning team at Wembley in 1996.
| Kel Coslett, who famously moved from Wales to league in the 1960s, is currently Saints' football manager, while Clive Griffiths - Wales' defensive coach - is a former St Helens player and is thought to be the man behind the latest initiative.England have already had a three-day session with Leeds Rhinos, and Wales are thought to be interested in a similar clinic with rivals St Helens."We have had an approach from Wales," confirmed a Saints spokesman.Saints have a week's training in Portugal next week, while Wales will play England in the opening Six Nations match on 5 February. |
1,005 | UK firms 'embracing e-commerce'
UK firms are embracing internet trading opportunities as never before, e-commerce minister Mike O'Brien says.
A government-commissioned study ranked the UK third in its world index of use of information and communication technology (ICT). The report suggests 69% of UK firms are now using broadband and that 30% of micro businesses are trading online. Mr O'Brien said UK businesses were sprinting forward in ICT use, but that there were more challenges ahead. The report, carried out independently by consultants Booz Allen Hamilton and HI Europe, placed the UK third behind Sweden and Ireland for business use of ICT.
It showed British business brought greater maturity to their ICT use, by using broadband in increased numbers, bringing ICT into their business plans and using new technologies such as voice activated programmes and desktop video conferences. Mr O'Brien said: "The increase in the proportion of business connected by broadband shows that UK companies are embracing the opportunities that ICT can bring. "It is particularly encouraging to see that small businesses are beginning to narrow the digital divide that appeared to have opened up in recent years." The government would play its part in "cultivating an environment where information and communication technologies can flourish", Mr O'Brien said. The "clear message" the report sends is that effective use of ICT can bring real improvements in business performance for all business.
"However, we are not at the finishing line yet and many challenges remain if the UK is to reach its aim of becoming a world-leading e-economy," he added. The International Benchmarking Study was based on 8,000 telephone interviews with businesses, of which more than 2,700 were UK businesses. It is the eighth in a series of examining the adoption and deployment of ICT in the world's most industrialised nations.
| Mr O'Brien said UK businesses were sprinting forward in ICT use, but that there were more challenges ahead.Mr O'Brien said: "The increase in the proportion of business connected by broadband shows that UK companies are embracing the opportunities that ICT can bring.A government-commissioned study ranked the UK third in its world index of use of information and communication technology (ICT).The report suggests 69% of UK firms are now using broadband and that 30% of micro businesses are trading online.The report, carried out independently by consultants Booz Allen Hamilton and HI Europe, placed the UK third behind Sweden and Ireland for business use of ICT.The "clear message" the report sends is that effective use of ICT can bring real improvements in business performance for all business. |
629 | Ring of Fire hit co-writer dies
Merle Kilgore, co-writer of the country hit Ring of Fire, has died of congestive heart failure aged 70.
He started out as a singer and songwriter before going into music management, looking after country star Hank Williams Jr. He wrote Ring of Fire with June Carter Cash, the future wife of Johnny Cash who went on to score his most popular hit with the track. Kilgore had heart surgery in 2004 and was also diagnosed with lung cancer. His death has been attributed to treatment he was undergoing for the cancer. His first self-penned top 10 hit was Dear Mama in 1959.
One of the first songs he wrote for other artists was Wolverton Mountain, which sold 10 million copies when recorded by Claude King. He then wrote Ring of Fire with June Carter Cash, which was about her unrequited love for Johnny, who she later married. It was first recorded by her younger sister Anita Carter before Johnny went on to make such a success of it. June Carter Cash previously said it upset her husband when Kilgore talked about the song without crediting her and believed he should not have been credited on it. Last year, Kilgore turned up an awards dinner in a wheelchair expecting to honour Hank Williams Jr, but instead he was the surprise recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the International Entertainment Buyers Association.
| He then wrote Ring of Fire with June Carter Cash, which was about her unrequited love for Johnny, who she later married.He wrote Ring of Fire with June Carter Cash, the future wife of Johnny Cash who went on to score his most popular hit with the track.It was first recorded by her younger sister Anita Carter before Johnny went on to make such a success of it.Kilgore had heart surgery in 2004 and was also diagnosed with lung cancer.His first self-penned top 10 hit was Dear Mama in 1959. |
69 | Boeing unveils new 777 aircraft
US aircraft firm Boeing has unveiled its new long-distance 777 plane, as it tries to regain its position as the industry's leading manufacturer.
The 777-200LR will be capable of flying almost 11,000 miles non-stop, linking cities such as London and Sydney. Boeing, in contrast to European rival Airbus, hopes airlines will want to fly smaller aircraft over longer distances. Airbus, which overtook Boeing as the number one civilian planemaker in 2003, is focusing on so-called super jumbos.
Analysts are divided over which approach is best and say that this latest tussle between Boeing and Airbus may prove to be a defining moment for the airline industry. Boeing plans to offer twin-engine planes that are able to fly direct to many of the world's airports, getting rid of the need for connecting flights.
It is banking on smaller, slimmer planes such as the 777-200LR and its much-anticipated 787 Dreamliner plane, which is set to take to the skies in 2008. The 777-200LR, which had its launch delayed by the 11 September attacks in the US, is the fifth variation of Boeing's twin-aisle 777 plane. The company offically "rolled-out" the new 777 in Seattle at 2200 GMT. Better fuel efficiency from engines made by GE and lighter materials mean that the plane can connect almost any two cities worldwide.
"Boeing has the latest variant in a very successful line of airplanes and there is no doubt it will continue to be very successful," said David Learmount, operations and safety editor at industry magazine Flight International. But the 777-200LR "is a niche player", Mr Learmount continued, adding that reach was not the only criteria airlines used when picking their aircraft. Mr Learmount pointed out that the 777-200LR has been on the market for a couple of years and only had limited success at attracting orders. He also said that while the plane may be able to fly to Sydney from London in one hit, prevailing winds meant that it would have to stop somewhere on the return journey.
For Airbus, the future is big - it is pinning its hopes on planes that can carry as many as 840 people between large hub airports. From there, passengers would be ferried to their final destinations by smaller planes. Airbus is also keeping its options open and plans to compete in all the main categories of aircraft. It has been producing a rival to Boeing's 777 line for more than a year. "Airbus is now where Boeing was a few years ago" with its product range, said Flight International's Mr Learmount.
Both Boeing and Airbus have been taking orders for their new planes. Boeing said it expected to sell about 500 of its 777-200LR planes over the next 20 years. It already has orders from Pakistan International Airlines and EVA of Taiwan. These orders should help underpin the company's profits. Boeing said earnings during the last three months of 2004 dropped by 84% because of costs relating to stopping production of its smallest airliner, the 717, and the cancellation of a US air force 767 tanker contract. Net profit was $186m (£98m; 143m euros) in the quarter, compared with $1.13bn in the same period in 2003.
| Both Boeing and Airbus have been taking orders for their new planes.Boeing said it expected to sell about 500 of its 777-200LR planes over the next 20 years."Airbus is now where Boeing was a few years ago" with its product range, said Flight International's Mr Learmount.US aircraft firm Boeing has unveiled its new long-distance 777 plane, as it tries to regain its position as the industry's leading manufacturer.Boeing, in contrast to European rival Airbus, hopes airlines will want to fly smaller aircraft over longer distances.It is banking on smaller, slimmer planes such as the 777-200LR and its much-anticipated 787 Dreamliner plane, which is set to take to the skies in 2008."Boeing has the latest variant in a very successful line of airplanes and there is no doubt it will continue to be very successful," said David Learmount, operations and safety editor at industry magazine Flight International.Boeing plans to offer twin-engine planes that are able to fly direct to many of the world's airports, getting rid of the need for connecting flights.He also said that while the plane may be able to fly to Sydney from London in one hit, prevailing winds meant that it would have to stop somewhere on the return journey.Analysts are divided over which approach is best and say that this latest tussle between Boeing and Airbus may prove to be a defining moment for the airline industry. |
1,893 | 'Friends fear' with lost mobiles
People are becoming so dependent on their mobile phones that one in three are concerned that losing their phone would mean they lose their friends.
More than 50% of mobile owners reported they had had their phone stolen or lost in the last three years. More than half (54%) of those asked in a poll for mobile firm Intervoice said that they do not have another address book. A fifth rely entirely on mobiles. About 80% of UK adults own at least one mobile, according to official figures. It is estimated that 53% of over 65s own a mobile, according to Intervoice, but the figures are higher for those aged between 15 and 34.
Most 15 to 24-year-olds (94%), and 25 to 34-year-olds (92%), own at least one. Nineteen percent of mobile owners were more concerned about how long it would take to find their contacts' information again if the phone was lost, stolen or replaced.
The survey showed that extent to which people have become reliant on their phones as address book. Many mobile owners do not bother to make back-ups of their contact details, and with people changing their phones once a year on average, it becomes a problem. They also are becoming less likely to remember numbers by heart, relying on the mobile phone book instead. "We're a nation of lazy so-and-sos," David Noone from Intervoice said. "We put the numbers in our phones so we can call a friend at the touch of just one or two buttons and we certainly can't be bothered to write them down in an old fashioned address book. "The mobile phone plays such a key role in modern relationships; take the phone away and the way we manage these relationships falls apart." One in three women, the survey said, thought if they lost their phones, it would mean they would lose touch with people altogether. Most (62%) said they had no idea what their partner's number was. Mr Noone said it should be up to mobile operators to provide back-up services on the network itself, instead of relying on mobile owners to find ways themselves.
Generally, information from Sim cards can be backed up on physical memory cards, or can be copied onto computers via cables if the phone is a smartphone model with the right software. Sim back-up devices can be bought from phone shops for just a few pounds.
But some operators offer customers free web-based back-up services too. Orange told the BBC News website that those with Orange Smartphones could use the My Phone syncing service which means back-ups of address books and other data are created online. For non-smartphone users, a Memory Mate card could be used to back up data on the phone. O2 also offers a free, web-based syncing service which works over GPRS and GSM. Neither Vodafone or T-Mobile currently offer a free network service for back-ups, but encourage people to use Sim back-up devices. It is thought that about 10,000 phones are lost or stolen every month and 50% of total street crime involves a mobile. Mobile phone sales are expected to continue growing over the next year. Globally, more than 167 million mobile phones were sold in the third quarter of 2004, 26% more than the previous year, according to analysts. It is predicted that there will be two billion handsets in use worldwide by the end of 2005.
| People are becoming so dependent on their mobile phones that one in three are concerned that losing their phone would mean they lose their friends.More than 50% of mobile owners reported they had had their phone stolen or lost in the last three years.Mr Noone said it should be up to mobile operators to provide back-up services on the network itself, instead of relying on mobile owners to find ways themselves.They also are becoming less likely to remember numbers by heart, relying on the mobile phone book instead."The mobile phone plays such a key role in modern relationships; take the phone away and the way we manage these relationships falls apart."Nineteen percent of mobile owners were more concerned about how long it would take to find their contacts' information again if the phone was lost, stolen or replaced.Mobile phone sales are expected to continue growing over the next year.It is thought that about 10,000 phones are lost or stolen every month and 50% of total street crime involves a mobile.Many mobile owners do not bother to make back-ups of their contact details, and with people changing their phones once a year on average, it becomes a problem.Globally, more than 167 million mobile phones were sold in the third quarter of 2004, 26% more than the previous year, according to analysts.More than half (54%) of those asked in a poll for mobile firm Intervoice said that they do not have another address book.The survey showed that extent to which people have become reliant on their phones as address book. |
472 | China suspends 26 power projects
China has ordered a halt to construction work on 26 big power stations, including two at the Three Gorges Dam, on environmental grounds.
The move is a surprising one because China is struggling to increase energy supplies for its booming economy. Last year 24 provinces suffered black outs. The State Environmental Protection Agency said the 26 projects had failed to do proper environmental assessments. Topping the list was a controversial dam on the scenic upper Yangtze River. "Construction of these projects has started without approval of the assessment of their environmental impact... they are typical illegal projects of construction first, approval next," said SEPA vice-director Pan Yue, in a statement on the agency's website.
Some of the projects may be allowed to start work again with the proper permits, but others would be cancelled, he said. Altogether, the agency ordered 30 projects halted. Other projects included a petrochemicals plant and a port in Fujian. The bulk of the list was made up of new power plants, with some extensions to existing ones. The stoppages would appear to be another step in the central government's battle to control projects licensed by local officials. However, previous crackdowns have tended to focus on projects for which the government argued there was overcapacity, such as steel and cement. The government has encouraged construction of new electricity generating capacity to solve chronic energy shortages which forced many factories onto part-time working last year. In 2004, China increased its generating capacity by 12.6%, or 440,700 megawatts (MW). The biggest single project to be halted was the Xiluodi Dam project, designed to produce 12,600 MW of electricity. It is being built on the Jinshajiang - or 'river of golden sand' as the upper reaches of the Yangtze are known. Second and third on the agency's list were two power stations being built at the $22bn Three Gorges Dam project on the central Yangtze - an underground 4,200 MW power plant and a 100 MW plant.
The Three Gorges Dam has proved controversial in China - where more than half a million people have been relocated to make way for it - and abroad. It has drawn criticism from environmental groups and overseas human rights activists. The damming of the Upper Yangtze has also begun to attract criticism from environmentalists in China. In April 2004, central government officials ordered a halt to work on the nearby Nu River, which is part of a United Nations world heritage site, the Three Parallel Rivers site which covers the Yangtze, Mekong and Nu (also known as the Salween), according to the UK-published China Review. That move reportedly followed a protest from the Thai government about the downstream impact of the dams, and a critical documentary made by Chinese journalists. China's energy shortage influenced global prices for oil, coal and shipping last year.
| The biggest single project to be halted was the Xiluodi Dam project, designed to produce 12,600 MW of electricity.China has ordered a halt to construction work on 26 big power stations, including two at the Three Gorges Dam, on environmental grounds.Second and third on the agency's list were two power stations being built at the $22bn Three Gorges Dam project on the central Yangtze - an underground 4,200 MW power plant and a 100 MW plant."Construction of these projects has started without approval of the assessment of their environmental impact... they are typical illegal projects of construction first, approval next," said SEPA vice-director Pan Yue, in a statement on the agency's website.The government has encouraged construction of new electricity generating capacity to solve chronic energy shortages which forced many factories onto part-time working last year.Topping the list was a controversial dam on the scenic upper Yangtze River.The damming of the Upper Yangtze has also begun to attract criticism from environmentalists in China.The State Environmental Protection Agency said the 26 projects had failed to do proper environmental assessments.Altogether, the agency ordered 30 projects halted.The Three Gorges Dam has proved controversial in China - where more than half a million people have been relocated to make way for it - and abroad. |
2,195 | France starts digital terrestrial
France has become the last big European country to launch a digital terrestrial TV (DTT) service.
Initially, more than a third of the population will be able to receive 14 free-to-air channels. Despite the long wait for a French DTT roll-out, the new platform's backers hope to emulate the success of its UK free-to-air counterpart, Freeview. Recent figures from the UK's regulator Ofcom showed Freeview was more popular than the Sky digital satellite service. In the three months to September 2004, almost five times as many people signed up to the UK's free-to-air DTT service compared with Sky. Almost 60% of UK households have gone digital on at least one television set through cable, satellite or Freeview.
The French DTT platform is known as TNT, which stands for TV numerique terrestre or digital terrestrial television. But it is being branded as Television Numerique pour Tous, or "digital television for all". TNT is a joint venture between public broadcaster France Televisions and a handful of cable and satellite operators. Digital terrestrial TV will launch as a free-to-air platform to start with, adding pay-TV channels later. Thirty-five contenders have bid for an additional eight frequencies on top of the 14 already allocated. "A couple of years ago, DTT had a bad image," said Olivier Gerolami, chief operating officer of TNT.
"But everyone's impressed with DTT in the UK, Italy and Germany, and they realise it is a very good idea. "France is the poorest market in Europe in terms of free-to-air national channels, so it has the potential to be one of the biggest DTT markets," Mr Gerolami added in remarks quoted by the US entertainment industry paper Variety. TNT aims to reach 35% of France's population at launch, from 17 transmission sites. The transmission area will initially include Paris, Lille, Lyon and Toulouse. Eventually there will be 115 sites reaching over 80% of homes. Digital terrestrial set-top boxes are available from as little as 70 euros (£50). A recent survey by Mediametrie found that 70% of people interviewed were aware of DTT, and 25% were planning to buy a digital receiver. Consumer electronics companies such as Nokia, Sagem, Sony and Thomson are gearing up for production. The Conseil Superieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA), the French broadcasting regulator, said: "Following the recent success of Freeview in the UK, some manufacturers are optimistic about sales prospects". Media analysts believe that initially the majority of viewers will buy inexpensive set-top boxes that are unable to support interactive services. The CSA said the current aim of reaching 85% of the population by 2007 was achievable, but the future of the remaining TV viewers required action by the public sector. For the most part, they are people living in mountainous or border areas, which will remain beyond the reach of digital terrestrial TV for years.
Up to 15 pay-TV channels will launch on DTT between September 2005 and March 2006. Leading pay-TV operators Canal Plus and TPS have submitted bids to market bouquets of channels. Free-to-air services will be broadcast in MPEG-2 format. But pay-TV operators will be allowed to broadcast in MPEG-4 - a much better compression technology - which will potentially allow for high-definition (HD) subscription services in the future. TNT expects between 700,000 and one million DTT set-top boxes to be sold in 2005. "It is difficult to tell how quickly it will take off," said Mr Gerolami, "but we're optimistic that it will revolutionise television in France." Other analysts were less optimistic, predicting consumers would now be less likely to sign up for pay-TV subscriptions. "We think free DTT could put brakes on the underlying growth of pay-TV in France," said Henri de Bodinat, vice-president of the Arthur D. Little consultancy.
| The French DTT platform is known as TNT, which stands for TV numerique terrestre or digital terrestrial television.France has become the last big European country to launch a digital terrestrial TV (DTT) service.Digital terrestrial TV will launch as a free-to-air platform to start with, adding pay-TV channels later.Up to 15 pay-TV channels will launch on DTT between September 2005 and March 2006.TNT expects between 700,000 and one million DTT set-top boxes to be sold in 2005.Almost 60% of UK households have gone digital on at least one television set through cable, satellite or Freeview.In the three months to September 2004, almost five times as many people signed up to the UK's free-to-air DTT service compared with Sky.A recent survey by Mediametrie found that 70% of people interviewed were aware of DTT, and 25% were planning to buy a digital receiver.Digital terrestrial set-top boxes are available from as little as 70 euros (£50).Recent figures from the UK's regulator Ofcom showed Freeview was more popular than the Sky digital satellite service."France is the poorest market in Europe in terms of free-to-air national channels, so it has the potential to be one of the biggest DTT markets," Mr Gerolami added in remarks quoted by the US entertainment industry paper Variety."We think free DTT could put brakes on the underlying growth of pay-TV in France," said Henri de Bodinat, vice-president of the Arthur D. Little consultancy.Despite the long wait for a French DTT roll-out, the new platform's backers hope to emulate the success of its UK free-to-air counterpart, Freeview. |
2,121 | Apple unveils low-cost 'Mac mini'
Apple has unveiled a new, low-cost Macintosh computer for the masses, billed as the Mac mini.
Chief executive Steve Jobs showed off the new machine at his annual MacWorld speech, in San Francisco. The $499 Macintosh, sold for £339 in the UK, was described by Jobs as the "most important Mac" made by Apple. Mr Jobs also unveiled the iPod shuffle, a new music player using cheaper flash memory rather than hard drives, which are used in more expensive iPods.
The new computer shifts the company into new territory - traditionally, the firm is known as a design and innovation-led firm rather than as a mass-market manufacturer. The Mac mini comes without a monitor, keyboard and mouse, and a second version with a larger hard drive will also be sold for $599.
The machine - which will be available from 22 January - was described by Jobs as "BYODKM... bring your own display, keyboard, and mouse". In an attempt to win over Windows PC customers, Mr Jobs said it would appeal to people thinking of changing operating systems. "People who are thinking of switching will have no more excuses," he said. "It's the newest and most affordable Mac ever." The new computer has been the subject of speculation for several weeks and while few people will be surprised by the announcement many analysts had already said it was a sensible move. In January, Apple sued a website after it published what it said were specifications for the new computer. Ian Harris, deputy editor of UK magazine Mac Format, said the machine would appeal to PC-owning consumers who had purchased an iPod.
"They want a further taste of Mac because they like what they have seen with iPod." Harris added: "Everybody thought that Apple was happy to remain a niche maker of luxury computers, and moving into a market dominated by low margin manufacturers like Dell is a bold move. "But it shows that Apple is keen to capitalise on the mass market success it's had with the iPod. The Mac mini will appeal to PC users looking for an attractive, 'no fuss' computer." The new iPod shuffle comes in two versions - one offering 512mb of storage for $99 (£69 in the Uk) and a second with one gigabyte of storage for $149 (£99) - and went on sale Tuesday. The music player has no display and will play songs either consecutively or shuffled. The smaller iPod will hold about 120 songs, said Mr Jobs. Mr Jobs told the delegates at MacWorld that iPod already had a 65% market share of all digital music players.
| Apple has unveiled a new, low-cost Macintosh computer for the masses, billed as the Mac mini.The $499 Macintosh, sold for £339 in the UK, was described by Jobs as the "most important Mac" made by Apple.The smaller iPod will hold about 120 songs, said Mr Jobs.Mr Jobs also unveiled the iPod shuffle, a new music player using cheaper flash memory rather than hard drives, which are used in more expensive iPods.In January, Apple sued a website after it published what it said were specifications for the new computer.Ian Harris, deputy editor of UK magazine Mac Format, said the machine would appeal to PC-owning consumers who had purchased an iPod.The new computer has been the subject of speculation for several weeks and while few people will be surprised by the announcement many analysts had already said it was a sensible move.Mr Jobs told the delegates at MacWorld that iPod already had a 65% market share of all digital music players.In an attempt to win over Windows PC customers, Mr Jobs said it would appeal to people thinking of changing operating systems. |
1,164 | More reforms ahead says Milburn
Labour will continue to pursue controversial reforms if it wins a third term in power, the party's election chief Alan Milburn has said.
He pledged Labour would encourage more people to achieve their aspirations. "What we want is for more people to earn and own," Mr Milburn told BBC Radio 4's Today show. Tory Shadow Chancellor Oliver Letwin called Labour "a brilliant machine for talking about things" but said it did not deliver policies the country needs. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats' President Simon Hughes said: "New Labour has lost people's confidence in a way Old Labour never did." Mr Milburn told Today that Labour wanted policies which encouraged increased social mobility in Britain.
Pressed on incapacity benefits, he said the tax and welfare system must "provide the right incentives to people". "No-one is talking about driving people into work but what we do know is there are one million people on incapacity benefit who want the opportunity to work, providing the right level of support is there for them". However, backbench Labour MP Karen Buck warned against proposed changes in such benefits. She told the Today programme: "If the policy is seen as being about how do you make the feckless poor go back to work then it is not going to work, on the one hand. And it is not going to improve our electoral chances on the other." Mr Milburn also sought to draw a line under the controversy about reports of a feud between Gordon Brown and Prime Minister Tony Blair.
He stressed that Mr Brown would play the same role that he did in the last election. Mr Milburn gave more details of planned reforms in a speech to Labour's Fabian Society, in which he also praised Mr Brown as one of the leaders of the party's reform process. In the speech, he backed choice in schools and hospitals, wider home ownership and changes to the welfare system. Mr Milburn insisted that government reform must continue. "Our task is to rebuild the New Labour coalition around 'one nation politics' that recognise, while life is hard for many, all should have the chance to succeed," he said. "There is a glass ceiling on opportunity in this country. In our first two terms we have raised it. In our third term we have to break it." Voters turned on the party when it failed to reform industrial relations in the 1960s, he also told his audience.
Oliver Letwin said the government had failed to deliver in any of the key public services, such as cleaner hospitals, discipline in schools and putting more police on the streets. He said ministers had not delivered cleaner hospitals, with 5,000 people dying from infections last year. New Labour had failed on school discipline because it had not implemented serious reforms so that teachers could run schools, and which would give parents choice, he went on. For the Lib Dems, Simon Hughes said many pensioners are means tested for the money they needed and students who were told there wouldn't be tuition fees and more debt "have been given exactly the opposite". He added: "Under New Labour, all households are still paying unfair council tax rather than a fairer alternative."
| Labour will continue to pursue controversial reforms if it wins a third term in power, the party's election chief Alan Milburn has said.Mr Milburn told Today that Labour wanted policies which encouraged increased social mobility in Britain."What we want is for more people to earn and own," Mr Milburn told BBC Radio 4's Today show.Mr Milburn gave more details of planned reforms in a speech to Labour's Fabian Society, in which he also praised Mr Brown as one of the leaders of the party's reform process.Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats' President Simon Hughes said: "New Labour has lost people's confidence in a way Old Labour never did."Mr Milburn insisted that government reform must continue."Our task is to rebuild the New Labour coalition around 'one nation politics' that recognise, while life is hard for many, all should have the chance to succeed," he said.New Labour had failed on school discipline because it had not implemented serious reforms so that teachers could run schools, and which would give parents choice, he went on.Tory Shadow Chancellor Oliver Letwin called Labour "a brilliant machine for talking about things" but said it did not deliver policies the country needs.He pledged Labour would encourage more people to achieve their aspirations.Pressed on incapacity benefits, he said the tax and welfare system must "provide the right incentives to people". |
1,201 | Labour battle plan 'hides Blair'
The Tories have accused Tony Blair of being "terrified" of scrutiny after Labour unveiled details of how it will fight the next general election.
In a break with tradition, the party will ditch the leader's battle bus and daily press briefings in Westminster. Instead Mr Blair will travel to key cities and marginal seats to deliver the party's message. Labour election chief Alan Milburn denied the party was trying to "hide" the prime minister.
He promised "the most positive and upbeat election campaign Labour has ever run". But Tory co-chairman Liam Fox said Labour's plans showed Mr Blair was "terrified of facing proper scrutiny".
"At a time when the British people are looking for more accountability and openness, this government turns its back on them; abandoning plans to tour the country and scared to face journalists in a press conference - it does rather beg the question, 'What have they got to hide?'" The general election is widely expected next May and all the parties are stepping up their campaign preparations. Mr Milburn said the economy would take centre stage in Labour's campaign in what would be a "watershed" election and the "last stand of the Thatcherites". Mr Milburn said Labour's slogan would be "Britain is working - Don't let the Tories wreck it."
The tone of the campaign, said Mr Milburn, would be more conversational than rhetorical; more spontaneous less scripted; less national more local and less based on issues and more concentrated on people. The approach is particularly designed to appeal to women voters, he said. Mr Milburn brushed aside questions over why the chancellor was not present at the Cabinet meeting to discuss election strategy particularly since such importance was being given to the economy. "I'm not privy to everybody's diary," he said. Mr Brown has headed Labour's preparations for previous polls but Mr Milburn is taking that role this time. In a break with the past, Labour will not hold a daily news conference in London. It will not be a "battle bus" style campaign either, he said.
In previous elections, each party leader has had their own battle bus transporting national newspaper, television and radio reporters to staged campaign events around the country. Mr Milburn said Labour's media effort this time would focus more on local newspapers and broadcasters, with every local radio station given the chance to interview the prime minister. Mr Milburn said there would also be a greater effort to set up face-to-face meetings between ministers and the electorate. Former Downing Street media chief Alastair Campbell is also returning to advise Labour on media strategy and campaigning.
Mr Milburn said no decision had been taken yet over whether David Blunkett would have a prominent role in the election. Liberal Democrat chief executive Lord Rennard suggested Labour was avoiding news conferences in London because it wanted less scrutiny of its record and proposals. "Tony Blair seems to have disappeared from Labour leaflets and broadcasts," he said. "In contrast Charles Kennedy will feature prominently in the Liberal Democrat campaign right across the country."
| Mr Milburn said the economy would take centre stage in Labour's campaign in what would be a "watershed" election and the "last stand of the Thatcherites".Mr Milburn said no decision had been taken yet over whether David Blunkett would have a prominent role in the election.Mr Milburn said Labour's slogan would be "Britain is working - Don't let the Tories wreck it."Mr Milburn said there would also be a greater effort to set up face-to-face meetings between ministers and the electorate.Mr Milburn said Labour's media effort this time would focus more on local newspapers and broadcasters, with every local radio station given the chance to interview the prime minister.Labour election chief Alan Milburn denied the party was trying to "hide" the prime minister.The tone of the campaign, said Mr Milburn, would be more conversational than rhetorical; more spontaneous less scripted; less national more local and less based on issues and more concentrated on people.But Tory co-chairman Liam Fox said Labour's plans showed Mr Blair was "terrified of facing proper scrutiny".It will not be a "battle bus" style campaign either, he said.Mr Brown has headed Labour's preparations for previous polls but Mr Milburn is taking that role this time. |
1,293 | Blunkett hints at election call
Ex-Home Secretary David Blunkett has given fresh clues that the general election will be announced on Monday.
He told BBC Radio Five Live: "I'm out in my constituency getting ready for what we presume will be an announcement very shortly at the weekend." He clarified that he meant he would be in his Sheffield seat this weekend, not that he expected an election call then. Tony Blair is tipped to ask the Queen on Monday to dissolve Parliament ready for a 5 May poll.
| He clarified that he meant he would be in his Sheffield seat this weekend, not that he expected an election call then.Ex-Home Secretary David Blunkett has given fresh clues that the general election will be announced on Monday. |
1,913 | Latest Opera browser gets vocal
Net browser Opera 8.0, due for official release at the end of next month, will be "the most accessible browser on the market", according to its authors.
The latest version of the net browser can be controlled by voice command and will read pages aloud. The voice features, based on IBM technology, are currently only available in the Windows version. Opera can also magnify text by up to 10 times and users can create "style sheets", its developers say. This will enable them to view pages with colours and fonts that they prefer. But the browser does not yet work well with screen reader software often used by blind people, so its accessibility features are more likely to appeal to those with some residual vision. "Our mission was always to provide the best internet experience for everyone," said Opera spokeswoman, Berit Hanson. "So we would obviously not want to exclude disabled computer users."
Another feature likely to appeal to people with low vision is the ability to make pages fit to the screen width, which eliminates the need for horizontal scrolling.
The company points out that this will also appeal to anyone using Opera with a handheld device. The company says that features like voice activation are not solely aimed at visually impaired people. "Our idea was to take a first step in making human-computer interaction more natural," said Ms Hanson. "People are not always in a situation where they can access a keyboard, so this makes the web a more hands-free experience." Unlike commercially available voice recognition software, Opera does not have to be "trained" to recognise an individual voice. Around 50 voice commands are available and users will have to wear a headset which incorporates a microphone. The voice recognition function is currently only available in English. Opera is free to download but a paid-for version comes without an ad banner in the top right hand corner and with extra support. Opera began life as a research project - a spin-off from Norwegian telecoms company Telenor. Its browser is used by an estimated 10 million people on a variety of operating systems and a number of different platforms.
| Unlike commercially available voice recognition software, Opera does not have to be "trained" to recognise an individual voice.The latest version of the net browser can be controlled by voice command and will read pages aloud.The company says that features like voice activation are not solely aimed at visually impaired people.The voice recognition function is currently only available in English.But the browser does not yet work well with screen reader software often used by blind people, so its accessibility features are more likely to appeal to those with some residual vision.The voice features, based on IBM technology, are currently only available in the Windows version."Our mission was always to provide the best internet experience for everyone," said Opera spokeswoman, Berit Hanson.Around 50 voice commands are available and users will have to wear a headset which incorporates a microphone. |
1,869 | Sony PSP tipped as a 'must-have'
Sony's Playstation Portable is the top gadget for 2005, according to a round-up of ultimate gizmos compiled by Stuff Magazine.
It beats the iPod into second place in the Top Ten Essentials list which predicts what gadget-lovers are likely to covet this year. Owning all 10 gadgets will set the gadget lover back £7,455. That is £1,000 cheaper than last year's list due to falling manufacturing costs making gadgets more affordable.
Portable gadgets dominate the list, including Sharp's 902 3G mobile phone, the Pentax Optio SV digital camera and Samsung's Yepp YH-999 video jukebox.
"What this year's Essentials shows is that gadgets are now cheaper, sexier and more indispensable than ever. We've got to the point where we can't live our lives without certain technology," said Adam Vaughan, editor of Stuff Essentials. The proliferation of gadgets in our homes is inexorably altering the role of the high street in our lives thinks Mr Vaughan. "Take digital cameras, who would now pay to develop an entire film of photos? Or legitimate downloads, who would travel miles to a record shop when they could download the song in minutes for 70p?" he asks. Next year will see a new set of technologies capturing the imaginations of gadget lovers, Stuff predicts. The Xbox 2, high-definition TV and MP3 mobiles will be among the list of must-haves that will dominate 2006, it says. The spring launch of the PSP in the UK is eagerly awaited by gaming fans.
| Owning all 10 gadgets will set the gadget lover back £7,455.Portable gadgets dominate the list, including Sharp's 902 3G mobile phone, the Pentax Optio SV digital camera and Samsung's Yepp YH-999 video jukebox."What this year's Essentials shows is that gadgets are now cheaper, sexier and more indispensable than ever.That is £1,000 cheaper than last year's list due to falling manufacturing costs making gadgets more affordable.Next year will see a new set of technologies capturing the imaginations of gadget lovers, Stuff predicts.Sony's Playstation Portable is the top gadget for 2005, according to a round-up of ultimate gizmos compiled by Stuff Magazine. |
465 | WorldCom trial starts in New York
The trial of Bernie Ebbers, former chief executive of bankrupt US phone company WorldCom, has started in New York with the selection of the jury.
Mr Ebbers, 63, is accused of being the mastermind behind an $11bn (£6bn) accounting fraud that eventually saw the firm collapse in July 2002. His indictment includes charges of securities fraud, conspiracy and filing false reports with regulators. If found guilty, Mr Ebbers could face a substantial jail sentence. He has firmly declared his innocence.
Under Mr Ebbers' leadership, WorldCom emerged from Mississippi obscurity to become a $160bn telecoms giant and the darling of late 1990s investors. Yet as competition intensified and the telecoms boom petered out, WorldCom found itself under growing financial stress. When WorldCom finally collapsed, shareholders lost about $180bn and 20,000 workers lost their jobs. Mr Ebbers' trial, which is expected to last two months, is the latest in a series of attempts by US prosecutors to pursue senior executives for fraud. It will coincide with the retrial of former Tyco International chief Dennis Kozlowski and his top lieutenant, accused of looting the industrial conglomerate to the tune of $600m. Trail preparations are also preparing for former executives of shamed US energy firm Enron.
| The trial of Bernie Ebbers, former chief executive of bankrupt US phone company WorldCom, has started in New York with the selection of the jury.Mr Ebbers, 63, is accused of being the mastermind behind an $11bn (£6bn) accounting fraud that eventually saw the firm collapse in July 2002.Under Mr Ebbers' leadership, WorldCom emerged from Mississippi obscurity to become a $160bn telecoms giant and the darling of late 1990s investors.Mr Ebbers' trial, which is expected to last two months, is the latest in a series of attempts by US prosecutors to pursue senior executives for fraud.If found guilty, Mr Ebbers could face a substantial jail sentence. |
906 | Crucial decision on super-casinos
A decision on whether to allow Westminster to legislate on super-casinos is set to be made by the Scottish Parliament.
The government has plans for up to eight Las Vegas style resorts in the UK, one of which is likely to be in Glasgow. Scottish ministers insist they will still have the final say on whether a super-casino will be built in Scotland. But opposition parties say that will not happen in practice. The vote is due to be taken on Wednesday and is expected to be close.
The Scottish Executive believes that the legislation should be handled by Westminster. The new law will control internet gambling for the first time and is aimed at preventing children from becoming involved. A super-casino in Glasgow could be located at Ibrox or the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre. The new gambling bill going through Westminster will allow casino complexes to open to the public, have live entertainment and large numbers of fruit machines with unlimited prizes. But the Scottish National Party and the Tories say the issue of super-casinos should be decided in Scotland and believe the executive is shirking its responsibility.
| But the Scottish National Party and the Tories say the issue of super-casinos should be decided in Scotland and believe the executive is shirking its responsibility.Scottish ministers insist they will still have the final say on whether a super-casino will be built in Scotland.A decision on whether to allow Westminster to legislate on super-casinos is set to be made by the Scottish Parliament.The Scottish Executive believes that the legislation should be handled by Westminster. |
1,105 | Abbas 'will not tolerate' attacks
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has said he will not tolerate attacks such as last Friday's suicide bombing in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv.
In an interview ahead of a meeting in London to discuss Palestinian reforms, Mr Abbas said such attacks were against Palestinian interests. The Palestinian Authority (PA) was exerting "a 100% effort" to end the violence, Mr Abbas added. The attack, which killed five, was the first of its kind since he took office. Mr Abbas confirmed Israel shared information with the PA in the hunt for the organisers of the attack. The Israeli government refuses to accept Syria's denials that it was implicated in the nightclub bombing. Israeli officials gave an intelligence briefing to foreign ambassadors on Monday, explaining Syria's alleged involvement. British foreign minister Jack Straw said there had been a "continuing stream" of information suggesting Palestinian militant groups were operating from within Syria.
In an email interview in the British newspaper the Independent, Mr Abbas said: "We believe peace is possible now and we are ready to negotiate with Israel to reach a true and lasting peace based on justice and international legitimacy." He added: "We have an opportunity and it would be irresponsible if we, the Israelis, or the world allow it to slip away." Tuesday's meeting on Palestinian reform is being hosted by British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Also due to attend are US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, World Bank officials and foreign ministers from 23 European and Arab countries. The conference was a "vital step" in renewing the peace process, Mr Straw said. "It's a high-level attendance, which reflects the sense of momentum and opportunity created by recent events," he added. A spokesman for Mr Blair said the Prime Minister expected the conference to discuss "a comprehensive, co-ordinated and, above all, practical work plan for both the Palestinian Authority and the international community". Israel will not attend, but is said to be closely watching the outcome.
| In an interview ahead of a meeting in London to discuss Palestinian reforms, Mr Abbas said such attacks were against Palestinian interests.The Palestinian Authority (PA) was exerting "a 100% effort" to end the violence, Mr Abbas added.A spokesman for Mr Blair said the Prime Minister expected the conference to discuss "a comprehensive, co-ordinated and, above all, practical work plan for both the Palestinian Authority and the international community".Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has said he will not tolerate attacks such as last Friday's suicide bombing in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv.The conference was a "vital step" in renewing the peace process, Mr Straw said.British foreign minister Jack Straw said there had been a "continuing stream" of information suggesting Palestinian militant groups were operating from within Syria.Mr Abbas confirmed Israel shared information with the PA in the hunt for the organisers of the attack. |
842 | Incredibles win animation awards
The Incredibles movie has beaten Shrek 2 to the main prizes at Hollywood's animation awards, the Annies.
The superhero film was named best animated feature while Brad Bird won best director, writer and voice actor for his role as designer Edna Mode. The Incredibles won a total of 10 awards - but Shrek 2, which had seven nominations, went home empty-handed. The two movies will compete with Shark Tale in the best animated film category of the Oscars at the end of February.
The Incredibles' awards came despite Shrek 2's greater box office success. Shrek 2 took $881m (£468m) around the world, compared with $576m (£306m) for The Incredibles. SpongeBob SquarePants was named best animated TV show while TV comedy King of the Hill picked up two prizes including one for actress Brittany Murphy's voice work. Tom Kenny, who provides the voice for SpongeBob SquarePants, hosted Sunday's ceremony at the Alex Theater, Los Angeles. The awards are handed out by the International Animated Film Society. Finding Nemo won nine Annies last year.
| The Incredibles movie has beaten Shrek 2 to the main prizes at Hollywood's animation awards, the Annies.The Incredibles won a total of 10 awards - but Shrek 2, which had seven nominations, went home empty-handed.The Incredibles' awards came despite Shrek 2's greater box office success.SpongeBob SquarePants was named best animated TV show while TV comedy King of the Hill picked up two prizes including one for actress Brittany Murphy's voice work. |
169 | Buyers snap up Jet Airways' shares
Investors have snapped up shares in Jet Airways, India's biggest airline, following the launch of its much anticipated initial public offer (IPO).
The IPO for 17.3 million shares was fully sold within 10 minutes of opening, on Friday. Analysts expect Jet to raise at least 16.4bn rupees ($375m; £198m) from the offering. Interest in Jet's IPO has been fuelled by hopes for robust growth in India's air travel market.
The share offer, representing about 20% of Jet's equity, was oversubscribed, news agency Reuters reported. Jet, which was founded by London-based travel agent Naresh Goyal, plans to use the cash to buy new planes and cut its debt. The company has grown rapidly since it launched operations in 1993, overtaking state-owned flag carrier Indian Airlines. However, it faces stiff competition from rivals and low-cost carriers. Jet's IPO is the first in a series of expected share offers from Indian companies this year, as they move to raise funds to help them do business in a rapidly-growing economy.
| Jet's IPO is the first in a series of expected share offers from Indian companies this year, as they move to raise funds to help them do business in a rapidly-growing economy.Investors have snapped up shares in Jet Airways, India's biggest airline, following the launch of its much anticipated initial public offer (IPO).The share offer, representing about 20% of Jet's equity, was oversubscribed, news agency Reuters reported.The IPO for 17.3 million shares was fully sold within 10 minutes of opening, on Friday. |
1,241 | Teenagers to be allowed to be MPs
Teenagers will be able to become MPs under plans unveiled by ministers.
In a written statement, Constitutional Affairs Minister Christopher Leslie said the current minimum age of 21 for an MP would be reduced to 18. The proposals follow a recommendation last year by elections watchdog the Electoral Commission. "The government intends to legislate, when parliamentary time allows, to lower the age," said Mr Leslie, who was elected in 1997 at the age of 24. Even if the move does go ahead it is unlikely it will be in place before the next general election, widely predicted for May.
The announcement from Mr Leslie - who was elected in 1997 in a formerly safe Tory seat - prompted calls for a lowering of the voting age to 16. The Votes at 16 alliance said it was a good thing to "engage people" by lowering the candidacy age but argued lowering the voting age would be much more effective. "Candidacy affects only politicians. The voting age affects millions of younger people," said spokesman Alex Folkes. "We would hope that the government will table a bill that is broad enough to allow for amendments to be brought to test support for a reduction in the voting age."
Currently candidates in both local and national votes must be 21 while the voting age is 18. That is because the age of majority was reduced to 18 in 1969 but laws dating from 1695 which determine the current voting age stayed in place. Irish republican Bernadette Devlin was one of just a handful of 21-year-olds elected to Parliament in the 20th century winning a seat in 1969. But the youngest is understood to have been Tory Edward Turnour, who won the 1904 Horsham by-election aged 21 and 144 days and served in Parliament for 47 continuous years. Last April's report by the Electoral Commission said there was no strong argument for leaving the age for standing for election at 21. The commission found the most common approach around the world is for the voting age to be the same as the candidacy age.
| The Votes at 16 alliance said it was a good thing to "engage people" by lowering the candidacy age but argued lowering the voting age would be much more effective.That is because the age of majority was reduced to 18 in 1969 but laws dating from 1695 which determine the current voting age stayed in place.The commission found the most common approach around the world is for the voting age to be the same as the candidacy age."The government intends to legislate, when parliamentary time allows, to lower the age," said Mr Leslie, who was elected in 1997 at the age of 24.The announcement from Mr Leslie - who was elected in 1997 in a formerly safe Tory seat - prompted calls for a lowering of the voting age to 16.Last April's report by the Electoral Commission said there was no strong argument for leaving the age for standing for election at 21.The voting age affects millions of younger people," said spokesman Alex Folkes. |
1,029 | Jowell rejects 'Las Vegas' jibe
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Tessa Jowell, has hit out at critics of the Gambling Bill.
She told the Guardian newspaper there would be no "Las Vegas-style" super-casinos, as rumoured in the press. Meanwhile Labour backbencher Stephen Pound labelled casino-related regeneration schemes "a pile of pants". The MP for Ealing North claimed the legislation would encourage a mafia-like culture of vice and corruption, in an interview on BBC Radio 4. "You look at some of the people who are involved...they aren't in there to regenerate Blackpool. They are in it to fill their boots," Mr Pound told the Today programme. "I just really think that we have made a terrible mistake here. And over all of it hangs the shadow of the men in the chalk-stripe suits with names that rhyme with spaghetti," he said.
Ms Jowell complained of the "scale of misrepresentation" in the media over the bill in her interview with the newspaper, her first since the bill was launched. The culture secretary said a four year consultation period had produced a consensus on the need to "protect children and the vulnerable" in a swiftly changing sector. Ms Jowell insisted: "We have a good track record for extracting planning gain in this country, for instance in social housing." And continued: "We can be proud to have one of the lowest rates of problem gambling in the world. I intend to keep it that way." Ms Jowell will set out her position when the Bill is debated in the Commons on Monday. In prime minister's questions last week Tony Blair assured Parliament that 90% of the bill was about tightening up the regulation of the gambling industry.
| Ms Jowell complained of the "scale of misrepresentation" in the media over the bill in her interview with the newspaper, her first since the bill was launched.The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Tessa Jowell, has hit out at critics of the Gambling Bill.Ms Jowell will set out her position when the Bill is debated in the Commons on Monday.In prime minister's questions last week Tony Blair assured Parliament that 90% of the bill was about tightening up the regulation of the gambling industry.They are in it to fill their boots," Mr Pound told the Today programme.She told the Guardian newspaper there would be no "Las Vegas-style" super-casinos, as rumoured in the press. |
436 | ECB holds rates amid growth fears
The European Central Bank has left its key interest rate unchanged at 2% for the 19th month in succession.
Borrowing costs have remained on hold amid concerns about the strength of economic growth in the 12 nations sharing the euro, analysts said. Despite signs of pick-up, labour markets and consumer demand remain sluggish, while firms are eyeing cost cutting measures such as redundancies. High oil prices, meanwhile, have put upward pressure on the inflation rate.
Surveys of economists have shown that the majority expect borrowing costs to stay at 2% in coming months, with an increase of a quarter of a percentage point predicted some time in the second half of the year. If anything, there may be greater calls for an interest rate cut, especially with the euro continuing to strengthen against the dollar. "The euro land economy is still struggling with this recovery," said economist Dirk Schumacher. The ECB "may sound rather hawkish but once the data allows them to cut again, they will." Data coming out of Germany on Thursday underlined the problems facing European policy makers. While Germany's economy expanded by 1.7% in 2004, growth was driven by export sales and lost some of its momentum in the last three months of the year.
The strength of the euro is threatening to dampen that foreign demand in 2005, and domestic consumption currently is not strong enough to take up the slack. Inflation in the eurozone, however, is estimated at about 2.3% in December, above ECB guidelines of 2%. ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet has remained upbeat about prospects for the region, and inflation is expected to drop below 2% later in 2005. The ECB has forecast economic growth in the eurozone of 1.9% in 2005.
| The ECB has forecast economic growth in the eurozone of 1.9% in 2005.Borrowing costs have remained on hold amid concerns about the strength of economic growth in the 12 nations sharing the euro, analysts said.ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet has remained upbeat about prospects for the region, and inflation is expected to drop below 2% later in 2005.If anything, there may be greater calls for an interest rate cut, especially with the euro continuing to strengthen against the dollar.Inflation in the eurozone, however, is estimated at about 2.3% in December, above ECB guidelines of 2%.The ECB "may sound rather hawkish but once the data allows them to cut again, they will." |
2,027 | Gangsters dominate gaming chart
Video games on consoles and computers proved more popular than ever in 2004.
Gamers spent more than £1.34bn in 2004, almost 7% more than they did in 2003 according to figures released by the UK gaming industry's trade body. Sales records were smashed by the top title of the year GTA: San Andreas - in which players got the job of turning central character CJ into a crime boss. The game sold more than 1 million copies in the first nine days that it was on sale. This feat made it the fastest selling video game of all time in the UK. Although only released in November the sprawling story of guns, gangsters game beat off strong competition and by year end had sold more than 1.75 million copies. There were also records set for the number of games that achieved double-platinum status by selling more than 600,000 copies. Five titles, including Sony EyeToy Play and EA's Need for Speed: Underground 2, managed this feat according to figures compiled by Chart-Track for the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (Elspa). Electronic Arts, the world's biggest games publisher, had 9 games in the top 20.
2004 was a "stellar year" said Roger Bennett, director general of Elspa. "In a year with no new generation consoles being released, the market continued to be buoyant as the industry matured and the increasingly diverse range of games reached new audiences and broadened its player base - across ages and gender," he said. Part of the success of games in 2004 could be due to the fact that so many of them are sequels. 16 out of the top 20 titles were all follow-ups to established franchises or direct sequels to previously popular games. Halo, The Sims, Driver, Need for Speed, Fifa football, Burnout were just a few that proved as popular as the original titles. Despite this fondness for older games, Doom 3 did not make it to the top 20. Movie tie-ins also proved their worth in 2004. Games linked to Shrek, The Incredibles, Spider-Man, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings were all in the top 20. Elspa noted that sales of Xbox games rose 37.9% during the year. However, Sony's PlayStation 2 was the top seller with 47% of the £1.34bn spent on games in 2004 used to buy titles for that console. Despite winning awards and rave reviews Half-Life 2 did not appear in the list. This was because it was only released on PC and, compared to console titles, sold in relatively small numbers. Also the novel distribution system adopted by developer Valve meant that many players downloaded the title rather than travel to the shops to buy a copy. Valve has yet to release figures which show how many copies of the game were sold in this way.
| However, Sony's PlayStation 2 was the top seller with 47% of the £1.34bn spent on games in 2004 used to buy titles for that console.Electronic Arts, the world's biggest games publisher, had 9 games in the top 20.Video games on consoles and computers proved more popular than ever in 2004.The game sold more than 1 million copies in the first nine days that it was on sale.Elspa noted that sales of Xbox games rose 37.9% during the year.Valve has yet to release figures which show how many copies of the game were sold in this way.Although only released in November the sprawling story of guns, gangsters game beat off strong competition and by year end had sold more than 1.75 million copies.This feat made it the fastest selling video game of all time in the UK.There were also records set for the number of games that achieved double-platinum status by selling more than 600,000 copies."In a year with no new generation consoles being released, the market continued to be buoyant as the industry matured and the increasingly diverse range of games reached new audiences and broadened its player base - across ages and gender," he said. |
662 | Beatles suits sell for $110,000
Four suits worn by the Beatles on their Please Please Me album cover have sold for $110,00 (£59,000) at a US auction.
But some of Elvis Presley's earliest recordings - including takes of All Shook Up - failed to sell at the Bonhams and Butterfields two-day sale. A private collection of six tape recordings of Presley valued at between $30,000 (£16,000) and $50,000 (£27,000) did not meet their reserve price. A signed Presley photograph managed to fetch $2,115 (£1,140).
Auction spokesman Erik Simon said the Presley tapes were withdrawn because "they did not meet the minimum price set by the owners".
He said the family of sound engineer Thorne Nogar did not want to divulge the price they had set or the offers they had received. The RCA tapes date from September 1956 to September 1957. The "pre-masters" include a take of Jailhouse Rock, religious songs, material for his first Christmas album, and banter between Presley, members of his band and Mr Nogar.
"We've had them for a lot of years, and I think the people should enjoy them. And frankly, we could use the money," Mr Nogar's son Stephen, 57, said before the auction. Mr Nogar, who died in 1994 aged 72, always used to make two tapes of sessions as a back-up in case RCA producers wanted to make late changes to songs. "He called them his 'ass-saver' tapes," his son said. The quality is said to be noticeably crisper than that of a new vinyl record. Because the family does not own the copyright to the music, the tapes could only be sold for "personal enjoyment" and cannot be copied for commercial gain. The auction made a total of $1.1m (£600,000).
| Auction spokesman Erik Simon said the Presley tapes were withdrawn because "they did not meet the minimum price set by the owners".And frankly, we could use the money," Mr Nogar's son Stephen, 57, said before the auction.A private collection of six tape recordings of Presley valued at between $30,000 (£16,000) and $50,000 (£27,000) did not meet their reserve price.He said the family of sound engineer Thorne Nogar did not want to divulge the price they had set or the offers they had received.The "pre-masters" include a take of Jailhouse Rock, religious songs, material for his first Christmas album, and banter between Presley, members of his band and Mr Nogar."He called them his 'ass-saver' tapes," his son said. |
905 | Campbell: E-mail row 'silly fuss'
Ex-No 10 media chief Alastair Campbell is at the centre of a new political row over an e-mail containing a four-letter outburst aimed at BBC journalists.
Mr Campbell sent the missive by mistake to BBC2's Newsnight after it sought to question his role in Labour's controversial poster campaign. He later contacted the show saying the original e-mail had been sent in error and that it was all a "silly fuss". Mr Campbell has recently re-joined Labour's election campaign.
The e-mail was revealed the day after Peter Mandelson, former Labour minister and now a European Commissioner, warned the BBC to steer away from "demonising" Mr Campbell. Mr Campbell messaged Newsnight after the programme investigated claims that Labour's advertising agency TBWA was blaming him for controversy over its campaign posters. The images, including one of flying pigs and another of what critics claim depicted Tory leader Michael Howard as Fagin, prompted accusations of anti-Semitism, claims denied by Labour.
Mr Campbell's e-mail, which was apparently intended for a party official, suggested they should get Trevor Beattie, TBWA's boss, to issue a statement. In it, he said: "Just spoke to trev. think tbwa shd give statement to newsnight saying party and agency work together well and nobody here has spoken to standard. Posters done by by tbwa according to political brief. Now fuck off and cover something important you twats!" The e-mail was sent by mistake to Newsnight journalist Andrew McFadyen. Realising his error, Mr Campbell then e-mailed Mr McFadyen pointing out the mistake, but suggesting presenter Jeremy Paxman would have seen the funny side.
He said: "Not very good at this e-mail Blackberry malarkey. Just looked at log of sent messages, have realised e-mail meant for colleagues at TBWA has gone to you. For the record, first three sentences of email spot on. No row between me and trevor. "Posters done by them according to our brief. I dreamt up flying pigs. Pigs not great but okay in the circs of Tories promising tax cuts and spending rises with the same money. TBWA made production. "Campbell swears shock. Final sentence of earlier e-mail probably a bit colourful and personal considering we have never actually met but I'm sure you share the same sense of humour as your star presenter Mr P. "Never known such a silly fuss since the last silly fuss but there we go. Must look forward not back."
Later the prime minister's spokesman was asked by journalists about his view on Mr Campbell's use of abusive language. The spokesman said: "The person you are referring to is capable of speaking for himself and he no longer works in government." Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said he had always had "very good and polite relations" with Mr Campbell, who he described as "very talented". But on the former spin doctor's use of language, Mr Straw said: "I do know the odd journalist who has occasionally used the odd word that would probably be inappropriate in some circumstances. Maybe I mix with the wrong kind of journalists." Liam Fox, Tory co-chairman, said the return of Mr Campbell was a sign of new "sinister and underhand tactics" by Labour.
| Mr Campbell messaged Newsnight after the programme investigated claims that Labour's advertising agency TBWA was blaming him for controversy over its campaign posters.Liam Fox, Tory co-chairman, said the return of Mr Campbell was a sign of new "sinister and underhand tactics" by Labour.The e-mail was revealed the day after Peter Mandelson, former Labour minister and now a European Commissioner, warned the BBC to steer away from "demonising" Mr Campbell.The e-mail was sent by mistake to Newsnight journalist Andrew McFadyen.Mr Campbell has recently re-joined Labour's election campaign.Mr Campbell sent the missive by mistake to BBC2's Newsnight after it sought to question his role in Labour's controversial poster campaign.Mr Campbell's e-mail, which was apparently intended for a party official, suggested they should get Trevor Beattie, TBWA's boss, to issue a statement.Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said he had always had "very good and polite relations" with Mr Campbell, who he described as "very talented".Ex-No 10 media chief Alastair Campbell is at the centre of a new political row over an e-mail containing a four-letter outburst aimed at BBC journalists.Realising his error, Mr Campbell then e-mailed Mr McFadyen pointing out the mistake, but suggesting presenter Jeremy Paxman would have seen the funny side.He said: "Not very good at this e-mail Blackberry malarkey.He later contacted the show saying the original e-mail had been sent in error and that it was all a "silly fuss".Posters done by by tbwa according to political brief. |
219 | Rescue hope for Borussia Dortmund
Shares in struggling German football club Borussia Dortmund slipped on Monday despite the club agreeing a rescue plan with creditors on Friday.
The club, which has posted record losses and racked up debts, said last week that it was in "a life-threatening profitability and financial situation". Creditors agreed on Friday to suspend interest payments until 2007. News of the deal had boosted shares in the club on Friday, but the stock slipped back 7% during Monday morning.
In addition to the interest-payment freeze, Borussia Dortmund also will get short-term loans to help pay salaries. It estimated that it needs almost 30m euros ($39m; £21m) until the end of June if it is to pay its bills. The football club is hoping that all its creditors will agree to defer rent payments on its Westfalen stadium. Borussia officials met with almost all the banks involved in its financing on Friday and over the weekend. Three creditors have yet to agree to the deal struck last week. On 14 March, one of these creditors - property investment fund Molsiris which owns the club's stadium - holds its AGM at which it will discuss the rescue plan. Chief executive Gerd Niebaum stepped down last week and creditors have been pushing for a greater say in how the club is run. Borussia Dortmund also is facing calls to appoint executives from outside the club. The club posted a record loss of 68m euros in the 12 months through June. Adding to its woes, Borussia Dortmund was beaten 5-0 by Bayern Munich on Saturday.
| Shares in struggling German football club Borussia Dortmund slipped on Monday despite the club agreeing a rescue plan with creditors on Friday.Borussia Dortmund also is facing calls to appoint executives from outside the club.The football club is hoping that all its creditors will agree to defer rent payments on its Westfalen stadium.The club posted a record loss of 68m euros in the 12 months through June.Chief executive Gerd Niebaum stepped down last week and creditors have been pushing for a greater say in how the club is run.The club, which has posted record losses and racked up debts, said last week that it was in "a life-threatening profitability and financial situation". |
1,840 | Global blogger action day called
The global web blog community is being called into action to lend support to two imprisoned Iranian bloggers.
The month-old Committee to Protect Bloggers' is asking those with blogs to dedicate their sites on 22 February to the "Free Mojtaba and Arash Day". Arash Sigarchi and Mojtaba Saminejad are both in prison in Iran. Blogs are free sites through which people publish thoughts and opinions. Iranian authorities have been clamping down on prominent sites for some time. "I hope this day will focus people," Curt Hopkins, director of the Committee, told the BBC News website.
The group has a list of actions which it says bloggers can take, including writing to local Iranian embassies. The Committee has deemed Tuesday "Free Mojtaba and Arash Day" as part of its first campaign. It is calling on the blogsphere - the name for the worldwide community of bloggers - to do what it can to help raise awareness of the plight of Mojtaba and Arash as well as other "cyber-dissidents". "If you have a blog, the least you could do is put nothing on that blog except 'Free Mojtaba and Arash Day'," said Mr Hopkins. "That would mean you could see that phrase 7.1 million times. That alone will shine some light on the situation. "If you don't have one, find one dedicated to that - it takes about 30 seconds." Technorati, a blog search engine, tracks about six million blogs and says that more than 12,000 are added daily. A blog is created every 5.8 seconds, according to a US research think-tank.
The Committee to Protect Bloggers was started by US blogger Curt Hopkins and counts fired flight attendant blogger Ellen Simonetti as a deputy director. She has since started the International Bloggers' Bill of Rights, a global petition to protect bloggers at work. Although not the only website committed to human rights issues by any means, it aims to be the hub or organisation, information and support for bloggers in particular and their rights to freedom of speech.
The Committee, although only a month old, aims to be the focal point for blogger action on similar issues in the future, and will operate as a non-for-profit organisation. "Blogging is in this weird no man's land. People think of it as being one thing or another depending on their point of view," said Mr Hopkins. "Some think of themselves as pundits, kind of like journalists, and some like me have a private blog which is just a publishing platform. "But they do not have a constituency and are out there in the cold."
It is not just human rights issues in countries which have a track record of restricting what is published in the media that is of concern to bloggers. The question of bloggers and what rights they have to say what they want on their sites is a thorny one and has received much press attention recently. High profile cases in which employees have been sacked for what they have said on their personal, and often anonymous blogs, have highlighted the muddy situation that the blogsphere is currently in.
"This is a big messy argument," explained Mr Hopkins. He added: "It is just such a new way of doing business, there will be clamp downs." But the way these issues get tested is through the courts which, said Mr Hopkins, "is part of the whole messy conversation." "If you haven't already got bloggers in your company, you will have them tomorrow - and if you don't have a blogger policy now you had better start looking at having one. Mr Hopkins said that the blogsphere - which is doubling every five months - was powerful because it takes so little time and expertise to create a blog. "Everyone does this - mums, radicals, conservatives," he said. Many companies offer easy-to-use services to create a blog and publish it in minutes to a global community. "That is the essential difference. What I call 'templating software' gives every single person on Earth the chance to have one. "You don't even have to have your own computer."
| "If you have a blog, the least you could do is put nothing on that blog except 'Free Mojtaba and Arash Day'," said Mr Hopkins.The month-old Committee to Protect Bloggers' is asking those with blogs to dedicate their sites on 22 February to the "Free Mojtaba and Arash Day".Mr Hopkins said that the blogsphere - which is doubling every five months - was powerful because it takes so little time and expertise to create a blog.The Committee to Protect Bloggers was started by US blogger Curt Hopkins and counts fired flight attendant blogger Ellen Simonetti as a deputy director.People think of it as being one thing or another depending on their point of view," said Mr Hopkins.But the way these issues get tested is through the courts which, said Mr Hopkins, "is part of the whole messy conversation."The question of bloggers and what rights they have to say what they want on their sites is a thorny one and has received much press attention recently.Technorati, a blog search engine, tracks about six million blogs and says that more than 12,000 are added daily."If you haven't already got bloggers in your company, you will have them tomorrow - and if you don't have a blogger policy now you had better start looking at having one.The Committee has deemed Tuesday "Free Mojtaba and Arash Day" as part of its first campaign.The global web blog community is being called into action to lend support to two imprisoned Iranian bloggers.The group has a list of actions which it says bloggers can take, including writing to local Iranian embassies.It is calling on the blogsphere - the name for the worldwide community of bloggers - to do what it can to help raise awareness of the plight of Mojtaba and Arash as well as other "cyber-dissidents".She has since started the International Bloggers' Bill of Rights, a global petition to protect bloggers at work.The Committee, although only a month old, aims to be the focal point for blogger action on similar issues in the future, and will operate as a non-for-profit organisation. |
2,187 | Sony PSP handheld console hits US
The latest handheld gaming gadget, Sony's PlayStation Portable, goes on sale in the US on Thursday.
The entertainment device, which also stores images, music and video, is intended to compete with Nintendo's DS, released earlier this month in the UK. Gamers have been queuing outside shops across the US to get their hands on the gadget, which costs $250 (about £132). The first million sold will come with the Spider-Man 2 film on UMD, Sony's own disc format for the device. The PSP can be linked up with others for multiplayer gaming, via a wireless connection. Sony has touted the machine as the Walkman of the 21st Century and has sold more than 800,000 units in Japan since its launch there last year.
But it faces stiff competition from the Nintendo DS, which sold more than the GameCube in its first few days on release in Europe. It too allows for multiplayer gaming over the air. Nintendo dominates the handheld market, with more than a 90% share of the market in the US alone. The Gizmondo combined media player, phone and gaming gadget also went on sale in the UK last week. It hopes to take a share of the handheld gaming market too.
"The story of the PSP is it's not a gaming device as much as it is a portable entertainment device," said Michael Pachter, analyst at Wedbush Morgan Securities. He told the Reuters news agency that he expected Sony to sell about 10 million PSPs in enough time to rival Apple's iPod. There is no date for the PSP's release in Europe yet. Sony has promised to have a million units ready for its US launch, but there are fears demand may not be met. It also said it expected to ship three million PSPs worldwide by the end of its fiscal year ending 31 March.
The machine's European launch was put back "a few months" last week in order to make sure enough of the devices were ready for its US launch, as well as satisfying the Japanese market. The PSP has almost as much processing power in it as the PlayStation 2 console. Hundreds of gamers gathered at US shops, some waiting for more than 36 hours, to be the first to get their hands on the gadget. A spokesman for one US shop said it expected the device to sell out on its first day. The 24 games for the mini console include Ape Academy, Formula One, Wipeout Pure and Fired Up. Movie studios, including Lions Gate Entertainment and Disney, have also announced forthcoming film titles that will be made available on the UMD format.
| A spokesman for one US shop said it expected the device to sell out on its first day.The latest handheld gaming gadget, Sony's PlayStation Portable, goes on sale in the US on Thursday."The story of the PSP is it's not a gaming device as much as it is a portable entertainment device," said Michael Pachter, analyst at Wedbush Morgan Securities.Sony has promised to have a million units ready for its US launch, but there are fears demand may not be met.The first million sold will come with the Spider-Man 2 film on UMD, Sony's own disc format for the device.The machine's European launch was put back "a few months" last week in order to make sure enough of the devices were ready for its US launch, as well as satisfying the Japanese market.It hopes to take a share of the handheld gaming market too.Nintendo dominates the handheld market, with more than a 90% share of the market in the US alone.Hundreds of gamers gathered at US shops, some waiting for more than 36 hours, to be the first to get their hands on the gadget. |
1,088 | Guantanamo four free in weeks
All four Britons held by the US in Guantanamo Bay will be returned to the UK within weeks, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told the Commons on Tuesday.
Moazzam Begg, from Birmingham, and Martin Mubanga, Richard Belmar and Feroz Abbasi, from London, have been held by the US for almost three years. They were detained in the Cuban camp as part of the US-led "war on terror". Mr Straw said the US had agreed to release the four after "intensive and complex discussions" over security. He said the government had been negotiating the return of the detainees since 2003. All four families have been informed of their return and have been involved in regular discussions with the government, Mr Straw said.
But he added: "Once they are back in the UK, the police will consider whether to arrest them under the Terrorism Act 2000 for questioning in connection with possible terrorist activity." The shadow foreign secretary, Michael Ancram, welcomed the return of the four detainees. But he said there were still "serious questions" both over the possible threat the four pose to the UK, and the treatment they received while detained. Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Sir Menzies Campbell said the four had been rescued from a "legal no-man's land". "Their civil rights were systematically and deliberately abused and they were denied due process."
Azmat Begg, father of Moazzam, thanked his lawyers and the British people for the support he had received while campaigning for his son's release. He added: "If they have done something wrong, of course they should be punished, but if they haven't, they shouldn't have been there." Lawyer Louise Christian, who represents Mr Abbasi and Mr Mubanga, said the government should have acted sooner. She said: "They should at the outset have said quite clearly to the American government that they were behaving in breach of international law and that the British government wanted no part of it and wanted Guantanamo Bay shut down. "They didn't do that. They colluded with it." Moazzam Begg's Labour MP Roger Godsiff welcomed his release, but said questions remained unanswered, particularly about charges. Asked about possible damages Mr Begg and the other detainees could bring against the US, Mr Godsiff said: "People get released from prison when it's found that their prosecution was unsustainable and they are quite rightly awarded sizeable sums of money. "I don't see any difference in this case." Human rights campaigners have been outraged at the treatment of the detainees in Cuba. Amnesty International has called Camp Delta a "major human-rights scandal" and an "icon of lawlessness". Both Amnesty and the lobby group Guantanamo Human Rights Commission described the release as "long overdue". Civil rights group Liberty said it was "delighted" but called on the government to release men indefinitely detained in the UK without charge or trial.
Director Shami Chakrabarti called on the government to "practise what it preaches" and either free or charge 12 detainees at Belmarsh and Woodhill prisons. Law Lords ruled last month that the 12 were being held in contravention of human rights laws but they are still behind bars. The US has also announced that 48-year-old Australian Mamdouh Habib, previously accused of terrorist offences, will be released without charge from Camp Delta. Five British detainees released from Guantanamo in March last year were questioned by UK police before being released without charge.
| Civil rights group Liberty said it was "delighted" but called on the government to release men indefinitely detained in the UK without charge or trial.All four families have been informed of their return and have been involved in regular discussions with the government, Mr Straw said.Mr Straw said the US had agreed to release the four after "intensive and complex discussions" over security.He said the government had been negotiating the return of the detainees since 2003.She said: "They should at the outset have said quite clearly to the American government that they were behaving in breach of international law and that the British government wanted no part of it and wanted Guantanamo Bay shut down.But he said there were still "serious questions" both over the possible threat the four pose to the UK, and the treatment they received while detained.Asked about possible damages Mr Begg and the other detainees could bring against the US, Mr Godsiff said: "People get released from prison when it's found that their prosecution was unsustainable and they are quite rightly awarded sizeable sums of money.Lawyer Louise Christian, who represents Mr Abbasi and Mr Mubanga, said the government should have acted sooner.Five British detainees released from Guantanamo in March last year were questioned by UK police before being released without charge.All four Britons held by the US in Guantanamo Bay will be returned to the UK within weeks, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told the Commons on Tuesday.Moazzam Begg's Labour MP Roger Godsiff welcomed his release, but said questions remained unanswered, particularly about charges.The US has also announced that 48-year-old Australian Mamdouh Habib, previously accused of terrorist offences, will be released without charge from Camp Delta. |
1,724 | Vickery upbeat about arm injury
England prop Phil Vickery is staying positive despite a broken arm ruling him out of the RBS Six Nations.
The 28-year-old fractured the radius in his right forearm during Gloucester's 17-16 win over Bath on Saturday. He will undergo an operation on Monday and is expected to be out for at least six weeks. He said: "This isn't an injury that will stop me from working hard on the fitness elements and being around the lads." He added: "I've got the operation this afternoon and I could be back doing fitness work after a week." "As frustrating as it is, I've got to be positive."
After the game, Vickery spoke with Bath prop David Barnes, who also broke his arm recently. "I had a chat with David Barnes and it looks like a similar injury to him," he said. "He said he had the operation and he was back running after a week. "There's no doubt that I'm going to get involved and be around this place as soon as I can after the operation." Gloucester director of rugby Nigel Melville said: "Phil has broken his radius, which is the large bone in his forearm. "I don't really know how it happened, but Phil will definitely be out of action for at least six weeks. "I feel very sorry for him, as he has been in great shape. He really needed 80 minutes of rugby this weekend, and then this happened. Mentally, it must be very hard for him."
| Gloucester director of rugby Nigel Melville said: "Phil has broken his radius, which is the large bone in his forearm."He said he had the operation and he was back running after a week.He added: "I've got the operation this afternoon and I could be back doing fitness work after a week."He said: "This isn't an injury that will stop me from working hard on the fitness elements and being around the lads.""I don't really know how it happened, but Phil will definitely be out of action for at least six weeks.England prop Phil Vickery is staying positive despite a broken arm ruling him out of the RBS Six Nations. |
1,435 | Bees handed potential Man Utd tie
Brentford face a home tie against holders Manchester United in the FA Cup sixth round if they can come through their replay against Southampton.
The League One side held the Saints at St Mary's in their fifth-round tie and were rewarded with a potential draw against Sir Alex Ferguson's side. Newcastle will be at home to either Tottenham or Nottingham Forest. Bolton host Arsenal or Sheffield United and Leicester will visit the winners of the Burnley and Blackburn replay. The ties will be played on the weekend of 12-13 March.
was delighted to be paired with United, although he admitted they still have plenty of work to do to set up a dream tie. "We've got our work cut out next Tuesday but you can't deny it's exciting," he said.
"It would be a sell-out. It will probably be on television. We have financial problems and the revenue it could bring in would certainly help our situation. "We're happy to be in the draw but we've still got to beat a Premiership team. "We've got to beat Southampton first and that's going to be a hard game but if we do there will be some celebration."
welcomed the opportunity to face United. "We're not counting on anything yet," he said. "It is obviously going to be a difficult replay judging by the way Brentford came back at us on Saturday and the fact that United have come out of the hat will give them even more incentive. "But I've been drawn against United so many times in cups and beaten them at both Bournemouth and West Ham. "There are no easy ties in the FA Cup and I'm sure nobody is counting on one."
Newcastle v Tottenham or Nottingham Forest
Southampton or Brentford v Manchester United
Bolton v Arsenal or Sheffield United
Burnley or Blackburn v Leicester
| Brentford face a home tie against holders Manchester United in the FA Cup sixth round if they can come through their replay against Southampton.Newcastle v Tottenham or Nottingham Forest Southampton or Brentford v Manchester United Bolton v Arsenal or Sheffield United Burnley or Blackburn v Leicesterwas delighted to be paired with United, although he admitted they still have plenty of work to do to set up a dream tie."There are no easy ties in the FA Cup and I'm sure nobody is counting on one."Bolton host Arsenal or Sheffield United and Leicester will visit the winners of the Burnley and Blackburn replay.welcomed the opportunity to face United."It would be a sell-out.We have financial problems and the revenue it could bring in would certainly help our situation. |
562 | Spike Lee backs student directors
Film-maker Spike Lee says black representation is stronger than ever in cinema and TV but the true power in entertainment lies behind the camera.
The She Hate Me director urged students at his old Atlanta university, Morehouse College, to seek "gatekeeper positions" behind the scenes. Lee told them to "work up the corporate ladder because everybody can't be an actor, everybody can't make a record". He spoke as part of a discussion panel, then led a retrospective of his films.
Returning to his old university, which educates only African American students, Lee discussed the challenges facing black people in the entertainment industry. "Even Denzel (Washington), he's getting $20m a movie. But when it comes time to do a movie, he has to go to one of those gatekeepers," Lee said. He told aspiring young film-makers in the audience not to ignore non-traditional routes to getting a movie made, including raising funds independently and releasing films straight to DVD. "It's a huge market," the 47-year-old director said. "It's not something that should be looked upon as a stepchild." Lee has made more than 25 films, including Jungle Fever, Do the Right Thing, Summer of Sam and 1986 hit She's Gotta Have It.
| But when it comes time to do a movie, he has to go to one of those gatekeepers," Lee said.Lee has made more than 25 films, including Jungle Fever, Do the Right Thing, Summer of Sam and 1986 hit She's Gotta Have It.Returning to his old university, which educates only African American students, Lee discussed the challenges facing black people in the entertainment industry.Film-maker Spike Lee says black representation is stronger than ever in cinema and TV but the true power in entertainment lies behind the camera.He told aspiring young film-makers in the audience not to ignore non-traditional routes to getting a movie made, including raising funds independently and releasing films straight to DVD. |
45 | US crude prices surge above $53
US crude prices have soared to fresh four-month highs above $53 in the US as refinery problems propelled petrol prices to an all-time high.
US light sweet crude futures jumped to $53.09 a barrel in New York before closing at $53.03. The gains tracked a surge in US gasoline futures to a record high of $1.4850 a gallon. The jump followed a fire at Western Refining Company's refinery in Texas, which shut down petrol production. A spokesman for the group was unable to say when the production unit would be back up and running. "This market simply wants to go up," Citigroup Global Markets analyst Kyle Cooper told Reuters news agency. Ed Silliere, analyst at Energy Merchant, added: "Gasoline is up because of the refinery issues in Texas, which means there will be a scramble for product in the (US) Gulf Coast."
Elsewhere, a refinery in Houston was closed due to mechanical problems, while on Tuesday production at BP's Texas City refinery was taken down for a short time. In the approach to Spring, the market becomes much more sensitive to problems with petrol production as dealers anticipate rising demand for fuel ahead of the holiday season. The rise in prices came despite a US government report that showed domestic supplies of fuel oil and fuel were rising. Meanwhile, oil production cartel Opec's recent announcement that it was now unlikely to cut production levels has also failed to calm fears on the market. Oil prices are roughly 45% higher than a year ago and have risen sharply in recent weeks due to a combination of colder weather, the declining value of the dollar and fears that Opec could rein in production to head off a seasonal drop in demand. Instability in Iraq and underlying fears about terrorism have also played a part in the rally.
| US crude prices have soared to fresh four-month highs above $53 in the US as refinery problems propelled petrol prices to an all-time high.Meanwhile, oil production cartel Opec's recent announcement that it was now unlikely to cut production levels has also failed to calm fears on the market.Elsewhere, a refinery in Houston was closed due to mechanical problems, while on Tuesday production at BP's Texas City refinery was taken down for a short time.The jump followed a fire at Western Refining Company's refinery in Texas, which shut down petrol production.In the approach to Spring, the market becomes much more sensitive to problems with petrol production as dealers anticipate rising demand for fuel ahead of the holiday season.Ed Silliere, analyst at Energy Merchant, added: "Gasoline is up because of the refinery issues in Texas, which means there will be a scramble for product in the (US) Gulf Coast." |
1,297 | Blair prepares to name poll date
Tony Blair is likely to name 5 May as election day when Parliament returns from its Easter break, the BBC's political editor has learned.
Andrew Marr says Mr Blair will ask the Queen on 4 or 5 April to dissolve Parliament at the end of that week. Mr Blair has so far resisted calls for him to name the day but all parties have stepped up campaigning recently. Downing Street would not be drawn on the claim, saying election timing was a matter for the prime minister.
A Number 10 spokeswoman would only say: "He will announce an election when he wants to announce an election." The move will signal a frantic week at Westminster as the government is likely to try to get key legislation through Parliament. The government needs its finance bill, covering the Budget plans, to be passed before the Commons closes for business at the end of the session on 7 April.
But it will also seek to push through its Serious and Organised Crime Bill and ID cards Bill. Mr Marr said on Wednesday's Today programme: "There's almost nobody at a senior level inside the government or in Parliament itself who doesn't expect the election to be called on 4 or 5 April. "As soon as the Commons is back after the short Easter recess, Tony Blair whips up to the Palace, asks the Queen to dissolve Parliament ... and we're going." The Labour government officially has until June 2006 to hold general election, but in recent years governments have favoured four-year terms.
| Tony Blair is likely to name 5 May as election day when Parliament returns from its Easter break, the BBC's political editor has learned.Andrew Marr says Mr Blair will ask the Queen on 4 or 5 April to dissolve Parliament at the end of that week.Mr Marr said on Wednesday's Today programme: "There's almost nobody at a senior level inside the government or in Parliament itself who doesn't expect the election to be called on 4 or 5 April.The Labour government officially has until June 2006 to hold general election, but in recent years governments have favoured four-year terms.The government needs its finance bill, covering the Budget plans, to be passed before the Commons closes for business at the end of the session on 7 April. |
199 | Georgia plans hidden asset pardon
Georgia is offering a one-off 'tax amnesty' to people who hid their earnings under the regime of former president Eduard Shevardnadze.
The country's new president, Mikhail Saakashvili, has said that anyone now willing to disclose their wealth will only have to pay 1% in income tax. The measure is designed to legitimise previously hidden economic activity and boost Georgia's flagging economy. Georgia's black market is estimated to be twice the size of its legal economy.
Mr Saakashvili, elected president in January after Mr Shevardnadze was toppled, has urged the Georgian Parliament to approve the amnesty as soon as possible. It is one of a series of proposals designed to tackle corruption, which was rampant during the Shevardnadze era, and boost Georgia's fragile public finances.
The new government is encouraging companies to pay taxes by scrapping existing corruption investigations and destroying all tax records from before 1 January, three days before President Saakashvili was elected. "There are people who have money but are afraid to show it," the president told a government session. "Documentation about where this money came from doesn't exist because under the former, entirely warped regime, earning capital honestly was not possible."
By declaring their assets and paying the one-off tax, people would be able to "legalise their property", Mr Saakashvili stressed.
"No one will have the right to check this money's origin. This money must go back into the economy." The amnesty will not extend to people who made money through drugs trafficking or international money laundering. Criminal investigations in such cases -thought to involve about 5% of Georgian businesses -are to continue. Mr Saakashvili has accused the Shevardnadze regime, which was toppled by a popular uprising in November, of allowing bribery to flourish. Georgia's economy is in a desperate condition. Half the population are living below the poverty line with many surviving on income of less than $4, or three euros, a day. The unemployment rate is around 20% while the country has a $1.7bn public debt.
| Mr Saakashvili, elected president in January after Mr Shevardnadze was toppled, has urged the Georgian Parliament to approve the amnesty as soon as possible.The new government is encouraging companies to pay taxes by scrapping existing corruption investigations and destroying all tax records from before 1 January, three days before President Saakashvili was elected.Georgia is offering a one-off 'tax amnesty' to people who hid their earnings under the regime of former president Eduard Shevardnadze.Mr Saakashvili has accused the Shevardnadze regime, which was toppled by a popular uprising in November, of allowing bribery to flourish.It is one of a series of proposals designed to tackle corruption, which was rampant during the Shevardnadze era, and boost Georgia's fragile public finances.The country's new president, Mikhail Saakashvili, has said that anyone now willing to disclose their wealth will only have to pay 1% in income tax."There are people who have money but are afraid to show it," the president told a government session.Georgia's economy is in a desperate condition. |
1,571 | Spain coach faces racism inquiry
Spain's Football Federation has initiated disciplinary action against national coach Luis Aragones over racist comments about Thierry Henry.
If found guilty Aragones could lose his job or face a fine of about £22,000. The federation had initially declined to take action against Aragones after comments he made during a national team training session in October. But its president Angel Maria Villar changed his mind after a request by Spain's anti-violence commission. Aragones insisted the comments, made to Henry's Arsenal club-mate Jose Antonio Reyes, were meant to motivate the player, and were not intended to be offensive.
"I never intended to offend anyone, and for that reason I have a very easy conscience," he said at the time. "I'm obliged to motivate my players to get the best results. "As part of that job, I use colloquial language, with which we can all understand each other within the framework of the football world. " England's players made a point of wearing anti-racism t-shirts when training before their friendly against Spain in Madrid last month.
But the storm increased following racist chanting by Spanish fans at England's black players during the game, which Spain won 1-0. Spain's minister of sport Jaime Lissavetzky was quick to give his backing to the Federation's decision. "Everyone who has a public function has to consider their declarations, and make sure they do not give a negative image," he said. "We are going to have zero tolerance in questions of racism."
| Spain's Football Federation has initiated disciplinary action against national coach Luis Aragones over racist comments about Thierry Henry.Aragones insisted the comments, made to Henry's Arsenal club-mate Jose Antonio Reyes, were meant to motivate the player, and were not intended to be offensive.The federation had initially declined to take action against Aragones after comments he made during a national team training session in October.England's players made a point of wearing anti-racism t-shirts when training before their friendly against Spain in Madrid last month.But the storm increased following racist chanting by Spanish fans at England's black players during the game, which Spain won 1-0.If found guilty Aragones could lose his job or face a fine of about £22,000. |
256 | Singapore growth at 8.1% in 2004
Singapore's economy grew by 8.1% in 2004, its best performance since 2000, figures from the trade ministry show.
The advance, the second-fastest in Asia after China, was led by growth of 13.1% in the key manufacturing sector. However, a slower-than-expected fourth quarter points to more modest growth for the trade-driven economy in 2005 as global technology demand falls back. Slowdowns in the US and China could hit electronics exports, while the tsunami disaster may effect the service sector.
Economic growth is set to halve in Singapore this year to between 3% and 5%. In the fourth quarter, the city state's gross domestic product (GDP) rose at an annual rate of 2.4%. That was up from the third quarter, when it fell 3.0%, but was well below analyst forecasts. "I am surprised at the weak fourth quarter number. The main drag came from electronics," said Lian Chia Liang, economist at JP Morgan Chase. Singapore's economy had contracted over the summer, weighed down by soaring oil prices. The economy's poor performance in the July to September period followed four consecutive quarters of double-digit growth as Singapore bounced back strongly from the effects of the deadly Sars virus in 2003.
| However, a slower-than-expected fourth quarter points to more modest growth for the trade-driven economy in 2005 as global technology demand falls back.The economy's poor performance in the July to September period followed four consecutive quarters of double-digit growth as Singapore bounced back strongly from the effects of the deadly Sars virus in 2003.The advance, the second-fastest in Asia after China, was led by growth of 13.1% in the key manufacturing sector."I am surprised at the weak fourth quarter number.That was up from the third quarter, when it fell 3.0%, but was well below analyst forecasts. |
319 | Euronext joins bid battle for LSE
Pan-European stock market Euronext has approached the London Stock Exchange (LSE) about a possible takeover bid.
"The approach is at an early stage and therefore does not require a response at this point," LSE said. Talks with the European stock market and with rival bidder Deutsche Boerse will continue, the LSE said. Last week, the group rejected a £1.3bn ($2.5bn) takeover offer from Deutsche Boerse, claiming that it undervalued the business. LSE saw its shares surge 4.9% to a new high of 583p in early trade, following the announcement on Monday.
The offer follows widespread media speculation that Euronext would make an offer for LSE. Experts now widely expect a bidding war for Europe's biggest stock market, which lists stocks with a total capitalisation of £1.4 trillion, to break out. Commentators say that a deal with Euronext, which owns the Liffe derivatives exchange in London and combines the Paris, Amsterdam and Lisbon stock exchanges, could potentially offer the LSE more cost savings than a deal with Deutsche Boerse.
A weekend report in the Telegraph had quoted an unnamed executive at Euronext as saying the group would make a cash bid to trump Deutsche Boerse's offer. "Because we already own Liffe in London, the cost savings available to us from a merger are far greater than for Deutsche Boerse," the newspaper quoted the executive as saying. Euronext chief executive Jean-Francois Theodore is reported to have already held private talks with LSE's chief executive Clara Furse. Further reports had suggested that Euronext could make an offer in excess of the LSE's 533p a share closing price on Friday. However, Euronext said it could not guarantee "at this stage" that a firm offer would be made for LSE. There has been extensive speculation about a possible takeover of the company since an attempted merger with Deutsche Boerse failed in 2000.
| Commentators say that a deal with Euronext, which owns the Liffe derivatives exchange in London and combines the Paris, Amsterdam and Lisbon stock exchanges, could potentially offer the LSE more cost savings than a deal with Deutsche Boerse.Pan-European stock market Euronext has approached the London Stock Exchange (LSE) about a possible takeover bid.The offer follows widespread media speculation that Euronext would make an offer for LSE.However, Euronext said it could not guarantee "at this stage" that a firm offer would be made for LSE.Talks with the European stock market and with rival bidder Deutsche Boerse will continue, the LSE said.A weekend report in the Telegraph had quoted an unnamed executive at Euronext as saying the group would make a cash bid to trump Deutsche Boerse's offer. |
1,961 | When invention turns to innovation
It is unlikely that future technological inventions are going to have the same kind of transformative impact that they did in the past.
When history takes a look back at great inventions like the car and transistor, they were defining technologies which ultimately changed people's lives substantially. But, says Nick Donofrio, senior vice-president of technology and manufacturing at IBM, it was not "the thing" itself that actually improved people's lives. It was all the social and cultural changes that the discovery or invention brought with it. The car brought about a crucial change to how people lived in cities, giving them the ability to move out into the suburbs, whilst having mobility and access. "When we talk about innovation and creating real value in the 21st Century, we have to think more like this, but faster," Mr Donofrio told the BBC News website, after giving the Royal Academy of Engineering 2004 Hinton Lecture. "The invention, discovery is likely not to have the same value as the transistor had or the automobile had. "The equivalent of those things will be invented or discovered, but by themselves, they are just not going to able to generate real business value or wealth as these things did." These are not altogether new ideas, and academics have been exploring how technologies impact wider society for years. But what it means for technology companies is that a new idea, method, or device, will have to have a different kind thinking behind it so that people see the value that innovative technology has for them.
We are in a different phase now when it comes to technology, argues Mr Donofrio, Industry Week's 2003 Technology Leader of the Year. The hype and over-promise is over and now technology leaders have to demonstrate that things work, make sense, make a difference and life gets better as a result.
"In the dotcom era, there was something that was jumping up in your face every five minutes. "Somebody had a new thing that would awe you. You weren't quite sure that it did anything, you weren't quite sure if you needed it, you weren't quite sure if it had value for it, but it was cool." But change and innovation in technology that people will see affecting their daily lives, he says, will come about slowly, subtlety, and in ways that will no longer be "in your face". It will creep in pervasively. Nanotechnologies will play a key part in this kind of pervasive environment in all sorts of ways, through new superconducting materials, to coatings, power, and memory storage. "I am a very big believer in the evolution of this industry into a pervasive environment, in an incredible network infrastructure," says Mr Donofrio. Pervasive computing is where wireless computing rules, and where jewellery, clothes, and everyday objects become the interfaces instead of bulky wires, screens and keyboards. The net becomes a true network that is taken for granted and just there, like air. "People will not have to do anything to stay connected. People will know their lives are just better," says Mr Donofrio. "Trillions of devices will be connected to the net in ways people will not know." Natural interfaces will develop, devices will shape your persona, and our technologically underused voices could be telling our jewellery to sort out the finances.
Ultimately, there will be, says Mr Donofrio, no value in being "computer illiterate". To some, it sounds like a technological world gone mad. To Mr Donofrio, it is a vision innovation that will happen. Behind this vision should be a rich robust network capability and "deep computing", says Mr Donofrio. Deep computing is the ability to perform lots of complex calculations on massive amounts of data, and integral to this concept is supercomputing. It has value, according to IBM, because it helps humans work out extremely complex problems to come up with valuable solutions, like how to refine millions of net search results, finding cures for diseases, or understanding of exactly how a gene or protein operates.
But pervasive computing presumably means having technologies that are aware of diversity of contexts, commands, and requirements of a diverse world. As computing and technologies become part of the environment, part of furniture, walls, and clothing, physical space becomes a more important consideration.
This is going to need a much broader range of skills and experience. "I am confident that the SET [science, engineering and technology] industry is going to be short on skills," he says. "If I am right about what innovation is, you need to be multidisciplinary and collaborative. "Women tend to have those traits a lot better than men." Eventually, women could win out in both life and physical sciences, he says. In the UK, a DTI-funded resource centre for women has set a target to have 40% representation on SET industry boards. IBM, according to Mr Donofrio, has 30%. "Our goal is for our research team to become the preferred organisation for women in science and technology to begin their career." The whole issue of global diversity is as much a business matter as it is a moral and social concern to Mr Donofrio. "We believe in the whole issue of global diversity," he says. "Our customers are diverse, our clients are diverse. They expect us to look like them. "As more and more women or underrepresented minorities succeed into leadership positions, it becomes and imperative for us to constantly look like them."
| People will know their lives are just better," says Mr Donofrio.We are in a different phase now when it comes to technology, argues Mr Donofrio, Industry Week's 2003 Technology Leader of the Year.But what it means for technology companies is that a new idea, method, or device, will have to have a different kind thinking behind it so that people see the value that innovative technology has for them.Ultimately, there will be, says Mr Donofrio, no value in being "computer illiterate".But, says Nick Donofrio, senior vice-president of technology and manufacturing at IBM, it was not "the thing" itself that actually improved people's lives.Behind this vision should be a rich robust network capability and "deep computing", says Mr Donofrio.IBM, according to Mr Donofrio, has 30%.To Mr Donofrio, it is a vision innovation that will happen."I am a very big believer in the evolution of this industry into a pervasive environment, in an incredible network infrastructure," says Mr Donofrio.But change and innovation in technology that people will see affecting their daily lives, he says, will come about slowly, subtlety, and in ways that will no longer be "in your face".When history takes a look back at great inventions like the car and transistor, they were defining technologies which ultimately changed people's lives substantially.But pervasive computing presumably means having technologies that are aware of diversity of contexts, commands, and requirements of a diverse world.The whole issue of global diversity is as much a business matter as it is a moral and social concern to Mr Donofrio."When we talk about innovation and creating real value in the 21st Century, we have to think more like this, but faster," Mr Donofrio told the BBC News website, after giving the Royal Academy of Engineering 2004 Hinton Lecture."I am confident that the SET [science, engineering and technology] industry is going to be short on skills," he says.As computing and technologies become part of the environment, part of furniture, walls, and clothing, physical space becomes a more important consideration.The hype and over-promise is over and now technology leaders have to demonstrate that things work, make sense, make a difference and life gets better as a result."Trillions of devices will be connected to the net in ways people will not know.""Our goal is for our research team to become the preferred organisation for women in science and technology to begin their career." |
664 | Oasis star fined for German brawl
Oasis singer Liam Gallagher has been fined 50,000 euros (£35,000) after a fight in a German hotel two years ago.
Gallagher was arrested along with drummer Alan White and three other members of the band's entourage after the brawl in Munich in December 2002. The band said they were victims of an "unprovoked attack" in a nightclub. But police said Gallagher kicked an officer in the chest and had large amounts of alcohol and drugs - possibly cocaine - in his blood. Gallagher lost two front teeth in the fight, which led to the band abandoning their German tour. His brother and bandmate Noel was in bed at the time.
"The process has stopped by paying 50,000 euros," said Anton Winkler, spokesman for the Munich prosecutor. At the time, police said a "physical altercation" broke out among the musicians at about 0200 local time. That led to one of the group being "jostled" and falling onto the table of five Italian guests - causing the fight, they said. The fight continued outside, where "one of the officers was kicked in the chest with full force by Liam Gallagher... and suffered minor injuries", they said.
| The fight continued outside, where "one of the officers was kicked in the chest with full force by Liam Gallagher... and suffered minor injuries", they said.But police said Gallagher kicked an officer in the chest and had large amounts of alcohol and drugs - possibly cocaine - in his blood.Gallagher lost two front teeth in the fight, which led to the band abandoning their German tour.Oasis singer Liam Gallagher has been fined 50,000 euros (£35,000) after a fight in a German hotel two years ago. |
540 | US critics laud comedy Sideways
Road trip comedy Sideways has had more praise heaped on it by two US critics' associations, adding to honours it has already picked up.
The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) named it winner in five categories including best film and best actor for Paul Giamatti. But the director award went to Clint Eastwood for Million Dollar Baby. The Southeastern Film Critics also awarded Sideways its best film of the year accolade. Director Alexander Payne was named best director, and he also won best screenplay shared with Jim Taylor. The CFCA awarded Thomas Haden Church the best supporting actor prize and Virginia Madsen the best supporting actress award for their roles in the film.
Sideways has already been voted best film by critics associations in New York and Los Angeles and has been nominated for a Golden Globe. British actress Imelda Staunton won the CFCA best actress for the gritty abortion drama Vera Drake, adding to a growing list of awards she has won for her performance in the Mike Leigh film. Scrubs star Zach Braff was named best new director for his debut Garden State. Michael Moore's controversial documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 won the best documentary, while A Very Long Engagement won best foreign film. The Chicago critics have yet to name a date for when their awards ceremony will be held.
| The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) named it winner in five categories including best film and best actor for Paul Giamatti.The CFCA awarded Thomas Haden Church the best supporting actor prize and Virginia Madsen the best supporting actress award for their roles in the film.The Southeastern Film Critics also awarded Sideways its best film of the year accolade.Sideways has already been voted best film by critics associations in New York and Los Angeles and has been nominated for a Golden Globe.Director Alexander Payne was named best director, and he also won best screenplay shared with Jim Taylor. |
1,941 | Joke e-mail virus tricks users
A virus that disguises itself as a joke is spreading rapidly across the net.
Anti-virus firms are issuing high-level warnings about the new version of the Bagle e-mail program that seems to be catching a lot of people out. The Windows virus grabs e-mail addresses from Microsoft Outlook and uses its own mail sending software to spread itself to new victims. When it infects a machine, the Bagle variant turns off security measures that usually protect PCs.
The new variant is called Bagle.AT, Bagle.BB and Bagle.AU and the attachment bearing the virus code is labelled as either "joke" or "price".
The body of the virus usually contains nothing but a smiley or emoticon. The virus can strike computers running Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000 and XP. Users will be infected if they open the attachment that travels with the e-mail. As well as plundering Microsoft Outlook for e-mail addresses to send itself to, Bagle.AT also tries to turn off the firewall and security centre services on Windows XP machines. BBC News Online has received five warnings about the virus from security companies. Finnish company F-Secure gave the virus its second highest threat level. "We've had several reports all over the world," said Mikko Hypponen, director of anti-virus research for F-Secure. Security firm Network Box said that it stopped more than 30,000 copies an hour of the virus as the outbreak reached a peak. Black Spider said it had stopped more than 1 million copies of Bagle.AT since the outbreak began at 0630 BST (0530 GMT). Anti-virus firms urged users to be wary of unexpected e-mail messages bearing attachments and to update their software to ensure they are protected against the latest threats.
| Security firm Network Box said that it stopped more than 30,000 copies an hour of the virus as the outbreak reached a peak.The Windows virus grabs e-mail addresses from Microsoft Outlook and uses its own mail sending software to spread itself to new victims.The new variant is called Bagle.AT, Bagle.BB and Bagle.AU and the attachment bearing the virus code is labelled as either "joke" or "price".As well as plundering Microsoft Outlook for e-mail addresses to send itself to, Bagle.AT also tries to turn off the firewall and security centre services on Windows XP machines.The virus can strike computers running Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000 and XP.BBC News Online has received five warnings about the virus from security companies. |
1,276 | Minimum wage increased to £5.05
The minimum wage will rise in October, benefiting more than 1m people, the government has announced.
Adults must be paid at least £5.05 an hour, up from £4.85, while 18 to 21 year olds will be paid £4.25. The recommendations came from the Low Pay Commission which said the number of jobs had continued to grow since the minimum wage was introduced in 1999. Businesses wanted it frozen, warning more rises could damage competitiveness but the unions want a £6 rate.
A further increase in the adult rate to £5.35 an hour is provisionally scheduled for October 2006. According to the commission, many businesses had found the last two significant increases in the minimum wage "challenging". "We have therefore recommended only a slight increase above average earnings, and concentrated it in the second year to allow business more time to absorb the impact," said chairman Adair Turner. The government says most of those on the minimum wage are women - with many working in cleaning, catering, shops and hairdressing.
Unveiling the latest increase, Mr Blair said he wanted the minimum wage to become a "symbol of decency and fairness". "For too long, poverty pay capped the aspiration and prosperity of far too many hard-working families," he said. "Too often, people were told to make a choice between the indignity of unemployment or the humiliation of poverty pay." Chancellor Gordon Brown and Transport Secretary Alistair Darling promoted the news in Edinburgh, Wales Secretary Peter Hain and Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan in Cardiff and Northern Ireland Minister John Spellar in Belfast. The government has not accepted the commission's recommendation that 21-year-olds should be paid at the adult rate, but says it will look again at the rate later on. Mr Brown said: "We want to do nothing that can damage the employment opportunities for young people, particularly young people entering the labour market for the first time." The government has said it will look at tougher action against the small number of employers who consistently refuse to pay the minimum wage.
The national minimum wage is currently set at £4.85 per hour for those aged 22 and above, and at £4.10 for those aged 18 to 21. A £3 per hour minimum wage was introduced last October for 16 to 17-year-olds, but apprentices are exempt. The Trade Unions Congress welcomed the increase, but has called for a £6 minimum wage by next year. But the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) called for a "pause year" to assess the impact of the above inflation rise in the minimum wage in October. And David Frost, director of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "The level of increase each year has increased by rates far outstripping the rates of inflation. "What employers are saying to us now is that it's at a level where it's starting to bite into the competitiveness of companies right across the country."
The Liberal Democrats' economics spokesman Vincent Cable said he supported the move to raise the minimum wage. "It's not just good for the workers themselves but it lifts them out of benefits and therefore is good for the Exchequer too," he said. Conservative leader Michael Howard said he accepted the principle of the minimum wage and would not "seek to disturb" the increase. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, Mr Howard hinted the Tories might go into the general election with a promise to cancel income tax for the lowest-paid workers. "There are people on very low salaries, very low incomes indeed who really shouldn't be paying income tax," he said.
It would be better to decrease taxes on earnings below £12,000 a year, with say no tax on below £6,000. The losses in tax can be recouped by having a 50pc tax band for people making over £100,000. Our minimum wage is going to be effectively almost twice the US minimum wage, yet our economy per person is only 2/3rds of the US! Perhaps, we have to really starting questioning why some products cost 50-60% more here than they do in the US. This combined with the tax decreases would make the pounds the low-paid people do make go much further.
It's still not good enough! I got a part time Job at 16 when I was doing my A-levels in an attempt to get a little money saved for Uni. This was only 2 years ago and I was getting paid £2.75 an hour, and working as hard as any of the older staff, maybe it's about time 16 - 21 year olds got a fair wage!
We must remember that the minimum wage is only part of the picture and must not rise to a level that makes employing people unattractive and encourages businesses to send work and therefore jobs abroad. Still government and local councils employ staff via their contractors that pay at the minimum wage or very close to it. An easy way for the government to do as it preaches would be to insist on floor pay levels for all government workers and take tens of thousand of civil servants out of the social security system all together.
Any increase is certainly welcome news. However for all those whining about the pressures of an increase in the minimum wage I would simply ask them: "Would you be happy to work for less than £5.05 an hour?". Thought not ... so then, don't expect others to either.
I can't believe that so many of these comments are against the minimum wage! Also I personally take great offence at the insinuation that people earning minimum wage were lazy at school if everyone went to university then who would serve you in the supermarkets and clean up after you? It's about time that these hardworking people are rewarded with only what they deserve and have earned fair pay and a bit of respect wouldn't go a miss either. br />
This is good news. The minimum wage has put a sense of equality back into a worker's relationship with their employer. Wages are supposed to be a fair reflection of an employee's efforts. For too long wages were a point of exploitation - what could an employer get away with. In very simplistic terms this put a pressure to keep low-paid wages low. With the minimum wage this downward pressure is at least partly removed.
It is also interesting to read the comments from so called business leaders. They are the first to defend the rights and privileges of boards to award fat-cat salaries, bonuses and pension rights to the select few but they are the first to attack policies that are put in place to merely defend the rights of those that really make those fat cats purr!
I feel there are both negatives and positives to the increase, on one hand some businesses will struggle to stay afloat but on the other hand in today world many young people can't afford to move out as property costs too much and only by earning more will they be able to get on in life. Its true many may get complacent but the minimum wage could be looked at as more of a stepping stone rather than a hand out.
Here come the usual whines about how difficult it will be for businesses! We all remember Michael Howard's protestations that the minimum wage would cost a million jobs when it was introduced - funny how he's gone quiet on that one! Jobs have continued to increase since this humane legislation was brought in. I think if any job is worth doing then it's worth being paid a fair wage for, and £5.05 is hardly a fortune. If your business cannot pay its workers a decent wage then maybe it's not being run properly and if it folds, a better-run company will take over its duties and employ more people, so everybody wins except incompetent business owners!
Great keep at it Tony, I remember the despair of the 80s and the low wages employers got away with. At last we can make a difference to people and reward them for working. We can't afford not to pay a decent wage. It's not a jobs at any price economy, goodbye sweatshops hello decency.
The increase in minimum wage is a good thing. Living in the southwest where house prices and rent have increased hugely (like the rest of the country) over the past 5 years has made living for you average 18-21 years old very difficult. In the south west the increase in living costs have not been matched by an increase in pay, for example a job I did in Plymouth was underpaid to an equivalent worker in Exeter by 75p an hour. Hopefully the increase in the minimum wage will bring in to balance pay on a regional and national level, and in turn allow people like myself who do work hard, but might never earn a 6 figure salary the chance to branch out on our own.
I work at a large Hospital where the contractors providing all ancillary services - domestic, catering & portering etc - pay the minimum wage of £4.85 as the basic rate. Someone has to do these unglamorous jobs and earn enough to live decently. How dare people suggest we are lazy or complacent for accepting these jobs and these wages? Who do they think will be carrying out these public service jobs if contractors are allowed to pay as little as their consciences allow?
This is definitely the right step in the right direction. It shows that this government cares for the low income earners as well. This is a million votes more. Good strategy isn't it?
Although I would not deny people the minimum wage increase, its timing stinks. I am quite prepared for a raft of 'bribes' to come from the government before the election and a raft of taxes afterwards, they are playing us for the fools they think we are.
This is extremely bad news for any business - whether they are small and medium enterprises or even large companies. By increasing overheads, for business, there will be an almost certain rise in costs to the consumer who while they openly welcome the idea of an increase in the minimum wage are the same people who still want to buy that shirt, or that pair of trainers for next to nothing. The extra cost this increase will bring, will only be reflected in the price of the goods we buy, which, in turn will only serve to discourage companies from setting-up business in the UK, or encourage those companies already based here to look elsewhere. The jubilation felt by "low-paid" workers here will soon give way to misery as they lose their jobs.
This will only lead to a reduction in jobs. Why have many of the call centre jobs gone to India. Blair say's the economy is "strong and stable economy" however consumer debt and the country's debt is at its highest and now they heap this onto businesses, that will have no choice but to cut the workforce.
The timing cannot be coincidental. This is blatant electioneering and should be exposed as such.
Andrew in Derby complains that raising the minimum wage is 'blatant electioneering'. I don't mind if it is. In our degraded democracy, elections are the one time when elites really have to worry about doing something concrete for the majority. My only complaint is the paltry figures being discussed. If my maths is right, a 35 hour week at £5.05 gives you an annual income just over £9,000 and raising it to £6 leaves it under £11,000. The unions should be putting the Government under pressure for much more. Businesses complaining might like to take a look at corporate pay, shareholder payouts and profits before wondering if paying a living wage is really a controlling factor in the viability of their firm.
I am all for lifting the minimum wage of workers to a reasonable level, but we have to accept that with this will come competition from overseas workers. Also small businesses will have to be able to afford this manpower cost. We are already seeing a sweeping change in IT work being lost to India where people are paid much less. It is difficult for me to understand that only five years ago cheap labour abroad was classified as 'sweat shop', but now we are told it is global competition. With our manufacturing industry in serious decline the country cannot be entirely service industries without something tangible to serve. There has to be something at the top of the food chain and that is manufacturing. The whole picture needs to be looked at.
This is great news, but that might be because I work for minimum wage. Seems a good idea and will hopefully be an incentive to those who live to claim to actually get a job. When you can "earn" more from claiming than you can from work, there is no incentive. Perhaps a step in the right direction.
If the TUC get their way a very large number of SMEs will have to close - this will put more people out of work. How then will the government fudge the unemployment figures! The government know it is not big business that keeps the economy going but the SMEs but we always get overlooked, they will only take notice if these large corporations close and move to other countries, after all they are predominantly owned by foreign companies. We are a specialist company but with these increases have already had an effect on us and we have lost work another one will close us.
While I'm delighted for those on low pay that this increase is being put forward, I am extremely concerned at the implications for small businesses. As an employee for a small nursery, I know this increase will cause great hardship for my employer, who has been unable to increase salaries for higher paid employees because of last October's increase for the lower paid employees - who were originally being paid slightly above the minimum but are now on the minimum. This latest increase of 20p an hour will cause even more financial hardship. If the rate rises to £6 then I can foresee many small businesses having to pay off employees.
The increase in minimum wage will have a serious effect on my business. Although we pay above the minimum level we will have to increase our pay rates to maintain the differential. The raise is well above inflation and without significant increases in sales, it will mean that I will not be taking on a new member of staff as planned and I will be looking to reduce the total hours worked by the other members of staff, overtime being the first to go.
I currently employ 42 staff whose wages mirror the national minimum wage. Increases above inflation are fine but all of my business is conducted with local authorities who will not accept above inflation rises in my service delivery. 80% of my costs are labour. The other aspect that is always hidden is that the thresholds for tax credits do not move in line with these increases so that all that happens is that employees tax credit support is reduced by the amount of the increase, thereby saving the government money but increasing the financial burden on small to medium businesses
It is very good that the government has decided to increase the minimum wage - this should hopefully motivate people to undertake the "lower status" jobs.
I know about this great idea - don't bother getting qualifications, laze about at school, no need to do anything other than attend so your parents don't get fined because remember, when you do eventually start working, doesn't matter how lazy you are, you'll be guaranteed a decent wage. The ones who suffer are the employers.
I hope that if industry and business have to pay this new rate that Mr Blair and Mr Brown will increase tax allowances and raise national insurance thresholds so that the treasury won't take some of this increase off the people they say they are helping, or is this just another form of stealth tax on business through the back door?
I don't believe in the minimum wage at all! I think jobs should create their own wage value and that if people want higher wages they should earn them. Now, before everyone thinks that I am some "rich-kid", I can assure you I am not. I came from a very much working class background and started work 20 years ago on a Youth Opportunity Program earning £25 per week. I worked hard, went to college part time, got my A-levels and degree & bettered myself. I now earn a 6 figure salary. I did that through hard work and getting off my backside. A minimum wage just makes people complacent.
To Ashley, of Swindon: when you earned £25 per week, it was worth something. These days that £25 would need to be near to £60 to have the equivalent buying power. I might add, that thanks to successive governments holding down the tax allowance threshold below inflation, people earning the minimum wage are paying taxes that they never would have done 10 years ago at equivalent wages. "In my day" type arguments are a view that belong in the 'your day' - 20 years ago!
As a graduate working for minimum wage, I welcome any increase of pay I can get. I disagree with Ashley, Swindon saying I have to work harder to get more pay. I have my GCSE's A-Levels and A degree and have chosen to work for a small business that can't afford the wages I should be getting, I should be on at least 3x what I'm getting but they can't afford it. We all work hard but the money is just not there. But on the plus side I love my job and wouldn't change it just to get more pay.
As an employer of staff in several shops the last rise in the minimum wage cost my company an additional £5000 per year. These next rises will cost me more. I have to get the money from somewhere so pass it on to customers. So no one really wins in the end.
In answer to Emma from Sleaford regarding no one really wins in the end... on the contrary Mr Blair wins - he wins because he obviously has announced this to be a vote winner and his treasury wins because as an employer you will know that the amount of tax and national insurance that the government will receive from all the minimum wage increases will rise and of course not only will be paying out higher wages but as an employer higher Employer NI Contributions as well. If the minimum wage increases again and if it hits anywhere near the £6.00 mark there will be 12 more people on the employment line and one more small business going bankrupt - namely mine. Think of us employers as well Mr Blair, we are not all big corporations earning millions.
All workers should be entitled to a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. How many people on the minimum wage have any hope of obtaining a mortgage or saving towards retirement?
It is good news for many Asians living in UK. Students who do odd jobs can increase their income and can help there family in their home country. I thank Mr. Blair and his government for increase in the national minimum wage.
| The increase in minimum wage is a good thing.As a graduate working for minimum wage, I welcome any increase of pay I can get.The increase in minimum wage will have a serious effect on my business.A minimum wage just makes people complacent.Although I would not deny people the minimum wage increase, its timing stinks.I thank Mr. Blair and his government for increase in the national minimum wage.The minimum wage will rise in October, benefiting more than 1m people, the government has announced.I don't believe in the minimum wage at all!This is great news, but that might be because I work for minimum wage.Hopefully the increase in the minimum wage will bring in to balance pay on a regional and national level, and in turn allow people like myself who do work hard, but might never earn a 6 figure salary the chance to branch out on our own.The other aspect that is always hidden is that the thresholds for tax credits do not move in line with these increases so that all that happens is that employees tax credit support is reduced by the amount of the increase, thereby saving the government money but increasing the financial burden on small to medium businesses It is very good that the government has decided to increase the minimum wage - this should hopefully motivate people to undertake the "lower status" jobs.I think jobs should create their own wage value and that if people want higher wages they should earn them.The Trade Unions Congress welcomed the increase, but has called for a £6 minimum wage by next year.The government has said it will look at tougher action against the small number of employers who consistently refuse to pay the minimum wage.If the minimum wage increases again and if it hits anywhere near the £6.00 mark there will be 12 more people on the employment line and one more small business going bankrupt - namely mine.I currently employ 42 staff whose wages mirror the national minimum wage.According to the commission, many businesses had found the last two significant increases in the minimum wage "challenging".We must remember that the minimum wage is only part of the picture and must not rise to a level that makes employing people unattractive and encourages businesses to send work and therefore jobs abroad.However for all those whining about the pressures of an increase in the minimum wage I would simply ask them: "Would you be happy to work for less than £5.05 an hour?".I can't believe that so many of these comments are against the minimum wage!As an employer of staff in several shops the last rise in the minimum wage cost my company an additional £5000 per year.Our minimum wage is going to be effectively almost twice the US minimum wage, yet our economy per person is only 2/3rds of the US!By increasing overheads, for business, there will be an almost certain rise in costs to the consumer who while they openly welcome the idea of an increase in the minimum wage are the same people who still want to buy that shirt, or that pair of trainers for next to nothing.The recommendations came from the Low Pay Commission which said the number of jobs had continued to grow since the minimum wage was introduced in 1999.Still government and local councils employ staff via their contractors that pay at the minimum wage or very close to it.I might add, that thanks to successive governments holding down the tax allowance threshold below inflation, people earning the minimum wage are paying taxes that they never would have done 10 years ago at equivalent wages.We all remember Michael Howard's protestations that the minimum wage would cost a million jobs when it was introduced - funny how he's gone quiet on that one!In answer to Emma from Sleaford regarding no one really wins in the end... on the contrary Mr Blair wins - he wins because he obviously has announced this to be a vote winner and his treasury wins because as an employer you will know that the amount of tax and national insurance that the government will receive from all the minimum wage increases will rise and of course not only will be paying out higher wages but as an employer higher Employer NI Contributions as well.Unveiling the latest increase, Mr Blair said he wanted the minimum wage to become a "symbol of decency and fairness".Conservative leader Michael Howard said he accepted the principle of the minimum wage and would not "seek to disturb" the increase.How many people on the minimum wage have any hope of obtaining a mortgage or saving towards retirement?Although we pay above the minimum level we will have to increase our pay rates to maintain the differential.The government says most of those on the minimum wage are women - with many working in cleaning, catering, shops and hairdressing.A £3 per hour minimum wage was introduced last October for 16 to 17-year-olds, but apprentices are exempt.I work at a large Hospital where the contractors providing all ancillary services - domestic, catering & portering etc - pay the minimum wage of £4.85 as the basic rate.Andrew in Derby complains that raising the minimum wage is 'blatant electioneering'.The minimum wage has put a sense of equality back into a worker's relationship with their employer.With the minimum wage this downward pressure is at least partly removed.We can't afford not to pay a decent wage.As an employee for a small nursery, I know this increase will cause great hardship for my employer, who has been unable to increase salaries for higher paid employees because of last October's increase for the lower paid employees - who were originally being paid slightly above the minimum but are now on the minimum.But the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) called for a "pause year" to assess the impact of the above inflation rise in the minimum wage in October.Its true many may get complacent but the minimum wage could be looked at as more of a stepping stone rather than a hand out.I hope that if industry and business have to pay this new rate that Mr Blair and Mr Brown will increase tax allowances and raise national insurance thresholds so that the treasury won't take some of this increase off the people they say they are helping, or is this just another form of stealth tax on business through the back door?This was only 2 years ago and I was getting paid £2.75 an hour, and working as hard as any of the older staff, maybe it's about time 16 - 21 year olds got a fair wage!Also I personally take great offence at the insinuation that people earning minimum wage were lazy at school if everyone went to university then who would serve you in the supermarkets and clean up after you?I am all for lifting the minimum wage of workers to a reasonable level, but we have to accept that with this will come competition from overseas workers.In the south west the increase in living costs have not been matched by an increase in pay, for example a job I did in Plymouth was underpaid to an equivalent worker in Exeter by 75p an hour.The national minimum wage is currently set at £4.85 per hour for those aged 22 and above, and at £4.10 for those aged 18 to 21.If your business cannot pay its workers a decent wage then maybe it's not being run properly and if it folds, a better-run company will take over its duties and employ more people, so everybody wins except incompetent business owners!The Liberal Democrats' economics spokesman Vincent Cable said he supported the move to raise the minimum wage.I think if any job is worth doing then it's worth being paid a fair wage for, and £5.05 is hardly a fortune.I feel there are both negatives and positives to the increase, on one hand some businesses will struggle to stay afloat but on the other hand in today world many young people can't afford to move out as property costs too much and only by earning more will they be able to get on in life.If the rate rises to £6 then I can foresee many small businesses having to pay off employees.For too long wages were a point of exploitation - what could an employer get away with.I have my GCSE's A-Levels and A degree and have chosen to work for a small business that can't afford the wages I should be getting, I should be on at least 3x what I'm getting but they can't afford it.In very simplistic terms this put a pressure to keep low-paid wages low.Great keep at it Tony, I remember the despair of the 80s and the low wages employers got away with.Businesses complaining might like to take a look at corporate pay, shareholder payouts and profits before wondering if paying a living wage is really a controlling factor in the viability of their firm.While I'm delighted for those on low pay that this increase is being put forward, I am extremely concerned at the implications for small businesses.We are a specialist company but with these increases have already had an effect on us and we have lost work another one will close us. |
1,645 | Harinordoquy suffers France axe
Number eight Imanol Harinordoquy has been dropped from France's squad for the Six Nations match with Ireland in Dublin on 12 March.
Harinordoquy was a second-half replacement in last Saturday's 24-18 defeat to Wales. Bourgoin lock Pascal Pape, who has recovered from a sprained ankle, returns to the 22-man squad. Wing Cedric Heymans and Ludovic Valbon come in for Aurelien Rougerie and Jean-Philippe Grandclaude.
Rougerie hurt his chest against Wales while Grandclaude was a second-half replacement against both England and Wales. Valbon, capped in last June's Tests against the United States and Canada, was a second half replacement in the win over Scotland.
France coach Bernard Laporte said Harinordoquy had been axed after a poor display last weekend. "Imanol has been dropped from the squad because the least I can say is that he didn't make a thundering comeback against Wales," said Laporte. "We know the Ireland game will be fast and rough and we also want to be able to replace both locks during the game if needed, and Gregory Lamboley can also come on at number seven or eight. "The Grand Slam is gone but we'll go to Ireland to win. "It will be a very exciting game because Ireland have three wins under their belt, have just defeated England and have their eyes set on a Grand Slam." France, who lost to Wales last week, must defeat the Irish to keep alive their hopes of retaining the Six Nations trophy. Ireland are unbeaten in this year's tournament and have their sights set on a first Grand Slam since 1948.
Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz), Pierre Mignoni (Clermont), Yann Delaigue (Castres), Frederic Michalak (Stade Toulousain), Damien Traille (Biarritz), Yannick Jauzion (Stade Toulousain), Ludovic Valbon (Biarritz), Christophe Dominici (Stade Francais), Cedric Heymans (Stade Toulousain), Julien Laharrague (Brive)
Sylvain Marconnet (Stade Francais), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Olivier Milloud (Bourgoin), Sebastien Bruno (Sale/ENG), William Servat (Stade Toulousain), Fabien Pelous (Stade Toulousain, capt), Jerome Thion (Biarritz), Pascal Papé (Bourgoin), Gregory Lamboley (Stade Toulousain), Serge Betsen (Biarritz), Julien Bonnaire (Bourgoin), Yannick Nyanga (Béziers)
| Harinordoquy was a second-half replacement in last Saturday's 24-18 defeat to Wales.Rougerie hurt his chest against Wales while Grandclaude was a second-half replacement against both England and Wales.Number eight Imanol Harinordoquy has been dropped from France's squad for the Six Nations match with Ireland in Dublin on 12 March."It will be a very exciting game because Ireland have three wins under their belt, have just defeated England and have their eyes set on a Grand Slam.""The Grand Slam is gone but we'll go to Ireland to win."Imanol has been dropped from the squad because the least I can say is that he didn't make a thundering comeback against Wales," said Laporte. |
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