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Blair backs 'pre-election budget' Tony Blair has backed Chancellor Gordon Brown's pre-Budget report amid opposition claims he was too bullish about the state of the UK economy. In a speech in Edinburgh, the prime minister said Thursday's report reinforced stability and opportunity. And that would be central to Labour's next election campaign, planning for which was already well advanced. Mr Brown earlier denied his economic forecasts were too optimistic - but refused to rule out future tax rises. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "No politician should make the mistake that John Major and his colleagues made in 1992 of saying no matter what the circumstances are, they can make all sorts of guarantees on every individual thing. "That is not what politicians should do, it would not be responsible to do." Mr Brown insisted his spending plans were "affordable" and he could afford to be optimistic because Britain was now a stable, low-inflation economy and house prices were now stabilising. Mr Blair praised his chancellor for his role in creating economic stability, which he said was the "cornerstone" of Labour's programme. In a speech at Edinburgh's Napier University, he said Labour would publish over the next few months "a rich agenda for future policy in any possible third term". "In every area of work there is a detailed plan for the future, much clearer than those in 1997 or 2001. All of it fits together around common themes of opportunity, security and stability for all," Mr Blair said. In his pre-Budget report, Mr Brown surprised some City experts by forecasting UK growth at between 3% and 3.5% for next year. Many believe the figure is more likely to be under 3% - and fear tax rises or spending cuts, saying tax receipts have been overestimated. Carl Emmerson, from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, told BBC News: "He thinks everything will come out in the wash and it will, in fact, be OK. We're not so sure." David Page, of Investec Securities, said: "His forecast that he will meet the golden rule with a margin of £8bn is way too optimistic. "It's going to take a significant turnaround in the economy to meet these targets." Conservative Shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin said: "I can't find a single economic forecaster from the IMF to the Institute of Fiscal Studies who believes anything other than the chancellor has got a black hole in his finances. "In order to deal with that he will have to raise taxes after the next general election." Mr Letwin accused the chancellor of using "fancy statistics" to hide public service failures. Vincent Cable, for the Liberal Democrats, called on Mr Brown to open up the government's books to the National Audit Office, to see if he had met his "golden rule". "It is very clear that there are some serious loose ends in government public spending," Mr Cable told MPs.

BBC to pour £9m into new comedy The BBC is to invest £9m in developing new comedy and entertainment programmes outside London. The changes come as part of a shake-up of several departments to create shows that appeal to a wider range of people. Changes are also being made to teams in the factual and daytime departments outside London. Director of television Jana Bennett said the changes were about "getting the best ideas on screen as efficiently and effectively as we can". "The new structure in each genre is designed to ensure that happens," she said. A number of new roles are being created in each department, including a head of comedy commissioning based in Glasgow. The new person will be in charge of the £9m budget and their role will be to develop shows outside the capital, both within the BBC and with independent production companies. Jane Lush, controller of entertainment commissioning, said, "Entertainment and comedy are incredibly important to our audiences; I'm confident these changes will help us get the very best programmes on screen." Similar positions will also be created in the other departments, with the new commissioning editor for documentaries based in Bristol and the daytime commissioning editor in Birmingham. Ms Bennett said the new roles would benefit those making programmes within the BBC as well as those making shows for the channel independently. "A strong independent sector and a flourishing in-house production base are not mutually exclusive and will stimulate the competition that will deliver the best ideas to the audience," she said.

Microsoft seeking spyware trojan Microsoft is investigating a trojan program that attempts to switch off the firm's anti-spyware software. The spyware tool was only released by Microsoft in the last few weeks and has been downloaded by six million people. Stephen Toulouse, a security manager at Microsoft, said the malicious program was called Bankash-A Trojan and was being sent as an e-mail attachment. Microsoft said it did not believe the program was widespread and recommended users to use an anti-virus program. The program attempts to disable or delete Microsoft's anti-spyware tool and suppress warning messages given to users. It may also try to steal online banking passwords or other personal information by tracking users' keystrokes. Microsoft said in a statement it is investigating what it called a criminal attack on its software. Earlier this week, Microsoft said it would buy anti-virus software maker Sybari Software to improve its security in its Windows and e-mail software. Microsoft has said it plans to offer its own paid-for anti-virus software but it has not yet set a date for its release. The anti-spyware program being targeted is currently only in beta form and aims to help users find and remove spyware - programs which monitor internet use, causes advert pop-ups and slow a PC's performance.

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)

Cannabis hopes for drug firm A prescription cannabis drug made by UK biotech firm GW Pharmaceuticals is set to be approved in Canada. The drug is used to treat the central nervous system and alleviate the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS). A few weeks ago, shares in GW Pharma lost a third of their value after UK regulators said they wanted more evidence about the drug's benefits. But now Canadian authorities have said the Sativex drug will be considered for approval. Approximately 50,000 people in Canada have been diagnosed with MS and 85,000 people are suffering from the condition in the UK. Many patients already smoke cannabis to relieve their symptoms. Now, GW Pharma's Sativex mouth spray could be legally available to MS sufferers in Canada within the next few months. This will be the first time a cannabis-based drug has been approved anywhere in the world, representing a landmark for GW Pharma and for patients with MS. Final approval in Canada should now be little more than a formality, analysts said, and the company expects full approval for Sativex early in 2005. "We are delighted to receive this qualifying notice from Health Canada and look forward to receiving regulatory approval for Sativex in Canada in the early part of 2005," said GW Pharma executive chairman Dr Geoffrey Guy. The UK government granted GW Pharma a licence to grow the cannabis plant for medical research purposes. Satifex consists of a cannabis extract containing tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, a cocktail that has also proved effective in treating patients with arthritis. Thousands of plants are grown at a secret location somewhere in the English countryside. Despite hopes of regulatory approval last year, a series of delays has put back Sativex's launch in the UK. The latest news sent shares in GW Pharma up 8.5p, or 8.1%, to 113.5p.

Surprise win for anti-Bush film Michael Moore's anti-Bush documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 has won best film at the US People's Choice Awards, voted for by the US public. Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ won best drama, despite both films being snubbed so far at US film awards in the run-up to February's Oscars. Julia Roberts won her 10th consecutive crown as favourite female movie star. Johnny Depp was favourite male movie star and Renee Zellweger was favourite leading lady at Sunday's awards in LA. Film sequel Shrek 2 took three prizes - voted top animated movie, top film comedy and top sequel. In television categories, Desperate Housewives was named top new drama and Joey, starring former Friends actor Matt LeBlanc, was best new comedy. Long-running shows Will and Grace and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation were named best TV comedy and TV drama respectively. Nominees for the People's Choice Awards were picked by a 6,000-strong Entertainment Weekly magazine panel, and winners were subsequently chosen by 21 million online voters. Fahrenheit 9/11 director Michael Moore dedicated his trophy to soldiers in Iraq. His film was highly critical of President George W Bush and the US-led invasion of Iraq, and Moore was an outspoken Bush critic in the 2004 presidential campaign inwhich Democratic challenger John Kerry lost. "This country is still all of ours, not right or left or Democrat or Republican," Moore told the audience at the ceremony in Pasadena, California. Moore said it was "an historic occasion" that the 31-year-old awards ceremony would name a documentary its best film. Unlike many other film-makers, Passion of the Christ director Mel Gibson has vowed not to campaign for an Oscar for his movie. "To me, really, this is the ultimate goal because one doesn't make work for the elite," Gibson said backstage at the event. "To me, the people have spoken."

Cheaper chip for mobiles A mobile phone chip which combines a modem and a computer processor on one bit of silicon instead of two could make phones cheaper and more powerful. The specially-designed chip, developed by Texas Instruments, could drive down the cost of making mobiles capable of 3D gaming and 30-frame-a-second video. Currently, rich multimedia features tend to be on more expensive handsets. The technology, OMAP-Vox, is being tested by firms in Europe and Asia and could appear by the end of the year. Texas, which makes computer chips for more than half the world's mobile phones, said it was keen to make multimedia functions like video and gaming more affordable. "We're going to drive them down into meat-and-potatoes phones that have the largest market share," said Doug Rasor, a marketing vice president at Texas. The chip also uses much less power than conventional chips, said Texas, which means less strain on mobile battery life. More than 50 million people own a mobile in the UK, but mobile operators are keen to encourage people to move onto more sophisticated handsets that can do more. Texas is keen to cash in on the third generation (3G) of mobile technology, which offers high-speed networks for video streaming and other multimedia functions. But it faces stiff competition from the likes of Intel which is also looking to provide better chips for high-end mobiles. Competition to get people using 3G mobiles will grow in the next year as almost all of the UK's operators have now launched third generation networks. A recent survey by Sony Ericsson predicted that the number of 3G handsets sold in 2005 would double from 2004 to account for 10% of all phones sold. Many consumers are still to be convinced though. A further recent survey said that only 4% of mobile owners were thinking of upgrading to 3G phones. Many said they were confused about the different ways to pay for phones and the vast array of features most have onboard. But there will be continued demand for better chips as the industry continues to develop new standards and future networks. Earlier in January, NTT DoCoMo and Vodafone joined forces to develop the next generation of high-speed networks, known as "super 3G", intended to be 10 times faster than 3G services. The first stage of development is to be completed by 2007, but no date has been set for a commercial launch The newly-designed OMAP-Vox chip set was announced ahead of the start of a major mobile industry conference, 3GSM, which takes place in Cannes, France this week.

Fiat chief takes steering wheel The chief executive of the Fiat conglomerate has taken day-to-day control of its struggling car business in an effort to turn it around. Sergio Marchionne has replaced Herbert Demel as chief executive of Fiat Auto, with Mr Demel leaving the company. Mr Marchionne becomes the fourth head of the business - which is expected to make a 800m euro ($1bn) loss in 2004 - in as many years. Fiat underperformed the market in Europe last year, seeing flat sales. The car business has made an operating loss in five of the last six years and was forced to push back its break-even target from 2005 to 2006. The management changes are part of a wider shake-up of the business following Fiat's resolution of its dispute with General Motors. As part of a major restructuring, Fiat is to integrate the Maserati car company - currently owned by Ferrari - within its own operations. Ferrari, in which Fiat owns a majority stake, could be separately floated on the stock market in either 2006 or 2007. Mr Marchionne, who only joined the company last year, said Fiat Auto was now the "principal focus" of his attention. "I have made the decision to take on the post of chief executive of the auto unit to speed up the company's recovery," he said. "A profound cultural transformation is underway following a management reorganisation that has delivered a more agile and efficient structure," he added. Although Mr Marchionne does not have a background in the car industry, he has been playing an increasing role in the group's activities. Last year, he said that a series of new models, launched as part of the group's recovery plan, had not boosted revenues as much as hoped. The car business, best known for its Alfa Romeo marque, is expected to make a loss of about 800m euros in 2004. Sales are expected to fall in 2005, Fiat said this week, as it exits unprofitable areas such as the rental car market. Mr Demel, a car industry veteran, took the helm in November 2003 after being recruited by former Fiat chief executive Giuseppe Morchio. Mr Morchio made a bid last year to become chairman after the death of president Umberto Agnelli. However, this was rejected by the founding Agnelli family and Mr Morchio subsequently resigned. Earlier this week, Fiat reached an agreement with GM to dissolve an alliance which could have obliged GM to buy the Italian firm outright. GM will pay Fiat $2bn as part of the settlement.

Controversial film tops festival A controversial film starring Hollywood actor Kevin Bacon as a convicted paedophile won top honours at the London Film Festival on Thursday. The Woodsman won the Satyajit Ray Award, named after the Indian director. The low-budget film, directed by Nicole Kassell, is about a convicted child molester trying to rebuild his life after 12 years in jail. Judges said the film tackled the contentious subject with "great insight and sensitivity". Previous films to take the prize include the Oscar-winning Boys Don't Cry, which was about the true life story of murdered transsexual Brandon Teena. British writer-director Amma Asante won the UK Film Talent Award this year for her debut feature A Way Of Life. Set in South Wales, the film is about a teenage single mother who becomes embroiled in a tense stand-off with a Turkish neighbour. Also on Thursday night, the Fipresci International Critics Awards went to Aaltra, a Belgian film about the handicapped; and the Sutherland Trophy, which was won by Jonathan Caouette for his film Tarnation. The festival closed with a screening of the film I Heart Huckabees, starring Jude Law and Dustin Hoffman and directed by Three Kings film-maker David O Russell. The festival this year also included the first European screening of the new Pixar animation The Incredibles, and the British film Bullet Boy, starring So Solid Crew rapper Asher D.

Europe asks Asia for euro help European leaders say Asian states must let their currencies rise against the US dollar to ease pressure on the euro. The European single currency has shot up to successive all-time highs against the dollar over the past few months. Tacit approval from the White House for the weaker greenback, which could help counteract huge deficits, has helped trigger the move. But now Europe says the euro has had enough, and Asia must now share some of the burden. China is seen as the main culprit, with exports soaring up 35% in 2004 partly on the back of a currency pegged to the dollar. "Asia should engage in greater currency flexibility," said French finance minister Herve Gaymard, after a meeting with his German counterpart Hans Eichel. Markets responded by pushing the euro lower, in the expectation that the rhetoric - and the pressure - is unlikely to ease ahead of a meeting of the G7 industrialised countries next week. Early on Tuesday morning, the dollar had edged higher to 1.3040 euros. The yen, meanwhile, had strengthened to 102.975 against the dollar by 0730 GMT.

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.

When technology gets personal In 2020, whipping out your mobile phone to make a call will be quaintly passé. By then phones will be printed directly on to wrists, or other parts of the body, says Ian Pearson, BT's resident futurologist. It's all part of what's known as a "pervasive ambient world", where "chips are everywhere". Mr Pearson does not have a crystal ball. His job is to formulate ideas based on what science and technology are doing now, to guide industries into the future. Inanimate objects will start to interact with us: we will be surrounded - on streets, in homes, in appliances, on our bodies and possibly in our heads - by things that "think". Forget local area networks - these will be body area networks. Ideas about just how smart, small, or even invisible, technology will get are always floating around. Images of devices clumsily bolted on to heads or wrists have pervaded thinking about future technology. But now a new vision is surfacing, where smart fabrics and textiles will be exploited to enhance functionality, form, or aesthetics. Such materials are already starting to change how gadgets and electronics are used and designed. So MP3 players - the mass gadget of the moment - will disappear and instead become integrated into one's clothing, says Mr Pearson. "So the gadgets that fill up your handbag, when we integrate those into fabric, we can actually get rid of all that stuff. You won't necessarily see the electronics." Wearable technology could exploit body heat to charge it up, while "video tattoos", or intelligent electronic contact lenses, might function as TV screens for those on the move. However, this future of highly personal devices, where technology is worn, or even fuses with the body itself, raises ethical questions. If technology is going to be increasingly part of clothing, jewellery, and skin, there needs to be some serious thinking about what it means for us as humans, says Baroness Susan Greenfield. At a recent conference for technology, engineering, academic and fashion industry experts, at the Royal Society in London, neuroscientist Baroness Greenfield cautioned we "can't just sleepwalk into the future". Yet this technology is already upon us. Researchers have developed computers and sensors worn in clothing. MP3 jackets, based on the idea that electrically conductive fabric can connect to keyboard sewn into sleeves, have already appeared in shops. These "smart fabrics" have come about through advances in nano- and micro-engineering - the ability to manipulate and exploit materials at micro or molecular scale. At the nanoscale, materials can be "tuned" to display unusual properties that can be exploited to build faster, lighter, stronger and more efficient devices and systems. The textile and clothing industry has been one of the first to exploit nanotechnology in quite straightforward ways. Many developments are appearing in real products in the fields of medicine, defence, healthcare, sports, and communications. Professional swimming suits reduce drag by incorporating tiny structures similar to shark skin. Nanoscale titanium dioxide (TiO2) coatings give fabrics antibacterial and anti-odour properties. These have special properties which can be activated in contact with the air or UV light. Such coatings have already been used to stop socks smelling for instance, to turn airline seats into super stain-resistant surfaces, and applied to windows so they clean themselves. Dressings for wounds can now incorporate nanoparticles with biocidal properties and smart patches are being developed to deliver drugs through the skin. But Baroness Greenfield is concerned about how far this more personal contact with technology might affect our very being. If our clothing, skin, and "personal body networks" do the talking and the monitoring, everywhere we go, we have to think about what that means for our concept of privacy. Mr Pearson picks up the theme, pointing out there are a lot of issues humans have to iron out before we become "cyborgian". His main concern is "privacy". "We are looking at electronics which are really in deep contact with your body and a lot of that information you really don't want every passer-by to know. "So we have to make sure we build security in this. If you are wearing smart make-up, where electronics are controlling the appearance, you don't want people hacking in and writing messages on your forehead." As technology infiltrates our biology, how will our brains function differently? "We cannot arrogantly assume that the human brain will not change with this," warns Baroness Greenfield. There have already been successful experiments to grow human nerve cells on circuit boards. This paves the way for brain implants to help paralysed people interface directly with computers. Clearly, the organic, carbon of our bodies and silicon is increasingly merging. The cyborg - a very familiar part-human, part-inorganic science fiction and academic idea - is on its way.

Brown ally rejects Budget spree Chancellor Gordon Brown's closest ally has denied suggestions there will be a Budget giveaway on 16 March. Ed Balls, ex-chief economic adviser to the Treasury, said there would be no spending spree before polling day. But Mr Balls, a prospective Labour MP, said he was confident the chancellor would meet his fiscal rules. He was speaking as Sir Digby Jones, CBI director general, warned Mr Brown not to be tempted to use any extra cash on pre-election bribes. Mr Balls, who stepped down from his Treasury post to stand as a Labour candidate in the election, had suggested that Mr Brown would meet his golden economic rule - "with a margin to spare". He said he hoped more would be done to build on current tax credit rules. He also stressed rise in interest rates ahead of an expected May election would not affect the Labour Party's chances of winning. Expectations of a rate rise have gathered pace after figures showed house prices are still rising. Consumer borrowing rose at a near-record pace in January. "If the MPC (the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee) were to judge that a rate rise was justified before the election because of the strength of the economy - and I'm not predicting that they will - I do not believe that this will be a big election issue in Britain for Labour," he told a Parliamentary lunch. "This is a big change in our political culture." During an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Balls said he was sure Mr Brown's Budget would not put at risk the stability of the economy. "I don't think we'll see a pre-election spending spree - we certainly did not see that before 2001," he said. His assurances came after Sir Digby Jones said stability was all important and any extra cash should be spent on improving workers' skills. His message to the chancellor was: "Please don't give it away in any form of electioneering." Sir Digby added: "I don't think he will. I have to say he has been a prudent chancellor right the way through. Stability is the key word - British business needs boring stability more than anything. "We would say to him 'don't increase your public spending, don't give it away. But if you are going to anywhere, just add something to the competitiveness of Britain, put it into skilling our people'. "That would be a good way to spend any excess." Mr Balls refused to say whether Mr Brown would remain as chancellor after the election, amid speculation he will be offered the job of Foreign Secretary. "I think that Gordon Brown wants to be part of the successful Labour government which delivers in the third term for the priorities of the people and sees off a Conservative Party that will take Britain backwards," Mr Balls told Today. Prime Minister Tony Blair has yet to name the date of the election, but most pundits are betting on 5 May.

Wenger keeping faith with Almunia Arsene Wenger has pledged to keep faith with stand-in keeper Manuel Almunia for the crunch week which could define Arsenal's season. Almunia will start Tuesday's Champions League group tie against Rosenborg and is likely to face Chelsea on Sunday. Wenger said: "You don't think I would take out one goalkeeper for just one game, do you? I don't do that. "I have to give him a run for a few games. It's just that I don't want to make this story bigger than it is." Wenger insists he has complete faith in the 27-year-old Spaniard, who was signed last summer from Celta Vigo as back-up to Jens Lehmann. "If you look at my career, you will see that I have left many big players out for a long time. I've done it with Dennis Bergkamp, Kanu, everybody. "It's because it's a goalkeeper, that's all. It's a usual situation for me. You put your best team out, no matter who it is. "For me, it was not a big mistake at Old Trafford and I wasn't alarmed by what happened against Birmingham either. "It's nothing against Lehmann. I think he's a great keeper, as is Almunia. You can only play one of them. "These people are not robots - they have good periods and less good periods. Just because Lehmann doesn't play for two or three weeks, or longer or shorter, it doesn't mean I've lost faith in him." But former Arsenal keeper David Seaman believes Lehmann has been harshly treated. Seaman told the Daily Mail: "Jens is a fantastic keeper. He deserves another chance. "He has made a few mistakes but on form he deserves to be the first-team choice." With Arsenal hit by injuries and suspension, inexperienced midfield pair of Mathieu Flamini and Cesc Fabregas will line up against Rosenborg but Wenger is confident they will prove more than capable. "It puts a lot of pressure on them but it's a good learning process," said Wenger. "I'm not worried as they are both mentally strong and will put in the needed workrate." The Gunners go into the game boosted by the news that defender Sol Campbell is on the verge of signing a new deal with the club. And the 30-year-old, whose current contract runs out in the summer, has made it clear he is determined to achieve Champions League success with Arsenal. Campbell said: "It means a lot to me to go through, it's everything. We want to carry on in this competition. "That's where the best teams in Europe are. To be in there, playing against these guys and trying to win the trophy, is the first thing in my mind." Meanwhile, Thierry Henry believes he will be blamed if Arsenal fail to qualify for the next stage of the Champions League. Henry will captain the side in place of the suspended Patrick Vieira as the Gunners seek the required victory over Rosenborg. And the striker said: "If we don't win and we go out of the competition, like it or not, it's going to be my fault. That's the way it is. "If the team don't win I know I will be criticised, no matter how I play."

Melzer shocks Agassi Second seed Andre Agassi suffered a comprehensive defeat by Jurgen Melzer in the quarter-finals of the SAP Open. Agassi was often bamboozled by the Austrian's drop shots in San Jose, losing 6-3 6-1. Defending champion and top seed Andy Roddick rallied to beat Sweden's Thomas Enqvist 3-6 7-6 (8-6) 7-5. But unseeded Cyril Saulnier beat the fourth seed Vincent Spadea 6-2 6-4 and Tommy Haas overcame eighth seed Max Mirnyi 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-2. Melzer has now beaten Agassi in two of their three meetings. "I had a good game plan and I executed it perfectly," he said. "It's always tough to come out to play Andre. "I didn't want him to play his game. He makes you run like a dog all over the court." And Agassi, who was more than matched for power by his opponent's two-handed backhand, said Melzer was an example of several players on the tour willing to take their chances against him. "A lot more guys are capable of it now," said the American. "He played much better than me. That's what he did both times. "I had opportunities to loosen myself up," Agassi added. "But I didn't convert on the big points."

SBC plans post-takeover job cuts US phone company SBC Communications said it expects to cut around 12,800 jobs following its $16bn (£8.5bn) takeover of former parent AT&T. SBC said 5,125 positions would go as a result of network efficiencies. Another 1,700 will go from its sales department, 3,400 from business operations and 2,600 across legal, advertising and public relations. SBC currently employs 163,000 people while AT&T employs 47,000. The takeover was announced on Monday. The deal will be financed with $15bn of shares as well as a $1bn special dividend paid to AT&T shareholders. It effectively marks the end of AT&T, which was founded in 1875 by telephone pioneer Alexander Graham Bell and is one of the US's best-known companies. SBC and AT&T said estimated cost savings of at least $2bn from 2008 were a main driver for the merger. AT&T is a long-distance telecoms firm, while SBC is mainly focused on the local market in the western US. Both also have data network businesses. The takeover is subject to approval by AT&T's shareholders and regulators. The companies said they expected to complete the agreement during the first half of 2006.

Online games play with politics After bubbling under for some time, online games broke through onto the political arena in 2004. The US presidential election provided a showcase for many, aimed at talking directly to a generation that has grown up with joysticks and gamepads. Experts say this reflects how video games are becoming a mainstream part of culture and society. The first official political campaign game was technically launched during the last week of 2003: the Iowa Game, commissioned by the Democrat hopeful Howard Dean. More than 20 followed suit, including Frontrunner, eLections, President Forever and The Political Machine, which allowed players to run an entire presidential campaign, including having to cope with the media. Others helped raise the stakes during the Bush/Kerry contest by highlighting a candidate's virtues or his vices. The phenomenon has astonished the forefathers of political games, a handful of multi-discipline games enthusiasts keen to push frontiers. "When I started researching political games at the university, about five years ago, I thought it was going to be something that would take decades to happen," said Gonzalo Frasca, computer games specialist at the Information Technology University of Copenhagen. "I must admit that I was the first person to be surprised at seeing how fast they have evolved," added the Uruguayan-born researcher, who has so far created games for two political campaigns. Many artists and designers are experimenting with this form of gaming with an agenda in projects such as newsgaming.com. The aim is to comment on international news events via games. The ability of games to simulate reality makes them a powerful modelling tool to interact with actual situations in an original way. "Video games generate strong reactions mainly because they are new, but also because our culture needs to learn how to deal with simulation," Mr Frasca told the BBC News website. This was the case with the one he created for a political party in Uruguay, Cambiemos, an online puzzle game that offered a view on how the country's problems could be solved by working together. "It's up to us to explore what we can learn from ourselves through play and video games." Ultimately, Dr Frasca sees games as a small laboratory where we can play with our hopes, fears and beliefs. "Children learn a lot about the world through play. There is no reason why we adults should stop doing it as we grow up." But experts estimate it will still take at least about a decade until this new breed of video gaming communication become a common tool for political campaigns. This is hardly surprising, compared to other forms of mass media like the worldwide web. Only a few years ago, most politicians did not have a webpage, while now it is almost a must-have. Dr Frasca said: "Political campaigns will continue to experiment with video games. They represent a new tool of communication that can reach a younger audience in a language that can clearly speak to them." "It will not replace other forms of political propaganda, but it will integrate itself on to the media ecology of political campaigns."

New 'yob' targets to be unveiled Fifty new areas getting special help to fight anti-social behaviour in England and Wales will be named on Thursday. Ten areas have already had access to special prosecutors and local experts and the government is now expanding the crackdown to more towns and cities. Details of how many anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) were used in the last year are also being published. Labour sees nuisance behaviour as a key election issue but critics claim the record is at best patchy. A year ago, ministers launched their anti-social behaviour plan and Thursday's figures offer a progress check. They will say that in the past year more than 2,600 anti-social behaviour orders were issued by the courts - more than double the total used in the previous four years. Police have also closed 150 crack houses and issued more than 400 dispersal orders, breaking up groups of youths in public places. The 50 new pilot areas to get special attention will also receive extra government funding. Exeter and Cardiff are among cities who have voiced interest in being involved. Prime Minister Tony Blair is also expected to announce new measures to strengthen the use of Asbos and fixed penalty notices. There are still concerns that some areas of the country are not using the powers properly. He is expected to say that the new figures were heartening but he would not rest until similar action was taken in all areas of the country where it was needed. "We have not defeated this problem by any means, but shown together what can be done," he will say. Mr Blair this week defended the shake-up of the licensing laws, saying it was right to focus on troublemakers rather than treating everybody as a potential drunken nuisance. Ministers also boast of record police numbers and are speeding up plans to put in place 25,000 community support officers (CSOs). But researchers from Leeds University warned that CSOs could undermine traditional bonds between police officers and communities. More work needed to be done on clarifying the role of different agencies and how they linked together before CSOs, they argued in a the study. Critics of the government say it has announced more than 20 initiatives to tackle nuisance behaviour when the real focus should be on good policing. Home Office Minister Hazel Blears also revealed this week that "about a third" of Asbos were breached - with some people jailed and others not.

Gadget market 'to grow in 2005' The explosion in consumer technology is to continue into 2005, delegates at the world's largest gadget show, in Las Vegas, have been told. The number of gadgets in the shops is predicted to grow by 11%, while devices which talk to each other will become increasingly important. "Everything is going digital," Kirsten Pfeifer from the Consumer Electronics Association, told the BBC News website. The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) featured the pick of 2005's products. "Consumers are controlling what they want and technologies like HDTVs [high-definition TVs], digital radio, and digital cameras will remain strong in 2005. "All the products on show really showed the breadth and depth of the industry." Despite showing diversity, some delegates attending complained that the showcase lacked as much "wow factor" as in previous years. The portable technologies on show also reflected one of the buzzwords of CES, which was the "time and place shifting" of multimedia content - being able to watch and listen to video and music anywhere, at any time. At the start of last year's CES, the CEA predicted there would be an average growth of 4% in 2004. That figure was surpassed with the rise in popularity of portable digital music players, personal video recorders and digital cameras. It was clear also that gadgets are becoming a lot more about lifestyle choice, with fashion and personalisation becoming increasingly key to the way gadgets are designed. Part of this has been the rise in spending power of the "generation X-ers" who have grown up with technology and who now have the spending power and desire for more devices that suit them. More than 57% of the consumer electronics market is made up of female buyers, according to CEA research. Hybrid devices, which combine a number of multimedia functions, were also in evidence on the show floor. "A lot of this is driven by just the ability to do it," said Stephen Baker, a consumer electronics analyst with retail research firm NPD Group. "Some of these functions cost next to nothing to add." As well as the show floor showcasing everything from tiny wearable MP3 players to giant high-definition TVs, several keynote speeches were made by industry leaders, such as Microsoft chief Bill Gates. Despite several embarrassing technical glitches during Mr Gate's pre-show speech, he announced several new partnerships - mainly for the US market. He unveiled new ways of letting people take TV shows recorded on personal video recorders and watch them back on portable devices. He disappointed some, however, by failing to announce any details of the next generation of the Xbox games console. Another disappointment was the lack of exposure Sony's new portable games device, the PSP, had at the show. Sony said the much-anticipated gadget would most likely start shipping in March for the US and Europe. It went on sale in Japan before Christmas. There were only two PSPs embedded in glass cabinets at the show though and no representatives to discuss further details. A Sony representative told the BBC News website this was because Sony did not consider it to be part of their "consumer technology" offering. Elsewhere at the show, there was a plethora of colour and plasma screens, including Samsung's 102-inch (2.6 metre) plasma - the largest in the world. Industry experts were also excited about high-definition technologies coming to the fore in 2005, with new formats for DVDs coming out which will hold six times as much data as conventional DVDs. With so many devices on the move there were a lot of products on show offering external storage, like Seagate's 5GB pocket sized external hard drive, which won an innovation for engineering and design prize. More than 120,000 trade professionals attended CES in Las Vegas, which officially ran from 6 to 9 January.

Viewers to be able to shape TV Imagine editing Titanic down to watch just your favourite bits or cutting out the slushier moments of Star Wars to leave you with a bare bones action-fest. Manipulating your favourite films to make a more personalised movie is just the beginning of an ambitious new 7.5m euro (£5.1m) project funded by the European Union. New Media for a New Millennium (NM2) will have as its endgame the development of a completely new media genre, which will allow audiences to create their own media worlds based on their specific interests or tastes. Viewers will be able to participate in storylines, manipulate plots and even the sets and props of TV shows. BT is one of 13 partners involved in the project. It will be contributing software that was originally designed to spot anomalies in CCTV pictures. The software uses content recognition algorithms. The three-year project will work on seven productions as it develops a set of software tools that will allow viewers to edit content to their needs. One of the productions will be a experimental television show where the plot will be driven by text messages from the TV audience. Participants will text selected words which will impact how the characters in the drama interact. It is being developed in Finland and will be shown to Finnish TV audiences. Another team will work on the BBC's big budget drama of Mervyn Peake's gothic fantasy Gormenghast. It will be re-engineered to allow people to choose a variety of edited versions. "The BBC is allowing us access to the material so that we can prove the technology and the principles," explained Dr Doug Williams of BT, who will be NM2's technical project manager. "The TV at the moment is a relatively dumb box which receives signals. This project is about teaching the machine to look at content like Lego blocks that can be reassembled to make perfect sense," he said. "At the moment we have interactive gaming and a limited form of interactive TV which usually means allowing audiences to vote on shows. We are hoping to occupy the space in-between," he added. NM2's co-ordinator Peter Stollenmayer explained that the new genre would radically alter the role of the audience. "Viewers will be able to interact directly with the medium and influence what they see and hear according to their personal tastes and wishes," he said. "Media users will no longer be passive viewers but become active engagers." It will also be important that the tools are sophisticated enough to obey the complex rules of cinematography and editing said John Wyver, from TV producer Illuminations Television Limited, which is also involved in the project. "It's not just a matter of stringing together the romantic or action portions of a production," said Mr Wyver. "The tool has to know which bits fit together both visually, by observing the time-honoured rules that go in editing, and in terms of the story." "Only then will the personalised version both make sense and be aesthetically pleasing," he added. Mr Wyver is planning a production entitled The Golden Age, about Renaissance art. It will allow viewers to create a so-called media world based on their own specific areas of interest such as poetry, music and architecture. Other productions that the NM2 team will make range from news, documentaries to a romantic comedy drama.

Running around the Olympics It was back to official duties last week in my role as an ambassador to London's 2012 Olympic bid. But I still managed to do all my marathon training. All the sporting people on the capital's bid team think I'm mad to be taking part in the London Marathon. The bid chairman, Lord Coe, admitted he would never dream of running a marathon, even though he was an Olympic middle-distance runner. Kelly Holmes, former hurdler Alan Pascoe and former sprinter Frankie Fredericks - who is now an IOC member - all wanted to know why anyone would want to run that far. You'd have thought all these athletes, who have been running for most of their lives, wouldn't think it would be that bad. But the only person who was positive about my intentions was Tanni Grey Thompson, who has won the London Marathon wheelchair race six times. Even though it was a very busy week entertaining the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Evaluation Commission, I actually found my running schedule easier to follow. When I'm at home, I get distracted by all sorts of things but for the five days I was in London, I was in a pressurised situation, but I found it easy to relax by running. On Wednesday, the presentations to the IOC team did not finish until the early evening, so I just managed to squeeze in a 45-minute run. We had an early start on Thursday because we had to visit all the Olympic sites around London, that was pretty shattering, but when we got back to the hotel, I got back on the treadmill. On Friday evening I went along to the special dinner at Buckingham Palace which was a nice occasion. I never feel guilty about eating, especially when I'm exercising. And because it was a rest day I didn't have to feel bad about missing my training either. Anyway, I managed to do another quick run on Saturday ahead of the final IOC presentations, before heading home for my daughter's birthday. When I was in London I did all of my runs on the treadmill, which isn't the same as exercising outdoors. One of the IOC's technical staff from Australia ran alongside me one day. We talked about the Sydney Olympics and that made the time go past more quickly. I do find it quite comfortable running in the gym because there is more cushioning. But when you're gearing up to running on the road you need your body to get used to that jarring feeling when your feet hit the pavement. It was good to get out on the road for my long run on Sunday. After the week I'd had I was a bit concerned I wouldn't be able to complete it. But I coped with it very well and, even though it was bitterly cold, I put in 15-and-a-half miles - only another 11 to go then. - This year Steve will donate all the proceeds from his London Marathon efforts to victims of the tsunami.Steve will be writing a regular column on the ups and downs of his marathon training for the BBC Sport website.He will be raising money through the Steve Redgrave Trust which supports the Association of Children's Hospices, the Children With Leukaemia charity, and the Trust's own project which aims to provide inner-city schools with rowing equipment.

Dollar gains on Greenspan speech The dollar has hit its highest level against the euro in almost three months after the Federal Reserve head said the US trade deficit is set to stabilise. And Alan Greenspan highlighted the US government's willingness to curb spending and rising household savings as factors which may help to reduce it. In late trading in New York, the dollar reached $1.2871 against the euro, from $1.2974 on Thursday. Market concerns about the deficit has hit the greenback in recent months. On Friday, Federal Reserve chairman Mr Greenspan's speech in London ahead of the meeting of G7 finance ministers sent the dollar higher after it had earlier tumbled on the back of worse-than-expected US jobs data. "I think the chairman's taking a much more sanguine view on the current account deficit than he's taken for some time," said Robert Sinche, head of currency strategy at Bank of America in New York. "He's taking a longer-term view, laying out a set of conditions under which the current account deficit can improve this year and next." Worries about the deficit concerns about China do, however, remain. China's currency remains pegged to the dollar and the US currency's sharp falls in recent months have therefore made Chinese export prices highly competitive. But calls for a shift in Beijing's policy have fallen on deaf ears, despite recent comments in a major Chinese newspaper that the "time is ripe" for a loosening of the peg. The G7 meeting is thought unlikely to produce any meaningful movement in Chinese policy. In the meantime, the US Federal Reserve's decision on 2 February to boost interest rates by a quarter of a point - the sixth such move in as many months - has opened up a differential with European rates. The half-point window, some believe, could be enough to keep US assets looking more attractive, and could help prop up the dollar. The recent falls have partly been the result of big budget deficits, as well as the US's yawning current account gap, both of which need to be funded by the buying of US bonds and assets by foreign firms and governments. The White House will announce its budget on Monday, and many commentators believe the deficit will remain at close to half a trillion dollars.

Blunkett tells of love and pain David Blunkett has spoken of his love for married publisher Kimberly Quinn for the first time. The home secretary described how it affected his friends and personal life, but said he was a great believer in personal responsibility. Mr Blunkett is taking legal action to gain access to Mrs Quinn's two-year-old son. She denies he is Mr Blunkett's. The interview with BBC Radio Sheffield was made before allegations he fast-tracked a visa for Mrs Quinn's nanny. The allegations, which he has denied, are being investigated by Sir Alan Budd. Mr Blunkett talked about how he fell in love - but that she resisted his desire to go public. In an apparent reference to his court action to gain access to her son, he says he was a great believer in responsibility and consequences, even when they were painful. Mr Blunkett told BBC Radio Sheffield: "I fell in love with someone and they wouldn't go public and things started to go very badly wrong in the summer, and then the News of the World picked up the story. "I tried for three years to make something work. "I haven't spoken about it and I don't intend to. Even in the biography that's being written about me I've ensured that there's as little as possible." BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said the timing of the broadcast was unlikely to help his efforts to show that he is concentrating on getting on with the job of home secretary. Shadow home secretary David Davis says Mr Blunkett should quit if he is found to have influenced the visa process even indirectly. Reports have claimed Mr Blunkett chaired a meeting to discuss delays in the visa system after he learned of nanny Leoncia Casalme's wait. The Home Office has said it would be up to Sir Alan's inquiry to decide if any such meeting was relevant. Home Office minister Fiona Mactaggart said she hoped Mr Blunkett would survive in his job. "I work with him every day and I have always been surprised by how focused he is on the job in hand, on working to deal with things," she said. She told BBC One's Breakfast with Frost programme: "He is just really down for the job and I hope he does (survive)."

Israeli economy picking up pace Israel's economy is forecast to grow by 4.2% in 2004 as it continues to emerge from a three-year recession. The main driver of the faster-than-expected expansion has been exports, with tourism seeing a strong rebound, the statistical office said. The economy is benefiting from a quieter period in Palestinian-Israeli violence and a pick-up in global demand for technology products. The outlook is better than it has been for a number of years, analysts said. Many companies have focused on cost cutting and greater efficiency, while the government has been trying to trim public spending and push through reforms. The growth figures come about despite a strike earlier this year by about 400,000 public sector worker which closed banks, hospitals, postal services and transport facilities. Growth did slow in the second half, but only slightly. Exports for the year rose by 14%, while tourist revenues were up by 30%. Imports gained by 13%, signalling that domestic demand has picked up again. In 2003, imports declined by 1.8%. In 2003, the economy expanded by 1.3%

Unilever shake up as profit slips Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant Unilever is to merge its two management boards after reporting "unsatisfactory" earnings for 2004. It blamed the poor results on sluggish decision making, a rise in discounted retailers and a wet European summer. The company also cited difficult trading conditions and a lack of demand for goods such as its Slimfast range. Unilever, which owns brands including Dove soap, said annual pre-tax profit fell 36% to 2.9bn euros (£1.99bn). Shares fell 1% to 510.75 pence in London, and dropped by 1.2% to 50.50 euros in Amsterdam. Under the restructuring plans, Patrick Cescau, the UK-based co-chairman, will become group chief executive. Dutch co-chairman Antony Burgmans will take on the role of non-executive chairman. "We have recognised the need for greater clarity of leadership and we are moving to a simpler leadership structure that will provide a sharper operational focus," Mr Burgmans said. "We are leaving behind one of the key features of Unilever's governance but this is a natural development following the changes introduced last year." The company, which has had dual headquarters in Rotterdam and London since 1930, will announce the location of its head office at a later date. Unilever is not alone in trying to simplify its business. Oil giant Shell last year dismantled its dual-ownership structure, after a series of problems relating to the size of its oil reserves that hammered its share price and led to the resignation of key board members. "The best part of the news this morning was that the company announced a structure simplification," said Arjan Sweere, an analyst at Petercam. The company said the organizational changes would speed decision making, and it also may make further changes. The company said its main focus will be on improving profits, and it is planning to accelerate and increase investment in its 400 main brands. "While it is certainly the case that markets have been tougher in the past eighteen months than we had expected, we have also lost some market share," said Mr Cescau. "We let a range of targets limit our ability flexibility and did not adjust our plans quickly enough to a more difficult business environment." "Our objective is to reverse the share loss that we experienced in some markets in 2004 and return to growth." Unilever said European sales fell 2.8% last year, dragged down by below part sales at its beverage division, where revenues dipped by almost 4%. Sales of ice cream and frozen food dipped by 3.4% In the US last year, revenue grew by 1.5% "despite disappointing sales in Slimfast", the company said. In Asia, leading products came under "attack" from rivals such as Procter & Gamble. Unilever took a 1.5bn euro one-time charge in the fourth quarter, including a 650m euro write-down on Slimfast diet foods. Sales of Slimfast products have been hit in recent years by the popularity of the Atkins diet. But looking ahead, Unilever said it was optimistic about prospects for its slimming products saying that demand is on the wane for rival low-carbohydrate diets. The company also said it planned to spend 500m euros this year buying back shares.

Carry On star Patsy Rowlands dies Actress Patsy Rowlands, known to millions for her roles in the Carry On films, has died at the age of 71. Rowlands starred in nine of the popular Carry On films, alongside fellow regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams and Barbara Windsor. She also carved out a successful television career, appearing for many years in ITV's well-loved comedy Bless This House. Rowlands died in Hove on Saturday morning, her agent said. Born in January 1934, Rowlands won a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Speech and Drama scholarship when she was just 15. After spending several years at the Players Theatre in London, she made her film debut in 1963 in Tom Jones, directed by Tony Richardson. She made her first Carry On film in 1969 where she appeared in Carry On Again Doctor. Rowlands played the hard-done-by wife or the put-upon employee as a regular Carry On star. She also appeared in Carry On at your Convenience, Carry On Matron and Carry On Loving, as well as others. In recent years she appeared in BBC mini-series The Cazalets and played Mrs Potts in the London stage version of Beauty and the Beast. Agent Simon Beresford said: "She was just an absolutely favourite client She never complained about anything, particularly when she was ill, she was an old trouper. "She was of the old school - she had skills from musical theatre and high drama, that is why she worked with the great and the good of directors. "She didn't mind always being recognised for the Carry On films because she thoroughly enjoyed making them. She was a really lovely person and she will be much missed." Her last appearance on stage was as Mrs Pearce in the award-winning production of My Fair Lady at the National Theatre. Previously married, she leaves one son, Alan. Her funeral will be a private, family occasion, with a memorial service at a later date.

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."

Split-caps pay £194m compensation Investors who lost money following the split-capital investment trust scandal are to receive £194m compensation, the UK's financial watchdog has announced. Eighteen investment firms involved in the sale of the investments agreed the compensation package with the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Splits were marketed as a low-risk way to benefit from rising share prices. But when the stock market collapsed in 2000, the products left thousands of investors out of pocket. An estimated 50,000 people took out split-capital funds, some investing their life savings in the schemes. The paying of compensation will be overseen by an independent company, the FSA said. Further details of how investors will be able to claim their share of the compensation package will be announced in the new year. "This should save investors from having to take their case to the Financial Ombudsman Service, something, no doubt, that will be very welcome," Rob McIvor, FSA spokesman, told BBC News. Agreeing to pay compensation did not mean that the eighteen firms involved were admitting any guilt, the FSA added. Any investor accepting the compensation will have to waive the right to take their case to the Financial Ombudsman Service. The FSA has been investigating whether investors were misled about the risks posed by split-capital investment trusts. The FSA's 60 strong investigation team looked into whether fund managers colluded in a so-called "magic circle", in the hope of propping up one another's share prices. Firms involved were presented with 780 files of evidence detailing 27,000 taped conversations and over 70 interviews. In May, the FSA was widely reported as having asked firms to pay up to £350m in compensation. Mr McIvor told the BBC that the final settlement figure was smaller because two unnamed firms had pulled out of the compensation negotiations. Investors in these two firms may now have to take any compensation claim to the Financial Ombudsman Service or the courts.

Air Jamaica back in state control The Jamaican government is regaining control of Air Jamaica in an bid to help the ailing company out of its financial difficulties. The firm has failed to make money since the state sold a majority stake to hotel tycoon Gordon Stewart in 1994. In common with many carriers, Air Jamaica, with debts of $560m (£291m), has been hit by high fuel costs and the impact of the 11 September attacks. The company will be restructured with the aim of finding a new buyer. "The administration is committed to a viable national airline that will serve as a major catalyst for our economy," said Finance Minister Omar Davies. The 35-year-old airline transports about 55% of all passengers to the island and its pilots are reportedly among the best paid in the industry, with senior members of staff earning in excess of $234,000 a year.

Musicians 'upbeat' about the net Musicians are embracing the internet as a way of reaching new fans and selling more music, a survey has found. The study by US researchers, Pew Internet, suggests musicians do not agree with the tactics adopted by the music industry against file-sharing. While most considered file-sharing as illegal, many disagreed with the lawsuits launched against downloaders. "Even successful artists don't think the lawsuits will benefit musicians," said report author Mary Madden. For part of the study, Pew Internet conducted an online survey of 2,755 musicians, songwriters and music publishers via musician membership organisations between March and April 2004. They ranged from full-time, successful musicians to artists struggling to make a living from their music. "We looked at more of the independent musicians, rather than the rockstars of this industry but that reflects more accurately the state of the music industry," Ms Madden told the BBC News website. "We always hear the views of successful artists like the Britneys of the world but the less successful artists rarely get represented." The survey found that musicians were overwhelming positive about the internet, rather than seeing it as just a threat to their livelihood. Almost all of them used the net for ideas and inspiration, with nine out of 10 going online to promote, advertise and post their music on the web. More than 80% offered free samples online, while two-thirds sold their music via the net. Independent musicians, in particular, saw the internet as a way to get around the need to land a record contract and reach fans directly. "Musicians are embracing the internet enthusiastically," said Ms Madden. "They are using the internet to gain inspiration, sell it online, tracking royalties, learning about copyright." Perhaps surprisingly, opinions about online file-sharing were diverse and not as clear cut as those of the record industry. Through the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), it has pursued an aggressive campaign through the courts to sue people suspected of sharing copyrighted music. But the report suggests this campaign does not have the wholehearted backing of musicians in the US. It found that most artists saw file-sharing as both good and bad, though most agreed that it should be illegal. "Free downloading has killed opportunities for new bands to break without major funding and backing," said one musician quoted by the report. "It's hard to keep making records if they don't pay for themselves through sales." However 60% said they did not think the lawsuits against song swappers would benefit musicians and songwriters. Many suggested that rather than fighting file-sharing, the music industry needed to recognise the changes it has brought and embrace it. "Both successful and struggling musicians were more likely to say that the internet has made it possible for them to make more money from their music, rather than make it harder for them to protect their material from piracy," said Ms Madden.

Beattie return calms attack fears Everton striker James Beattie has been declared fit for training on Tuesday, despite suffering an alleged assault last Saturday. Beattie, 27, is not believed to be as seriously hurt as some reports have suggested after being "the victim of an unprovoked assault" in Birmingham. He was on a night out with his girlfriend and two friends following Everton's 3-1 win over Aston Villa. "He was shaken but not badly injured," said Everton spokesman Ian Ross. He added: "He did speak to the police but will not be pressing charges. "He has spoken to manager David Moyes about what happened." Beattie was suspended for the win at Aston Villa after his red card against Chelsea and he will be available again for the Merseyside derby at Liverpool on 20 March.

Winemaker rejects Foster's offer Australian winemaker Southcorp has rejected a takeover offer worth 3.1bn Australian dollars ($2.3bn; £1.8bn) from brewing giant Foster's Group. Southcorp, whose brands include Penfolds, Rosemount and Lindemans, dismissed the offer as inadequate. The two companies held four days of talks after Foster's bought an 18.8% stake in Southcorp on 13 January. A merger would create a global player with worldwide annual sales of 39m cases and revenues of A$2.6bn. Southcorp said Foster's A$4.17-a-share takeover proposal offered a "excellent strategic fit" but undervalued the company. "Southcorp's board has informed Foster's that it is not prepared to recommend the offer as it does not adequately reflect the strategic value of the company," said Southcorp chairman Brian Finn. Southcorp said Foster's takeover offer was "opportunistic". However, it said that the offer may represent an 'opening bid', opening up the possibility of Foster's returning with an improved offer. Foster's said a combination of the two companies would create a global player with an "unrivalled" collection of premium wine brands. Despite being best known for brewing Foster's Lager, Foster's is already one of Australia's largest wine producers, owning the Beringer and Wolf Blass brands among others. "The combination of Foster's and Southcorp will transform the global wine industry and significantly enhance Australia's competitive position on the global stage," said Trevor O'Hoy, Foster's chief executive officer. Foster's spent A$584m on buying an 18.8% stake in Southcorp from the Oatley family, which founded the Rosemount Estates business and later merged it into Southcorp. Shares in both companies were suspended while the two held talks about a deal. Southcorp's shares rose 12% to A$4.76 on news of the offer but Foster's shares fell 3.7% to A$5.44.

China continues breakneck growth China's economy has expanded by a breakneck 9.5% during 2004, faster than predicted and well above 2003's 9.1%. The news may mean more limits on investment and lending as Beijing tries to take the economy off the boil. China has sucked in raw materials and energy to feed its expansion, which could have knock-on effects on the rest of the world if it overheats. But officials pointed out that industrial growth had slowed, with services providing much of the impetus. Growth in industrial output - the main target of government efforts to impose curbs on credit and investments - was 11.5% in 2004, down from 17% the previous year. Still, consumer prices - at 2.4% - rose faster than in 2004, adding to concern that a sharp rise in producer prices of 7.1% could stoke inflation. And overall investment in fixed assets was still high, up 21.3% from the previous year - although some way off the peak of 43% seen in the first quarter of 2004. The result could be higher interest rates. China raised rates by 0.27 percentage points to 5.8% - its first hike in nine years - in October 2004. Despite the apparent rebalancing of the economy the overall growth picture remains strong, economists said. "There is no sign of a slowdown in 2005," said Tim Congdon, economist at ING Barings. China's economy is not only gathering speed thanks to domestic demand, but also from soaring sales overseas. Figures released earlier this year showed exports at a six-year high in 2004, up 35%. Part of the impetus comes from the relative cheapness of the yuan, China's currency. The government keeps it pegged close to a rate of 8.28 to the US dollar, - much to the chagrin of many US lawmakers who blame China for lost jobs and competitiveness. Despite urging to ease the peg, officials insist they are a long way from ready to make a shift to a more market-set rate. "We need a good and feasible plan and formulating such a plan also needs time," National Bureau of Statistics chief Li Deshui told Reuters. "Those who hope to make a fortune by speculating on a renminbi revaluation will not succeed in making a profit."

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).

Tech helps disabled speed demons An organisation has been launched to encourage disabled people to get involved in all aspects of motorsport, which is now increasingly possible thanks to technological innovations. The Motorsport Endeavour Club left the starting grid yesterday at the Autosport International 2005 show at Birmingham's NEC, with several technologies to adapt vehicles on display. Motorcycle racer, Roy Tansley, from Derby developed his electronic sequential gear changer following an accident which resulted in part of his left leg being amputated. "I needed to find a way of changing gear and generally you do that with your left leg," Mr Tansley told the BBC News website. "In simple terms, I needed to invent a left foot - initially it was quite a Heath Robinson device." Mr Tansley had to argue his case to be allowed to continue competing with motorcycle racing's governing body, the Autocycle Union. "At that time they wouldn't let any amputee race at all, but eventually they told me I could have a licence as long as I raced sidecars." Mr Tansley's invention, the Pro-Shift, is designed to work with Hewland gearboxes which are widely used in motorcycle racing. In addition to helping disabled riders to compete, Mr Tansley reckons that the Pro-Shift saves at least 20 seconds per lap when he competes in the Isle of Man TT. As a result, there has been considerable interest in the product from other riders keen to improve their performance. "I'm not prejudiced, I'll sell to able-bodied people if I have to!" he joked. Another exhibit on the Motorsport Endeavour stand is a Subaru Impreza rally car, adapted to accommodate a variety of disabilities. The vehicle belongs to ParaRallying, the world's only rally school for disabled drivers which is based in Lincolnshire. "We use the latest technology supplied by an Italian company," said rally driver Dave Hawkins who runs the company. "The cars have electronic throttles, electronic brakes, electronic clutches - we've yet to turn anybody away." Mr Hawkins - a paraplegic himself - says his customers have included right or left arm amputees, quadriplegics, people who have had strokes and a woman who had had all four limbs amputated. ParaRallying uses a Vauxhall Astra GSI with an automatic gearbox and manual Subaru Imprezas. The car on display is fitted with a 'duck clutch' - a switch on the gear stick used instead of the clutch pedal. It also has a second ring behind the steering wheel to operate the throttle and a hand operated brake bar. When Joy Rainey started competing in motorsport in 1974 she was continuing the family tradition - her father, Murray, is a former Australian Formula 3 champion. And it was Rainey Senior who modified a sports racer to accommodate his daughter's small stature so that she could take part in hill climbs. She uses an ordinary road car by putting extensions on the pedals, a cushion behind her back and raising the seat. "But in a competition car you have to have everything right or you'll lose the balance of the car," she said. "I bring everything back to me - steering wheel, steering column, gear lever and pedals." When she recently took part in the London to Sydney Marathon she shared the driving with her partner, Trevor, who now does the engineering work. He designed a system for their Morris Minor so that the adaptations could be totally removed in under a minute. The Motorsport Endeavour Club is hoping that putting such technologies on display will result in more disabled people becoming involved in all areas of the sport and at every level.

Labour's 'EU propaganda' A "taxpayer subsidised propaganda exercise" on the EU is being used to lull the British public into a false sense of security, say the Tories. Shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram told MPs a new White Paper was part of trying to soften up opinion ahead of the referendum on the EU constitution. His claims were denied by Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who accused the Tories of "running scared" of debate. EU cooperation would help get better UK immigration controls, he argued. Mr Straw used Thursday's Commons debate to launch the new White Paper on the prospects for the EU in 2005. Security, stability and prosperity would be the key themes when the UK took over the chairmanship of the EU in July, said Mr Straw. Africa and climate change would also feature highly. He said the UK was trying to ensure future EU budgets were limited to 1% of Europe's economic output and were spent "where it adds most value". Mr Straw promised to continue to ensure the UK's budget rebate, secured in 1984 by Margaret Thatcher, was "fully justified". "We, like all other countries, have a veto on any changes proposed in this area," he said. Mr Ancram condemned the document, which the Foreign Office says has cost about £2,500 to design, print and deliver. "Isn't the reason that the government is now involved in a taxpayer subsidised propaganda exercise to try to sell the new EU to the country in advance of the forthcoming referendum and general election?," he asked. The Tory spokesman also criticised the government for claiming the EU constitution would make Europe easier to understand. "The government, last week, had to publish a commentary of 500 pages to try and explain this 'easy and simple' constitution to the British people," he said. "Who are they trying to kid?" The proposed question for the constitution referendum is: "Should the United Kingdom approve the Treaty establishing a Constitution for the European Union?" The Electoral Commission on Thursday said it was satisfied the question was easy to understand. The government has suggested the referendum on the constitution could take place in spring 2006, with the Tories set to campaign for a "no" vote. Mr Ancram said ministers were prolonging uncertainty by putting the vote off until the latest date possible. The foreign secretary hit back by saying Tory attitudes to Europe had helped keep the party out of power for more than a decade. Mr Straw argued cooperation with European partners could bring a "level playing field" on immigration and asylum controls. "You are setting your face against all of these things," he added. For the Liberal Democrats, Sir Menzies Campbell said the UK should not ignore the need to reform the EU Common Agricultural Policy. Change was particularly important for developing countries wanting access to markets, he argued. Sir Menzies was among those worried about plans, backed by the UK, to lift the arms embargo imposed on China after the Tiananmen Square massacre. Mr Straw said no decisions had been taken - Chinese human rights had improved but not by enough.

US in EU tariff chaos trade row The US has asked the World Trade Organisation to investigate European Union customs tariffs, which it says are inconsistent and hamper trade. The EU's own institutions have noted the uneven way EU customs rules are applied but failed to act, the US Trade Representative's Office said. Small and mid-sized US firms were worst-hit, it added. The EU expanded from 15 to 25 member states in May. The US said it filed the complaint after talks failed to find a solution. The move came in the same week that the US and EU stepped back from confrontation in a tense dispute over aircraft subsidies to European manufacturer Airbus and US firm Boeing. New EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson said on Tuesday that the two sides had agreed to reopen talks in the aircraft subsidies row, which led to tit-for-tat WTO filings in last autumn. Explaining why it has asked the WTO to set up a dispute settlement panel on customs barriers, the US Trade Representative's Office said that it wants to tackle the issue "early in the EU's process of dealing with the problems of enlargement". Ten countries, mostly in Eastern Europe, joined the EU in May. The US said its trade with the 25 EU member countries was worth $155.2bn (£82.8bn) in 2003. "Although the EU is a customs union, there is no single EU customs administration," a statement issued on behalf of Robert Zoellick, US Trade Representative, said. Lack of uniformity, coupled with lack of procedures for prompt EU-wide review can hinder US exports, especially for small to mid-sized businesses", An EU spokesman in Washington dismissed the US complaint. "We think the US case is very weak. They haven't come up with any evidence that US companies are being harmed," said Anthony Gooch. It could take several months for the WTO's dispute settlement panel to report its findings.

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

Industrial revival hope for Japan Japanese industry is growing faster than expected, boosting hopes that the country's retreat back into recession is over. Industrial output rose 2.1% - adjusted for the time of year - in January from a month earlier. At the same time, retail sales picked up faster than at any time since 1997. The news sent Tokyo shares to an eight-month high, as investors hoped for a recovery from the three quarters of contraction seen from April 2004 on. The Nikkei 225 index ended the day up 0.7% at 11,740.60 points, with the yen strengthening 0.7% against the dollar to 104.53 yen. Weaker exports, normally the engine for Japan's economy in the face of weak domestic demand, had helped trigger a 0.1% contraction in the final three months of last year after two previous quarters of shrinking GDP. Only an exceptionally strong performance in the early months of 2004 kept the year as a whole from showing a decline. The output figures brought a cautiously optimistic response from economic officials. "Overall I see a low risk of the economy falling into serious recession," said Bank of Japan chief Toshihiko Fukui, despite warning that other indicators - such as the growth numbers - had been worrying. Within the overall industrial output figure, there were signs of a pullback from the export slowdown. Among the best-performing sectors were key overseas sales areas such as cars, chemicals and electronic goods. With US growth doing better than expected the picture for exports in early 2005 could also be one of sustained demand. Electronics were also one of the keys to the improved domestic market, with products such as flat-screen TVs in high demand during January.

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

Parker misses England clash Tom Shanklin will start in the centre for Wales against England in Cardiff on Saturday after Sonny Parker failed to recover from a trapped neck nerve. Shanklin was first-choice wing in the autumn Tests, but prefers centre and will face England debutant Mathew Tait. Dragons three-quarter Hal Luscombe takes Shanklin's wing berth. Up front, Mefin Davies plays at hooker, open-side Martyn Williams is fit to start and lock Rob Sidoli replaces veteran Gareth Llewellyn. Davies wins the vote ahead of Robin McBryde, who sits on the bench having recently returned to action for the Scarlets following a neck injury. Sidoli is back for the first time since last season's Six Nations, the Blues second row back to form after a niggling groin problem. Williams, Sidoli's team-mate at Cardiff, is set to win his 50th cap, replacing the injured Colin Charvis after making a quicker-than-expected recovery from a neck disc problem. "Initially when I had the diagnosis it was a case of trying to get fit for the Italy game next week, but fortunately my recovery has been a lot quicker than we all hoped," Williams told BBC Sport Wales. "I haven't started a game since 1 January and would have preferred to have a couple of games in the lead-up to this, but the good thing with the injury is that I have kept up my fitness levels. "I feel quite fresh and I just can't wait to play again." Williams says he expects a torrid time from an England loose-forward trio of Lewis Moody, Joe Worsley and Andy Hazell. "They are three top-class players, especially Worsley and Moody. They have been there and done it," Williams added. "They were back-ups behind Richard Hill, Neil Back and Lawrence Dallaglio, but now they have come forward and proved what good players they are - there are no weaknesses there." Luscombe gets the nod on the wing ahead of Dragons team-mate Kevin Morgan, who wins a place on the bench alongside uncapped Blues prop John Yapp. G Thomas (Toulouse (capt); H Luscombe (Dragons), T Shanklin (Blues), G Henson (Ospreys), S Williams (Ospreys); S Jones (Clermont Auvergne), D Peel (Scarlets); G Jenkins (Blues), M Davies (Gloucester), A Jones (Ospreys), B Cockbain (Ospreys), R Sidoli (Blues), D Jones (Scarlets), M Williams (Blues), M Owen (Dragons). R McBryde (Scarlets), J Yapp (Blues), J Thomas (Ospreys), R Jones (Ospreys), G Cooper (Dragons), C Sweeney (Dragons), K Morgan (Dragons).

Veteran comic Cyril Fletcher dies Veteran comedian and broadcaster Cyril Fletcher has died aged 91 at his home in Guernsey. Fletcher will be remembered for his "odd odes" and amusing misprints on TV show That's Life in the 1970s and 80s, as well as a long variety career. He was also a regular on Does the Team Think?, a comic version of radio information show The Brains Trust. That's Life host Esther Rantzen said he was "so lovely" and a "delight" to work with. "The thing about Cyril was that he was, to use a slightly old-fashioned phrase, an English gentleman," she said. "He was courteous, and understated, and he adored gardens, particularly creating them for his beautiful wife. "He was funny and witty to work with. He was a real friend and I shall miss him." One of the last comedians of old-time variety era, Fletcher made his first TV appearance in 1937. A year after BBC Television began, he was seen reciting humorous poems, appearing in a revue, Tele-Ho, and playing the Emperor of Morocco in the first televised pantomime, Dick Whittington. He went on to become a regular voice on radio, have a string of TV shows in the 1950s and appear in several films, including 1947's Nicholas Nickleby. He married actress Betty Astell in 1941 and in the 1950s and 60s, they produced pantos and summer shows, discovering new stars including Harry Secombe. In the mid-1990s, Fletcher said he had made a "fabulous living" since the age of 22 and had never had a day out of work. He was most recently seen presenting a gardening programme for Channel TV. Fletcher was described as a "consummate professional" by his friend and fellow broadcaster Michael Pointon. "It really was a pleasure to work with him - he had met everyone and done everything," Mr Pointon said. "He was a whimsical, droll fellow, but also a very artistic man. As a friend, he was very kind, and generous." Fletcher's daughter Jill said her father would be sorely missed. "He was greatly loved by the public," she said.

Police probe BNP mosque leaflet Police are investigating a British National Party leaflet posted to homes in south Wales opposing plans for a new mosque. Anti-racism campaigners in Swansea have handed copies to South Wales Police. Swansea's Muslim community is raising money to open a new mosque and community centre in the former St Andrews United Reform Church. The building on George Street has been derelict since the 1980s. Taha Idris, director of the Swansea Bay Race Equality Council, said his organisation contacted police after receiving complaints from the public. "I'm quite shocked to see this sort of leaflet by the BNP in Swansea," he said. "The BNP has tried in the past to get into Swansea and this is another example of them trying again. "I am in no doubt that the BNP are not needed and not wanted here." A South Wales Police spokeswoman confirmed that they were looking at the contents of the leaflet. According to the BNP's website, they have been posted to homes in the Castle ward. The BNP website carries a photograph of party leader Nick Griffin - who lives near Welshpool, mid Wales - delivering the leaflet. The BNP has denied it is trying to stir up hatred of any race or religion, but argues that they should be able to debate this without fear of arrest. Swansea Unite Against Fascism (UAF) is meeting this week to plan a campaign. Following the death earlier this year of Kalan Kawa Karim, an Iraqi Kurd living in Swansea, it organised an anti-racism march in the city that was supported by more than 1,000 people. It is planning its own mail shot campaign and may launch a petition in support of the plans for the mosque. Andy Richards, of Swansea UAF, said the leaflet was exactly what he had come to expect from the BNP. "The people of Swansea will not put up with this." Swansea's Muslim community bought the former church, just across the road from the existing mosque on St Helen's Road, in the late 1990s. Mr Idris said the community was now raising money to renovate the building. "It is a landmark building in Swansea and would otherwise just crumble," he said. "It is the ideal opportunity for the building to be restored and used in the proper manner. "It will be a Muslim community centre. It's a holistic place used for education, weddings, deaths and births." He said space was limited in the current mosque and on some occasions Muslims had to travel to Llanelli for cultural events.

Aragones angered by racism fine Spain coach Luis Aragones is furious after being fined by The Spanish Football Federation for his comments about Thierry Henry. The 66-year-old criticised his 3000 euros (£2,060) punishment even though it was far below the maximum penalty. "I am not guilty, nor do I accept being judged for actions against the image of the sport," he said. "I'm not a racist and I've never lacked sporting decorum. I've never done that and I have medals for sporting merit." Aragones was handed the fine on Tuesday after making racist remarks about Henry to Arsenal team-mate and Spanish international Jose Reyes last October. The Spanish Football Federation at first declined to take action against Aragones, but was then requested to do so by Spain's anti-violence commission. The fine was far less than the expected amount of about £22,000 or even the suspension of his coaching licence. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, who was fined £15,000 in December for accusing Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy of cheating, believes that Aragones' punishment was too lenient. "You compare his fine and my fine, and if you consider his was for racist abuse, then you seem to get away with it more in Spain than you should," Wenger said. "He shouldn't have said what he said, and how much money is enough, I don't know but it doesn't look a big punishment." However, Aragones insists the fine is unjustified and unfair. "I have been treated like Islero (the bull that killed famous bullfighter Manolete)," said Aragones on hearing he had been fined for his actions. "I have not liked one thing about this whole affair and I do not agree with the sanction. They have looked for a scapegoat." Spain's anti-violence commission must now ratify the Spanish FA's decision and has until next week to announce its verdict. Aragones has 10 days to appeal, and the commission can also appeal. Alberto Flores, president of the Spanish FA's disciplinary committee, said no-one in the committee felt Aragones was a racist nor had "acted in a racist way." "A fine, the highest we could apply, is sufficient punishment. Suspension would have been a bit exaggerated," Flores told sports daily Marca.

Lit Idol begins search for author The second Pop Idol-style search for literary talent has begun with the help of the brother of Simon Cowell. Writer Tony Cowell is among the judges who will hear aspiring writers read their work aloud. The winner gets a deal with literary agency Curtis Brown. "I'm not going to be the Mr Nasty of books," said Cowell, 54, in reference to his brother's caustic remarks on TV shows Pop Idol and The X-Factor. The 2004 winner, Paul Cavanagh, went on to sign a deal with Harper Collins. This year, the competition is specifically looking for a crime writer. Writers must submit up to 10,000 words from the opening chapters of their novels and a synopsis. Professional readers will choose a shortlist of five following the competition closing date on 14 January. The final five will then have to read their work in front of judging panel. A public vote will also take place, which will account for 25% of the final decision. The winner will be announced at the London Book Fair on 14 March next year and could be screened on TV. "It's very, very hard to find an agent and extremely difficult, without an agent, to get a publisher to look at your work," said Cowell. "People do fall by the wayside and the more avenues we can provide for aspiring authors, the better," he added. Paul Cavanagh, a former university professor and health care consultant from Ontario in Canada, was one of 1,466 aspiring novelists to enter the first contest. He lifted the inaugural Lit Idol prize after reading aloud an excerpt of his work Northwest Passage. Three film studios are said to be interested in buying film rights for the book, even though it is not finished yet.

BP surges ahead on high oil price Oil giant BP has announced a 26% rise in annual profits to $16.2bn (£8.7bn) on the back of record oil prices. Last week, rival Shell reported an annual profit of $17.5bn - a record profit for a UK-listed company. BP added that it was increasing its fourth-quarter dividend by 26% to 8.5 cents, and that it would continue with share buybacks. BP chief executive Lord Browne said the results were strong "both operationally and financially." The company is earning about $1.8m an hour. Despite the record annual profits figure, BP's performance was below the expectations of some City analysts. However, BP's share price rose 4p or nearly 1% in morning trading to 548p. Its profit rise for the year included profits of $3.65bn (£1.97bn) for the final three months of 2004 - up from $2.89bn a year ago but below its third quarter. Speaking on the BBC's Today programme on Tuesday, Lord Browne said the profits were not solely down to the high oil price alone. "The profits are up more than the price of oil is up," he said. Lord Browne pointed out that BP was reaping the benefits of its investment in oil exploration. "We have spent many years buying (assets) when the price is low," he said. The company has made new discoveries in Egypt, the Gulf of Mexico and Angola. However, Lord Browne rejected calls for a windfall tax on his company's huge profits, saying that in the North Sea it paid progressively more tax, the more profits it made. Lord Browne believes oil prices will remain quite high. Currently above $40 a barrel, he said: "The price of oil will be well supported above $30 a barrel for the medium term." BP put production for the year at 3.997 billion barrels of oil, up 10% on 2003, but slightly lower than the four billion barrels it had initially aimed for.

UK needs tax cuts, Tories insist A major change of direction is needed in Britain if it is to prosper, the shadow chancellor said as the Tory Party spring conference began. Oliver Letwin said the UK could not compete with other countries without the £4bn tax cuts he was promising. Tory co-chairman Liam Fox had opened the forum in Brighton with an attack on Labour's record and party leader Michael Howard is due to speak later. Tony Blair has said Conservative policies would cause economic failure. But Mr Letwin said Britain had fallen from fourth to 11th in the international economic competitiveness league. "Can this country compete, can this country prosper, unless we do something about the burden of regulation and tax on our economy?" he said. "If we are going to take on the great challenges, the challenges like those posed by the Chinese and the Indians, we have got to do something about getting down the burden of regulation and getting down the burden of tax," he said. "The fact is the very carefully costed, fully funded plans we have laid out for saving £12bn by 2007-2008 are absolutely crucial to delivering an economy that will prosper and provide people with jobs and indeed provide the public services with the money they need on a sustainable long-term basis." Mr Letwin said voting for Labour meant choosing higher taxes, borrowing and waste. Earlier, Dr Fox had said Labour's rule had been characterised by "lost trust and failure to deliver". He also attacked the government's "failure" to control immigration and asylum and criticised its record on the NHS, telling delegates Labour cannot be trusted on education or crime. A Tory government would sort out the "shambles" of immigration, put patients before statistics and bring discipline to schools, he said. Michael Howard, who had been due to welcome delegates to the conference on Friday, will address them in a lunchtime speech. His welcome address had to be postponed after he stayed in London to lead the party's opposition to the Prevention of Terrorism Bill in its lengthy progress through Parliament. The bill was finally passed on Friday evening, after more than 30 hours of debate. Mr Howard is likely to defend his party's handling of the bill, which was only passed after the Conservatives accepted Prime Minister Tony Blair's promise that MPs would be able to review it within a year.

US TV special for tsunami relief A US television network will screen a celebrity TV special to benefit the tsunami relief effort in South Asia. NBC will encourage viewer donations during an hour-long show featuring musical performances on 15 January. Actress Sandra Bullock has donated $1m (£525,000) to The American Red Cross and actor Leonardo DiCaprio pledged a "sizable" aid contribution to Unicef. Meanwhile 70 Hong Kong music and movie stars re-recorded We Are the World in Mandarin and Cantonese to raise funds. The song will not be released as a single, but will be played regularly during a Chinese telethon on Friday in aid of victims of the Boxing Day disaster. Around 140,000 people were killed and five million left homeless or without food and water after an earthquake below the Indian Ocean sent waves crashing into coastal communities in 11 countries. The United Nations warned that the number killed in the disaster could rise sharply, with aid yet to reach some remote areas. Performers have yet to be confirmed for NBC's aid relief benefit later this month. It follows a two-hour telethon carried by all four major US television networks 10 days after the 11 September terror attacks in 2001. America: A Tribute to Heroes raised more than $150m (£79m) to help victims of the suicide attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

HealthSouth ex-boss goes on trial The former head of US medical services firm HealthSouth overstated earnings and assets to boost the company's share price, it was claimed in court. Richard Scrushy, 52, is accused of "directing" a $2.7bn (£1.4bn) accounting fraud at the company he co-founded in Alabama in 1984. Prosecutors said he was motivated by wealth - spending about $200m between 1996 and 2002 while earning much less. Defence lawyers said Mr Scrushy had been deceived by other executives. Several former HealthSouth employees have already pleaded guilty to fraud and are expected to give evidence against Mr Scrushy. "We will present evidence that Richard Scrushy knew about the conspiracy, that he participated in the conspiracy and that he profited," prosecutor Alice Martin told the court. Mr Scrushy is the first chief executive to be tried for breaching the Sarbanes Oxley Act - a law introduced in the wake of the Enron and WorldCom frauds which obliges corporate bosses to vouch for the accuracy of their companies' results. Among the charges he faces are conspiracy to commit fraud, filing false statements and money laundering. After federal agents raided HealthSouth's offices in March 2003, the company said none of its past financial statements could be relied on. The firm has since reorganised its board and management team and currently operates about 1,400 health clinics.

More movies head to Sony's PSP Movies Open Water and Saw are among those to be made available for Sony's PSP games console. Film studio Lions Gate entertainment has announced an initial list of 12 movies that will be on the UMD format used by the handheld. "The typical buyer of the machine [is] the core demographic to whom our films generally appeal," said Steve Beeks, president of Lions Gate. Already available in Japan, the PSP is released in the US on 24 March. Spider-Man 2 on UMD will be given to the first million customers in the US. The Punisher and House of the Dead along with older titles such as Total Recall and Rambo: First Blood, will be in the UMD format, with disks costing between $20 (£10.40) to $30 (£15.60) for new titles and $10 (£5.20) to $20 for older films. "When we first saw the machine and started talking to Sony, we immediately decided it was going to be a winner, both from the gaming perspective and from the perspective of people watching movies on the go," Mr Beeks said. The disks, which are smaller than DVDs, only work in Sony's PSP and can hold up to 1.8GB of data. "We actually believe people who buy the UMD would not have bought it on DVD," he said. "There are people who will want UMD because of the portability. Maybe they're already taking the games with them out of the house, and they're bigger gamers than they are movie watchers." Four movies have already been announced for PSP. They are: XXX, Hellboy, Resident Evil: Apocalypse and Once Upon a Time in Mexico.

Commodore finds new lease of life The once-famous Commodore computer brand could be resurrected after being bought by a US-based digital music distributor. New owner Yeahronimo Media Ventures has not ruled out the possibility of a new breed of Commodore computers. It also plans to develop a "worldwide entertainment concept" with the brand, although details are not yet known. The groundbreaking Commodore 64 computer elicits fond memories for those who owned one back in the 1980s. In the chronology of home computing, Commodore was one of the pioneers. The Commodore 64, launched in 1982, was one of the first affordable home PCs. It was followed a few years later by the Amiga. The Commodore 64 sold more than any other single computer system, even to this day. The brand languished somewhat in the 1990s. Commodore International filed for bankruptcy in 1994 and was sold to Dutch firm Tulip Computers. In the late 1980s the firm was a great rival to Atari, which produced its own range of home computers and is now a brand of video games, formerly known as Infogrames. Tulip Computers sold several products under the Commodore name, including portable USB storage devices and digital music players. It had planned to relaunch the brand, following an upsurge of nostalgia for 1980s-era games. Commodore 64 enthusiasts have written emulators for Windows PC, Apple Mac and even PDAs so that the original Commodore games can be still run. The sale of Commodore is expected to be complete in three weeks in a deal worth over £17m.

Anelka apologises for criticism Manchester City striker Nicolas Anelka has issued an apology for criticising the ambitions of the club. Anelka was quoted in a French newspaper as saying he would like to play in the Champions League for a bigger club. But chairman John Wardle said: "I've spoken to Nicolas and he's apologised for anything that might have been mistakenly taken from the French press. "We are a big club. Nicolas told me that he agrees with me that we are a big club." Wardle was speaking at the club's annual general meeting, where he also confirmed the club had not received any bids for the former Arsenal and Real Madrid striker. The club still owe French club PSG £5m from the purchase of Anelka in May 2002. He has been linked with a move to Barcelona and Liverpool, and Reds skipper Steven Gerrard also revealed he is an admirer from his time on loan at Anfield. But Wardle added: "There's been no bids for Nicolas Anelka. No-one has come to me and said I would like to buy Nicolas Anelka. "If a bid comes in for Nicolas Anelka I will speak to the board and then speak to Kevin Keegan. "If there was a bid and it was a bid of substance and worth taking then between us we'd decide. "We still owe some money on Nicolas which we have clear out, so it would have to be above that." Wardle did stress that the club was not inviting any offers for England winger Shaun Wright-Phillips. He added: "I've no intention of selling Shaun Wright-Phillips. "If someone comes with a silly bid I'll have to discuss it. "But we're not putting him on the shelf to sell. He is the heart and soul of this club and has his heart and sole in this club, and he would be very upset if I put him in the shop window. "He was an academy kid here, he's just signed a new four-year deal, I don't think he'd do that unless he wanted to play for Manchester City Football Club." City recently announced debts of £62m, but Wardle confirmed they would try and find funds to bring in players in the January transfer window. He said: "Like Kevin I'd like to see some players come in. We've got to see what we can do - whether it's a on a Bosman or not. "We will try to be creative to generate some funds. But maybe we have to start looking at clubs like Everton and Bolton to see how they have been dealing in the transfer market and do a similar type of thing."

Concern over RFID tags Consumers are very concerned about the use of radio frequency ID (RFID) tags in shops, a survey says. More than half of 2,000 people surveyed said they had privacy worries about the tags, which can be used to monitor stock on shelves or in warehouses. Some consumer groups have expressed concern that the tags could be used to monitor shoppers once they had left shops with their purchases. The survey showed that awareness of tags among consumers in Europe was low. The survey of consumers in the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands was carried out by consultancy group Capgemini. The firm works on behalf of more than 30 firms who are seeking to promote the growth of RFID technology. The tags are a combination of computer chip and antenna which can be read by a scanner - each item contains a unique identification number. More than half (55%) of the respondents said they were either concerned or very concerned that RFID tags would allow businesses to track consumers via product purchases. Fifty nine percent of people said they were worried that RFID tags would allow data to be used more freely by third parties. Ard Jan Vetham, Capgemini's principal consultant on RFID, said the survey showed that retailers needed to inform and educate people about RFID before it would become accepted technology. "Acceptance of new technologies always has a tipping point at which consumers believe that benefits outweigh concerns. "With the right RFID approach and ongoing communication with consumers, the industry can reach this point." He said that the survey also showed people would accept RFID if they felt that the technology could mean a reduction in car theft or faster recovery of stolen items. The tags are currently being used at one Tesco distribution centre in the UK - the tags allow the rapid inventory of bulk items. They are also in use as a passcard for the M6 Toll in the Midlands, in the UK. Mr Vetham said the majority of people surveyed (52%) believed that RFID tags could be read from a distance. He said that was a misconception based on a lack of awareness of the technology. At least once consumer group - Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering (Caspian) - has claimed that RFID chips could be used to secretly identify people and the things they are carrying or wearing. All kinds of personal belongings, including clothes, could constantly broadcast messages about their whereabouts and their owners, it warned.

Parmar ruled out of Davis Cup tie A knee injury has forced Arvind Parmar out of Great Britain's Davis Cup tie in Israel and left Alex Bogdanovic in line to take the second singles place. Parmar picked up the injury last week and has failed to recover in time for the Europe/Africa Zone I tie, which begins in Tel Aviv on Friday. Bogdanovic looks set to take the second singles place alongside Greg Rusedski. GB captain Jeremy Bates could use 17-year-old Andrew Murray and David Sherwood in the doubles rubber. Bogdanovic and Murray both pulled out of tournaments last week through injury but are expected to be fit. Jamie Delgado and Lee Childs have been called into the squad in Tel Aviv as designated hitters for team practice but Bates has no plans to call either of them into his squad at present. The unheralded Sherwood was the surprise inclusion when the squad was announced last week, and Bates said: "David has earned his place in this squad on the merit of his form and results over the last 12 months." The 6ft 4in Sherwood is ranked 264th in the world and the LTA have high hopes for him after Futures tournament wins in Wrexham and Edinburgh. The Sheffield-born right-hander, aged 24, also reached another final in Plaisir, France, a week after making the semi-final in Mulhouse. Bates is glad to have Rusedski available after Tim Henman's retirement from Davis Cup tennis. "His wealth of experience is invaluable, particularly to the younger players and I know he will lead by example," Bates said. "We are looking forward to the tie. The squad are all in excellent form."

Strachan turns down Pompey Former Southampton manager Gordon Strachan has rejected the chance to become Portsmouth's new boss. The Scot was Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric's first choice to replace Harry Redknapp, who left Fratton Park for rivals Saints earlier in December. "I think it's a fantastic job for anybody apart from somebody who has just been the Southampton manager," Strachan told the BBC. Club director Terry Brady held initial talks with Strachan on Saturday. The former Scotland international added that joining Southampton's local rivals would not be a wise move. "It's got everything going for it but I've got too many memories of the other side and I don't want to sour those memories," he said. "Everything's right - it's 10 minutes away, there are good players there, a good set-up, a good atmosphere at the ground. "There's lots to do but it's not right for somebody who has just been the Southampton manager." Since Redknapp's departure, executive director Velimir Zajec and coach Joe Jordan have overseen first-team affairs. The duo had gone five matches unbeaten until Sunday's 1-0 defeat at home to champions Arsenal, but the club are still in a respectable 12th place in the Premiership table. Strachan left St Mary's in February, after earlier announcing his intention to take a break from the game at the end of the 2003-04 season. His previous managerial experience came at Coventry, whom he led for five years from 1996 to 2001.

Huge rush for Jet Airways shares Indian airline Jet Airways' initial public offering was oversubscribed 16.2 times, bankers said on Friday. Over 85% of the bids were at the higher end of the price range of 1,050-1,125 rupees ($24-$26). Jet Airways, a low-fare airline, was founded by London-based ex-travel agent Naresh Goya, and controls 45% of the Indian domestic airline market. It sold 20% of its equity or 17.2 million shares in a bid to raise up to $443m (£230.8m). The price at which its shares will begin trading will be agreed over the weekend, bankers said. "The demand for the IPO was impressive. We believe that over the next two years, the domestic aviation sector promises strong growth, even though fuel prices could be high," said Hiten Mehta, manager of merchant banking firm, Fortune Financial Services. India began to open up its domestic airline market - previously dominated by state-run carrier Indian Airlines - in the 1990s. Jet began flying in 1993 and now has competitors including Air Deccan and Air Sahara. Budget carriers Kingfisher Airlines and SpiceJet are planning to launch operations in May this year. Jet has 42 aircraft and runs 271 scheduled flights daily within India. It recently won government permission to fly to London, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

Kirwan demands Italy consistency Italy coach John Kirwan has challenged his side to match the performance they produced in pushing Ireland close when they meet Wales on Saturday. Despite losing 28-17 in Sunday's Six Nations encounter, the Italians confirmed their continuing improvement. "Our goal is to match every side we face and against Ireland we showed we could do that," said Kirwan. "But the most important thing is that we build on that performance when we play Wales on Saturday." Italy's half-backs had a mixed afternoon, with recalled scrum-half Alessandro Troncon impressing but fly-half Luciano Orquera having an off-day with the boot. Kirwan said: "I was very happy with Troncon. He had an incredible game - he was very good in attack and defence. "Orquera's kicking was off but he showed great courage in defence. "He also followed the game plan. We have to give him confidence because he has the capability to do well."

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.

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.

Ethnic producers 'face barriers' Minority ethnic led (Mel) production companies face barriers in succeeding in the film and television industries, research has suggested. The study, commissioned by Pact and the UK Film Council, included interviews with industry experts and individuals. They indicated that career progression and a lack of role models are among the main problems within such companies. The research indicated that about 10% of independent production companies in the UK are minority ethnic led. A minority ethnic led company is defined as one in which the majority of decision-making power rests with an individual or individuals from a minority ethnic group. The report also explored the problems faced by such companies when attempting to compete within the film and TV industries. It said they are often smaller than other companies and lack the resources, so are often squeezed out of the market by bigger firms. The research recommended that minority ethnic led companies could benefit from such positive actions as career training and business advice, plus improved communication within the film and TV sectors. "The UK has a rich and diverse culture and it is essential that it is reflected on film and television," said Arts minister Estelle Morris of the findings. "I welcome this report which I hope will lead to more doors being opened and all businesses in our film and television industries being given the same opportunities."

Abba queen enters music rich list The woman behind the Abba musical Mamma Mia! has joined a list of British-based music millionaires. Producer Judy Craymer is the highest new entry in the Sunday Times' music rich list, with a £67m fortune. Ms Craymer remortgaged her home to finance her idea of a musical based around Abba's hits, which has since become a global triumph. Teenage soul singer Joss Stone is a new entry on a list of Britain's young music millionaires with £5m. Ms Craymer, who developed Mamma Mia! with playwright Catherine Johnson and members of Abba, is at number 31 on the music rich list. But taking the top spot for a second year is former record label boss Clive Calder, whose wealth has risen to £1.3bn. Mr Calder is the man behind acts including Britney Spears. He made his fortune by selling his independent label Zomba to record giant BMG. Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney is second on the list with £800m - up £40m on last year. Andrew Lloyd-Webber's wealth rose an estimated £300m on last year, to £700m, while theatre impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh's fortune rose from £340m to £400m. His recent hits have included the West End show Mary Poppins. But Pop Idol mogul Simon Fuller has seen his wealth plummet from £220m last year to £75m after selling his entertainment company 19 for less than expected, according to the Sunday Times. Joss Stone, the 17-year-old soul singer from Devon, was a new entry in the young music millionaires list. The list also features Charlotte Church, Coldplay, Daniel Bedingfield, Will Young and David and Victoria Beckham. At number one is Dhani Harrison, son of the late Beatle George Harrison, who has inherited £140m. The Beckhams - who qualify thanks to Victoria's former singing career - are in second place with £75 million between them - up £10m on last year.

Johnson announces June retirement Former England captain Martin Johnson has announced he is to retire from rugby union at the end of the season. Johnson, who captained England to World Cup glory in 2003, will play his final match in June. Johnson won 84 England caps and quit Test rugby at the start of 2004, just two months after leading Sir Clive Woodward's team to victory in Sydney. The 34-year-old Leicester lock's final match will be his testimonial at Twickenham on 4 June. "I'm confident I have made the right decision to retire," said Johnson. "I'm sure there will be times next season when I'll wish I was out there playing for the Tigers, but you know when the time is right to go and I feel this is the right time. "I feel physically that I could play for another season, but playing week in and week out in the Premiership is a full-time occupation and I only want to be out there for the right reasons." Johnson will always be revered by England fans for captaining England to their dramatic World Cup win against Australia in Sydney, but his list of achievements does not stop at that. He is the only man to captain the Lions twice and he also led England to a Six Nations Grand Slam. Johnson also had huge success as captain of Leicester, guiding the Tigers to back to back Heineken Cup victories and several Premiership titles. Apart from his marvellous captaincy Johnson was also one of the finest second rows to ever play the game. Teak tough and physically intimidating, he ruled the rucks and mauls for the best part of a decade and was integral in England's rise to the top of the world game. His final appearance will be in his testimonial at Twickenham, where he will lead a team against a side captained by New Zealand winger Jonah Lomu. The All Black is aiming to return to action after a kidney transplant and Johnson expects it to be a memorable occasion. "This game against Jonah will be a great way to end the season and end my career," said Johnson. Lomu, rugby union's first global superstar after his exploits in the 1995 World Cup, said he was proud to be part of Johnson's farewell. "We hold him in such high esteem," said Lomu. "He is such a great leader and I am just honoured to be on the same pitch."

Electronics firms eye plasma deal Consumer electronics giants Hitachi and Matshushita Electric are joining forces to share and develop technology for flat screen televisions. The tie-up comes as the world's top producers are having to contend with falling prices and intense competition. The two Japanese companies will collaborate in research & development, production, marketing and licensing. They said the agreement would enable the two companies to expand the plasma display TV market globally. Plasma display panels are used for large, thin TVs which are replacing old-style televisions. The display market for high-definition televisions is split between models using plasma display panels and others - manufactured by the likes of Sony and Samsung - using liquid-crystal displays (LCDs). The deal will enable Hitachi and Matsushita, which makes Panasonic brand products, to develop new technology and improve their competitiveness. Hitachi recently announced a deal to buy plasma display technology from rival Fujitsu in an effort to strengthen its presence in the market. Separately, Fujitsu announced on Monday that it is quitting the LCD panel market by transferring its operations in the area to Japanese manufacturer Sharp. Sharp will inherit staff, manufacturing facilities and intellectual property from Fujitsu. The plasma panel market has seen rapid consolidation in recent months as the price of consumer electronic goods and components has fallen. Samsung Electronics and Sony are among other companies working together to reduce costs and speed up new product development.

Bad weather hits Nestle sales A combination of bad weather, rising raw material costs and the sluggish European economy has hit sales at Swiss food and drink giant Nestle. Revenue dipped 1.4% to 86.7bn Swiss francs ($74.6bn; £39.1bn) in 2004 as sales of ice cream and mineral water were dampened by the wet summer. However, Nestle's profits margins were helped by a strong performance in the Americas and China. Nestle is to raise its dividend by 11% after paying back some of its debt. Nestle said that the strength of the Swiss franc against the US dollar, the disposal of businesses and challenging trading conditions in Europe all dented sales. A poor summer across the continent - in contrast to the prolonged heat wave in 2003 - "severely affected" demand for ice cream. Sales of bottled water also fell, although chocolate, coffee, frozen goods and petcare products performed better. Elsewhere, Nestle said it had enjoyed an "exceptional" year in North America, outperforming the market in terms of sales growth. Nestle added that it had performed strongly in Africa and Asia despite the impact of high oil prices and political instability. Nestle's total earnings before interest remained broadly flat over the past year, despite the company managing to boost profit margins. As well as increasing its dividend, Nestle plans to buy back shares worth 1bn Swiss francs ($861m; £451m). Looking forward, Nestle forecasts organic earnings growth of about 5% in 2005, although it warned that trading would remain just as competitive. Uncertainty remains over the future of Perrier, the iconic French mineral water owned by Nestle. Perrier has been locked in a long-standing dispute with unions about productivity levels at the business, which has lead Nestle to consider selling the firm. "The option of selling is Perrier is still on the table," chief executive Peter Brabeck-Letmathe confirmed on Thursday.

Dementieva prevails in Hong Kong Elena Dementieva swept aside defending champion Venus Williams 6-3 6-2 to win Hong Kong's Champions Challenge event. The Russian, ranked sixth in the world, broke Williams three times in the first set, while losing her service once. Williams saved three championship points before losing the match at the Victoria Park tennis court. "It's really a great start to the year no matter whether it's an exhibition or not. I was trying to play my best and I really did it," said Dementieva. "This will give me all the confidence before the Grand Slams. I was trying so hard to win this tournament." Williams, 24, was disappointed with her display. "She played some nice points, but it was mostly me committing unforced errors - four or five errors in each game," she said. Before the match, organizers auctioned off rackets belonging to the players, raising £115,000 for victims of the tsunami disaster.

Fast moving phone bugs 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.

Mirza shocks Kuznetsova Sania Mirza continued her remarkable rise with victory over US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova at the Dubai Championships on Tuesday. The 18-year-old Indian, who is already a huge star in her home country, won 6-4 6-2 in front of a delirious crowd. It was Mirza's sixth straight victory following her first WTA tournament win in Hyderabad last month. Earlier, Daniela Hantuchova built on her improving form with a 7-6 6-2 win over sixth seed Alicia Molik. Mirza needed attention to an ankle injury after the second game against Kuznetsova. She quickly slipped 4-0 down but staged a dramatic comeback that thrilled the large Indian contingent in the crowd. "I really didn't expect that after my ankle turn," said Mirza. "I played a great match and I think (the crowd) did it again. I knew that I had to play an all-round game and that's what happened. "I did everything well but I wasn't missing the ball - I don't know how that happened." Mirza plays Silvia Farina Elia or Jelena Jankovic next. Hantuchova has risen from 31 in the world at the turn of the year to number 22, having reached the quarter-finals and semi-finals at her last two events. "It was such a tough first-round match and I am glad to come through," said Hantuchova. "She was serving so well. I just decided to hang in there and keep fighting." The Slovakian will meet Elena Likhovtseva in the second round after the Russian struggled past Tunisian wild card Selima Sfar 2-6 6-2 7-6. Likhovtseva needed nine match points before seeing off Sfar, who got a point penalty for swearing in the third set. Seventh seed Nathalie Dechy and Elena Bovina were among other first-round winners on Tuesday.

Halloween writer Debra Hill dies Screenwriter and producer Debra Hill, best known for her work on the 70s horror classic Halloween, has died in Los Angeles aged 54. Hill, who had been suffering from cancer, co-wrote the 1978 film, which starred Jamie Lee Curtis as a babysitter terrorised by a psychopath. Directed by John Carpenter, it made over $60m (£31.3m) worldwide - a record for independent film at that time. Hill also worked with Carpenter on Escape From New York and The Fog. Born in New Jersey, Hill began her career as a production assistant and worked her way through the ranks, becoming an assistant director and second-unit director before she began collaborating with Carpenter. She was regarded by many as a pioneering woman in film, taking on jobs in the 70s that were more commonly taken by men. "Back when I started in 1974, there were very few women in the industry," she said in 2003. "I was assumed to be the make-up and hair person, or the script person. I was never assumed to be the writer or producer." "I took a look around and realised there weren't that many women, so I had to carve a niche for myself." Carpenter said that working with Hill was "one of the greatest experiences of my life". "The ground that she trailblazed in the beginning can now be followed by anyone. She was incredibly capable and talented," he said. Carpenter and Hill collaborated on a number of Halloween sequels, including Halloween II, Halloween: Resurrection and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers. Later in her career, Hill formed a production company with her friend Lynda Obst, making a string of hit films including Oscar nominee The Fisher King and teen comedy Adventures In Babysitting. Other films included the Stephen King adaptation The Dead Zone in 1983 and 1985's Clue, a comedy based on the board game Cluedo. In the 90s she pursued work in TV, although she was reunited with Carpenter in 1996 for Escape From LA, the sequel to Escape From New York. At the time of her death she was working on a film about the last two men pulled from the rubble of the Twin Towers following the 11 September terror attacks in 2001. She was also co-producing the remake of The Fog, which is due for release early next year.

Liberian economy starts to grow The Liberian economy started to grow in 2004, but "sustained and deep reform efforts" are needed to ensure long term growth, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said. An IMF mission made the comments in a report published following 10 days of talks with the transition government. The IMF said that, according to data provided by the Liberians, the country's GDP rose by 2% in 2004, after a 31% decline in 2003. Liberia is recovering from a 14-year civil war that came to an end in 2003. The power-sharing National Transition Government of Liberia will remain in place until elections on 11 October, the first presidential and parliamentary ballots since the conflict ended. The IMF said Liberia's economy started to grow last year thanks to a "continued strong recovery in rubber production, domestic manufacturing and local services including post-conflict reconstruction". The IMF however remains cautious about what it sees as a lack of transparency in government actions. In particular, it pointed to mystery surrounding the sale of iron ore stockpiles and the alleged disappearance of some import and export permits. These matters are now being investigated by the Liberian authorities and the IMF has called for their findings to be made public. The IMF also said it was crucial that the Central Bank of Liberia be strengthened, the national budget be effectively managed and a sound economic basis built to allow the country's large external debt to be addressed. "The IMF team stands ready to assist the (Liberian) authorities in strengthening the areas mentioned," said the report. "The team agreed with the (Liberian) authorities that the period until elections and the inauguration of a new government will pose exceptional challenges to fiscal management, and expresses its willingness to provide...continued support."

Watchdog probes Vivendi bond sale French stock market regulator AMF has filed complaints against media giant Vivendi Universal, its boss and another top executive. It believes the prospectus for a bond issue was unclear and that executives may have had privileged information. AMF has begun proceedings against Vivendi, its chief executive Jean-Rene Fourtou and chief operating officer Jean-Bernard Levy. Vivendi advisor Deutsche Bank was also the subject of a complaint filing. Deutsche Bank, which was responsible for selling the convertible bonds to investors, could face penalties if the complaint is upheld. Vivendi has said it believes there is "no legal basis" for the complaints. The watchdog is said to believe the executive pair were party to "privileged information" surrounding the issue of the bonds. Both men bought some of the bonds, the Associated Press news agency reported. AMF is investigating claims that the duo were aware of an interest in Vivendi's US assets from investor Marvin Davis, at the time of the bond sale. Vivendi, however, has said that the information was public knowledge as Mr Davis' offer for the US assets had already been rejected by Vivendi's board. AMF is also looking into whether the executives knew that Vivendi was considering exercising its right to buy British Telecom's shares in Cegetel. Vivendi has rejected the charge, saying the decision to buy the Cegetel shares was "no more than a possibility, of which the public was perfectly aware" at the time of the bond issue. Back in December, Vivendi and its former chief executive Jean-Marie Messier were each fined 1m euros ($1.3m; £690,000) by AMF. The fines came after a 15-month probe into allegations that the media giant misled investors after a costly acquisition programme went wrong.

Pearce keen on succeeding Keegan Joint assistant boss Stuart Pearce has admitted he would like to succeed Kevin Keegan as manager at Manchester City. Keegan has decided to step down as City manager when his contract comes to an end in 18 months. "You don't have to be Einstein to realise there will be a manager's job available at a really good club," Pearce told BBC GMR. "I will certainly be applying for it, although whether the board deem me good enough to take it, I do not know." Pearce initially joined City as a player under Keegan in 2001 before becoming part of the coaching staff. He was promoted to joint assistant-manager following the departure of Arthur Cox last summer. The former England defender had a year as player-boss with Nottingham Forest eight seasons ago but has made no secret of his desire to have another crack at the job. He was linked with the manager's job at Oldham and Keegan has stated he would not get in the way if Pearce wanted to leave. But it now appears Pearce is keen to wait for his chance at City. He added: "By that time, I will have been here for five years so at least they will have had a good look at me and they are aware of my feelings with regard to being Kevin's successor. "Obviously, the issue is out of my hands but it is a fantastic job for anybody - I just hope it will be me."

SA return to Mauritius Top seeds South Africa return to the scene of one of their most embarrassing failures when they face the Seychelles in the Cosafa Cup next month. Last year Bafana Bafana were humbled in the first by minnows Mauritius who beat them 2-0 in Curepipe. Coach Stuart Baxter and his squad will return to Curepipe face the Seychelles in their first game of the new-look regional competition. The format of the event has been changed this year after the entry of the Seychelles, who have taken the number of participants to 13. The teams are now divided into three group of four and play knock-out matches on successive days to determine the group champions. Mauritius host the first group, and their opponents are Madagascar, the Seychelles and South Africa. Bafana Bafana play the Seychelles before Mauritius take on Madagascar in a double-header on 26 February. The two winners return to the New George V stadium the next day and the victor of the group decider advances to August's final mini-tournament. The second group will be hosted in Namibia in April. It comprises Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique and the hosts. In June, former champions Zambia will host Lesotho, Malawi and Swaziland in the third group in Lusaka. The three group winners will then join title holders Angola for the last of the mini-tournaments in August, where the winners will be crowned. Seychelles v South Africa Mauritius v Madagascar Winners meet in final match Mozambique v Zimbabwe Namibia v Botswana Winners meet in final match Lesotho v Malawi Zambia v Swaziland Winners meet in final match

Car giant hit by Mercedes slump A slump in profitability at luxury car maker Mercedes has prompted a big drop in profits at parent DaimlerChrysler. The German-US carmaker saw fourth quarter operating profits fall to 785m euros ($1bn) from 2.4bn euros in 2003. Mercedes-Benz's woes - its profits slid to just 20m euros - obscured a strong performance from the Chrysler group whose returns met market expectations. Mercedes faces fierce competition in the luxury car sector from BMW and but hopes to revive its fortunes by 2006. Mercedes' profits over the period compared unfavourably with 2003's 784m euro figure and were well below analyst expectations of 374m euros. For the year as a whole, its operating profits fell 46% to 1.6bn euros. Sales of Mercedes' brands fell 2% as demand cooled, while revenues were affected by the weakness of the US dollar. The carmaker blamed the fall in profits on high launch costs for new models and losses from its Mercedes Smart mini-car range. Mercedes is hoping to increase productivity by 3bn euros, having negotiated 500m euros in annual savings with German workers last year. The firm said it was determined to retain Mercedes' position as the world's most successful luxury brand. However, DaimlerChrysler's shares fell 1.5% on the news. "While all these divisions are doing well the big worries continue to surround Mercedes-Benz," Michael Rabb, an analyst with Bank Sal Oppenheim, told Reuters. In contrast, Chrysler enjoyed a 5% annual increase in unit sales while revenues - calculated in US dollars - rose 10%. The US division - whose marques include Dodge and Jeep - transformed a full year operating loss of 506m euros in 2003 into a 1.4bn euros profit last year. Overall, DaimlerChrysler saw worldwide vehicle sales rise 8% to 4.7 million in 2004 while total revenues added 4% to 142bn euros. Chrysler's strong performance helped the world's fifth largest carmaker boost net income by 400m euros to 2.5bn euros. "The year 2004 shows that our strategy works well - even in such a challenging competitive environment," said Jurgen Schrempp, DaimlerChrysler's chairman. DaimlerChrysler took a 475m euro hit in costs stemming from a defects scandal at its joint venture, Japanese subsidiary Fuso. DaimlerChrysler last week agreed a compensation package with partner Mitsubishi Motors which will see it buy out its stake in Fuso. Looking forward, DaimerChrysler's profits are expected to be slightly higher in 2005. However, it is expecting "significant improvements" in profitability in 2006 as a result of a major investment in the Mercedes product range.

Slimmer PlayStation triple sales Sony PlayStation 2's slimmer shape has proved popular with UK gamers, with 50,000 sold in its first week on sale. Sales have tripled since launch, outstripping Microsoft's Xbox, said market analysts Chart-Track. The numbers were also boosted by the release of the PS2-only game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The title broke the UK sales record for video games in its first weekend of release. Latest figures suggest it has sold more than 677,000 copies. "It is obviously very, very encouraging for Sony because Microsoft briefly outsold them last week," John Houlihan, editor of Computerandvideogames.com told BBC News. "And with Halo 2 [for Xbox] out next week, it really is a head-to-head contest between them and Xbox." Although Xbox sales over the last week also climbed, PS2 sales were more than double that. The figures mean Sony is reaching the seven million barrier for UK sales of the console. Edinburgh-based developer, Rockstar, which is behind the GTA titles, has seen San Andreas pull in an estimated £24m in gross revenues over the weekend. In comparison, blockbuster films like Harry Potter and The Prisoner Of Azkaban took £11.5m in its first three days at the UK box office. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King took nearly £10m over its opening weekend, although games titles are four to five times more expensive than cinema tickets. Gangster-themed GTA San Andreas is the sequel to Grand Theft Auto Vice City which previously held the record for the fastest-selling video game ever. The Xbox game Halo 2, released on 11 November in the UK, is also widely tipped to be one of the best-selling games of the year. The original title won universal acclaim in 2001, and sold more than four million copies. Mr Houlihan added that Sony had done well with the PS2, but it definitely helped that the release of San Andreas coincided with the slimline PS2 hitting the shelves. The run-up to Christmas is a huge battlefield for games consoles and titles. Microsoft's Xbox had been winning the race up until last week in sales. The sales figures also suggest that it may be a largely adult audience driving demand, since GTA San Andreas has an 18 certificate. Sony and Microsoft have both reduced console prices recently and are preparing the way for the launches of their next generation consoles in 2005. "Both have hit crucial price points at around £100 and that really does open up new consoles to new audience, plus the release of two really important games in terms of development are also driving those sales," said Mr Houlihan.

Sun offers processing by the hour Sun Microsystems has launched a pay-as-you-go service which will allow customers requiring huge computing power to rent it by the hour. Sun Grid costs users $1 (53p) for an hour's worth of processing and storage power on systems maintained by Sun. So-called grid computing is the latest buzz phrase in a company which believes that computing capacity is as important a commodity as hardware and software. Sun likened grid computing to the development of electricity. The system could mature in the same way utilities such as electricity and water have developed, said Sun's chief operating officer Jonathan Schwartz. "Why build your own grid when you can use ours for a buck an hour?" he asked in a webcast launching Sun's quarterly Network Computing event in California. The company will have to persuade data centre managers to adopt a new model but it said it already had interest from customers in the oil, gas and financial services industries. Some of them want to book computing capacity of more than 5,000 processors each, Sun said. Mr Schwartz ran a demonstration of the service, showing how data could be processed in a protein folding experiment. Hundreds of servers were used simultaneously, working on the problem for a few seconds each. Although it only took a few seconds, the experiment cost $12 (£6.30) because it had used up 12 hour's worth of computing power. The Sun Grid relies on Solaris, the operating system owned by Sun. Initially it will house the grid in existing premises and will use idle servers to test software before shipping it to customers. It has not said how much the system will cost to develop but it already has a rival in IBM, which argues that its capacity on-demand service is cheaper than that offered by Sun.

Wilkinson fit to face Edinburgh England captain Jonny Wilkinson will make his long-awaited return from injury against Edinburgh on Saturday. Wilkinson, who has not played since injuring his bicep on 17 October, took part in full-contact training with Newcastle Falcons on Wednesday. And the 25-year-old fly-half will start Saturday's Heineken Cup match at Murrayfield on the bench. But Newcastle director of rugby Rob Andrew said: "He's fine and we hope to get him into the game at some stage." The 25-year-old missed England's autumn internationals after aggravating the haematoma in his upper right arm against Saracens. He was subsequently replaced as England captain by full-back Jason Robinson. Sale's Charlie Hodgson took over the number 10 shirt in the internationals against Canada, South Africa and Australia. Wilkinson's year has been disrupted by injury as his muscle problem followed eight months on the sidelines with a shoulder injury sustained in the World Cup final.

Roddick in talks over new coach Andy Roddick is reportedly close to confirming US Davis Cup assistant Dean Goldfine as his new coach. Roddick ended his 18-month partnership with Brad Gilbert on Monday, and Goldfine admits talks have taken place. "We had a really good conversation and we're on the same page in terms of what I expect from a player in commitment and what he wants," said Goldfine. "The reading I got from him is that I would have a lot of the qualities he's looking for in a coach." Speaking to told South Florida's Sun-Sentinel newspaper, Goldfine added: "That being said, from his standpoint, which is smart, he wants to cover all his bases. "I think Andy wants a long-term relationship and wants to make sure it's the right fit... the best fit." Goldfine, 39, has worked with Todd Martin and Roddick's close friend Mardy Fish, and was an assistant coach with the US Olympic team. Martin is the other name to have been linked to the vacant post alongside Roddick.

California sets fines for spyware The makers of computer programs that secretly spy on what people do with their home PCs could face hefty fines in California. From 1 January, a new law is being introduced to protect computer users from software known as spyware. The legislation, which was approved by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, is designed to safeguard people from hackers and help protect their personal information. Spyware is considered by computer experts to be one of the biggest nuisance and security threats facing PC users in the coming year. The software buries itself in computers and can collect a wide range of information. At its worst, it has the ability to hijack personal data, like passwords, login details and credit card numbers. The programs are so sophisticated they change frequently and become impossible to eradicate. One form of spyware called adware has the ability to collect information on a computer user's web-surfing. It can result in people being bombarded with pop-up ads that are hard to close. In Washington, Congress has been debating four anti-spyware bills, but California is a step ahead. The state's Consumer Protection Against Spyware Act bans the installation of software that takes control of another computer. It also requires companies and websites to disclose whether their systems will install spyware. Consumers are able to seek up to $1,000 in damages if they think they have fallen victim to the intrusive software. The new law marks a continuing trend in California towards tougher privacy rights. A recent survey by Earthlink and Webroot found that 90% of PCs are infested with the surreptitious software and that, on average, each one is harbouring 28 separate spyware programs. Currently users wanting protection from spyware have turned to free programs such as Spybot and Ad-Aware.

Jugnot 'tops French actor league' Actor Gerard Jugnot - star of the Oscar-nominated film The Chorus - has beaten Gerard Depardieu to become France's best-paid actor of 2004. Jugnot made 5.45m Euros (£3.77m) last year, according to a table drawn up by France's Le Figaro newspaper. In The Chorus (Les Choristes), Jugnot plays an inspiring music teacher at a school for troubled boys in 1949. Despite starring in five films in 2004, Depardieu made 3.35m Euros (£2.31m) putting him third place in the chart. "His name [Depardieu] is no longer sufficient to guarantee the success of a film," said Le Figaro newspaper. The Chorus, which Jugnot also co-produced, has drawn an audience of nearly nine million people since its release last year. Godzilla star Jean Reno was France's second best-paid actor in 2004, earning 3.55m Euros (£2.45m) . His roles include a recent uncredited cameo in the Oscar-nominated Hotel Rwanda. The highest-ranking woman on Le Figaro's list was Audrey Tautou in 10th place, earning 885,000 Euros (£611,000). She starred in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's A Very Long Engagement (Un Long Dimanche de Fiancailles) and is also lined up to co-star with Tom Hanks in Ron Howard's The Da Vinci Code. The Chorus is nominated for best foreign film at Sunday's Oscar ceremony. On Saturday, it will compete for the title of best film against fellow nominee A Very Long Engagement in France's Cesar film awards.

BT offers equal access to rivals BT has moved to pre-empt a possible break-up of its business by offering to cut wholesale broadband prices and open its network to rivals. The move comes after telecom regulator Ofcom said in November that the firm must offer competitors "real equality of access to its phone lines". At the time, Ofcom offered BT the choice of change or splitting into two. Ofcom is carrying out a strategic review aimed at promoting greater competition in the UK telecom sector. BT's competitors have frequently accused it of misusing its status as the former telecoms monopoly and controller of access to many customers to favour its own retail arm. This latest submission was delivered to the watchdog ahead of a deadline for the second phase of its review. "Central to the proposals are plans by BT to offer operators lower wholesale prices, faster broadband services and transparent, highly-regulated access to BT's local network," the former monopoly said in a statement. "The United Kingdom has the opportunity to create the most exciting and innovative telecoms market in the world," BT chief executive Ben Verwaayen said. "BT has a critical role to play, and today we are making a set of far-reaching proposals towards that framework," he said. BT wants lighter regulation in exchange for the changes, as well as the removal of the break-up threat. The group is to set up a new Access Services division - with a separate board which would include independent members - to ensure equal access for rivals to the "local loop", the copper wires that run between telephone exchanges and households. The company also unveiled plans to cut the wholesale prices of its most popular broadband product by about 8% from April in areas of high customer demand. It added that it plans to invest £10bn in the next five years to create a "21st Century network". To meet the growing demand for greater bandwidth, BT said it would begin trials in April with a view to launching higher-speed services nationally from the autumn. Telecom analysts Ovum welcomed the move, saying BT had "given a lot of ground". "The big question now is whether the industry, and particularly Ofcom feels BT's proposals go far enough ...Now the real negotiation begins," director of telecoms research Tony Lavender said. Internet service provider (ISP) Plus.net also backed the proposals saying "we will be entirely happy if Ofcom accepts them". "BT has been challenged to play fair and its plans will introduce a level playing field. The scenario now is how well people execute their business plans as a service provider," chief executive Lee Strafford said. Chris Panayis, managing director of ISP Freedom2surf said that it would make the situation clearer for business. "I think it's the first productive thing we've had from BT," he said. AOL backed the price cuts but said regulation was still needed to ensure a level playing field. "This is a reminder to Ofcom that as long as BT can change the dynamics of the whole broadband market at will, the process of opening up the UK's local telephone network to infrastructure investment and competition remains fragile," a spokesman said. "Ofcom needs to return to regulation of the wholesale broadband service [IPStream] and provide more robust rules for local loop unbundling if consumers are to see the benefits of increased competition and infrastructure investment." More than 100 telecom firms, consumer groups and other interested parties are expected to make submissions to the regulator during this consultation phase. Ofcom is expected to spend the next few weeks examining the proposals before making an announcement within the next few months.

Sony wares win innovation award Sony has taken the prize for top innovator at the annual awards of PC Pro Magazine. It won the award for taking risks with products and for its "brave" commitment to good design. Conferring the award, PC Pro's staff picked out Sony's PCG-X505/P Vaio laptop as a "stunning piece of engineering". The electronics giant beat off strong competition from Toshiba and chip makers AMD and Intel to take the gong. Paul Trotter, news and features editor of PC Pro, said several Sony products helped it to take the innovation award. He said Sony's Clie PEG UX50 media player with its swivel screen and qwerty keyboard "broke the design rules yet again". Other Sony products that helped included the Vaio W1 desktop computer and the RA-104 media server. Mr Trotter said Sony's combining of computer, screen and keyboard in the W1 was likely to be widely copied in future home PCs. The company has also become one of the first to use organic LEDs in its products. "While not always inventing new technology itself, Sony was never afraid to innovate around various formats," said Mr Trotter. Other awards decided by PC Pro's staff and contributors included one for Canon's EOS 300D digital camera in the Most Wanted Hardware category. Microsoft's Media Player 10 took the award for Most Wanted Software. This year was the 10th anniversary of the PC Pro awards, which splits its prizes into two sections. The first are chosen by the magazine's writers and consultants, the second are voted for by readers. Mr Trotter said more than 13,000 people voted for the Reliability and Service Awards, twice as many as in 2003. Net-based memory and video card shop Crucial shared the award for Online Vendor of the year with Novatech.

'Poll Idols' face first hurdles Vote For Me - ITV1's Pop Idol style talent contest for would-be politicians - finally hits our screens this week. Over the next four days, hundreds of potential candidates will be whittled down by a panel of experts and public vote. The winner will then be encouraged to stand as an independent at the next general election, which is expected in the spring. But opinion is divided on whether any of the potential candidates unearthed so far have got what it takes to make it in politics. "Any of them would make competent MPs," former independent MP Martin Bell insisted on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Mr Bell, who will be offering his advice to the contestants on Wednesday, argues that Westminster has its share of "odd balls" and the show will engage ordinary voters. "If it gets more people voting and more people interested in politics there is no harm in that," he said. But Sir Bernard Ingham, Margaret Thatcher's former press secretary, took a less charitable view, accusing the programme of "corrupting politics". He said the producers would not achieve their aim of re-engaging voters "with that bunch of nutters". To give Sir Bernard his dues, Monday evening's opening episode did attract more than a smattering of eccentrics and self-publicists. Among those chancing their arm were a druid priest and a former porn star, who insisted on removing her top to make her point about the legalisation of brothels. Among the more eccentric policy proposals was a public holiday on Bruce Forsyth's birthday and Bill Oddie for prime minister. The show follows the time-honoured Pop Idol format, with queues of nervous hopefuls and a panel of three experts judging their performance. The contestants were given 60 seconds to present their manifestos. Then the final 25 were tested on their lobbying ability. They were then cross-examined by the panel, which was chaired by ex-ITN political editor John Sergeant, with television host Lorraine Kelly taking the Nicki Chapman role. But the real star of the show is Kelvin MacKenzie, in the Simon Cowell, Mr Nasty seat. The former Sun editor dispensed a stream of well-crafted insults and one-liners. His advice for one young contestant was to "get a haircut and a brain transplant". Wheelchair user Kevin Donnellon was asked: "Why on earth do you want our elected representatives to be disabled?" "Don't you care about the Inuit?", implored guitar-toting environmental campaigner Barry Lim. "I don't care about them. I care about myself and when the sun's shining I think - fantastic," replied Mr MacKenzie. Mr Lim later reduced the panel to fits of giggles as he outlined his plan to make people do community service instead of paying taxes. "When the prime minister turns to the chancellor and says how much have we got in the coffers Mr Brown, he says well, prime minister, bad news, all the houses in Britain have been painted but actually nobody has paid any tax," observed Mr MacKenzie. "That was an total disaster. I just couldn't seem to think of things to say," a crestfallen Mr Lim confided in the show's presenter, Jonathan Maitland. Irfan Hanif, a 25-year-old doctor from Bolton, made a good impression, even if he was a little thrown by Mr MacKenzie's suggestion that instead of being treated by the NHS, young drunks should "given a good beating" and left to die. Dominic Carman - son of late libel lawyer George Carman - was voted through to the final 25, on a platform of cutting defence spending to boost education. Opinion was more divided over Rodney Hylton-Potts, a 59-year-old convicted fraudster. Mr MacKenzie thought the smooth-talking former solicitor - with a hardline on crime and immigration - deserved a chance to progress. "He could join the rest of the crooks in the Houses of Parliament." But Ms Kelly said she "would not trust him as far as she could throw him". The series continues throughout the week, with the public given the chance to evict one prospective MP every night. ITV will not fund the election campaign for the eventual winner, but the publicity could give the winner a flying start over other candidates.

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.

Putin backs state grab for Yukos Russia's president has defended the purchase of Yukos' key production unit by state-owned oil firm Rosneft, saying it followed free market principles. Vladimir Putin said it was quite within the rights of a state-owned company to ensure its interests were met. Rosneft bought 100% of Baikal Finance Group, in a move that amounts to the renationalisation of a major chunk of Russia's booming oil industry. Rosneft will now control about 16% of Russia's total crude oil output. Yukos share jumped in Moscow, climbing as much as 50% before being suspended. Rosneft is already in the process of merging with Gazprom, the world's biggest gas company, a move that will see Gazprom return to majority state-ownership. Baikal was the surprise buyer of oil and gas giant Yukos's main production division at a forced auction on Sunday. "Everything was done by market methods," Mr Putin said at his year-end press conference in Moscow. Shedding some light on the Kremlin's motivation, Mr Putin referred to a period of so-called "cowboy capitalism" that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union. He said privatisations carried out in the early 1990s had involved trickery, including law breaking, by people seeking to acquire valuable state property. "Now the state, using market methods, is safeguarding its interests. I think this is quite normal," the Russian president said. A Rosneft spokesman has said the acquisition is part of its plan to build a "balanced, national energy corporation." The latest announcement comes after more than a year of wrangling that has pushed Yukos, one of Russia's biggest companies to the brink of collapse. The Russian government put Yukos's Yuganskneftegas subsidiary up for sale last week after hitting the company with a $27bn (£14bn) bill for back taxes and fines. Analysts say that Yukos's legal attempts to block the auction by filing for bankruptcy protection in the US are probably what caused this week's cloak-and-dagger dealings. Gazprom, the company originally tipped to buy Yuganskneftegas, was banned from taking part in the auction by a US court injunction. By selling the Yukos unit to little-known Baikal and then to Rosneft, Russia is able to circumvent a host of tricky legal landmines, analysts said. "You cannot sue the Russian government," said Eric Kraus, a strategist at Moscow's Sovlink Securities. "The Russian government has sovereign immunity." "The government is renationalising Yuganskneftegas." Even so, analysts reckon that the saga still has a long way to go. The Rosneft announcement came just hours after Yukos accused Gazprom of illegally taking part in Sunday's auction. It has said it will be seeking damages of $20bn. The claim was made at the latest hearing in the US bankruptcy court in Houston, Texas, where Yukos, had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. If found in contempt of the US court order blocking the auction, Gazprom could face having foreign assets seized. Yukos' lawyers had also been expected to try to have Baikal's assets frozen. Lawyers claimed the auction was illegal because Yukos - with an office in Houston - had filed for bankruptcy and therefore its assets were under the protection of US law which has worldwide jurisdiction. Further muddying the waters is a merger between Rosneft and Gazprom which authorities have said will go ahead as planned.

Director Nair's Vanity project Indian film director Mira Nair has said she was thrilled to be given the chance to make William Makepeace Thackeray's novel Vanity Fair - as the book has been a favourite through her life. The book is one of the classics of English literature - the story of scheming 19th Century social climber Becky Sharp, played in the film by Reese Witherspoon. Nair said that she jumped at the chance to work on the film, which she has - controversially - made in a Bollywood style, including two song-and-dance routines in the film's second half. "It was serendipity really - I was offered Vanity Fair by the studio Focus Features, who had distributed Monsoon Wedding," Nair told BBC World Service's Masterpiece programme. "They offered me their next-best thing, not realising that Vanity Fair had actually been one of my favourite novels since I was 16 years old in an Irish Catholic boarding school in India." Since her 1988 debut feature Salaam Bombay! - nominated for the Best Foreign Language Oscar and winner of Best First Feature at Cannes - Nair has become one of India's most famous and respected directors. She is not restricted to Bollywood, however - she followed Salaam Bombay! with Mississippi Masala, starring Denzel Washington, and The Perez Family, her first Hollywood film. Her career peaked with Monsoon Wedding in 2001, which won the Golden Lion award at Venice. Nair's Indian-style adaptation of Vanity Fair, however, has been attacked by critics in the US - where it only reached number eight at the box office in its opening week - who described the Bollywood elements as "jarring." The film has a new ending, with Becky Sharp running off for a new life in India. But Nair said that her film had picked up on the way Thackeray - who was born in India but moved to England as a young man - had seen the world. "First, when I was 16, it was Becky Sharp, who is a completely memorable character, because I recognised myself in her - I recognised all the ladies who did not want to be ladies, who wanted to buck the system that they were in," she said. "But it was the sort of novel I somehow kept at the side of my bed for many years, and I would dip into every now and then and suddenly get completely mesmerised again. "As I got older and read it, I think it was Thackeray's clarity - his clear-sightedness about his own society, the fact that he was born in India but came to England as a young man - that gave him the eyes of an outsider, and yet he was an insider. "That perspective was something I really loved." Nair also defended her decision to cast an American actress - Reese Witherspoon - as Becky Sharp, despite the fact that all the rest of the cast are British or Irish. "I cast intuitively - in my films I cast as many non-actors as I cast actors," she said. "For me, it is intuition - I have to fall in love with an actor. It is a visceral response. "Thackeray describes Becky Sharp as a minx. Also she's described as someone who's tiny, red-headed and thin. Reese had that completely minx-like irresistibility about her." Having won the role because she seemed physically perfectly suited to the part, however, Witherspoon then became pregnant. But Nair said that, though this had created the need for some filming tricks, it had in fact also helped the film. "It was a self-fulfilling prophesy - when I first met her husband [actor Ryan Philippe], I said 'knock her up, won't you, I need some flesh on the girl'," she joked. "I'm not a fan of the underfed Los Angeles actor at all. This was, for me, about Becky Sharp being, eventually, a full-blown woman through the course of the film. "I love the luminosity that pregnancy brings, I love the fleshiness, I love the ample bosom - it gave me much more to play with." Nair explained how camera tricks had been used to disguise Witherspoon's "bump" in various scenes - including hiring a number of young boys in costumes to stand in front of her. "She runs, she gets off coal carts, she jumps off horses - she does everything," Nair said. "But there's also a certain carriage with horses that is going to wipe the screen at a certain moment, because of the bump."

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.

Format wars could 'confuse users' Technology firms Sony, Philips, Matsushita and Samsung are developing a common way to stop people pirating digital music and video. The firms want to make a system that ensures files play on the hardware they make but also thwarts illegal copying. The move could mean more confusion for consumers already faced by many different, and conflicting, content control systems, experts warned. They say there are no guarantees the system will even prevent piracy. Currently many online stores wrap up downloadable files in an own-brand control system that means they can only be played on a small number of media players. Systems that limit what people can do with the files they download are known as Digital Rights Management systems. By setting up the alliance to work on a common control system, the firms said they hope to end this current fragmentation of file formats. In a joint statement the firms said they wanted to let consumers enjoy "appropriately licensed video and music on any device, independent of how they originally obtained that content". The firms hope that it will also make it harder for consumers to make illegal copies of the music, movies and other digital content they have bought. Called the Marlin Joint Development Association, the alliance will define basic specifications that every device made by the electronics firms will conform to. Marlin will be built on technology from rights management firm Intertrust as well as an earlier DRM system developed by a group known as the Coral Consortium. The move is widely seen as a way for the four firms to decide their own destiny on content control systems instead of having to sign up for those being pushed by Apple and Microsoft. Confusingly for consumers, the technology that comes out of the alliance will sit alongside the content control systems of rival firms such as Microsoft and Apple. "In many ways the different DRM systems are akin to the different physical formats, such as Betamax and VHS, that consumers have seen in the past," said Ian Fogg, personal technology and broadband analyst at Jupiter Research. "The difference is that it is very fragmented," he said. "It's not a two-horse race, it's a five, six, seven or even eight-horse race" Mr Fogg said consumers had to be very careful when buying digital content to ensure that it would play on the devices they own. He said currently there were even incompatibilities within DRM families. Although initiatives such as Microsoft's "Plays for Sure" program could help remove some of the uncertainty, he said, life was likely to be confusing for consumers for some time to come. Shelley Taylor, analyst and author of a report about online music services, said the locks and limits on digital files were done to maximise the cash that firms can make from consumers. Apple's iTunes service was a perfect example of this, she said. "Although iTunes has been hugely successful, Apple could not justify its existence if it did not help sell all those iPods," she said. She said rampant competition between online music services, of which there are now 230 according to recent figures, could drive more openness and freer file formats. "It always works out that consumer needs win out in the long run," she said, "and the services that win in the long run are the ones that listen to consumers earliest." Ms Taylor said the limits legal download services place on files could help explain the continuing popularity of file-sharing systems that let people get hold of pirated pop. "People want portability," she said, "and with peer-to-peer they have 100% portability." Cory Doctorow, European co-ordinator for the Electronic Frontier Foundation which campaigns for consumers on many cyber-rights issues, expressed doubts that the Marlin system would achieve its aims. "Not one of these systems has ever prevented piracy or illegal copying," he said. He said many firms readily admit that their DRM systems are little protection against skilled attackers such as the organised crime gangs that are responsible for most piracy. Instead, said Mr Doctorow, DRM systems were intended to control the group that electronics firms have most hold over - consumers. "The studios and labels perceive an opportunity to sell you your media again and again - the iPod version, the auto version, the American and UK version, the ringtone version, and so on."

Kennedy looks to election gains They may not know quite how to describe their position in British politics - the real opposition, the valid opposition, the effective opposition or the authentic opposition. But the Liberal Democrats are entering the expected 2005 election campaign determined to prove it is they, not the Tories, who are now the real threat to Labour. As Tory leader Michael Howard kicked off his election campaign, the Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy dismissed the Conservatives as a "fading" force. And he insisted there was "no limit" to his party's ambitions in the coming poll. And he can produce some pretty impressive recent election results to back up his optimism for an election which he believes might just see his party doing big things. Sensible third party leaders are usually cautious about making any predictions about how they will do come the big test. And Mr Kennedy was not falling into that trap when he fired up his campaign from the party's Westminster HQ. He would make no predictions other than that he expected the Lib Dems to increase both their votes and their Commons seats at the election. The gap between Labour and the Tories was now so narrow - as proved, he claimed, by the defection to Labour of Robert Jackson - that only his party offered a genuine alternative. On the war on Iraq, identity cards, student fees and the council tax, there was nothing to chose between the two big parties whereas the Liberal Democrats offered costed, sensible alternatives. He was also happy to break the two party consensus on taxation by promising to increase income tax on those earning more than £100,000 a year to pay for the scrapping of student fees, the introduction of free personal care for the elderly and replacing the council tax with a local income tax. He was also happy to offer a pledge that he would be doing no deals to "prop up" either of the other big parties after the election. There was a time when such optimistic sounds coming from the third party could be dismissed as self-delusion. That is no longer the case with the Liberal Democrats. The other parties will still insist that the Lib Dems are no hopers whose greatest effect on the poll will be to boost the hopes of their opponents by denying them otherwise winnable seats. Labour, in particular, fears that disillusioned supporters may switch to the Lib Dems allowing the Tories to win some seats. But Mr Kennedy is clearly hoping for a more significant outcome than that. He will not talk about the big breakthrough, although there are those who believe this could well be the election that sees his party crossing some sort of symbolic threshold. They would argue that, by the time of the election after next, the Liberal Democrats may genuinely have replaced the Tories as the party challenging Labour for power. The Lib Dems will hope to have made advances because of their consistent stand against the war on Iraq. But Mr Kennedy believes his new manifesto will also offer sensible, costed and achievable policies on things like the council tax, crime and asylum that will underpin his claim that his party really is the only opposition worth the name.

Bell set for England debut Bath prop Duncan Bell has been added to England's 30-man squad to face Ireland in the RBS Six Nations. And with Phil Vickery sidelined for at least six weeks with a broken arm and Julian White out with a neck injury, Bell could make his England debut. Bell, 30, had set his sights on an international career with Wales. But last December, the International Rugby Board confirmed that he could only be eligible for England as he had travelled on tour with them in 1998. England coach Andy Robinson could take a gamble and call inexperienced Sale Sharks prop Andrew Sheridan into his front row. But Sheridan favours the loosehead side of the scrum and a more likely scenario is for uncapped Bell - who was among the tryscorers when England A beat France A 30-20 nine days ago - to be drafted in. Robinson also has an injury worry over centre Olly Barkley, who withdrew from Bath's starting line-up to face Gloucester last weekend. He was due to have a hospital scan on Monday, while Gloucester centre Henry Paul, who started at fly-half against Bath, limped out at Kingsholm because of an ankle problem. Despite Barkley's three missed penalties in the 18-17 defeat against France, he is expected to retain his place at inside centre, although Leicester's in-form prospect Ollie Smith would be an obvious replacement. Bath coach John Connolly rates Barkley as no better than a 50/50 chance to make the Dublin trip. Uncapped fly-half Andy Goode has been named in a 30-man training squad for the Ireland game, and he strengthened his selection claims by kicking 28 points during Leicester's record 83-10 win against Newcastle on Sunday. England's players are due to meet at their Surrey training base on Monday.

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.

Player burn-out worries Robinson England coach Andy Robinson says English rugby has to act now to prevent injury destroying players' careers. He will be without a host of big names for the Six Nations as the intensity of professional rugby union hits players. "Injuries are part of the sport but we have to have a look at the amount of injuries that occur in the English season," Robinson told BBC Sport. "I think players are probably going to have three or four years taken off their careers." Robinson will be missing an entire midfield for the Six Nations with the likes of Jonny Wilkinson, Mike Tindall and Will Greenwood injured. Rugby union has become far more physically demanding since the game went professional nearly 10 years ago. As a result three of the major stakeholders in English rugby have launched an "injury audit" to find out how players are coping. The audit is jointly funded by the Professional Rugby Players' Association, the Rugby Football Union and Premier Rugby. As far as Robinson is concerned its findings must not be ignored. "I think there's an injury audit coming out in March that's got some great information in there that I think everybody in the English game has got to look at," he said. "If we don't the situation is going to get worse and not better, so I think rugby as a whole has got to look at this."

OutKast win at MTV Europe Awards US hip-hop duo OutKast have capped a year of award glory with three prizes at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Rome. They won best group, best video and best song for hit Hey Ya! after getting five nominations. R&B singer Usher won best male and best album for Confessions, while UK rock band Muse were named best alternative act and best British artists. OutKast will add their awards to the four they won at the US MTV Awards in August and three Grammys in February. Not only was Hey Ya! one of the biggest global hits of last year, but OutKast have been widely acclaimed as one of the most exciting and innovative acts in music. Their double CD album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, which saw Andre 3000 and Big Boi each produce one disc, was hailed as the album of 2003 by many critics. Andre 3000 thanked fans "for supporting OutKast throughout the years". "We really appreciate it," he said. "I hope you don't get tired of us, but we only do what we do." Also competing for best group had been the Beastie Boys, the Black Eyed Peas, D12 and Maroon 5. And Anastacia, Britney Spears, Maroon 5 and Ludacris had been on the shortlist for best song. OutKast did lose out in the contest for best album - which was won by Usher, another award favourite. Usher, who performed a duet with Alicia Keys, also beat off competition from Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Nelly and Robbie Williams to take the best male crown. He had four nominations going into the ceremony, with seven artists nominated in three categories. Eminem's group, D12, were surprise winners in the best hip-hop category, beating the Beastie Boys, Jay-Z, Kanye West and Nelly. Eminem told the crowd: "D12 finally won an award, thank you very much." The rapper opened the show with a performance of his songs Like Toy Soldiers and Just Lose It, for which he was joined on stage by a crowd of children. The Black Eyed Peas - who had a global hit with Where is the Love? - picked up the prize for best pop act, beating Anastacia, Avril Lavigne, Robbie Williams and Britney Spears. Spears was named best female, sending a message of thanks on video saying the award "means so much to me". Alicia Keys, Anastasia, Avril Lavigne and Beyonce Knowles had featured alongside her in that contest. Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington described their prize for best rock band as "quite an honour" while Muse said their win for best alternative act was "a real surprise for us". Muse were also named best UK and Ireland act, ahead of Franz Ferdinand, Natasha Bedingfield, Jamelia and The Streets. Referring to the fact that winners of 11 of the 12 main awards were from the US, Muse singer Matt Bellamy said: "There needs to be more European bands." The 11th annual awards were hosted by hip-hop artist Xzibit and watched by 6,000 people at the Tor Di Valle arena, plus millions more on TV around the world. The ceremony featured performances from the Beastie Boys, who entered the stage on bicycles and skateboards, No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani being lowered from a giant clock and Nelly doing a duet with Pharrell Williams. MTV also organised a huge open-air concert featuring Anastacia and The Cure outside the Italian capital's ancient Colosseum, with some estimates putting the attendance there at 200,000. Last year's big winner at the MTV Europe Awards, held in Edinburgh, Scotland, was Justin Timberlake, who walked away with three trophies.

Jobs growth still slow in the US The US created fewer jobs than expected in January, but a fall in jobseekers pushed the unemployment rate to its lowest level in three years. According to Labor Department figures, US firms added only 146,000 jobs in January. The gain in non-farm payrolls was below market expectations of 190,000 new jobs. Nevertheless it was enough to push down the unemployment rate to 5.2%, its lowest level since September 2001. The job gains mean that President Bush can celebrate - albeit by a very fine margin - a net growth in jobs in the US economy in his first term in office. He presided over a net fall in jobs up to last November's Presidential election - the first President to do so since Herbert Hoover. As a result, job creation became a key issue in last year's election. However, when adding December and January's figures, the administration's first term jobs record ended in positive territory. The Labor Department also said it had revised down the jobs gains in December 2004, from 157,000 to 133,000. Analysts said the growth in new jobs was not as strong as could be expected given the favourable economic conditions. "It suggests that employment is continuing to expand at a moderate pace," said Rick Egelton, deputy chief economist at BMO Financial Group. "We are not getting the boost to employment that we would have got given the low value of the dollar and the still relatively low interest rate environment." "The economy is producing a moderate but not a satisfying amount of job growth," said Ken Mayland, president of ClearView Economics. "That means there are a limited number of new opportunities for workers."

Call centre users 'lose patience' Customers trying to get through to call centres are getting impatient and quicker to hang up, a survey suggests. Once past the welcome message, callers on average hang up after just 65 seconds of listening to canned music. The drop in patience comes as the number of calls to call centres is growing at a rate of 20% every year. "Customers are getting used to the idea of an 'always available' society," says Cara Diemont of IT firm Dimension Data, which commissioned the survey. However, call centres also saw a sharp increase of customers simply abandoning calls, she says, from just over 5% in 2003 to a record 13.3% during last year. When automated phone message systems are taken out of the equation, where customers have to pick their way through multiple options and messages, the number of abandoned calls is even higher - a sixth of all callers give up rather than wait. One possible reason for the lack in patience, Ms Diemont says, is the fact that more customers are calling 'on the move' using their mobile phones. The surge in customers trying to get through to call centres is also a reflection of the centres' growing range of tasks. "Once a call centre may have looked after mortgages, now its agents may also be responsible for credit cards, insurance and current accounts," Ms Diemont says. Problems are occurring because increased responsibility is not going hand-in-hand with more training, the survey found. In what Dimension Data calls an "alarming development", the average induction time for a call centre worker fell last year from 36 to just 21 days, leaving "agents not equipped to deal with customers". This, Ms Diemont warns, is "scary" and not good for the bottom line either. Poor training frustrates both call centre workers and customers. As a result, call centres have a high "churn rate", with nearly a quarter of workers throwing in the towel every year, which in turn forces companies to pay for training new staff. Resolution rates - the number of calls where a customer's query is resolved to mutual satisfaction - are running at just 50%. When the query is passed on to a second or third person - a specialist or manager - rates rise to about 70%, but that is still well below the industry target of an 85% resolution rate. Suggestions that "outsourcing" - relocating call centres to low-cost countries like India or South Africa - is to blame are wrong, Ms Diemont says. There are "no big differences in wait time and call resolution" between call centres based in Europe or North America and those in developing countries around the world. "You can make call centres perform anywhere if you have good management and the right processes in place," she says. However, companies that decide to "offshore" their operations are driven not just by cost considerations. Only 42% of them say that saving money is the main consideration when closing domestic call centre operations. Half of them argue that workers in other countries offer better skills for the money. But not everybody believes that outsourcing and offshoring are the solution. Nearly two-thirds of all firms polled for the survey have no plans to offshore their call centres. They give three key reasons for not making the move: - call centre operations are part of their business "core function", - they are worried about the risk of going abroad, - they fear that they will damage their brand if they join the offshoring drive. The survey was conducted by Sunovate on behalf of Dimension Data, and is based on in-depth questionnaires of 166 call centres in 24 countries and five continents. What are your experiences with call centres? Are you happy to listen to Vivaldi or Greensleeves, or do you want an immediate response? And if you work in a call centre: did your training prepare you for your job?

Golden rule boost for Chancellor Chancellor Gordon Brown has been given a £2.1bn boost in his attempts to meet his golden economic rule, which allows him to borrow only for investment. The extra leeway came after the Office for National Statistics said it had been measuring road expenditure data wrongly over the past five years. It comes just weeks ahead of the Budget and an expected general election. Shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin said: "At best the timing of these changes is very convenient for the government." A review by the ONS found it had made a mistake by "double counting" some spending on roads since 1998/9. Correcting the error would mean reducing current expenditure and increasing net investment, thus helping Mr Brown to meet his "golden rule" of borrowing only to invest over the economic cycle. Economists speculated that it might also allow for some vote-catching measures in the Budget. The changes by the ONS increase the current budget measure for the past five years by £2.1bn in total. Mr Letwin said: "This is a very murky area... There will inevitably be suspicions that the figures are being fiddled." The Conservatives also said Mr Brown would still be forced to raise taxes after the general election to fill an annual £10.5bn "black hole" in the nation's coffers. But the Treasury said there would be no relaxation of economic discipline and the golden rule would be met even without the data revisions. In January the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said Mr Brown would need to raise taxes to get public finances onto the track predicted in last year's Budget. It also said the government might narrowly miss its "golden rule" if the current economic cycle ended in 2005/06. After the ONS announcement, economists said there could also be a proportionate boost to the current budget in 2004/05 of about £400m. "None of this changes the big picture of a dramatic deterioration in the overall fiscal position over the last four or five years," said Jonathan Loynes, chief UK economist at Capital Economics. "Accordingly, it seems very likely that some form of fiscal consolidation will be required in due course."

A-listers flock to Gervais sitcom Hollywood actors Samuel L Jackson and Ben Stiller have signed up for Ricky Gervais' new sitcom, the comedian has told BBC News. He said they had both seen the scripts and had agreed to appear in an episode each of the sitcom Extras. They join British stars Jude Law and Kate Winslet who have been booked for guest roles. The comic and actor said he had drawn up an A-list of stars he wanted and all had agreed to be in it. "We wanted actors who had iconic status but that we could also deconstruct," Gervais told BBC News. "It's not about the zeitgeist. We wanted people who would still be around in 20 years, not just the winner of Big Brother to take part." Gervais admitted he was cautious about revealing who would be taking part until they had all signed on the dotted line. But he has met with Stiller and Jackson and they enjoyed the scripts enough to commit to it. "I didn't want to start revealing names until it was all sorted because people just mention people who haven't even been asked. "I have been linked with ridiculous stories recently such as I'm going to be in a remake of 10 taking Dudley Moore's part. I haven't been approached and I wouldn't take it anyway." He said Stiller and Jackson would be playing "twisted" versions of themselves in Extras and that the jokes about them "would sail pretty close to the bone". Gervais and his writing partner Stephen Merchant are currently refining the scripts for the six-part series, in which Gervais plays a struggling actor who bitches about the stars. Meanwhile, Gervais is gearing up to promote his cartoon book Flanimals which is released in the US in March, around the same time as NBC begin showing the US version of The Office. The film rights to Flanimals have already been snapped up but Gervais is keen for the project to be taken slowly. "A film will happen over the next three years but I don't want it to be a $50m movie straight away because it is not well enough known and it wouldn't be another Spider-Man or Batman. I would like to do something small on TV with it first."

S Korean lender faces liquidation Creditors of South Korea's top credit card firm have said they will put the company into liquidation if its ex-parent firm fails to back a bail-out. LG Card's creditors have given LG group until Wednesday to sign up to a $1.1bn rescue package. The firm avoided bankruptcy thanks to a $4.5bn bail-out in January 2004, which gave control to the creditors. LG Group has said any package should reflect the firm's new ownership, and it will not accept an unfair burden. At least seven million people in South Korea use LG Card's plastic for purchases. LG Card's creditors have threatened parent group LG Group with penalties if it fails to respond to their demands. "Creditors would seek strong financial sanctions against LG Group if LG Card is liquidated," said Yoo Ji-chang, governor of Korean Development Bank (KDB) - one of the card firm's major creditors. LG Group has said providing further help to the credit card issuer could hurt its corporate credibility and could spark shareholder lawsuits. It says it wants "fair and reasonable guidelines" on splitting the financial burden with the creditors, who now own 99.3% of LG Card. The creditors have asked the government to mediate to avoid any risk to the stability of financial markets, KDB said. Analysts believe a compromise is likely. "LG Group knows the impact on consumer demand and the national economy from a liquidation of LG Card," said Kim Yungmin, an equity strategist at Dongwon Investment Trust Management. LG Card almost collapsed in 2003 due to an increase in overdue credit card bills after the bursting of a credit bubble. The firm returned to profit in September 2004, but now needs a capital injection to avoid being delisted from the Korea Stock Exchange. The exchange can delist a company if its debt exceeds its assets for two years running. LG card's creditors fear that such a move would triggered massive debt redemption requests that could bankrupt the firm, which owes about $12.05bn. "Eventually, LG Group will have to participate, but they have been stalling to try to earn better concessions," said Mr Kim.

Weak data buffets French economy A batch of downbeat government data has cast doubt over the French economy's future prospects. Official figures showed on Friday that unemployment was unchanged at 9.9% last month, while consumer confidence fell unexpectedly in October. At the same time, finance minister Nicolas Sarkozy warned that high oil prices posed a threat to French growth. "[Oil prices] will weigh on consumer spending in the short term, and potentially on confidence," he said. World oil prices have risen by more than 60% since the start of the year as production struggles to keep pace with soaring demand. Analysts said French companies, keen to protect their profit margins at a time of rising energy costs, were reluctant to take on extra staff. "[The unemployment figures] show the main problem of the French economy: we have growth but without an improvement in employment," said Marc Touati, an economist at Natexis Banques Populaires. "Politicians must have the will and guts to solve structural unemployment with thorough reforms, otherwise in five or ten years, it will be too late." Obligatory employer contributions to worker welfare programmes mean that it costs more to hire staff in France than in many other European economies. Many economists have urged the government to stimulate employment by reducing non-wage payroll costs, and by scrapping restrictions on working hours. The French statistics agency, INSEE, expects the economy to grow by about 2.4% this year, buoyed by strong consumer spending and business investment. That is above the projected eurozone average of just above 2%.

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.

Nissan names successor to Ghosn Nissan has named a lifetime employee to run its operations after Carlos Ghosn, its highly successful boss, takes charge at Renault. As chief operating officer, Toshiyuki Shiga will run Nissan on a daily basis, although Mr Ghosn, who masterminded its recovery, will remain chief executive. Mr Ghosn is to become chairman and chief executive of Renault, which owns 44% of the Japanese carmaker, in April. Mr Ghosn transformed Nissan into a fast-growing and profitable business. Mr Shiga will nominally serve as Mr Ghosn's deputy. However, he will be Nissan's most senior Japan-based executive and will be in charge of the firm's global sales and marketing. He is currently in charge of Nissan's operations across Asia and Australasia and is credited with significantly improving its sales in China. He will inherit a strong legacy from Mr Ghosn, who has overseen a dramatic turnaround in Nissan's fortunes in the past five years. Dubbed 'le cost killer' for pushing through huge cost cuts in previous jobs, Mr Ghosn reduced Nissan's overheads by 20% and trimmed its workforce by about 200,000 after taking charge in 1999. These actions helped Nissan turn a 684bn yen ($6.4bn) loss in 2000 into a 331bn yen ($2.7bn) profit the following year. During his tenure, Nissan has increased its market share and made significant strides in key export markets. Nissan aims to increase vehicle sales to more than four million by 2008, launching 28 new models in the process. In his new job as Renault chief executive, Mr Ghosn will devote 40% of his time to Renault, 40% to Nissan and the rest to the group's activities in North America and other key markets. Mr Ghosn said Mr Shiga's appointment would ensure a "seamless" transition in management. "I need a leadership team capable of accelerating the performance and delivery of results that has characterized Nissan over the past six years," Mr Ghosn said. "I have full confidence in Toshiyuki Shiga and the new leadership team to help me implement the next chapter of Nissan's growth." Nissan also announced a number of other management appointments with promotions for several younger executives.