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Chinese wine tempts Italy's Illva Italy's Illva Saronno has agreed to buy 33% of Changyu, the largest wine maker in China. Changyu said in a statement to the Shenzhen stock exchange that Illva will pay 481.42m yuan ($58.16m; £30.7m), once the government approves the deal. The Italian liqueur maker will acquire the shar... | 0 |
Labour chooses Manchester The Labour Party will hold its 2006 autumn conference in Manchester and not Blackpool, it has been confirmed. The much trailed decision was ratified by Labour's ruling National Executive Committee in a break with the traditional choice of a seaside venue. It will be the first time since 1917 t... | 2 |
Iran budget seeks state sell-offs Iran's president, Mohammad Khatami, has unveiled a budget designed to expand public spending by 30% but loosen the Islamic republic's dependence on oil. The budget for the fiscal year starting on 21 March calls for the sell-off of 20% of the state's corporate holdings. Mr Khatami's sec... | 0 |
Roundabout continues nostalgia trip The new big-screen version of The Magic Roundabout, released in the UK on Friday, is the latest attempt to turn children's television into box-office gold. Recent years have seen a less-than-successful adaptation of the 1960s puppet show Thunderbirds and a moderately successful versi... | 1 |
US charity anthem is re-released We Are The World, the American charity anthem inspired by the success of Band Aid, has been re-issued to raise money for Aids research and tsunami victims. More than 40 stars sang as group USA For Africa, including Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson and B... | 1 |
Wilkinson to lead England Fly-half Jonny Wilkinson has been named as England's new rugby union captain for the three November Tests. The 25-year-old Newcastle star takes over from Lawrence Dallaglio, who retired from internationals in August. England's acting head coach Andy Robinson said: "He is a natural leader, hold... | 3 |
The Sound of Music is coming home The original stage production of The Sound of Music is to be performed for the first time in the Austrian capital, 40 years after the film was released. The first full-scale theatrical production of the musical will make its debut in Vienna on Saturday. Julie Andrews starred in the 196... | 1 |
Tsunami debt deal to be announced Chancellor Gordon Brown has said he hopes to announce a deal to suspend debt interest repayments by tsunami-hit nations later on Friday. The agreement by the G8 group of wealthy nations would save affected countries £3bn pounds a year, he said. The deal is thought to have been hammered... | 2 |
Howard hits back at mongrel jibe Michael Howard has said a claim by Peter Hain that the Tory leader is acting like an "attack mongrel" shows Labour is "rattled" by the opposition. In an upbeat speech to his party's spring conference in Brighton, he said Labour's campaigning tactics proved the Tories were hitting home. ... | 2 |
Wipro beats forecasts once again Wipro, India's third-biggest software firm, has reported a 60% rise in profit, topping market expectations. Net income in the last quarter was 4.3bn rupees ($98m; £52m), against 2.7bn a year earlier. Profit had been forecast to be 4.1bn rupees. Wipro offers services such as call centres... | 0 |
India and Iran in gas export deal India has signed a $40bn (£21bn) deal to import millions of tonnes of liquefied natural gas from Iran. Firms led by the Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) will also assist in the development of Iranian oil fields. Ministers, eager to gain access to energy supplies to meet the demands... | 0 |
Comic Morris returns with sitcom Comedian Chris Morris, who created controversial TV show Brass Eye, is to return to screens with a new sitcom about a spoof London media worker. Morris will direct and co-write Nathan Barley - a character from cult website TV Go Home - for Channel 4. It is a send-up of the stereotypical... | 1 |
Germany nears 1990 jobless level German unemployment rose for the 11th consecutive month in December - making the year's average jobless total the highest since reunification. The seasonally adjusted jobless total rose a higher than expected 17,000 to 4.483 million, the Bundesbank said. Allowing for changes in calculat... | 0 |
Beckham relief as Real go through David Beckham expressed his relief at Real Madrid's passage to the Champions League knockout phase. After Real's 3-0 win at Roma, the England skipper admitted another season of under-achievement would not be tolerated at the Bernabeu stadium. Beckham said: "It's expected of Madrid to g... | 3 |
Halo fans' hope for sequel Xbox video game Halo 2 has been released in the US on 9 November, with a UK release two days later. Why is the game among the most anticipated of all time? Halo is considered by many video game pundits to be one of the finest examples of interactive entertainment ever produced and more than 1... | 4 |
Lasers help bridge network gaps An Indian telecommunications firm has turned to lasers to help it overcome the problems of setting up voice and data networks in the country. Tata Teleservices is using the lasers to make the link between customers' offices and its own core network. The laser bridges work across distance... | 4 |
Bridge could miss rest of season Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge could miss the rest of the season with a suspected broken ankle. The England international, 24, was hurt in an innocuous challenge with Alan Shearer during the Londoners' FA Cup defeat at Newcastle on Sunday. "We think it's a big injury," said Jose Mourinh... | 3 |
Mogul Wilson backing UK rap band Tony Wilson, the music mogul who established the influential Factory Records in the 1980s, is to launch a new label - convinced he has discovered his "third major band". Factory were the label of both Joy Division - who became New Order after singer Ian Curtis committed suicide - and th... | 1 |
'More to do' on adult literacy The government will only hit its target for improving adult maths and literacy skills if courses are made more attractive, a report says. The National Audit Office praised ministers for reaching the benchmark of 750,000 adults in England gaining basic qualifications by this year. But a ta... | 2 |
Millions go missing at China bank Two senior officials at one of China's top commercial banks have reportedly disappeared after funds worth up to $120m (£64m) went missing. The pair both worked at Bank of China in the northern city of Harbin, the South China Morning Post reported. The latest scandal at Bank of China wi... | 0 |
Ultra fast wi-fi nears completion Ultra high speed wi-fi connections moved closer to reality on Thursday when Intel said it would list standards for the technology later this year. Intel is developing ultra-wideband technology (UWB) which would allow fast data transfer but with low power needs. UWB is tipped to be used... | 4 |
Delta cuts fares in survival plan Delta Air Lines is cutting domestic fares by as much as 50% as part of a plan to ensure its financial survival. Other US carriers, including United, have sought bankruptcy protection, amid high fuel costs and competition from discount carriers. Delta is restructuring in a bid to fight ... | 0 |
Georgia plans hidden asset pardon Georgia is offering a one-off 'tax amnesty' to people who hid their earnings under the regime of former president Eduard Shevardnadze. The country's new president, Mikhail Saakashvili, has said that anyone now willing to disclose their wealth will only have to pay 1% in income tax. The... | 0 |
Research fears over Kelly's views Scientists have expressed concerns that new education secretary Ruth Kelly's religious views could hamper vital scientific research. Ms Kelly, who is Catholic, is reported to be "pro-life" and has opposed embryo research. Medical Research Council Professor Nancy Rothwell said Ms Kelly'... | 2 |
Security warning over 'FBI virus' The US Federal Bureau of Investigation is warning that a computer virus is being spread via e-mails that purport to be from the FBI. The e-mails show that they have come from an fbi.gov address and tell recipients that they have accessed illegal websites. The messages warn that their i... | 4 |
Thousands join strike in Wales Thousands of civil servants were on strike across Wales on Friday in protest at planned job cuts. A range of services in Wales were affected as civil servants in Wales joined the UK-wide strike. The strike, called by the Public and Commercial Services Union, was the biggest by civil serva... | 2 |
AstraZeneca hit by drug failure Shares in Anglo-Swedish drug have closed down 8% in UK trade after the failure of its Iressa drug in a major clinical trial. The lung cancer drug did not significantly prolong survival in patients with the disease. This setback for the group follows the rejection by the US in October of ... | 0 |
Yahoo moves into desktop search Internet giant Yahoo has launched software to allow people to search e-mail and other files on their PCs. The firm is following in the footsteps of Microsoft, Google and Ask Jeeves, which have offered similar services. Search has become a lucrative and hotly-contested area of expansion f... | 4 |
Ailing EuroDisney vows turnaround EuroDisney, the European home of Mickey Mouse and friends, has said it will sell 253m euros (£175m; $328m) of new shares as it looks to avoid insolvency. The sale is the last part of a plan to restructure 2.4bn euros-worth of debts. Despite struggling since it was opened in 1992, EuroD... | 0 |
Petrol duties frozen, Brown says Chancellor Gordon Brown has announced a freeze on fuel duty in his pre-budget speech to the Commons on Thursday. Mr Brown told the House that government policy is to raise fuel duty at least in line with inflation each year to fulfil environmental commitments. But this financial year, b... | 2 |
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 o... | 0 |
The pirates with no profit motive Two men who were part of a huge network of internet software pirates, known as Drink Or Die, have been convicted at the Old Bailey. BBC News investigates how the network worked and what motivated those involved. They called themselves Drink Or Die (DOD). They were a network of computer... | 4 |
German business confidence slides German business confidence fell in February knocking hopes of a speedy recovery in Europe's largest economy. Munich-based research institute Ifo said that its confidence index fell to 95.5 in February from 97.5 in January, its first decline in three months. The study found that the out... | 0 |
Cairn shares slump on oil setback Shares in Cairn Energy, a UK oil firm, have closed down 18% after a disappointing drilling update and a warning over possible tax demands. The company said tests had shown no significant finds in one of its Indian oil fields, but was upbeat about the potential of other areas. It also s... | 0 |
Games firms 'face tough future' UK video game firms face a testing time as they prepare for the next round of games consoles, the industry warns. Fred Hasson, head of Tiga, which represents independent developers, said that more UK firms would go under due to greater risks in making new titles. Three leading UK video g... | 4 |
Pernod takeover talk lifts Domecq Shares in UK drinks and food firm Allied Domecq have risen on speculation that it could be the target of a takeover by France's Pernod Ricard. Reports in the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times suggested that the French spirits firm is considering a bid, but has yet to contact ... | 0 |
Campbell returns to election team Ex-Downing Street media chief Alastair Campbell will return to the fold to strengthen Labour's general election campaign, the party has confirmed. Mr Campbell has consistently made public his keenness to play a part in the poll, expected in May. Both Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell and ... | 2 |
Apple Mac mini gets warm welcome The Mac mini has been welcomed by Apple fans, industry experts and PC users. The release of the tiny, low-cost machine is seen as a good move for Apple which currently has a small share of the desktop computer market. Mac watchers and some analysts say the Mac mini will go a long way to... | 4 |
Qwest may spark MCI bidding war US phone company Qwest has said it will table a new offer for MCI after losing out to larger rival Verizon, setting the scene for a possible bidding war. MCI accepted a $6.75bn (£3.6bn) buyout from telecoms giant Verizon on Monday, rejecting a higher offer from Qwest. Qwest chairman Rich... | 0 |
Howl helps boost Japan's cinemas Japan's box office received a 3.8% boost last year, with ticket sales worth 211bn yen (£1.08bn). The surge was led by animated movie Howl's Moving Castle, which took 20bn yen (£102m) to become the biggest film in Japan in 2004. It is expected to match the 30.7bn yen (£157m) record of Ha... | 1 |
Hillbillies singer Scoggins dies Country and Western musician Jerry Scoggins has died in Los Angeles at the age of 93, his family has said. Scoggins was best remembered for singing the theme tune to popular US TV show The Beverly Hillbillies. The Texan-born singer approached the producers of the programme with theme tu... | 1 |
EU ministers to mull jet fuel tax European Union finance ministers are meeting on Thursday in Brussels, where they are to discuss a controversial jet fuel tax. A levy on jet fuel has been suggested as a way to raise funds to finance aid for the world's poorest nations. Airlines and aviation bodies have reacted strongly... | 0 |
News Corp makes $5.4bn Fox offer News Corporation is seeking to buy out minority investors in Fox Entertainment Group, its broadcasting subsidiary, for about $5.4bn (£3.7bn). The media giant, run by Rupert Murdoch, owns 82% of the shares in the company, home to the Fox television network and the 20th Century Fox film s... | 0 |
Lib Dems unveil women's manifesto The Liberal Democrats are attempting to woo female voters with the launch of their manifesto for women. Charles Kennedy is pledging a maternity income guarantee and a pension system based on years of residence rather than national insurance payments. He also thinks women will back plan... | 2 |
Holmes feted with further honour Double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes has been voted European Athletics (EAA) woman athlete of 2004 in the governing body's annual poll. The Briton, made a dame in the New Year Honours List for taking 800m and 1,500m gold, won vital votes from the public, press and EAA member federations... | 3 |
Could rivalry overshadow election? Tony Blair and Gordon Brown are desperately trying to stuff the genie of their rivalry back into the bottle. Along with any number of senior cabinet colleagues, they are insisting their only job is to win the next election and govern in the best interests of Britain. It is a message t... | 2 |
UK economy facing 'major risks' The UK manufacturing sector will continue to face "serious challenges" over the next two years, the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) has said. The group's quarterly survey of companies found exports had picked up in the last three months of 2004 to their best levels in eight years. The ... | 0 |
Brussels raps mobile call charges The European Commission has written to the mobile phone operators Vodafone and T-Mobile to challenge "the high rates" they charge for international roaming. In letters sent to the two companies, the Commission alleged the firms were abusing their dominant market position in the German ... | 0 |
Deutsche Telekom sees mobile gain German telecoms firm Deutsche Telekom saw strong fourth quarter profits on the back of upbeat US mobile earnings and better-than-expected asset sales. Net profit came in at 1.4bn euros (£960m; $1.85bn), a dramatic change from the loss of 364m euros in 2003. Sales rose 2.8% to 14.96bn e... | 0 |
Apple makes blogs reveal sources Apple has won its legal fight to make three bloggers reveal who told them about unreleased products. The bid to unmask the employees leaking information was launched in December 2004 following online articles about Apple's Asteroid product. Now Apple has won the right to see e-mail reco... | 4 |
Euronext joins bid battle for LSE Pan-European stock market Euronext has approached the London Stock Exchange (LSE) about a possible takeover bid. "The approach is at an early stage and therefore does not require a response at this point," LSE said. Talks with the European stock market and with rival bidder Deutsche Bo... | 0 |
Henman to face Saulnier test British number one Tim Henman will face France's Cyril Saulnier in the first round of next week's Australian Open. Greg Rusedski, the British number two, is in the same quarter of the draw and could face Andy Roddick in the second round if he beats Swede Jonas Bjorkman. Local favourite Lley... | 3 |
Williams says he will never quit Defiant Matt Williams says he will not quit as Scotland coach even if his side slump to a new low with defeat by Italy at Murrayfield. That would leave the Scots as favourites to win the Wooden Spoon for the second year running. "I have never quit anything in my life, apart from maybe p... | 3 |
Musical treatment for Capra film The classic film It's A Wonderful Life is to be turned into a musical by the producer of the controversial hit show Jerry Springer - The Opera. Frank Capra's 1946 movie starring James Stewart, is being turned into a £7m musical by producer Jon Thoday. He is working with Steve Brown, who... | 1 |
'EU referendum could cost £80m' It could cost £80m to run a UK referendum on the European constitution, ministers have revealed. In a written parliamentary answer, Constitutional Affairs Minister Chris Leslie said the poll was likely to cost the same as a general election. Mr Leslie said the cost could not be compared ... | 2 |
US bank boss hails 'genius' Smith US Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan has given a speech at a Scottish church in honour of the pioneering economist, Adam Smith. He delivered the 14th Adam Smith Lecture in Kirkcaldy, Fife. The Adam Smith Lecture celebrates the author of 1776's Wealth of Nations, which became a bi... | 0 |
Blair says mayor should apologise Tony Blair has urged London mayor Ken Livingstone to apologise for his "Nazi" comment to a Jewish reporter. Labour's Mr Livingstone, who says he is "standing by" his remarks, had accused an Evening Standard journalist of being like a "concentration camp guard". Mr Blair told Five's Wri... | 2 |
Radcliffe proves doubters wrong This won't go down as one of the greatest marathons of Paula's career. But as a test of character, it was the toughest race she's ever taken part in. A win in the New York marathon doesn't make up for the disappointment of Athens in any shape or form, but it will offer hope and reassuran... | 3 |
Lib Dems' 'bold' election policy Charles Kennedy has told voters his Liberal Democrats will offer them an "honest choice" at the next general election. With the other two big parties battling over which will impose the lowest taxes, Mr Kennedy is going into the looming election pledged to increase taxation. It is a bol... | 2 |
US critics laud comedy Sideways Road trip comedy Sideways has had more praise heaped on it by two US critics' associations, adding to honours it has already picked up. The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) named it winner in five categories including best film and best actor for Paul Giamatti. But the director aw... | 1 |
Ministers deny care sums 'wrong' Ministers have insisted they are committed to free personal care for the elderly despite research suggesting the cost of the policy was under-estimated. A report by the Fraser of Allander Institute says the decision to push ahead with the flagship policy was based on flawed research. De... | 2 |
India's Reliance family feud heats up The ongoing public spat between the two heirs of India's biggest conglomerate, Reliance Group, has spilled over to the board meeting of a leading company within the group. Anil Ambani, vice-chairman of India Petrochemicals Limited (IPCL), stayed away from a gathering of senior mana... | 0 |
Casino Royale is next Bond movie Casino Royale, author Ian Fleming's first James Bond book, is to be the next Bond film, with Goldeneye director Martin Campbell behind the camera. It will be the 21st James Bond film to hit the big screen, and speculation has been rife over who will play the lead. Casino Royale was turn... | 1 |
Police chief backs drinking move A chief constable has backed the introduction of 24-drinking, saying police had a responsibility to ensure people could benefit from a law change. However, Norfolk police chief Andy Hayman also warned that a great deal of preparatory work was still needed. "I don't subscribe to the view... | 2 |
T-Mobile bets on 'pocket office' T-Mobile has launched its latest "pocket office" third-generation (3G) device which also has built-in wi-fi - high-speed wireless net access. Unlike other devices where the user has to check which high-speed network is available to transfer data, the device selects the fastest one itsel... | 4 |
Straw praises Kashmir moves The UK has welcomed the decision by India and Pakistan to open a bus link across the ceasefire line dividing the disputed region of Kashmir. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, touring South East Asian countries, praised the "spirit of cooperation" in achieving the breakthrough. Media reports in b... | 2 |
Mrs Howard gets key election role Michael Howard's ex-model wife, Sandra, is to play a leading role in the Conservative election campaign. Mrs Howard will make solo visits to target seats as well as accompanying her husband on his helicopter campaign trail criss-crossing the country. Mr Howard will host a news conferen... | 2 |
UK homes hit £3.3 trillion total The value of the UK's housing stock reached the £3.3 trillion mark in 2004 - triple the value 10 years earlier, a report indicates. Research from Halifax, the country's biggest mortgage lender, suggests the value of private housing stock is continuing to rise steadily. All regions saw a... | 0 |
Almagro continues Spanish surge Unseeded Nicolas Almagro became the fifth Spaniard to reach the last eight at the Buenos Aires Open, ousting eighth seed Mariano Zabaleta. He showed admirable resolve to win a rain-affected match 6-7 6-4 6-4. Compatriot and seventh seed Rafael Nadal also reached the last eight, beating I... | 3 |
Aviation firms eye booming India India's defence minister has opened the country's Aero India 2005 air show with an invitation for global aerospace firms to outsource jobs to the nation. Pranab Mukherjee said such companies could take advantage of India's highly skilled workers and low wages. More than 240 civil and mi... | 0 |
Boateng to step down at election Paul Boateng, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, is to step down as a Labour MP at the forthcoming general election. Mr Boateng, 53, is to become the UK's high commissioner to South Africa. He was the UK's first black cabinet minister when appointed to his post in 2002, promoted from the ... | 2 |
Boothroyd calls for Lords speaker Betty Boothroyd has said the House of Lords needs its own Speaker and that peers should lead the way on reforming the upper chamber. Baroness Boothroyd, who was the first woman to be Commons Speaker, said she believed Tony Blair initiated reforms without a clear outcome in mind. "Now w... | 2 |
Asia shares defy post-quake gloom Indonesian, Indian and Hong Kong stock markets reached record highs. Investors seemed to feel that some of the worst-affected areas were so under-developed that the tragedy would have little impact on Asia's listed firms. "Obviously with a lot of loss of life, a lot of time is needed t... | 0 |
Record fails to lift lacklustre meet Yelena Isinbayeva may have produced another world pole vault record, but her achievement could not hide the fact it was not the best meet we have ever seen in Birmingham. And hey, there are not many meets that go by without the Russian breaking a world record. Apparently, Isinbayeva... | 3 |
Chelsea sack Mutu Chelsea have sacked Adrian Mutu after he failed a drugs test. The 25-year-old tested positive for a banned substance - which he later denied was cocaine - in October. Chelsea have decided to write off a possible transfer fee for Mutu, a 15.8m signing from Parma last season, who may face a two-year sus... | 3 |
Disney backs Sony DVD technology A next generation DVD technology backed by Sony has received a major boost. Film giant Disney says it will produce its future DVDs using Sony's Blu-ray Disc technology, but has not ruled out a rival format developed by Toshiba. The two competing DVD formats, Blu-ray developed by Sony an... | 4 |
Downloads enter US singles chart Digital music downloads are being included in the main US singles chart for the first time. Billboard's Hot 100 chart now incorporates data from sales of music downloads, previously only assigned to a separate download chart. Green Day's Boulevard of Broken Dreams is currently number tw... | 1 |
India seeks to boost construction India has cleared a proposal allowing up to 100% foreign direct investment in its construction sector. Kamal Nath, Commerce and Industry Minister, announced the decision in Delhi on Thursday following a cabinet meeting. Analysts say improving India's infrastructure will boost foreign i... | 0 |
'Blog' picked as word of the year The term "blog" has been chosen as the top word of 2004 by a US dictionary publisher. Merriam-Webster said "blog" headed the list of most looked-up terms on its site during the last twelve months. During 2004 blogs, or web logs, have become hugely popular and some have started to influ... | 4 |
WRU proposes season overhaul The Welsh Rugby Union wants to restructure the Northern Hemisphere season into four separate blocks. The season would start with the Celtic League in October, followed by the Heineken Cup in February and March, and the Six Nations moved to April and May. After a nine week break, the WRU the... | 3 |
Reliance unit loses Anil Ambani Anil Ambani, the younger of the two brothers in charge of India's largest private company, has resigned from running its petrochemicals subsidiary. The move is likely to be seen as the latest twist in a feud between Mr Ambani and his brother Mukesh. Anil, 45, has stepped down as director... | 0 |
Murphy: That was a bruising battle That's what I call a tough game. It was very physical and fair play to the Italians they made us work very hard for our victory. Their organisation was very, very good and they proved again that they are getting better and better as the years go by. It is by far the strongest Italian ... | 3 |
Cherie accused of attacking Bush Cherie Blair has been accused of criticising George W Bush's policies in a private address she gave during a United States lecture tour. The prime minister's wife is said to have praised the Supreme Court for overruling the White House on the legal rights of Guantanamo Bay detainees. Th... | 2 |
Qatar and Shell in $6bn gas deal Shell has signed a $6bn (£3.12bn) deal with the Middle Eastern sheikhdom of Qatar to supply liquid natural gas (LNG) to North America and Europe. The UK-Dutch group will own 30% of the project, with Qatar's state oil firm owning the rest. The agreement is the latest in a string of deals... | 0 |
Moya emotional after Davis Cup win Carlos Moya described Spain's Davis Cup victory as the highlight of his career after he beat Andy Roddick to end the USA's challenge in Seville. Moya made up for missing Spain's 2000 victory through injury by beating Roddick 6-2 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-5) to give the hosts an unassailable 3-... | 3 |
Ireland 21-19 Argentina An injury-time dropped goal by Ronan O'Gara stole victory for Ireland from underneath the noses of Argentina at Lansdowne Road on Saturday. O'Gara kicked all of Ireland's points, with two dropped goals and five penalties, to give the home side a 100% record in their autumn internationals. An imp... | 3 |
Wenger dejected as Arsenal slump Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger claimed their display in the 3-1 defeat against Bayern Munich was "our worst peformance in the Champions League". Kolo Toure's late goal gives the Gunners hope for the second leg, but Wenger said: "The only positive is that we are still in the tie. "The pla... | 3 |
Bank opts to leave rates on hold The Bank of England has left interest rates on hold at 4.75% for a sixth month in a row. The Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to take no action amid mixed signals from the economy. But some economists predict a further rise in the cost of borrowing will come later this yea... | 0 |
Blair says UK tsunami aid to soar Tony Blair has predicted the British Government will eventually give "hundreds of millions" of pounds in aid to countries hit by the tsunami. The prime minister was speaking publicly for the first time since returning from his holiday in Egypt. Mr Blair insisted he had been "intimately... | 2 |
Loyalty cards idea for TV addicts Viewers could soon be rewarded for watching TV as loyalty cards come to a screen near you. Any household hooked up to Sky could soon be using smartcards in conjunction with their set-top boxes. Broadcasters such as Sky and ITV could offer viewers loyalty points in return for watching a... | 4 |
Ferdinand casts doubt over Glazer Rio Ferdinand has said he is unsure of Malcolm Glazer's motives after the American billionaire launched a new offer to buy Manchester United. The club have confirmed that the Glazer Family Partnership have submitted proposals of a third bid. "A lot of people want the club's interest to... | 3 |
DVD review: I, Robot Only one man recognises that robots are a threat to humanity - but that's fine because it only takes one man to save the day in the thriller I, Robot. Will Smith co-stars alongside more CGI robots than you can count and as a thrill-a-minute kind of action film, it's perfectly adequate. You'll have ... | 1 |
Wales make two changes for France Wales coach Mike Ruddock has made two changes from the team that beat Italy 38-8 for Saturday's trip to France. Kevin Morgan takes over from his injured Newport-Gwent Dragons colleague Hal Luscombe on the right wing. And in the pack Neath-Swansea Ospreys forward Ryan Jones is preferred... | 3 |
Blackburn v Burnley Ewood Park Tuesday, 1 March 2000 GMT Howard Webb (South Yorkshire) home to Leicester in the quarter-finals But defender Andy Todd is suspended and could be replaced by Dominic Matteo - if he recovers from a hamstring injury. Burnley have major injury concerns over Frank Sinclair and John McGreal. Mi... | 3 |
Business fears over sluggish EU economy As European leaders gather in Rome on Friday to sign the new EU constitution, many companies will be focusing on matters much closer to home - namely how to stay in business. Lille is a popular tourist destination for Britons who want a taste of France at the weekend. But how man... | 0 |
Robben and Cole earn Chelsea win Cheslea salvaged a win against a battling Portsmouth side just as it looked like the Premiership leaders would have to settle for a point. Arjen Robben curled in a late deflected left-footed shot from the right side of Pompey's box to break the home side's brave resistance. Chelsea had ... | 3 |
Pop band Busted to 'take a break' Chart-topping pop band Busted have confirmed that they plan to "take a break", following rumours that they were on the verge of splitting. A statement from the band's record company Universal said frontman Charlie Simpson planned to spend some time working with his other band, Fightsta... | 1 |
Famed music director Viotti dies Conductor Marcello Viotti, director of Venice's famous La Fenice Theatre, has died in Germany at 50. Viotti, director of La Fenice since 2002, conducted at renowned opera houses worldwide including Milan's La Scala and the Vienna State Opera. His time at La Fenice coincided with its reo... | 1 |
Labour faces 'cold calls' inquiry Labour is to be investigated by a watchdog over claims its election campaign has broken the rules on "cold calling" householders. The information commissioner is to look into a complaint from the Lib Dems about how Labour uses its call centres. The Lib Dems say Labour is telephoning pe... | 2 |
Tories plan migrant health checks Non-European Union citizens wanting to work in the UK will have to undergo tests for Tuberculosis and HIV, under plans unveiled by the Conservatives. A positive test for TB would mean visa applications being turned down, while HIV would be dealt with case by case. Leader Michael Howard... | 2 |
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