Well, it's goodbye to another Olympic year and as usual there were plenty of highs and lows in Athens. Obviously, there's no getting away from the differing fortunes of Kelly Holmes and Paula Radcliffe. But I want to remind you of a few more events that made 2004 another year to remember or forget for athletics. One of my favourite Olympic moments was Kelly's success in the 800m. Winning that race was the key to her success because if she won that then the 1500m would be a bit of a formality. Kelly had been full of "should I, shouldn't I?" thoughts about going for the double in Athens. I thought why wouldn't you do the 800m, it's your best event? It was such good fun to commentate on her 1500m and it was nice to be able to be part of her Athens story. The victory for the British men's 4x100m relay team was a bit of a surprise but a great climax to the Games. I think the four of them Jason Gardener, Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis Francis knew deep down that it was their best chance of a medal. The lads had run poorly in the individual sprints so maybe they did lift their game when they knew something was really at stake. Hicham El Guerrouj's Olympic double is a much bigger achievement than Kelly's on a global scale. He was the first man since for 80 years to win both the 1500m and 5,000m titles. As soon as he had added the 5,000m crown and I had finished commentating, I jumped up, ran down the stairs, pushed everyone out the way and just gave him a big hug. He is one of the few African runners who has embraced the tradition of the mile and he loves to hear all the Roger Bannister stories. Hicham is someone I enjoy having a bit of time with, even though my French and his English are not very good. What happened to Paula in Athens this year is the obvious low on a personal level and for the expectations of the nation as well. There were a set of circumstances around Athens that conspired to produce a very dramatic ending which I think has been greatly misunderstood. Dropping out of the marathon was the right thing to do but starting in the 10,000m five days later was not wise. That was her heart and not her head reacting. Paula had a lot of little things going wrong in her preparation and on the day. Things like niggling injuries, not being able to do all her running sessions and feeling the pressure of the race looming ahead of her. I think she came to the start line in Athens physically and emotionally drained. And if even the smallest thing doesn't feel right when you are preparing to race a marathon, 10 miles down the road it will hit you like a brick wall. The positive thing to take from Paula's Olympics it that she will have learned a lot from it and so will a lot of people including me. Purely as a race, Paula's victory in the New York Marathon has to go down as one of the most thrilling. It was so nip and tuck between her and Kenya's Susan Chepkemei and you don't usually get that kind of excitement in marathons. It was also a real delight for all athletics fans because, to use one of my favourite words, Paula showed real "bouncebackability". And it was a bit of a rarity for me too because I genuinely did not have an inkling how the race was going to pan out. Kelly and the 4x100m boys' victories papered over the cracks in the general performance of the British team. We should be concerned that we're not producing enough people who are capable of reaching finals at senior level. The only individual men's finalist on the track was Michael East in the 1500m. I am beginning to look down and wonder where are the new breed? And that's where things begin to look even gloomier for British athletics as we did not win any medals at the world junior championships in Italy. Dani Barnes came fourth in the 1500m and she was the highest finisher for Team GB. The thing is if we don't have athletes getting into the finals at junior level then it really doesn't look good for the Beijing Olympics and beyond. I tell you what I really enjoyed this year, Benita Johnson winning the world cross country championships back in March. In the absence of Paula, we tend to think of the event as something of an African preserve. So to have an Australian come up and deliver such a surprise was something special. To be honest, I'm getting bored with all the drug scandals, especially Balco. I just wish the whole thing would come to a head so we can move on. Having said that, I'm always pleased when drugs cheats are caught because it shows the sport is standing up to it and not turning a blind eye anymore. And one of the positive things to come out of Balco is people are starting to blow the whistle. We need more people to come forward and help the authorities kick out the cheats. As regards the case against Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou, well suspicions have been hanging over Kenteris for a while. The bottom line is we cannot keep letting drugs damage the sport because if we do then it stops everyone enjoying it.


Next has said its annual profit will be 5m lower than previously expected because its end of year clearance sale has proved disappointing. "Clearance rates in our end of season sale have been below our expectations," the company said. The High Street retailer said it now expected to report annual profits of between 415m and 425m ( 779m 798m). Next's shares fell more than 3% following the release of the trading statement. Next chief executive Simon Wolfson admitted that festive sales were "below where we would expect a normal Christmas to be", but said sales should still top analyst expectations. Among areas where Next could have done better, Mr Wolfson said menswear ranges were "a little bit too similar to the previous year". Mr Wolfson also said that disappointing pre Christmas sales were "more to do with the fact that we went in with too much stock rather than (the fact that) demand wasn't there for the stock". Next's like for like store sales in the five months from 3 August to 24 December were up 2.9% on a year earlier. This figure is for existing Next stores, which were unaffected by new Next store openings. Like for like sales growth at the 49 Next stores directly affected by new store openings in their locality was 0.5%. Overall sales across both its retail and mail order divisions were up 12.4%, Next said. Its Next Directory mail order division saw sales rise 13.4% during the five month period. "In terms of all the worries about their trading pre Christmas, it's a result," said Nick Bubb, an analyst at Evolution Securities. "Profits of around 420m would be well within the comfort zone." However, one dealer, who asked not to be named, told Reuters the seasonal sales performance was "not what people had hoped for". "Christmas has been tough for the whole sector, and this is one of the best retailers," he said. Next's trading statement comes a day after House of Fraser and Woolworths disappointed investors with their figures.


Kenya's athletics body has reversed a ban on marathon runner Susan Chepkemei after she made an official apology. Athletics Kenya (AK) had suspended the two time London Marathon runner up for failing to turn up to a cross country team training camp in Embu. "We have withdrawn the ban. Chepkemei has given a reason for her absence," said AK chief Isaiah Kiplagat. "She explained she had a contract with the organisers of the race in Puerto Rice and we have accepted her apology." The Kenyan coaching team will now decide whether Chepkemei can be included in the team for this month's world cross country championships. The 29 year old would be a strong contender at the event in France and is hopeful she will be granted a place in the 32 strong squad. "I am satisfied that the whole saga has been brought to an end," Chepkemei said. "I am ready and prepared to represent my country. "I will be disappointed if I am not given a chance to compete at the world cross country championships." AK had insisted it was making an example of Chepkemei by banning her from competition until the end of 2005. But the organisation came under intense international and domestic pressure to reverse its decision. The 29 year old took part in the 2002 and 2003 London Marathons and was edged out by Radcliffe in an epic New York Marathon contest last year. The two time world half marathon silver medallist will be back to challenge Radcliffe at this year's London event in April. AK also dropped its harsh stance on three time world cross country 4km champion Edith Masai. Masai missed Kenya's world cross country trials because of an ankle problem but AK insisted it would take disciplinary action unless she could prove she was really injured. "Subject to our doctor's confirmation, we have decided to clear Masai," added Kiplagat.


Scrum half Matt Dawson is an injury doubt for England's Six Nations opener against Wales next weekend. The World Cup winner missed Wasps' 12 9 loss to Bath on Saturday after injuring his right calf. Wasps coach Warren Gatland said: "He's got a fitness test in the week but he's got a good chance of playing." Gloucester's Andy Hazell and Leicester star Lewis Moody also received knocks during their respective league matches, but should be fit for Wales next week. If Dawson is not fit to face Wales, Robinson will have to choose from Gloucester's Andy Gomarsall or Leicester youngster Harry Ellis. Jamie Noon is another player on the sidelines after he limped off in the first half against Saracens on Friday with a dead leg. The centre, who is in line for a first Six Nations start against Wales, will have to wait 48 hours before knowing the state of his injury.


The majority owner of embattled Russian oil firm Yukos has sued the Russian government for 28.3bn ( 15.2bn). The Kremlin last year seized and sold Yukos' main production arm, Yugansk, to state run oil group Rosneft for 9.3bn to offset a massive back tax bill. Group Menatep, the Gibraltar based holding company which controls 51% of Yukos, says this was illegal. Menatep has already asked Rosneft to repay a 900m loan that Yugansk had secured on its assets. The Russian government's argument for selling Yuganskneftegaz the unit's full name was that Yukos owed more than 27bn in back taxes for the years from 2000 onwards. It accused the firm of using a web of offshore firms to avoid its tax liabilities, and the courts sent in bailiffs to freeze Yukos accounts and seize Yugansk. But critics say the sell off, and the assault on Yukos' finances, are part of an attempt to bring the energy industry back under state control. According to Menatep, the government's actions were contrary to the 1994 Energy Charter Treaty, which was designed to regulate disagreements over energy investments. "We have warned the Russian government about their continuing attacks against Yukos, its personnel and its shareholders and we have warned any buyer of Yuganskneftegaz that they would face a lifetime of litigation," said Tim Osborne, a director of Group Menatep. "The time for warning is over and actions to recover the value of our losses begin in earnest today." Menatep said the value of its Yukos shareholding had gone from 17.8bn to "virtually nothing" since 2003 as a result of the Russian government's action, as its shares have fallen 97%. According to its Paris lawyer, Emmanuel Gaillard of Shearman and Sterling, the overall claim is based on that figure, with a 60% addition for the share gains that could have accrued since then. Arbitration of the lawsuit could take place in Stockholm or The Hague, Mr Gaillard said. While Russia has signed the Charter, it has never ratified it which some experts say could make it difficult for Menatep to press its case. But Mr Gaillard told BBC News that the Charter came into effect on signature, not ratification. "Russia has said in the past that it is bound by it, so as to attract foreign investors," he said. Yukos is still waiting to see what will happen to its filing in a US court for bankruptcy protection. It took the action to try to prevent the forced sale of Yugansk first to a little known shell company, which in turn was bought by Rosneft. Yukos claims its downfall was punishment for the political ambitions of its founder Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Mr Khodorkovsky, currently facing fraud and tax evasion charges of his own, was one of the founders of Menatep. He has since signed over his shareholding to one of his fellow investors.


Security firms are warning about a Windows virus disguising itself as an electronic Christmas card. The Zafi.D virus translates the Christmas greeting on its subject line into the language of the person receiving infected e mail. Anti virus firms speculate that this multilingual ability is helping the malicious program spread widely online. Anti virus firm Sophos said that 10% of the e mail currently on the net was infected with the Zafi virus. Like many other Windows viruses, Zafi D plunders Microsoft Outlook for e mail addresses and then uses mail sending software to despatch itself across the web to new victims. To be infected users must open up the attachment travelling with the message which bears the code for the malicious bug. The attachment on the e mail poses as an electronic Christmas card but anyone opening it will simply get a crude image of two smiley faces. The virus' subject line says "Merry Christmas" and translates this into one of 15 languages depending of the final suffix of the e mail address the infected message has been sent to. The message in the body of the e mail reads: "Happy Holidays" and this too is translated. On infected machines the virus tries to disable anti virus and firewall software and opens up a backdoor on the PC to hand over control to the writer of the virus. The virus is thought to have spread most widely in South America, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria and Hungary. The original Zafi virus appeared in April this year. "We have seen these hoaxes for several Christmases already, and personally I prefer traditional pen and paper cards, and we recommend this to all our clients too," said Mikko Hypponen, who heads F Secure's anti virus team.


Partners of those who love their hi tech gear may want to get their presents in early as experts predict a gadget shortage this Christmas. With Apple's iPod topping wish lists again, there may not be enough iPod minis to go round, predicts Oliver Irish, editor of gadget magazine Stuff. "The iPod mini is likely to be this year's Tracey Island," said Mr Irish. Stuff has compiled a list of the top 10 gadgets for 2004 and the iPod is at number one. For anyone bewildered by the choice of gadgets on the market, Stuff and What Hi Fi? are hosting a best of gadget show in London this weekend. Star of the show will be Sony's Qrio Robot, an all singing, all dancing, football playing man machine who can even hold intelligent conversations. But he is not for sale and Sony has no commercial plans for the robot. "He will greet visitors and is flying in from Japan. He probably has his own airplane seat, that is how highly Sony prize him," said Mr Irish. Also on display will be a virtual keyboard which projects itself onto any flat surface. The event will play host to a large collection of digital music players, from companies such as Creative, Sony and Philips as well as the ubiquitously fashionable iPod from Apple. Suggestions that it could be a gaming or wireless Christmas are unlikely to come true as MP3 players remain the most popular stocking filler, said Mr Irish. "Demand is huge and Apple has promised that it can supply enough but people might struggle to get their hands on iPod minis," said Mr Irish. For those who like their gadgets to be multi talented, the Gizmondo, a powerful gaming console with GPS and GPRS, that also doubles up as an MP3 player, movie player and camera, could be a must have. "What is impressive is how much it can do and how well it can do them," said Mr Irish. This Christmas, gadgets will not be an all male preserve. "Women will be getting gadgets from husbands and boyfriends as well as buying them for themselves," said Mr Irish. "Gadgets nowadays are lifestyle products rather than just for geeks."


Chile's copper industry has registered record earnings of 14.2bn in 2004, the governmental Chilean Copper Commission (Cochilco) has reported. Strong demand from China's fast growing economy and high prices have fuelled production, said Cochilco vice president Patricio Cartagena. He added that the boom has allowed the government to collect 950m in taxes. Mr Cartagena said the industry expects to see investment worth 10bn over the next three years. "With these investments, clearly we are going to continue being the principle actor in the mining of copper. It's a consolidation of the industry with new projects and expansions that will support greater production." Australia's BHP Billiton which operates La Escondida, the world's largest open pit copper mine is planning to invest 1.9bn between now and 2007, while state owned Codelco will spend about 1bn on various projects. Chile, the biggest copper producer in the world, is now analyzing ways of to keep prices stable at their current high levels, without killing off demand or leading customers to look for substitutes for copper. The copper price reached a 16 year high in October 2004. Production in Chile is expected rise 3.5% in 2005 to 5.5 million tonnes, said Mr Cartagena. Cochilco expects for 2005 a slight reduction on copper prices and forecasts export earnings will fall 10.7%.


The Apple Powerbook 100 has been chosen as the greatest gadget of all time, by US magazine Mobile PC. The 1991 laptop was chosen because it was one of the first "lightweight" portable computers and helped define the layout of all future notebook PCs. The magazine has compiled an all time top 100 list of gadgets, which includes the Sony Walkman at number three and the 1956 Zenith remote control at two. Gadgets needed moving parts and/or electronics to warrant inclusion. The magazine specified that gadgets also needed to be a "self contained apparatus that can be used on its own, not a subset of another device". "In general we included only items that were potentially mobile," said the magazine. "In the end, we tried to get to the heart of what really makes a gadget a gadget," it concluded. The oldest "gadget" in the top 100 is the abacus, which the magazine dates at 190 A.D., and put in 60th place. Other pre electronic gadgets in the top 100 include the sextant from 1731 (59th position), the marine chronometer from 1761 (42nd position) and the Kodak Brownie camera from 1900 (28th position). The Tivo personal video recorder is the newest device to make the top 10, which also includes the first flash mp3 player (Diamound Multimedia), as well as the first "successful" digital camera (Casio QV 10) and mobile phone (Motorola Startac). The most popular gadget of the moment, the Apple iPod, is at number 12 in the list while the first Sony transistor radio is at number 13. Sony's third entry in the top 20 is the CDP 101 CD player from 1983. "Who can forget the crystalline, hiss free blast of Madonna's Like A Virgin emenating from their first CD player?" asked the magazine. Karl Elsener's knife, the Swiss Army Knife from 1891, is at number 20 in the list. Gadgets which could be said to feature surprisngly low down in the list include the original telephone (23rd), the Nintendo GameBoy (25th), and the Pulsar quartz digital watch (36th). The list also contains plenty of oddities: the Pez sweet dispenser (98th), 1980s toy Tamagotchi (86th) and the bizarre Ronco inside the shell egg scrambler (84th). Why worry about mobile phones. Soon they will be subsumed into the PDA's / laptops etc. What about the Marine Chronometer? Completely revolutionised navigation for boats and was in use for centuries. For it's time, a technological marvel! Sony Net Minidisc! It paved the way for more mp3 player to explode onto the market. I always used my NetMD, and could not go anywhere without it. A laptop computer is not a gadget! It's a working tool! The Sinclair Executive was the world's first pocket calculator. I think this should be there as well. How about the clockwork radio? Or GPS? Or a pocket calculator? All these things are useful to real people, not just PC magazine editors. Are the people who created this list insane ? Surely the most important gadget of the modern age is the mobile phone? It has revolutionalised communication, which is more than can be said for a niche market laptop. From outside the modern age, the marine chronometer is the single most important gadget, without which modern transportation systems would not have evolved so quickly. Has everyone forgot about the Breville pie maker?? An interesting list. Of the electronic gadgets, thousands of journalists in the early 1980s blessed the original noteboook pc the Tandy 100. The size of A4 paper and light, three weeks on a set of batteries, an excellent keyboard, a modem. A pity Tandy did not make it DOS compatible. What's an Apple Powerbook 100 ? It's out of date not much of a "gadget". Surely it has to be something simple / timeless the tin opener, Swiss Army Knife, safety razor blade, wristwatch or the thing for taking stones out of horses hooves ? It has to be the mobile phone. No other single device has had such an effect on our way of living in such a short space of time. The ball point pen has got to be one of the most used and common gadgets ever. Also many might be grateful for the pocket calculator which was a great improvement over the slide rule. The Casio pocket calculator that played a simple game and made tinny noises was also a hot gadget in 1980. A true gadget, it could be carried around and shown off. All top 10 are electronic toys, so the list is probably a better reflection of the current high tech obsession than anyhting else. I say this as the Swiss Army Knife only made No 20. Sinclair QL a machine far ahead of its time. The first home machine with a true multi takings OS. Shame the marketing was so bad!!! Apple.. a triumph of fashion over... well everything else. Utter rubbish. Yes, the Apple laptop and Sony Walkman are classic gadgets. But to call the sextant and the marine chronometer 'gadgets' and rank them as less important than a TV remote control reveals a quite shocking lack of historical perspective. The former literally helped change the world by vastly improving navigation at see. The latter is the seed around which the couch potato culture has developed. No competition. I'd also put Apple's Newton and the first Palm Pilot there as the front runners for portable computing, and possibly the Toshiba Libretto for the same reason. I only wish that Vulcan Inc's Flipstart wasn't just vapourware otherwise it would be at the top. How did a laptop ever manage to beat off the challenge of the wristwatch or the telephone (mobile or otherwise)? What about radios and TVs? The swiss army knife. By far the most useful gadget. I got mine 12 years ago. Still wearing and using it a lot! It stood the test of time. Psion Organiser series 3, should be up there. Had a usable qwerty keyboard, removable storage, good set of apps and programmable. Case design was good (batteries in the hinge a first, I think). Great product innovation. The first mobile PC was voted best gadget by readers of...err... mobile PC?! Why do you keep putting these obviously biased lists on your site? It's obviously the mobile phone or remote control, and readers of a less partisan publication would tell you that. The Motorola Startac should be Number One. Why? There will be mobile phones long after notebook computers and other gadgets are either gone or integrated in communications devices. The Psion series 3c! The first most practical way to carry all your info around... I too would back the Sinclair Spectrum without this little beauty I would never have moved into the world of IT and earn the living that I do now. I'd have put the mobile phone high up the list. Probably a Nokia model. Sinclair Spectrum 16k. It plugged into the tv. Games were rubbish but it gave me a taste for programming and that's what I do for a living now. I wish more modern notebooks even Apple's newest offerings were more like the PB100. Particularly disheartening is the demise of the trackball, which has given way to the largely useless "trackpad" which every notebook on the market today uses. They're invariably inaccurate, uncomfortable, and cumbersome to use. Congratulations to Apple, a deserved win!


Hospital waiting times for patients in Wales are to be cut, but not to the same extent as those in England. Welsh Health Minister Jane Hutt said no patient would wait more than 12 months for an outpatient appointment by March 2006, against a current target of 18 months. But she said the target for an inpatient appointment would remain at 12 months for March 2006. The announcement came as new monthly waiting figures showed a drop. This current inpatient target was set when the assembly government extended its second offer guarantee scheme, which gives patients the option of having their treatment outside Wales. Details about funding to resource the new targets are expected in the New Year. In England, the current target for inpatients seeing a consultant to having an operation is six months. Dr Richard Lewis, Welsh secretary of the British Medical Association (BMA), welcomed the new targets "to make further and faster progress on waiting lists". "However, much remains to be done on waiting lists and waiting times because Wales still lags a long way behind England," he said. "Capacity must be built into the system with sustained investment to ensure that Welsh patients don't receive a worse service than patients over the border." Health analyst Tony Beddow, from the Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care, called the new targets "reasonably impressive". On Wednesday, Ms Hutt also announced 264m for health services will be spent reducing waiting times, improving key areas and modernising staff pay structures in Wales. Ms Hutt said major achievements had been made in cutting "unacceptably long waits for treatment over the past year". "We are turning the corner on long waits in Wales. Now we need to see those reductions in long waiters being improved again," she said. She added the targets intended to ensure no one waits more than a year for treatment or to see a consultant. "But let us not forget two thirds of those waiting for treatment now are waiting less than six months, and these targets affect the small minority of patients in Wales that are waiting far too long." Rhodri Glyn Thomas, Plaid Cymru health spokesman said: "It's exactly the same target she set in 1999, with the qualification that it's dependent on a second offer. It's a failed target, from a failed minister..with a failed policy." For the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Kirsty Williams called the new target "hugely unambitious". "It leaves patients in Wales still waiting two years before they're treated." Conservative health spokesman Jonathan Morgan said: "We're spending more money but waiting lists have gone through the roof. "The Audit Commission has said that the money is not being spent efficiently or effectively, and that's quite a criticism." Meanwhile, the latest monthly waiting list figures showed the total number of people waiting more than 18 months as an inpatient in Wales has fallen by 9.8%. Statistics to the end of November showed a decline since October from 785 to 708. The number waiting over 12 months also fell from 7,613 to 6,630, or 12.9%. Ms Hutt said they were "excellent figures". There are 305,775 people on a waiting list of some kind, down from 311,764 last month.


The price of gold has fallen after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said it will look at ways of using its gold reserves to provide debt relief. By revaluing its holdings, the IMF may be able to sell billions of dollars of gold and use the cash to cancel debts owed by the world's poorest nations. The plan was put forward by G7 finance ministers over the weekend. The price of gold fell to 413.50 an ounce in Asia, before rebounding slightly in early European trading. IMF boss Rodrigo Rato was asked by G7 ministers to carry out a study into the feasibility of revaluing and selling gold reserves. He is expected to present his conclusions at an IMF meeting in Washington during April. "Whatever happens the market is going to be disconcerted and on the back foot until the April IMF meetings," said John Reade, an analyst at UBS. The IMF values its gold reserves at between 40 and 50 an ounce, a price that was fixed in the 1970s and is about a tenth of the metal's current market value. The IMF has 3,217 tonnes of gold, or about 113.5m ounces. Bringing the book price of the gold in line with market value would boost the IMF's balance sheet, giving it more money to distribute. This idea has been put forward before, but there now seems to be a more committed political drive to address the issue of global poverty. "This is the first time there has been a mention of the use of gold in a G7 communiqu 233; for achieving debt relief," said UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown. At their meeting in London, G7 finance ministers backed plans to write off up to 100% of the debts owed by some of the world's poorest countries. Mr Brown said the meeting would be remembered as "the 100% debt relief summit". While debt relief seems to have jumped to the top of the global agenda, not everyone is convinced that selling IMF gold is the best way forward. The US, which can veto any plan to sell IMF gold should it so choose, said it is looking at other ways of solving the problem. "The US is not convinced that's the necessary way to do it," said Treasury Under Secretary John Taylor. Canada, a key gold producer, also expressed reservations.


Engineering firm Balfour Beatty and five railway managers are to go on trial for manslaughter over the Hatfield rail crash in 2000. Four people died when a section of rail broke and a high speed train derailed. Balfour Beatty's railway maintenance arm was in charge of the upkeep of the line at Hatfield, Hertfordshire. Balfour Beatty managers Anthony Walker and Nicholas Jeffries, and Railtrack managers Alistair Cook, Sean Fugill and Keith Lea all face individual charges. All five men, along with four others, are also accused of breaches of health and safety laws. Balfour Beatty Rail Maintenance faces a corporate manslaughter charge. It is expected the trial could last as long as a year. The accident, on 17 October 2000, happened when the London to Leeds express came off the tracks at 115 mph, when it was derailed by a cracked section of rail. The accident on the East Coast Main Line sparked major disruption. The overall responsibility for the line was Railtrack's the company that has now become Network Rail. Those who died in the accident were Steve Arthur, 46, from Pease Pottage, West Sussex; Peter Monkhouse, 50, of Headingley, Leeds; Leslie Gray, 43, of Tuxford, Nottingham; and Robert James Alcorn, 37, of Auckland, New Zealand.


BMW is preparing to enter the market for car style people carriers, the firm's chief has told BBC News. Speaking at a BMW event ahead of the Geneva motor show, Helmut Panke predicted demand for such crossover vehicles would soar in Europe. In contrast, he said, the popularity of van style seven seat vehicles and traditional saloon cars would fade. "Customers are moving out of the mini van (and) traditional concepts are not as attractive anymore," he said. "We have decided that BMW will enter the crossover segment," he said in the clearest indication yet about the car maker's intentions. Mr Panke praised the Honda Accura as the "best execution" yet of a crossover vehicle. "We have decided that the BMW brand will enter the segment," he said. A decision on just how BMW will manage its entry into the new market is due in the first half of 2005. Typically it takes about three years from when a decision is taken before a new model hits the streets, Mr Panke said, implying that a BMW crossover could be on the market by 2008. The coming switch is driven in part by the need for successful carmakers to stay aware of trans Atlantic differences in the car market, Mr Panke insisted. While in the US drivers tend to prefer sports utility vehicles (SUVs), such as the BMW X5 and its sibling X3, in Europe demand for crossover vehicles is likely to be considerable, Mr Panke said. "There's a growing market here," he said. "We are going to go that way."


Newcastle's teenage centre Mathew Tait has been named as a centre in England's team to face Wales in the Six Nations opener in Cardiff on Saturday. The 18 year old will play alongside Falcons' team mate Jamie Noon in England's midfield. Scrum half Matt Dawson is also recalled, despite been left out of the initial squad after a row over clashing TV and training commitments. Bath lock Danny Grewcock will also start, pending a possible citing. England coach Andy Robinson has also awarded Gloucester flanker Andy Hazell his first Six Nations start. In another change to the side that lost to Australia in November, Leicester lock Ben Kay replaces Bath second row Steve Borthwick. Robinson was already without Jonny Wilkinson, Mike Tindall, Stuart Abbott, Richard Hill and Will Greenwood, while Mike Catt had been left out of England's squad. J Robinson (Sale Sharks, capt); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tait (Newcastle), J Noon (Newcastle), J Lewsey (Wasps); C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), M Dawson (Wasps); G Rowntree (Leicester), S Thompson (Northampton), J White (Leicester), D Grewcock (Bath), B Kay (Leicester), L Moody (Leicester), A Hazell (Gloucester), J Worsley (Wasps). Replacements: A Titterrell (Sale Sharks), P Vickery (Gloucester), S Borthwick (Bath), J Forrester (Gloucester), H Ellis (Leicester), O Barkley (Bath), B Cohen (Northampton).


Rangers manager Alex McLeish accepts he is going to be criticised after their disastrous Uefa Cup exit at the hands of Auxerre at Ibrox on Wednesday. McLeish told BBC Radio Five Live: "We were in pole position to get through to the next stage but we blew it, we absolutely blew it. "There's no use burying your head in the sand, we know we are going to get a lot of criticism. "We have to take it as we have done in the past and we must now bounce back." McLeish admitted his team's defending was amateurish after watching them lose 2 0 to Guy Roux's French side. "I'm very disappointed because we didn't give ourselves a chance, losing the first goal from our own corner. It was amateur," he added. "The early goal in the second half gave us a mountain to climb and we never created the same kind of chances as we did in the first half. "It's difficult to take positives from the game. We've let the fans down."


Wales secured their first away win in the RBS Six Nations for nearly four years with a six try victory in Rome. Tries from Jonathan Thomas, Tom Shanklin and Martyn Williams gave the visitors a 19 5 half time advantage. Luciano Orquera did reply with one for Italy but second half efforts from Brent Cockbain, Shane Williams and Robert Sidoli sealed victory. Fly half Stephen Jones added four conversions as Wales maintained their superb start to this year's tournament. Starting full of confidence after their victory over England, the visitors scored the opening try after just four minutes. Diminutive wing Shane Williams fielded a kick ahead and danced past the onrushing Andrea Masi and Aaron Persico into the Italian half. His pass to Tom Shanklin appeared forward but when the centre was held up short, the ball was switched left and Michael Owen's long cut out pass gave the lurking Thomas an easy run in. Stephen Jones, who retained the kicking duties despite Gavin Henson's heroics against England, slotted an excellent conversion from wide out. Wales twice threatened further scores but failed to find the crucial pass, and Italy hit back out of the blue in the 11th minute. Henson, sporting gold boots rather than the silver variety that did for England, beat two players with ease out on the left touchline. But his attempted chip ahead was charged down by Orquera, who snaffled the loose ball and hared away from halfway to score in the right corner. With the Welsh line out stuttering and Italy twice turning the visitors' scrum, the home side's forward power brought them back into it. But a clever high kick from Henson almost brought a try for Hal Luscombe when Roland de Marigny and Ludovico Nitoglia made a hash of claiming it as the ball bounced into touch. Wales regained control with a second try in the 21st minute, Henson lobbing up a high kick to the left corner where Shanklin jumped higher than Nitoglia to dot down his 15th Test try. Jones was unable to convert and De Marigny then hit the upright with a penalty attempt for Italy. Henson was also narrowly short with a long range effort at goal, but Wales ended the half with a vital third score to give themselves some breathing space. Henson sent Luscombe streaking away and when he off loaded to Martyn Williams, the flanker showed his nous to ground the ball against the padding of the post, Jones adding the conversion. Italy, who lost flanker Mauro Bergamasco with a head knock before half time, built up a head of steam on the resumption. De Marigny landed a penalty to make it 19 8 and a Nitoglia break through the middle threatened a try only for the move to break down with a knock on. But Wales put the outcome beyond doubt with two superb tries in four minutes before the hour. Their fourth after 53 minutes was sparked by another mazy run from Shane Williams, who beat several players with ease, and finished with a powerful angled run from lock Cockbain. Before Italy could recover from that blow, a strong surge from Gareth Thomas and great off loads from Martyn Williams and replacement Kevin Morgan saw Shane Williams scamper over. With Jones converting both for a 33 8 lead, Wales had the luxury of sending on five more replacements for the final quarter. The icing on the cake came with a sixth try after more superb support work, Shane Williams and Ceri Sweeney combining to send Sidoli over in the left corner. The only downside for Wales was a hamstring injury suffered by Luscombe. But after back to back wins at the start of the tournament for the first time in 11 years, they will travel to Paris in a fortnight looking like genuine contenders. R de Marigny; Mirco Bergamasco, W Pozzebon, A Masi, L Nitoglia; L Orquera, A Troncon; A Lo Cicero, F Ongaro, M Castrogiovanni, S Dellape, M Bortolami (capt), A Persico, Mauro Bergamasco, S Parisse. G Intoppa, S Perugini, CA del Fava, D dal Maso, P Griffen, M Barbini, KP Robertson. G Thomas (capt); H Luscombe, T Shanklin, G Henson, S Williams; S Jones, D Peel; G Jenkins, M Davies, A Jones; B Cockbain, R Sidoli; J Thomas, M Williams, M Owen. R McBryde, J Yapp, I Gough, R Sowden Taylor, G Cooper, C Sweeney, K Morgan. Andrew Cole (Australia).


Home favourite Lleyton Hewitt came through a dramatic five set battle with Argentine David Nalbandian to reach the Australian Open semi finals. Hewitt looked to be cruising to victory after racing into a two set lead. But Nalbandian broke his serve three times in both of the next two sets to set up a nailbiting decider. Hewitt eventually grabbed the vital break in the 17th game and served out to win 6 3 6 2 1 6 3 6 10 8 and set up a meeting with Andy Roddick. The winner of that match will face either Roger Federer or Marat Safin in the final. Ninth seed Nalbandian had never come back from two sets down to win a match, and there was no indication he would do so as Hewitt dominated the first two sets. The Argentine had stoked up the temperature ahead of the match by saying Hewitt's exuberant on court celebrations were "not very good for the sport". And he had words with Hewitt during one change of ends in the second set when the Australian appeared to brush shoulders with him as they went to their chairs. The balance of power changed completely in the third set as Hewitt allowed his level to dip, and he double faulted twice as Nalbandian broke on the way to taking the fourth set. But the tiring third seed showed incredible reserves of strength to force the break despite being outplayed for much of the final set and three times coming within two points of defeat. He then produced a love service game to finish off the match in four hours and five minutes. "I just kept hanging in there. It was always tough serving second in the fifth set," said Hewitt, who had never reached the last four at his home Grand Slam. "I told myself to give everything and in the end it paid off once again. "It's a long way from holding that trophy up there but I'm hanging in there. "Only four guys left that can win and we're the top four in the world. It's set up for a pretty good showdown in the semis and finals."


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.


England coach Andy Robinson faces the first major test of his tenure as he tries to get back to winning ways after the Six Nations defeat by Wales. Robinson is likely to make changes in the back row and centre after the 11 9 loss as he contemplates Sunday's set to with France at Twickenham. Lewis Moody and Martin Corry could both return after missing the game with hamstring and shoulder problems. And the midfield pairing of Mathew Tait and Jamie Noon is also under threat. Olly Barkley immediately allowed England to generate better field position with his kicking game after replacing debutant Tait just before the hour. The Bath fly half cum centre is likely to start against France, with either Tait or Noon dropping out. Tait, given little opportunity to shine in attack, received praise from Robinson afterwards, even if the coach admitted Cardiff was an "unforgiving place" for the teenage prodigy. Robinson now has a tricky decision over whether to withdraw from the firing line, after just one outing, a player he regards as central to England's future. Tait himself, at least outwardly, appeared unaffected by the punishing treatment dished out to him by Gavin Henson in particular. "I want more of that definitely," he said. "Hopefully I can train hard this week and get selected for next week but we'll have to look at the video and wait and see. "We were playing on our own 22 for a lot of the first half so it was quite difficult. I thought we defended reasonably well but we've just got to pick it up for France." His Newcastle team mate Noon hardly covered himself in glory in his first major Test. He missed a tackle on Michael Owen in the build up to Wales' try, conceded a penalty at the breakdown, was turned over in another tackle and fumbled Gavin Henson's cross kick into touch, all inside the first quarter. His contribution improved in the second half, but England clearly need more of a playmaker in the inside centre role. Up front, the line out remains fallible, despite a superb performance from Chris Jones, whose athleticism came to the fore after stepping into the side for Moody. It is more likely the Leicester flanker will return on the open side for the more physical challenge posed by the French forwards, with Andy Hazell likely to make way. Lock Ben Kay also justified his recall with an impressive all round display on his return to the side, but elsewhere England positives were thin on the ground.


Graeme Souness believes Walter Smith would be the perfect choice to succeed Berti Vogts as Scotland manager. Souness's former assistant at Rangers is hot favourite to take over from Vogts, who resigned on Monday. "Walter is most definitely the ideal candidate for that job. He'd be perfect for it," Souness told BBC Sport. The Scottish Football Association has appointed Tommy Burns as provisional caretaker boss for the friendly against Sweden on 17 November. "He fits the bill because of his knowledge and understanding of the Scotland team and football. He is experienced and has been successful." Souness added: "Walter is a real football person, as I know from working with him at Ibrox. "On top of all that he is a proper human being who would command the instant respect of the players and everyone involved in Scottish football." Souness joined Sir Alex Ferguson in backing Smith's claims. The Scottish Football Association is about to embark on the search for Vogts successor after appointing Tommy Burns in a caretaker capacity. Ferguson said: "He (Smith) would be the outstanding candidate as far as I'm concerned. "You need somebody who knows what they're doing and Walter would bring a wealth of experience to the job." The Man Utd boss continued: "I don't know what credentials are needed to do the job but it's a job that needs a lot of experience. "He was my assistant with Scotland and here at Manchester United and he has also managed Glasgow Rangers. "He would need to change the whole shape of Scottish football and radical changes are needed." Smith was assistant to Ferguson at the World Cup in Mexico in 1986. The former Everton and Rangers boss has been out of the game since a spell as Manchester United assistant last term. BBC Sport understands that Smith would be willing to discuss taking over if he was approached by the Scottish FA. If he is tempted to take over, it seems almost certain Smith's long time right hand man Archie Knox would also play a part in the national team set up. Smith already has the backing of many pundits and fans, including former Scotland manager Craig Brown. Brown said: "Walter is an outstanding candidate without doubt. "He would be admirable choice. I spoke to him on Sunday and I got the impression he would take it. He was asking me about it and I was positive." Other candidates for the job include former Scotland midfielders Gordon Strachan and Gary McAllister and Vogts' assistant Tommy Burns.


Asia is set to drive global media growth to 2008 and beyond, with China and India filling the two top spots, analysts have predicted. Japan, South Korea and Singapore will also be strong players, but China's demographics give it the edge, a media conference in London heard. The world's most populous country population 1.3bn now has about 200 million middle class consumers. Forty per cent fall in the key 16 to 35 year old demographic. As a result, it is attracting huge foreign investment in media and communications, analysts told the Financial Times New Media and Broadcasting Conference last week. Interest in China among international media groups has surged in recent months after Beijing issued rules allowing foreign investment in joint venture television, radio and film production companies. News Corporation, Viacom and Sony Pictures are among the big names involved in joint ventures with Chinese players. More than 700 million Chinese listen to 1,000 radio stations, while 200 TV stations broadcast 2,900 channels. China Central Television (CCTV), the state broadcaster, claims an audience of more than a billion people. Of the country's 360 million households, 100 million receive cable TV programmes. The rest could be a potential audience for satellite broadcasting which China plans to launch in 2006. The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), which regulates broadcasting, plans to move all programmes to digital by 2015. The continuing roll out of new digital channels has boosted demand for quality content, creating significant opportunities for both Chinese and foreign content providers. But according to recent reports from China, the authorities have tightened controls over foreign investment in TV production joint ventures. It has limited most foreign companies to only one joint venture and banned the involvement of any found to be "unfriendly", according to reports. The SARFT said: "There is a very strong ideological component to production of broadcast television programmes." It added: "China must understand the political tendencies and background of overseas partners and prevent joint ventures or cooperation from bringing harmful foreign thinking or culture into our production sector." According to the Financial Times' China correspondent, the new rules highlight the political sensitivities that surround foreign involvement in China's media sector. This is despite Beijing's decision to open the state dominated sector to international investment. As well as traditional broadcasting, Chinese and foreign entrepreneurs alike see fortunes waiting to be made in new media, like mobile services and online gaming. Mobile games already account for 15% of revenues from China's 340 million mobile users. Online gaming sales are predicted to top a billion US dollars next year, according to the UK based journal Screen Digest. The video market is also seen as a big opportunity, although piracy levels are still very high despite an anti piracy drive during the past year. In the cinema industry the deployment of digital screens is being accelerated. This is not just to modernise venues but also to curb piracy and regulate distribution. Li Ruigang, president of the commercial broadcaster Shanghai Media Group, told the conference that China's new media market "is already experiencing explosive growth". It was particularly strong in charged broadband services and mobile value added services. Leading China watcher, and founder of the CGA consultancy Jeanne Marie Gescher, agreed that the time was ripe for foreign media groups to tap China's huge media market potential. "China's media are now driven by investors who do not care how people consume media they just want people to consume more of it," Mrs Gescher concluded.


Hiding women away in the home hidden behind veils is a backward view of Islam, President Musharraf of Pakistan has said during a visit to Britain. He was speaking to the BBC's Newsnight programme a few hours before visiting the Pakistani community in Manchester. "My wife is travelling around. She is very religious but she is very moderate," said General Musharraf. It comes after Pakistan's High Commissioner to Britain said some Pakistanis should integrate more. Dr Maleeha Lodhi said people could not expect others to listen to their grievances if they isolated themselves. Gen Musharraf told the BBC: "Some people think that the women should be confined to their houses and put veils on and all that and they should not move out absolutely wrong." The Pakistani president was also asked whether he thought the war on terror had made the world less safe. "Yes, absolutely. And I would add that unfortunately we are not addressing the core problems, so therefore we can never address it in its totality," he said. "We are fighting it in its immediate context but we are not fighting it in its strategic long term context. "It is the political disputes and we need to resolve them, and also the issue of illiteracy and poverty. This combined are breeding grounds of extremism and terrorism." On Monday the Pakistani president met Prime Minister Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street, on his first official visit to London. He is due to visit the Pakistani community in Manchester on Tuesday afternoon. The Mirror newspaper said on Tuesday it had been handed a sensitive dossier outling the details of Gen Musharraf's visit to Britain. The paper said the document had been found in a London street by a member of the public. It said the dossier contained details about his movements and also confidential police radio channels, call signs and codes. Speaking in London on Monday, Gen Musharraf said al Qaeda was "on the run" in Pakistan. But standing next to Mr Blair he added that it was crucial to tackle the "core of what creates terrorists, what creates an extremist, militant environment which then leads on to terrorism". "That is the resolution of political disputes." Mr Blair said the two leaders had talked about Afghanistan, the wider war on terror, the situation in the Middle East and the ongoing dispute over Kashmir. "We agreed that in Afghanistan there is some cause for optimism about the progress that has been made there," said Mr Blair. "In respect of Iraq, we agreed that whatever the issues of the past, the important thing now is to see the strategy through and ensure that Iraq is capable of becoming a stable and democratic state."


Ask Jeeves has become the third leading online search firm this week to thank a revival in internet advertising for improving fortunes. The firm's revenue nearly tripled in the fourth quarter of 2004, exceeding 86m ( 46m). Ask Jeeves, once among the best known names on the web, is now a relatively modest player. Its 17m profit for the quarter was dwarfed by the 204m announced by rival Google earlier in the week. During the same quarter, Yahoo earned 187m, again tipping a resurgence in online advertising. The trend has taken hold relatively quickly. Late last year, marketing company Doubleclick, one of the leading providers of online advertising, warned that some or all of its business would have to be put up for sale. But on Thursday, it announced that a sharp turnaround had brought about an unexpected increase in profits. Neither Ask Jeeves nor Doubleclick thrilled investors with their profit news, however. In both cases, their shares fell by some 4%. Analysts attributed the falls to excessive expectations in some quarters, fuelled by the dramatic outperformance of Google on Tuesday.


Kelly Holmes will start 2005 with a series of races in Britain. Holmes will make her first track appearance on home soil since winning double Olympic gold in January's Norwich Union International in Glasgow. She will also run in the Grand Prix in Birmingham in February and may defend her indoor AAA 800m title in Sheffield earlier that month. "I am still competitive and still want to win," she said. "I'm an athlete and I can't wait to get back on the track." She added: "These events are also a great opportunity to thank the British public for the enormous levels of support they have given me from the moment I stepped off that plane from Greece." The Glasgow meeting will see Holmes compete over 1500m in a five way match against Sweden, France, Russia and Italy.


Most EU countries have failed to put in place policies aimed at making Europe the world's most competitive economy by the end of the decade, a report says. The study, undertaken by the European Commission, sought to assess how far the EU has moved towards meeting its economic targets. In 2000, EU leaders at a summit in Lisbon pledged the European economy would outstrip that of the US by 2010. Their economic targets became known as the Lisbon Agenda. But the Commission report says that, in most EU countries, the pace of economic reform has been too slow, and fulfilling the Lisbon ambitions will be difficult if not impossible. Only the UK, Finland, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands have actually followed up policy recommendations. Among the biggest laggards, according to the report, are Greece and Italy. The Lisbon Agenda set out to increase the number of people employed in Europe by encouraging more older people and women to stay in the workforce. It also set out to raise the amount the private sector spends on research and development, while bringing about greater discipline over public spending and debt levels. Combined with high environmental standards and efforts to level the playing field for businesses throughout the EU, the plan was for Europe to become the world's most dynamic economy by 2010. Next week, the Commission will present revised proposals to meet the Lisbon goals. Many people expect the 2010 target to be quietly dropped.


The US stock market has closed higher in response to George W Bush's victory in the presidential elections. The benchmark Dow Jones share index closed more than 1% higher at 10,137, while the Nasdaq rose 0.9% to 2,004. Many investors believe that Mr Bush's policies are more business friendly than those of his Democrat challenger, John Kerry. The higher share prices also reflect relief that a clear winner has emerged from what proved to be a tight poll. Investors had worried that the outcome of the poll would be inconclusive, paving the way for a repeat of the legal wrangling that marred the 2000 election. The Dow lost 5% of its value in the three weeks immediately after that election, when it was unclear who would occupy the White House. Mr Kerry conceded defeat on Wednesday, abandoning last ditch hopes of carrying the vote in the swing state of Ohio. "The relief for the markets may be that we have a decision and can move forward," said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment officer of Solaris Asset Management. Some analysts predicted that the jump in share prices would be short lived, saying investors would quickly focus once again on the health of the US economy. "I would look at the stock market rally for Bush as kind of a one day event," said Ken Mayland at Clearview Economics. The US' recent economic performance has been mixed, with solid growth offset by disappointingly low job creation figures, and mounting worries over a record budget deficit. Elsewhere in the financial markets on Wednesday, the dollar dipped slightly against the euro and climbed against the yen, while US oil prices closed up 1.26 at 50.88 a barrel in New York. The rise in oil prices partly reflects the view that President Bush is less likely than Mr Kerry to release supplies from the US' strategic oil reserve. Share prices in London, Frankfurt and Paris also closed higher. Successive polls in the run up to Tuesday's election had shown the two candidates running neck and neck. Economic issues, as well as the war in Iraq, were the forefront of the campaign. In key swing states such as Ohio, which has suffered substantial job losses in the past four years, President Bush's handling of the economy became a crucial election issue. Senator Kerry attacked President Bush's economic record during his campaign, hammering home the fact that a net 800,000 jobs were lost during his term in office. President Bush focused on the fact that two million jobs have been created in the past year, claiming that it has vindicated his tax cutting agenda. As for future policies, both candidates pledged to bring America's 422bn federal budget deficit under control. Senator Kerry planned to increase taxes on those earning more than 200,000 a year. President Bush has placed reform of the pensions system at the heart of his economic agenda for a second term. However, economists have said both candidates' economic programmes rested on questionable assumptions about future growth.


Next year will be "make or break" for development in poorer countries Gordon Brown will say as he sets out UK goals for its EU and G8 presidencies. The chancellor is due to outline a series of key targets the government will be judged on in 2005. They will include doubling aid from donor countries and eliminating debt owed by the poorest nations. Mr Brown also wants other G8 nations to match his target for overseas aid spending 0.7% of national income. He also wants the richer countries to do more to help the development of vaccines for Aids and malaria. The chancellor is travelling to America next week as part of his persuasion drive over the issue. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We need more resources allied to progress on trade and progress on debt relief if we are going to make an impact on the problems of ill health, of illiteracy, of poverty, particularly in Africa but right through the developing countries." His proposals were effectively a new "Marshall Plan" for the world, including an international finance facility, which would issue bonds in an attempt to double global aid cash to 100bn a year. Agreement in the Doha development talks could also give developing nations the trading ability they needed, he argued. The European Union's Common Agricultural Policy had caused aggravated trade problems, he said, but there was now an agreement to end export subsidies. Mr Brown said much had been achieved on issues such as debt relief in the last seven years. But with 30,000 children were dying unnecessarily every day more was needed, including 100% debt relief multilaterally. "That is why next year is a test," he said. "If after five years of making promises the world is not prepared to honour them, then people will be justified in saying they promised but they did not produce results." The Catholic aid agency Cafod will host Mr Brown's speech on Wednesday. Cafod wants Britain to use its influence to pressure countries like the US to make firm commitments to tackle global poverty. Mr Brown said America too needed to take more action but defended President George Bush for guaranteeing resources to countries which introduced reforms to tackle corruption. Oxfam's Paying the Price report this week said 45 million children will die needlessly before 2015 and aid budgets are half their 1960 levels. The charity's director, Barbara Stocking, said: "2005 offers the chance for an historic breakthrough, but unless world leaders act now the year will end in shameful failure." The report said the G8 of top industrialised nations had agreed in 1970 to spend 0.7% of their incomes on aid. But 34 years later none of the organisations members had reached this target and many had not yet set a timetable. Mr Blair, who has described Africa as a "scar" on the world's conscience, has already said tackling world poverty would be one his G8 priorities along with climate change and the Aids epidemic. But Band Aid founder Bob Geldof in July said he was sick of hearing "guff" about scars on the world. It was pathetic that Britain was the 4th richest country in the world but only the 11th most generous aid donor, he added. Conservative shadow international development secretary Alan Duncan accused Mr Brown of missing his target on providing anti retroviral drug treatment to three million Africans by 2005. Instead, only 500,000 people would benefit, he said. "There's no point in him demanding praise and adulation for setting a whole new raft of targets when he has so woefully failed to meet the ones he already has," added Mr Duncan.


Two high speed lifts at the world's tallest building have been officially recognised as the planet's fastest. The lifts take only 30 seconds to whisk passengers to the top of the 508m tall TFC 101 Tower in Taipei, Taiwan. The Guinness Book of Records has declared the 17m per second speed of the two lifts the swiftest on Earth. The lifts also have a pressure control system to stop passengers' ears popping as they ascend and descend at high speed. In total, the TFC Tower has 61 lifts, 34 of them double deckers, and 50 escalators to shuttle people around its 106 floors. The TFC 101 Tower is due to be officially opened on 31 December. The super fast lifts can speed up to 24 passengers to the tip of the tower in about 30 seconds, while ascending their 382m track. The 17m/s top speed of the lifts translates to about 38mph (61km/h). Curiously the lifts take longer to descend and spend almost a whole minute returning to ground level from the top of the TFC Tower. The key new technologies applied in the world's fastest elevators include: A pressure control system, which adjusts the atmospheric pressure inside a car by using suction and discharge blowers, preventing "ear popping" An active control system which tries to balance the lift more finely and remove the sources of vibrations Streamlined cars to reduce the whistling noise produced by running the lifts at a high speed inside a narrow shaft "The certification of our elevators as world record holders by the authoritative Guinness World Records is a great honour for us," said Masayuki Shimono, president of manufacturer Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems which installed the lifts. The first record for the world's fastest passenger elevators was published in the first edition of the Guinness Book of Records in 1955. "As such, it is an interesting indicator of how technology has advanced in the 50 years since that first edition, when the record was 426m per minute, or 25.6 km/h, less than half the speed of the new record," said Hein Le Roux, specialist researcher at the Guinness World Records. Taipei's TFC 101 Tower is more than 50m taller than the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia formerly the world's tallest skyscraper.


Leicester wing Austin Healey hopes to use Sunday's return Heineken Cup clash with Wasps as a further springboard to an England recall for the Six Nations. Healey, who won 51 caps prior to the 2003 World Cup, has been in good form in the Tigers' resurgence this season. "I definitely still have ambitions to play for England," Healey told the BBC. "We will have to see what happens after the previous (autumn) Tests but when I look at the current squad I definitely feel there is a place there for me." Healey, who has also played both half back positions and full back during his career, has reverted to the wing, where he won most of his England caps. After recovering from a trapped nerve in his back sustained at the end of September, the 31 year old is relishing his role in the Tigers revival. "I had six weeks out but fortunately I have resumed the sort of form I had before," he said. "I am basically playing where it best suits Leicester. Obviously I can play scrum half, fly half or full back at a moment's notice. "But playing on the wing actually gives me a bigger free role to come in where I am not expected and influence things." That has been apparent in parts one and two of the Wasps Leicester trilogy in recent weeks. First, Healey came off his flank with an angled run to score an injury time try that earned the Tigers a 17 17 draw in their Premiership meeting on 21 November. Then, in the first of their Heineken cup double header last Sunday, Healey slotted in at stand off and delivered a superb cross kick for Martin Corry to score the Tigers' third try. "I caught 'Cozza's' eye a couple of phases before that and was hoping to get it to him on the full, but fortunately even with the bounce he managed to score," Healey recalled. Healey, twice a Heineken Cup winner, believes last Sunday's match was "up there" with some of the biggest club contests he has played in. "It was a very intense occasion and a very destructive game," he recalled. "There was not a huge amount of rugby played but it was a great game to be involved in. "After about 15 minutes I thought we might stride away with it but Wasps really came back into it and in the last couple of minutes it could have gone either way." The same outcome this Sunday would put Leicester in pole position to top their Heineken pool with a home game against Biarritz and away trip to Calvisano to come. But Healey insists the Tigers must summon the same desire if they are to deliver the knockout blow in what has been dubbed "rugby's version of Rocky II". "There was a lot of satisfaction in the dressing room aftewards but it is really only a case of a job half done," he added. "It was the first of a two leg trip and if we lose at Welford Road it will negate all the positives we can take from result. "I think it came down to who wanted it more and in the end I think we did. We have got to show the same desire again this week."


India's defence minister has opened the country's Aero India 2005 air show with an invitation for global aerospace firms to outsource jobs to the nation. Pranab Mukherjee said such companies could take advantage of India's highly skilled workers and low wages. More than 240 civil and military aerospace firms from 31 countries are attending the show. Analysts said India could spend up to 35bn ( 18.8bn) in the aviation market over the next 20 years. Giants such Boeing and Airbus on the civil aviation front as well as Lockheed Martin and France's Snecma on the military side are some of the firms attending the show. "There is tremendous scope for outsourcing from India in areas where the companies are competitive," said Mr Mukerjee. "We are keen to welcome international collaborations that are in conformity with our national goals." Lockheed said it had signed an agreement with state owned Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) to share information on the P 3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft. In fact, the Indian Armed Force is considering the buying of used P 3 Orion as well as F 16 fighter jets from Lockheed. The US military industry has show a strong interest to open a link with India, now that relations between the two countries have improved a lot. In fact, it is the first time the US Air Force will attend the air show since sanctions imposed in 1998 after India's nuclear tests were lifted. But the Indian Air Force is also considering proposals from other foreign firms such as France's Dassault Aviation, Sweden's Saab and Russia's Mikoyan Gurevich. Meanwhile, France's Snecma has also said it plans a joint venture with HAL to make engine parts, with an initial investment of 6.5m. On the civilian front, Boeing announced a deal with India's HCL Technologies to develop a platform for the flight test system of its 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The US company also said it had agreed with a new Indian budget airline the sale of 10 737 800 planes for 630m. The airline, SpiceJet, will also have the option to acquire 10 more aircraft. Airbus has also recently signed fresh deals with two Indian airlines Air Deccan and Kingfisher. In addition, the European company has plans to open a training centre in India. Meanwhile, flag carrier Air India is considering to buy 50 new aircraft from either Boeing or Airbus. "No other market is going to see the growth that will be seen here in the coming years," said Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president Boeing.


The two most senior executives at US mortgage giant Fannie Mae have resigned after accounting irregularities were uncovered at the company. Chief executive Franklin Raines, a former senior official in the Clinton administration, and chief financial officer Tim Howard have left the firm. Fannie Mae was criticised by financial regulators and could have to restate its earnings by up to 9bn ( 4.6bn). It is America's second largest financial institution. Recent investigations have exposed extensive accounting errors at Fannie Mae, which supplies funds to America's 8 trillion mortgage market. Last week, the firm was admonished by the Securities and Exchange Commission which said it had made major errors in its financial reporting. The financial regulator said Fannie Mae would have to raise substantial new capital to restore its balance sheet. Analysts said the SEC's criticism made it impossible for Fannie Mae's senior executives to remain. Mr Raines, head of the Office of Management and Budget under President Clinton, has taken early retirement while Mr Howard has also stepped down, the company said on Tuesday. KPMG, Fannie Mae's independent auditor, will also be replaced. "By my early retirement, I have held myself accountable," Mr Raines said in a statement. Fannie Mae was found to have violated accounting rules relating to derivatives financial instruments used to hedge against fluctuations in interest rates and some pre paid loans. As a result, it could be forced to restate 9bn in earnings over the past four years, effectively wiping out a third of the company's profits since 2001. Although not making loans directly to buyers, Fannie Mae is the largest single player in the mortgage market, underwriting half of all US house purchases. The firm operates under charter from the US Congress. It has faced stinging criticism from Congressional leaders who held hearings into its finances earlier this year and from government regulator, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO). "We are encouraged that the board's announcement signals a new culture and a new direction for Fannie Mae," Armando Falcon, OFHEO director said. The problems afflicting Fannie Mae are just the latest to hit the US mortgage industry. Freddie Mac, the country's other largest mortgage firm, was forced to restate its earnings by 4.4bn last year and pay a 125m fine after an investigation of its books.


"He's not finished yet," whispered the Conservative Party person as your reporter attempted to slip quietly from the hall. And indeed he wasn't. Michael Howard had already broken away from the printed text of his speech, at his party's spring conference in Brighton, to deliver a smart rebuff to Peter Hain's description of him as an "attack mongrel", claiming such personal abuse meant Labour was "rattled" by the Tory challenge. And here he was again, moving to the front of the stage as the party faithful rose to their feet in applause, to make a personal, ad libbed appeal to them to go out and fight for victory. "One day you will be able to tell your children and grandchildren as I will tell mine, 'I was there. I did my bit. I played my part. I helped to win that famous election the election that transformed our country for the better'." The speech, which was peppered with references to Mr Howard's humble beginnings as the "child of immigrants", had been introduced by his son Nick, a trainee vicar, who praised his father's honesty. "I always know where I am with him because all my life he has meant what he has said to me," he said. Mr Howard was also joined on stage by his wife Sandra, daughter Larissa and stepson Sholto. The audience's reaction to all of this was a little muted by party conference standards. But Mr Howard's overall message that the Tories have Labour on the run and that they can win the next election did not sound quite as hollow as it might have done six months ago. Mr Howard claimed, with some justification, that the Tories' campaign has got off to a "great start". They have had Labour on the back foot over immigration, with Tony Blair hastily adding a sixth promise on the issue to his latest pledge card, and have even managed to score points in traditional Labour territory such as health and education. The stunts involving Margaret Dixon with her postponed operation and Maria Hutchings with concerns about her son's special needs education may not have been to everyone's taste, but they succeeded in bringing the issues alive and forcing Labour to react. Senior Tories believe they are, at long last, starting to tap into the public mood, cutting through the background noise to connect with the ordinary voter. Their latest poster campaign flags up a range of policies from better school discipline, cleaner hospitals ("I mean, how hard is it to keep a hospital clean?") and immigration ("It's not racist to impose limits on immigration") under the headline "are you thinking what we are thinking?" This, they say, contrasts with Labour's negative campaigning, such as its now infamous "flying pigs" poster. Oliver Letwin, one of the men lampooned in the Labour poster, affects bewilderment at what he believes is Labour's loss of its once sure footing on the campaign trail. The Peter Hain "mongrel" attack, he says, is just the latest example of the party getting the tone wrong a by product, he claims, of the Tories setting the agenda. "I have to say I don't understand what they are doing. The Labour machine appears to be in some kind of state of shock, it doesn't seem to know what to do." A few weeks of positive headlines have also done wonders for Tory activists' morale likely to be a crucial factor at an election which, most analysts seem to agree, will hinge on which party can get their core support out. "It has been a fantastic few weeks," said 20 year old politics student Nick Vaughan. "Our policies have been getting in the media and there is a sense that we can win. I wouldn't be here if I didn't think we could." Some delegates even spoke of the next election being like 1970, when Ted Heath, behind in the polls and written off by the pundits, snatched victory from Harold Wilson's Labour Party. They all insisted it was not going to be a re run of 2001. "We thought in 2001 we were going to dent that massive majority but it just didn't happen," said John Murray, of Aldridge Browhills Conservatives. "It was very disappointing. This time it really is different. "Whoever is running our strategy from the top has got it bang on. Blair is on the back foot." Much of the credit for the Tories' recent change of fortune must go to Lynton Crosby, the Australian strategist who succeeded in turning political veteran and apparent no hoper John Howard, of Australia's Liberal Party, into a serial election winner. The Tories still have a mountain climb if Michael Howard is to walk through the doors of Number 10. Even allowing for the natural bias against the Tories in some opinion polls, they are still behind, when to have a chance of overturning Labour's whopping majority, they should really be ahead. But as they gear up for the start of the campaign proper, the party at least has reason to hope that, like his Australian namesake, Mr Howard really isn't finished yet.


An MP has had more than 600 and his passport stolen after being mugged by six men in a park in Kenya. Quentin Davies, the MP for Grantham and Stamford, was attacked in a notoriously dangerous park in the capital, Nairobi. He was not hurt in the mugging on Saturday evening. Several people are being questioned over the attack. He was in Kenya before travelling to Sudan with the Parliamentary committee. Local police were said to be "surprised" he was in the area. Mr Davies, 60, said the mugging occurred 100 yards from the Nairobi Serena Hotel and equally close to the Anglican Cathedral in the centre of the city at dusk. He said in a statement: "It was a frightening experience. "Six men managed to steal up on me and grab me from behind. "I knew I had to stay very calm and passive you cannot fight six men". He had to spend an extra 24 hours in Nairobi before rejoining the rest of the House of Commons International Development Committee in Dafur after the mugging. "Naturally, I was afraid they would use a knife or gun, though they never produced any weapon," he said. "Two of them held me from behind and two others held my legs and another one expertly rifled all my pockets."


Chelsea's Damien Duff has been ruled out of Wednesday's Champions League clash with Barcelona at the Nou Camp. Duff sustained a knee injury in the FA Cup defeat at Newcastle and manager Jose Mourinho said: "He cannot run. His injury is very painful, so he is out." But Mourinho has revealed defender Willian Gallas and striker Didier Drogba will be in the starting line up. The Blues boss took the unusual step of naming his side a day before the match, with Jole Cole named in midfield. Mourinho said: "We have one more session but I think Drogba will play, and Gallas will play. "Drogba trained on Monday with no problems and will do the same on Tuesday. Gallas feels he can play and wants to play. We are protecting him still but he will be okay to play." Drogba, Chelsea's 24m striker, has missed the last three weeks through injury. Cech, Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry, Gallas, Tiago, Makelele, Lampard, Cole, Drogba, Gudjohnsen.


A deal bringing Turkey a step closer to EU membership is of "fundamental importance" to the peace and security of the world, Tony Blair has said. The deal, struck at the European Council last week, also proved claims of a clash between Muslims and Christians were "wrong", Mr Blair said. It represented the achievement of an "historic British objective", he added. Tory leader Michael Howard said the deal laid to rest any suggestion the EU was "anti Islamic". Turkey's involvement with the EU would provide an "invaluable bridge" between Europe and the rest of the world, Mr Howard added. But the Tory leader argued that the EU constitution was not designed to take in a country as large as Turkey. Mr Blair has been a leading advocate of Turkish membership despite controversy surrounding the idea. He insisted that the Turkish leadership had made great advances in improving its human rights records. The deal to open formal talks with Ankara came despite an EU demand for Turkey to recognise Cyprus. It was agreed the issue can be tackled at a later date but Turkish premier Recep Erdogan had to accept negotiations did not guarantee his country full EU membership. The internationally recognised southern part of Cyprus is an EU member, but Turkey, which occupies northern Cyprus, had previously insisted it would not bow to demands to recognise the country, calling the issue a "red line". It could take up to 15 years before Turkey is able to join, and entry cannot be guaranteed. If it joins, Turkey may have to accept restrictions to limit migration by its citizens. The EU has also announced that it will start accession talks with Croatia in April 2005. However, talks will begin only if the country co operates fully with the UN war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.


Susan Chepkemei has decided she is fit enough to run in next month's Great Edinburgh International Cross Country. The Kenyan was initially unsure if she would have recovered from her gruelling tussle with Paula Radcliffe in the New York Marathon in time to compete. But she has declared herself up to the task and joins a field headed by World cross country champion Benita Johnson. Race director Matthew Turnbull said: "Susan will add even more strength in depth to the world class line up." Chepkemei, who won the six kilometre event three years ago when it was staged in Newcastle, endured an epic battle with Radcliffe in the Big Apple until the Briton outsprinted her in the final 400m. Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia will defend the title she won last year in Tyneside before the race was moved north of the border. Recently crowned European cross country champion Briton Hayley Yelling also competes in Edinburgh on 15 January, as does in form Scot Kathy Butler.


Support for a ban on hunting has fallen in the past six years, a poll suggests. Less than half the UK wants a ban compared to almost two thirds in 1999, the Mori survey of 2,000 adults for BBC One's Countryfile programme suggests. The number opposed to a ban remains constant, but those "neither supporting nor opposing" has increased by 11%. Most city dwellers support the ban but rural people were evenly split between supporters, opponents and undecided. Polling company Mori carried out both surveys. In July 1999 they asked 801 adults if they supported the ban for the Mail on Sunday. For Countryfile they asked 2,234 adults across the country the same question. The Mail on Sunday survey found that 63% supported a hunting ban compared with 24% against. In the Countryfile survey, 47% said they supported the legislation, with 26% against. But the programme makers suggest the British public are becoming "increasingly neutral" to the issue because around one quarter said they "neither support nor oppose" a ban.


Labour has been accused of using anti Semitic images in posters which critics claim depict Tory leader Michael Howard as Fagin. The poster shows Mr Howard hypnotising people with a pocket watch, saying: "I can spend the same money twice." The image prompted concern from the editor of the Jewish Chronicle but Labour insists it is simply anti Tory. Labour later took the image off its website, saying an alternative idea had proved more popular with party members. The party will now use focus groups to test a poster showing Mr Howard and shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin with a blackboard reading: "2 2 5". The hypnotism poster has been compared to the portrayal of the Dickens character Fagin in the stage version of the musical Oliver! There was controversy over another poster choice offered to Labour members. It showed Mr Howard and Mr Letwin who are both Jewish as flying pigs. Mr Howard did not comment on the anti Semitism claims when asked about the poster on Monday. Instead, he pointed to how Tony Blair had in 1997 complained about "personalised abusive campaigning". Mr Howard told Greater Manchester Radio: "It is such a pity that Mr Blair doesn't practise what he preaches." Jewish Chronicle editor Ned Temko said there had been a mixed reaction to the first poster but e mails from Jewish Chronicle readers showed deeper concern about the hypnotism image. "Shylock and Fagin are inextricably linked to notions of centuries old prejudice," he told BBC Radio 4's World At One. "Whatever the idea is, I think it's a difficult exercise to use images like that and to argue that you can divorce them from their historical context or meaning." Mr Temko said he blamed "cock up not conspiracy", saying he did not detect inherent anti Semitism in any of the parties' election campaigns. The poster is among one of a series of ideas shown to Labour members, who have been asked to choose which one should be used ahead of the election. Labour MP Louise Ellman said the hypnotism image was insensitive but urged people not to rush to call things anti Semitic when they only challenged Tory economic policies. Labour campaign spokesman Fraser Kemp said the poster had been misunderstood. The image simply portrayed Mr Howard as a hypnotist, he argued. "Concern has been expressed and clearly we have to take those views on board but I would emphasise that if you see the posters, the common theme... is that the Tories are trying to con you." A Labour spokesman later said the timing of removing the controversial image from the party's website was not affected by the row. "This has been up on the website for two weeks and there has only been a fuss in the last four days so a substantial number of people voted before there was any fuss," he said. But a Conservative spokeswoman said: "This poster campaign which was offensive to many people was a big misjudgement by Labour's campaign team."


India is to boost spending on primary schools and health in a budget flagged as a boost for the ordinary citizen. India's defence budget has also been raised 7.8% to 830bn rupees ( 19bn). The priority for Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram is to fight poverty and keep the government's Communist allies onside. But his options are limited by a new law which makes him cut the budget deficit, which he said would be 4.5% of GDP in the year to March 2005. The country's overall deficit is thought to be more than 10%, if the spending of India's 35 states and territories is included. Under the fiscal responsibility law, Mr Chidambaram has to trim the deficit by 0.3 percentage points each year, a target he says he has now met for the current year. But the heavy spending on poverty reduction means the 2005 6 target for the deficit will be 4.3%, Mr Chidambaram said falling short of the new law's requirement. "I was left with no option but to press the pause button vis a vis the act," he said. The following year, though, would have to be back on track, he warned. "I may add that we are perilously close to the limits of fiscal prudence and there is no more room for spending beyond our means," he said. The coming year's reduction has meant bringing more of the businesses in India's burgeoning services sector into the tax system and restructuring the personal tax system, although there are numerous corporate tax and duty reductions built into the budget. Presenting his budget in the lower house of parliament, Mr Chidambaram said the Indian economy was performing strongly and that inflation has been reined in. He said India's economy grew 6.9% in 2004. In his budget Mr Chidambaram has: Increased spending on primary education to 71.56bn rupees ( 1.6bn) Increased spending on health to 102.8bn rupees ( 2.35bn) Announced that 80bn rupees ( 1.8bn) will be spent on building rural infrastructure Pledged 102.16bn rupees ( 2.3bn) for tsunami victims Increased flow of funds to agriculture by 30% Announced a package for the sugar industry In addition, up to 100bn rupees ( 2.3bn) to be spent on infrastructure will be sourced by borrowing against the country's foreign exchange reserves, keeping budgeted spending under control. "Given the resilience of the Indian economy... it is possible to launch a direct assault on poverty," Mr Chidambaram said. "The whole purpose of democratic government is to eliminate poverty." The new Indian government, led by the Congress Party, was voted into power last May after it pledged to introduce economic reforms with a "human face". The finance minister says he is committed to continue reforming India's tax system while expanding the tax base. As part of his reforms he has announced: Duty cuts on capital goods and raw materials Expanded service tax net Raised the income tax threshold to 100,000 rupees ( 2,300) Reduced income tax for those earning less than 250,000 rupees ( 5,700) to 20% Reduced corporate tax rates to 30% An annual economic survey released on Friday said India needed to ease limit restriction on foreign investment, reform labour laws and cut duties apart from widening the tax base for long term economic growth. But Mr Chidambaram is under pressure from the Communist parties to focus on increasing social spending. The Communists are also hostile to measures seeking to increase foreign investment and allow companies to hire and fire employees at will. In recent months, they have expressed their displeasure at the government's economic reform plans including increasing foreign direct investment in telecommunication and aviation. In his last budget, Mr Chidambaram had pledged billions of dollars for improving education and health services for the poor as well as special assistance for farmers.


Paul Sculthorpe has admitted he would love to succeed Andy Farrell as Great Britain skipper if the Wigan star does switch codes to rugby union. Sculthorpe was vice captain in the Tri Nations, and took the St Helens captaincy from Chris Joynt last year. "I would definitely want the job I make no bones about it," Sculthorpe told BBC Sport. "It's something I've always wanted to do. I'd gladly take it if it was offered to me." The 27 year old, who captained St Helens to Challenge Cup success last year, said following in the footsteps of Farrell would be a challenge. "Andy would be a hard act to follow but it's something I'm confident of being up to," he said. "The GB team isn't a one man team. There are a lot of good young players who are pushing for places anyway." Sculthorpe said the rugby league world would understand if Farrell did decide to move to rugby union. "It's a short career and you have to make of it what you can," said Sculthorpe. "Nobody can blame him if he does go he's done everything in the game of rugby league. "Financially it could set him up for life. If he fancies a new challenge, then who could fault him?" Sculthorpe also called on the rugby league authorities to have a serious look at the number of games the top players are being asked to play. Sean Long, Sculthorpe's Saints and Lions team mate, has expressed doubts about his international future "I think Sean's situation is to do with the sheer number of games we're playing," he said. "The way he's looking at it is that if he can extend his career by a couple of years by not playing international rugby, then he's willing to do that. "The RFL has got to do something about the fixtures. We're playing 42 weeks of the year and it's too much. "A lot of the niggly injuries that I've suffered with over the last couple of years have come about because of the lack of rest time." St Helens have been strongly linked with a move for brilliant young forward Sonny Bill Williams, and Sculthorpe said he would love the 19 year old to come to Knowsley Road. "He's a great player a big strong lad who can certainly hit hard in defence, but who is also very skilful," he said. "I'd love him to come to St Helens. Who knows what might happen? But you want the best players in your team, and he's certainly one of the best players in the world."


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 involved" in "all decisions at all times" despite being abroad. He was speaking before the UK joins a three minute silence at noon across the EU for the estimated 150,000 dead. The Foreign Office says 41 Britons are now confirmed to have died in the Tsunami which struck south Asia on Boxing Day, with 158 others missing. Asked about criticism that he did not cut short his holiday, Mr Blair told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I don't think this is a situation in which the British people need me to articulate what they feel. "I think they feel as we all do shock, horror, and absolute solidarity with those people who have lost their lives." The important thing was action and not words, he said, adding that of the 50m given by the government so far only "six or seven million" had been spent. It would become easier in the coming weeks to assess just how much money would have to be put in. "My estimate is we will need to spend from government several hundred million pounds. So we will far and away more than match the generosity of the British people," he said. Asked whether he had not returned to work immediately because he was under doctors orders to rest, Mr Blair said there was also a story he had been away for plastic surgery. "As you can see unfortunately I am still looking the same as I always did," he joked. The prime minister took personal charge of the UK's response on Tuesday, chairing a meeting of the emergency committee of ministers that has convened daily since Boxing Day. He also spoke on the telephone to US President George Bush, and the presidents of Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Chancellor Gordon Brown earlier backed a plan to freeze the foreign debts of all the affected nations. Mr Brown, who was not at the Downing Street meeting, says he has been in "intensive talks" with other G8 finance ministers. Germany proposed a freeze last week and Canada has begun its own moratorium. The chancellor said the plan would initially save the most affected countries about 3bn ( 1.58bn) in repayments. Tory leader Michael Howard also backed the proposals but said ministers had been "playing catch up" with public donations. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw is to visit Thailand and Indonesia this week. During his trip, Mr Straw will represent the G8 at the international conference called in Jakarta, Indonesia on Thursday. On Friday, he will visit the Thai beach resort of Phuket, where British families are still searching for relatives. International Development Secretary Hilary Benn will also visit Aceh in Indonesia, as well as Sri Lanka. The British public has now pledged 76m in aid with emergency supplies from the British government starting to arrive in the region on three RAF flights in a joint operation with Scandinavian countries. Two ships the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Diligence and frigate HMS Chatham have arrived in the disaster area. A second Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel, the Bayleaf, is also being sent. UK charities have also begun chartering planes to deliver aid. A BBC News Special: Asia Remembered, including the three minutes silence, will be shown on BBC One and BBC News 24 from 1130 to 1215 GMT on Wednesday.


Chancellor Gordon Brown has said he hopes to announce a deal to suspend debt interest repayments by tsunami hit nations later on Friday. The agreement by the G8 group of wealthy nations would save affected countries 3bn pounds a year, he said. The deal is thought to have been hammered out on Thursday night after Japan, one of the biggest creditor nations, finally signed up to it. Mr Brown first proposed the idea earlier this week. G8 ministers are also believed to have agreed to instruct the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to complete a country by country analysis of the reconstruction problems faced by all states hit by the disaster. Mr Brown has been locked in talks with finance ministers of the G8, which Britain now chairs. Germany also proposed a freeze and Canada has begun its own moratorium. The expected deal comes as Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the number of Britons dead or missing in the disaster have reached 440.