Double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes was back to her best as she comfortably won the 1,000m at the Norwich Union Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix. The 34 year old, running only her second competitive race of the season, shook off the rust to win in two minutes, 35.39 seconds. But she is still undecided about competing in the European Championships in Madrid from 4 6 March. "I'll probably be entered and make my mind up at the last minute," she said. "My training hasn't gone as well as expected but I've got two weeks to decide. "I need to take my time and make sure I feel good about what I'm doing. "I felt very good here but with the crowd behind you, you feel like you can do anything." American was the eventual winner of the men's 60m race which almost ended in farce. Three athletes were disqualified for false starting, including Britain's Mark Lewis Francis, who was the first man guilty of coming out of his blocks too quickly. World 100m champion Kim Collins clinched second spot ahead of world 60m record holder and Scott's training partner Maurice Greene. Jason Gardener's unbeaten run came to an end as he came fifth and he will need to improve if he is to defend his European title in Madrid. "You can't win them all," said Gardener afterwards. "And I was very disappointed as I know I'm capable of doing better." Russian was back on record breaking form in the pole vault at the National Indoor Arena. The Olympic champion set a new world mark of 4.88m to break her own record which she set just six days ago and beat Russian rival Svetlana Feofanova. It was Isinbayeva's 11th world record indoors or out since July 2003. "I'm so happy and I will do my best to break the 5m barrier soon," the 22 year old told BBC Sport. Jamaica's stormed to a personal best of 7.13 seconds to claim the women's 60m sprint. Belgian Kim Gevaert, who will be one of the favourites for next month's European title, took second while American Muna Lee was third. There was disappointment for British pair Jeanette Kwakye and Joice Maduaka who finished seventh and eighth respectively. Jamaican stretched her unbeaten record to 25 races as she effortlessly claimed the 200m. The Olympic champion set a new indoor personal best of 22.38 seconds the fastest time in the world this season. fought off fellow Briton Tim Abeyie to take the men's 200m in a personal best of 20.88. continued her outstanding start to the season, beating a strong international field, which included two time Olympic 100m hurdles bronze medallist Melissa Morrison, to claim the women's 60m hurdles. The 25 year old Briton clocked 7.98 seconds while pre European Championships favourite Russian Irina Shevchenko finished down in sixth. Ethiopia's failed in her bid to smash compatriot Berhane Adere's world 3,000m record but still won the event in emphatic style. The Olympic 5,000m champion was inside record pace but dropped off over the final third, finishing in eight minutes, 33.05 seconds the fourth fastest time ever recorded for the event. Britain's Jo Pavey bravely decided to go with Defar as she strode away from the field and took second in a season's best 8:41.43. Kenyan also missed out on the indoor 1500m world record, which Hicham El Guerrouj has held for the last eight years. Lagat settled for silver behind El Guerrouj in Athens and was almost four seconds short of the Moroccan's world best, clocking 3:35.27 in Birmingham. And was still struggling to find his form after the death of his fiancee this year. The Olympic 10,000m champion had comfortably led the men's two mile race after his younger brother Tariku had set the pace. But fellow Ethiopian appeared ominously on Bekele's shoulder with two laps to go before surging past him at the bell to win in 8:14.28. Jamaican made the most of a blistering start to take the men's 400m title in 45.91 seconds. World indoor champion, Alleyne Francique, faded badly and finished in fourth while American duo Jerry Harris and James Davis took second and third respectively. Swede showed her class in the long jump as she stole top spot from Jade Johnson with the very last jump of the competition. The Olympic heptathlon gold medallist reached 6.66m to better Johnson's mark of 6.52m her second personal best inside a week. "I was quite surprised because I didn't think I'd end up with second place," said Johnson, who wore London's 2012 Olympic bid slogan, "Back the Bid", on her shorts. "But I'm pleased and hopefully I'll get a bit better for the Europeans. I really want to win a medal." won the men's event with a season's best of 7.95m, taking the scalp of world indoor champion Savante Stringfellow of the USA.


Gordon Brown has doubled the level at which house buyers pay stamp duty to 120,000 as he put the economy at the heart of Labour's election campaign. The chancellor also unveiled a one off 200 council tax refund for pensioners and a rise in child tax credit. Mr Brown put 1p a pint on beer, 4p on a bottle of wine and 7p on 20 cigarettes but froze petrol duty until September. The Tories called it a "vote now, pay later" Budget. The Lib Dems branded it a "sticking plaster" for the election. Tory leader Michael Howard predicted the Budget would do nothing to help Labour's "faltering" election campaign. "This government and this chancellor have run out of solutions to the problems Britain faces," Mr Howard told MPs. "Their only answer is to tax, to spend and to waste to get people to vote now and pay later." He ended his response with an election challenge to Labour, saying "bring it on". Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy attacked Mr Brown for failing to mention the environment and for his record on social justice. "How can it be right in Britain today that the poorest 20% pay more in tax, as a proportion of their income, than the richest 20%?" he asked. Mr Kennedy criticised Mr Brown for failing to mention the "ticking bomb" of council tax revaluation, saying it was "high time" the system was replaced by a "local tax based on the ability to pay". During his 49 minute speech Mr Brown told MPs he had defied the pundits by hitting his growth target of 3.1% for 2004. He said his Budget struck a balance "between tax cuts that are affordable, investments that are essential and stability that is paramount". He rejected across the board tax cuts in favour of targeted help for families. The child tax credit will rise in line with earnings, giving families an extra 5 a week. In contrast, the personal income tax allowance will rise only in line with inflation from 4,745 to 4,895 next month. Mr Brown told MPs child benefit would rise to a maximum of 63 a week for the first child and 111 for two children. Despite his giveaways, Budget documents show Mr Brown clawed back 265m through a clampdown on tax avoidance and increased revenue from a windfall tax on oil companies. He also scrapped stamp duty relief for commercial property in disadvantaged areas a measure brought in just over three years ago. BBC political editor Andrew Marr suggested the sweeteners were not big enough to have a transforming effect on voters. But trust in Mr Brown's economic stewardship would be a central election issue, he said. Mr Brown also unveiled plans for a memorial to the Queen Mother, funded through a special coin to celebrate the Queen's 80th birthday. Other measures include equal tax status for same sex couples and a deal with the Council of Mortgage Lenders to boost low cost home ownership. The level where people start paying inheritance tax will also rise from 263,000 to 275,000 from April. Mr Brown said he had met his financial "golden rule" with a 6bn surplus and he said public borrowing would continue to fall over the next five years. The economy had grown for 50 consecutive quarters, he said, and was forecast to continue doing so over the next year, with a forecast of 3% to 3.5% in 2005 and 2.5% to 3% in 2006. The first 2bn of value for money savings identified in the Gershon Review have been achieved, the chancellor said. Some 12,500 civil servant posts have been axed, and 7,800 relocated out of the south east of England, he added. SNP leader Alex Salmond said Mr Brown had failed the "tartan test" as there were no measures to boost the Scottish economy. Simon Thomas, of Plaid Cymru, called it a budget for Middle England. UK Independence Party leader Roger Knapman attacked the plans for pensioners saying they needed "more money and the dignity of being allowed to spend it how they want," not "free bus rides". The Green Party said the Budget was a "wasted opportunity" for environmental protection, adding: "Brown obviously has an eye on the coming election, and has taken his eye off the needs of the planet."


Daniela Hantuchova moved into the quarter finals of the Dubai Open, after beating Elene Likhotseva of Russia 7 5 6 4, and now faces Serena Williams. Australian Open champion Williams survived an early scare to beat Russia's Elena Bovina 1 6 6 1 6 4. World number one Lindsay Davenport and Anastasia Myskina also progressed. Davenport defeated China's Jie Zheng 6 2 7 5, while French Open champion Myskina sailed through after her opponent Marion Bartoli retired hurt. American Davenport will now face fellow former Wimbledon champion, Conchita Martinez of Spain, who ousted seventh seeded Nathalie Dechy of France 6 1 6 2. Myskina will face eighth seed Patty Schnyder from Switzerland, who defeated China's Li Na 6 3 7 6 (10 8). The other quarter final pits wild card Sania Mirza of India against Jelena Jankovic of Serbia and Montenegro, who both won on Tuesday. Before her meeting with Martinez, Davenport believes there is some room for improvement in her game. "I started well and finished well, but played some so so games in the middle," she said. Williams was also far from content. "I don't know what I was doing there," she said. "It was really windy and I hadn't played in the wind. All my shots were going out of here." But Hantuchova is in upbeat mood ahead of her clash with the younger Williams sister, who was handed a first round bye. "I feel I have an advantage (over Serena) because I have already played two matches on these courts," she said. "It is a difficult court to play on. Very fast and sometimes you feel you have no control over the ball."


Tony Blair is urging European leaders to wake up from their "state of denial" over President Bush's re election. "America has spoken. The rest of the world should listen," the prime minister said in an interview with The Times newspaper, published on Friday. Mr Blair is at a summit in Brussels, where Iraq and European justice and immigration plans are on the agenda. French President Jacques Chirac reacted to his warning by saying Europe instead needed to reinforce its own unity. Mr Blair has probably been closer to President Bush than any other European leader. He said some people were in "a sort of state of denial" about the US election result but predicted a more "receptive mood" would emerge soon. America needed to listen to the world too, he said. "The fact is that President Bush is there for four years. He is there because the American people have chosen him," he argued. He also made clear he intended to take seriously what he perceives as his role in bringing the two continents together. Britain was "uniquely placed" to make out the common ground because of its strong alliance with the US, he suggested. He admitted he had gone to bed at 2230GMT, well before the American polls closed, thinking Mr Kerry might have won. He woke up at 0530GMT to discover Mr Bush had won but declined to say if he was pleased with the eventual result. His words about President Bush met a cool reception from Jacques Chirac. The French president told reporters: "Europe today has more than ever the need, the necessity, to reinforce itself and its dynamism and unity. "That is the goal of the constitution in a world that is more multi polar than ever." Mr Chirac will miss an address to the summit from Iraqi interim leader Iyad Allawi, who this week criticised nations which took a "spectator" role to Iraq's reconstruction. Mr Chirac denied there was any snub he is going to a memorial service for the United Arab Emirates' late leader and says he would be happy to meet Mr Allawi. He also signed a communiqu 233; stressing the EU's commitment to securing a stable and unified Iraq. The EU also confirmed a new 21m aid package. The communiqu 233; congratulated President Bush on his victory and stressed the importance of good transatlantic relations. The summit is also expected to agree changes to streamline European asylum and immigration decisions. Mr Blair recently said the UK would only participate in EU wide measures where it was in UK interests but the Tories say he is surrendering a key veto. The meeting will also assess progress on the economic reform plans agreed in Lisbon in 2000 to make Europe more competitive.


Tony Blair has urged London mayor Ken Livingstone to apologise for his "Nazi" comment to a Jewish reporter. Labour's Mr Livingstone, who says he is "standing by" his remarks, had accused an Evening Standard journalist of being like a "concentration camp guard". Mr Blair told Five's Wright Stuff show: "Let's just apologise and move on." Mr Livingstone has said the remarks may have been offensive but were not racist, and said he would not apologise even if the prime minister asked. Mr Blair, who was instrumental in returning Mr Livingstone to the Labour Party, insisted on Wednesday it was time for the London mayor to say sorry. "A lot of us in politics get angry with journalists from time to time, but in the circumstances, and to the journalist because he was a Jewish journalist, yes, he should apologise," he said. "Let's just apologise and move on that's the sensible thing." Tory leader Michael Howard, asked about Mr Livingstone's remark by reporters, said it was important for politicians to be mindful about the language they use. "It's particularly important that as we get close to the election that politicians talk with civility and courtesy about issues that we all face," he said. "I think it's a matter of sadness that we are not seeing that from the Labour Party. We had what Ken Livingstone said, we had what Alastair Campbell has said and we have what others have said. I think that's a matter of great regret." The row blew up after Mr Livingstone was approached by Evening Standard reporter Oliver Finegold following a party marking the 20th anniversary of former Culture Secretary Chris Smith coming out as Britain's first gay MP. On tape, Mr Livingstone, who once worked as a freelance restaurant critic on the paper, is heard asking Mr Finegold if he is a "German war criminal". Mr Finegold replies: "No, I'm Jewish, I wasn't a German war criminal. I'm quite offended by that." The mayor then says: "Ah right, well you might be, but actually you are like a concentration camp guard, you are just doing it because you are paid to, aren't you?" At his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Mr Livingstone said his comments were not racist and refused to apologise. "If you think they are racist, I think you are wrong," he told reporters. The dispute comes as an inspection team from the International Olympic committee began a four day tour to assess London's bid for the 2012 Games. An official complaint has been made to local government watchdogs by the British Jews, demanding an investigation by the Standards Board of England. It has the power to suspend or bar Mr Livingstone from public office.


The Conservatives have expressed "serious misgivings" about government plans for keeping UK and foreign terror suspects under house arrest. Michael Howard said he would not back the Home Secretary's plans for "control orders" which include home detention. "I do not believe that anyone should be deprived of their liberty on the say so of a politician," he said. The Lib Dems also oppose the proposals, but ministers insist they are proportionate to the terror threat. The government proposed the idea and a range of other new powers after the laws lords said current detentions without trial broke human rights laws. New Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair has backed the control orders, saying: "I'm sorry. It is a dilemma, but there is only one choice." But Mr Howard said: "We have serious misgivings about both their effectiveness in protecting life and their consequences for the British way of life." He argued that people accused of terrorist offences should be brought to trial and be held in prison not at home while they await trial. Mr Howard said he feared "internment without trial creates martyrs" and could be "a very effective recruiting sergeant" for terrorists". His party plans to move an amendment to the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill next week that would give a judge responsibility for assessing evidence and ensuring a balanced case is presented to the court. He called on the prime minister to "enter into constructive discussions" with his party to find a "better way forward". Controversy over the issue continues after a foreign terror suspect held in the UK without trial or charge since December 2001 was freed from jail. Home Secretary Charles Clarke said there was not enough evidence to keep the Egyptian man, known only as C, certified as a terrorist suspect. On Monday, the legal team for two Algerian suspects being held without trial told a court the men did not want bail if it meant being put under house arrest. Most of the terror suspects are detained at Belmarsh Prison in London. The Liberal Democrats say they also oppose house arrests and questioned the human rights implications of the measure. Home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's a matter of principle for us that we can't have a situation where the Home Secretary is able to impose house detention now on UK nationals as well as foreign nationals." The Lib Dems believe the Home Secretary should allow phone tapping evidence in prosecutions. "We think there could be a role for some form of control order tagging, surveillance, limitation on use of mobile phones but not with the Home Secretary's say so. That must be done with a proper judicial process, a judge involved in making those decisions," said Mr Oaten. Mr Clarke has rejected that idea saying intercept evidence is only a small part of the case against terror suspects and could put the lives of intelligence sources at risk. He said prosecutions were the government's first preference and promised the powers would only be used in "serious" cases, with independent scrutiny from judges.


A man is facing charges of hacking into computers at the US arm of mobile phone firm T Mobile. The Californian man, Nicholas Lee Jacobsen, was arrested in October. Mr Jacobsen tried at least twice to hack T Mobile's network and took names and social security numbers of 400 customers, said a company spokesman. The arrest came a year after T Mobile uncovered the unauthorised access. The US Secret Service has been investigating the case. "T Mobile has stringent procedures in place where we monitor for suspicious activity so that limited his activities and we were able to take corrective action immediately," Peter Dobrow, a T Mobile spokesperson said. It is thought that Mr Jacobsen's hacking campaign took place over at least seven months during which time he read e mails and personal computer files, according to court records. Although Mr Jacobsen, 21, managed to get hold of some data, it is thought he failed to get customer credit card numbers which are stored on a separate computer system, said Mr Dobrow. T Mobile confirmed that the US Secret Service was also looking into whether the hacker accessed photos that T Mobile subscribers had taken with their camera phones. The Associated Press agency reported that Mr Jacobsen also read personal files on the Secret Service agent who was apparently investigating the case. A Los Angeles grand jury indicted Mr Jacobsen with intentionally accessing a computer system without authorisation and with the unauthorised impairment of a protected computer between March and October 2004. He is currently on bail. T Mobile is a subsidiary company of Deutsche Telekom and has about 16.3 million subscribers in the US.


India's rupee has hit a five year high after Standard Poor's (S P) raised the country's foreign currency rating. The rupee climbed to 43.305 per US dollar on Thursday, up from a close of 43.41. The currency has gained almost 1% in the past three sessions. S P, which rates borrowers' creditworthiness, lifted India's rating by one notch to 'BB '. With Indian assets now seen as less of a gamble, more cash is expected to flow into its markets, buoying the rupee. "The upgrade is positive and basically people will use it as an excuse to come back to India," said Bhanu Baweja, a strategist at UBS. "Money has moved out from India in the first two or three weeks of January into other markets like Korea and Thailand and this upgrade should lead to a reversal." India's foreign currency rating is now one notch below investment grade, which starts at 'BBB '. The increase has put it on the same level as Romania, Egypt and El Salvador, and one level below Russia.


Australian airline Qantas has posted a record fiscal first half profit thanks to cost cutting measures. Net profit in the six months ending 31 December rose 28% to A 458.4m ( 357.6m; 191m) from a year earlier. Analysts expected a figure closer to A 431m. Qantas shares fell almost 3%, however, after it warned that earnings growth would slow in the second half. Sales will dip by at least A 30m after the Indian ocean tsunami devastated many holiday destinations, Qantas said. "The tsunami affected travel patterns in ways that we were a bit surprised about," chief executive Geoff Dixon explained. "It certainly affected Japanese travel into Australia. As soon as the tsunami hit we saw ... a lessening with bookings for Australia." Higher fuel costs also are expected to eat into earnings in coming months. "We don't have as much hedging benefit in the second half as we had in the first," said chief financial officer Peter Gregg. Qantas is facing increased pressure from rivals such as low cost carrier Virgin Blue and the Australian government is in talks about whether to allow Singapore Airlines to fly between the Australia and the US one of Qantas' key routes. Even so, the firm is predicting that full year earnings will increase from the previous 12 months. Analysts have forecast full year profit will rise about 11% to around A 720 million ( 563 million). Qantas boss Mr Dixon also said he would be reviewing the group's cost cutting measures. During the first six months of the fiscal year, Qantas made savings of A 245m, and is on track to top its target of A 500m for the full year. Last month, the company warned it may transfer as many as 7,000 jobs out Australia, with Mr Dixon quoted as saying that the carrier could no longer afford to remain "all Australian".


Jennifer Capriati has become the third leading lady to withdraw from the Australian Open because of injury. The organisers of the first grand slam of 2005, which begins on 17 January, said the American has a problem with her right shoulder. It comes as a blow to the women's draw as last year's champion, Justin Henin Hardenne, and runner up, Kim Clijsters, will also be absent. Capriati is a two time champion in Melbourne with wins in 2001 and 2002. She is believed to have picked up the injury at the Advanta Championships at Philadelphia in November and had to pull out of an exhibition match with Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova on 17 December. Capriati also decided against competing in the Australian Open warm up event, the Sydney International.


Rhys Williams says Wales are still not thinking of winning the Grand Slam despite a third Six Nations win. "That's the last thing on our minds at the moment," said Williams, a second half replacement in Saturday's 24 18 win over France in Paris. "We all realise how difficult a task it is to go up to Scotland and beat them. "We've come unstuck there a couple of times recently so our focus is on that game and we'll worry about Ireland hopefully after we've beaten Scotland." With captain Gareth Thomas ruled out of the rest of the campaign with a broken thumb, Williams is vying for his first start in the championship so far. Kevin Morgan is probably favourite to replace Thomas at full back, leaving Williams and Hal Luscombe to battle for the right wing berth. A hamstring injury denied Luscombe the opportunity to make a third successive start, but the Dragons winger is expected to be fit for the trip to Murrayfield on 13 March. Hooker Robin McBryde is doubtful after picking up a knee injury in Paris, but centre Sonny Parker and flanker Colin Charvis are set to recover from injury to be in contention for selection. Said Wales assistant coach Scott Johnson: "They've worked through the weekend and the reports are a bit more positive. "So we're getting a couple back and that adds to the depth of the squad." Scotland secured their first win of the campaign on Saturday by grinding out an 18 10 win over Italy. Matt Williams' side has shown little in attack, but Johnson insisted the Scots will be difficult opposition to break down. "Italy are really brave opposition and sometimes it's very hard to win," he said. "So an ugly win can be just as effective as a 30 or 40 point victory. "Scotland are a hard side and very underrated so we're not taking anything for granted. "We're not basking in the glory of winning our first three games. We've got to be diligent in our preparation. "That's my job and we've got to make sure we're focused."


The Gizmondo combined media player, phone and gaming gadget goes on sale on Saturday. Priced at 229, the handheld device is debuting in the UK and goes on sale in the US and mainland Europe in the next few weeks. A catalogue of about 20 games is being prepared for the gadget including The Great Escape and Conflict Vietnam. The British backed gadget faces stiff competition from handheld gaming devices made by Nintendo and Sony. The Gizmondo device packs a lot of functions inside its black cover and is aimed at gamers and those that want more from their game playing gadgets. It can be used to play games, music tracks and movies. It can take and store digital photos and be used like a mobile phone to send text, multimedia and e mail messages. The phone service to enable people to send messages is being provided by pre pay Vodafone accounts bundled in with the device. It also works with GPS (Global Position System) so can also be used as a navigation aid or to support a variety of location based services. The GPRS and Bluetooth wireless data systems onboard mean that it can be used for multi player gaming. The gadget will be available from the Gizmondo store on London's Regent Street and from several other retail partners. Although the device rolls together an impressive list of functions, it will face serious competition from three established names in mobile gaming: Nintendo, Nokia and Sony. The main competition is likely to come from Nintendo and Sony. Nintendo's DS handheld went on sale on 11 March and priced at 99 costs far less than the Gizmondo. It also has a ready pool of fans of earlier Nintendo handhelds to draw on. In the first two days it was on sale in Europe the 87,000 DS handhelds were sold a better debut than the GameCube enjoyed. Sony's PSP was due to make its European debut in March but now this is likely to be delayed by a few months. The PSP is due to go on sale in the US later this month and a bundle including the player, accessories and a copy of Spiderman 2 is expected to cost about 250 ( 129). The PSP can also play music and movies and supports wireless multiplayer gaming. Nokia's N Gage could also be a competitor on the telecommunications side. This too crams a fully functional phone into a gadget that also plays games.


Sprinter Michelle Collins has received an eight year ban for doping offences after a hearing at the North American Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). America's former world indoor 200m champion is the first athlete to be suspended without a positive drugs test or an admission of drugs use. Collins' ban is a result of her connection to the federal inquiry into the Balco doping scandal. The 33 year old was found guilty of using performance enhancing drugs. The US Anti Doping Agency (USADA) decided to press charges against Collins in the summer. The sprinter has consistently protested her innocence but the CAS has upheld USADA's findings. "The USADA has proved, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Collins took EPO, the testosterone/epitestosterone cream and THG," said a CAS statement. "Collins used these substances to enhance her performance and elude the drug testing that was available at the time." So far a total of 13 athletes have been sanctioned for violations involving drugs associated with the Balco doping scandal. World record holder Tim Montgomery is also facing a lifetime ban after being charged by the USADA. His hearing before the CSA has been rescheduled for June next year. Drug enforcement chiefs in the US have vowed to crack down on cheats. USADA chief executive officer Terry Madden said the action taken against Collins was further proof of that. "The CAS panel's decision confirms that those who violate the rules will be sanctioned as part of USADA's ongoing efforts to protect the rights of the overwhelming majority of US athletes that compete drug free," said Madden. The USADA has built its cases on verbal evidence given to the federal investigation into Balco rather than test results. The San Francisco based Balco laboratory faces steroid distribution and money laundering charges. The trial is expected to open next March.


Jason Gardener says being made an MBE in the New Year Honours List underlines the achievement of Great Britain's 4x100m relay squad at the Olympics. Gardener, Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis Francis have all been awarded MBEs after beating pre race favourites USA to gold. "I think this award reinforces what we did on that fantastic night," he said. "This recognition is really inspiring and makes me want to have more success," said Lewis Francis. The British sprint quartet produced a string of faultless baton changes in the final to put pressure on the Americans. And when the USA stumbled with a poor switch between Justin Gatlin and Coby Miller at the 300m stage, Britain edged ahead going into the final bend. Then, on cue, Lewis Francis ran a textbook final leg, holding off Maurice Greene to bring Team GB home in 38.07 seconds just one hundredth of a second ahead of their rivals. "Winning the gold medal was the highlight of my athletics career so far," said the Birchfield Harrier. "This award is not just for me, but for all my friends, family and the people who have helped me to get to this level in my sport." Gardener added: "All of us had worked very hard for a long, long time to carry off what most believed was an impossible task. "Of course this award is very special, but for me nothing will ever take away winning an Olympic gold medal. It's all I ever wanted. "All my life that is what I dreamed of doing. Life since then has been fantastic." Campbell agreed receiving the honour capped off what has been a difficult year for the sprinter. "I think the MBE is important because the people closest to me know my journey," said the Newport based athlete. "I've not just stumbled upon this. "It gives me a lot of joy and satisfaction to know the stuff you do for your country does mean something." There was also recognition for James Clarke, chairman of the London Marathon. He becomes an OBE.


Apple has won its legal fight to make three bloggers reveal who told them about unreleased products. The bid to unmask the employees leaking information was launched in December 2004 following online articles about Apple's Asteroid product. Now Apple has won the right to see e mail records from the three bloggers to root out the culprit. A lawyer for the three bloggers said the ruling set a dangerous precedent that could harm all news reporters. Apple's lawsuit accused anonymous people of stealing trade secrets about the Asteroid music product and leaking them to the PowerPage, Apple Insider and Think Secret websites. All three are Apple fan sites that obsessively watch the iconic firm for information about future products. Apple is notoriously secretive about upcoming products which gives any snippets of information about what it is working on all the more value. The lawsuit to reveal the names of the leakers was filed against the Power Page and Apple Insider sites. The separate legal fight with Think Secret has yet to be resolved. In the ruling handed down this week by Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge James Kleinberg, Apple can now get its hands on e mail records from the bloggers' net providers. In making his ruling, Judge Kleinberg said that laws covering the divulging of trade secrets outweighed considerations of public interest. California has so called "shield" laws which protect journalists from prosecution if what they are writing about can be shown to be in the public interest. The Judge wrote: "...it is not surprising that hundreds of thousands of 'hits' on a website about Apple have and will happen. But an interested public is not the same as the public interest". Judge Kleinberg said the question of whether the bloggers were journalists or not did not apply because laws governing the right to keep trade secrets confidential covered journalists, too. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, which is acting as legal counsel for Power Page and Apple Insider, said the ruling had potentially wide implications. "Anyone who reports on companies or the trade press should be concerned about this ruling," said EFF lawyer Kurt Opsahl. Mr Opsahl said the EFF was planning to appeal against the ruling because the bloggers were journalists and US federal laws stop net firms handing over copies of e mail messages if the owner of that account does not give their consent.


US food and drug regulators will decide on Friday whether to recommend the sale of painkillers that have been linked to a high risk of heart attack and stroke. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel will give its verdict after hearing evidence for three days. The painkillers called COX 2 inhibitors are sold under brand names such as Celebrex and Vioxx. Vioxx was withdrawn from shops last year but Merck said it would consider selling it if it gets FDA approval. The FDA has been asked to decide if the benefits to patients justify the increased risks. Putting Vioxx back on the shelves is likely to boost profits at Merck and make easier any legal battles with people who claim to have been injured by the drug, analysts said. Merck voluntarily stopped sales of Vioxx on 30 September, a move which caused the firm's fourth quarter earnings to slide to 1.1bn ( 581m), from 1.4bn a year earlier. Merck's shares tumbled more than 10% on the news and the company has had to set aside millions of dollars to cover the cost of Vioxx related litigation. Alarm bells were rung by a research note called Approve which showed that the risk of heart attack and stroke doubled in patients who had been taking the drug for at least 18 months. The Cox 2 inhibitors were developed by drug companies, including Merck and Pfizer, because they cause users fewer stomach problems than other painkillers. Pfizer is still selling its Celebrex and Bextra products, though investigations have suggested that they may also be harmful to the heart. Merck's announcement of a possible reintroduction of Vioxx caught analysts by surprise. Merck's head of research Peter Kim said that it withdrew Vioxx "based on the information that was available to us at the time, knowing there were alternative therapies". He went on to say that things have since changed in the light of new reports. "Given this new information, its is not clear that the cardiovascular risk observed in Approve makes Vioxx unique in the class of similar drugs marketed in the US," Mr Kim explained. On Thursday, David Graham from the FDA's Office of Drug Safety told the advisory panel that "there really doesn't appear to be a need for Cox 2" inhibitors. According to calculations presented to the US Senate by Dr Graham in November, Vioxx may be linked to as many as to 56,000 American deaths. Facing stem criticism for its handling of the Vioxx case, the FDA said on Tuesday that it will create an independent body to oversee the safety of drugs already in the market place. European regulators, meanwhile, ruled on Thursday that patients who have had heart disease or a stroke should not take Cox 2 inhibitors. The European Medicines Agency also said doctors should be "cautious" about giving the drugs to patients who have risk factors for heart disease.


Ken Bates has completed his takeover of Leeds United. The 73 year old former Chelsea chairman sealed the deal at 0227 GMT on Friday, and has bought a 50% stake in the club. He said: "I'm delighted to be stepping up to the mantel at such a fantastic club. I recognise Leeds as a great club that has fallen on hard times. "We have a lot of hard work ahead to get the club back where it belongs in the Premiership, and with the help of our fans we will do everything we can." Bates bought his stake under the guise of a Geneva based company known as The Forward Sports Fund. He revealed that part of his plan is to buy back Leeds' Elland Road stadium and Thorp Arch training ground in due course. "It's going to be a tough jon and the first task is to stabilise the cash flow and sort out the remaining creditors," Bates added. "But there is light at the end of a very long tunnel. For the past year it has been a matter of firefighting now we can start running the club again." Outgoing Leeds chairman Gerald Krasner said: "This deal ensures the medium to long term survival of the club and I believe Mr Bates' proposals are totally for the benefit of the club. "We are content that under Mr Bates, Leeds United will continue to consolidate and move forward. "When we took over Leeds United in March 2004, the club had a debt of 103m, since that date, my board has succeeded in reducing the debt to under 25m. "We worked tirelessly to solve all of the problems at Leeds United. "Eighty percent of the problems have already been overcome and we came to this agreement with Mr Bates to secure its ongoing success." Krasner revealed that his consortium has been asked to remain in the background at the club for an undisclosed period to help ensure a smooth hand over. He will stay on in an unpaid capacity while Peter Lorimer will continue in his role as director and point of contact for the fans and Peter McCormick will serve as a consultant to the incoming board. The other outgoing directors have agreed to leave their loans of 4.5m in the company for the next four years. On Leeds' new look board it is understood that Lorimer will be joined by former Chelsea finance director Yvonne Todd and Bates' lawyer Mark Taylor. Krasner refused to give any details of the finances involved in the takeover. He told BBC Five Live: "I am not going into the figures. If Ken wants to give them up that is up to him. I can not tell you what the money will be used for. "This dea l is not about money for the current board. In the last four months I never saw any cheques until this week from one person. I am not stretching figures, we don't discuss internal arrangements." Bates stepped down as Chelsea chairman in March last year following Roman Abramovich's 140m takeover at Stamford Bridge. In May, he made a proposal to invest 10m in Sheffield Wednesday, but this was rejected by the club. Sebastien Sainsbury had been close to a takeover of Leeds but withdrew his 25m offer last week. His efforts failed after he revealed it would take 40m to stage a takeover, and that the club will also lose 10m over the next six months. The club was on the brink of administration and the deduction of 10 points by the Football League before Bates' arrival but his investment has spared them that prospect.


Steven Gerrard has admitted that Liverpool have little chance of winning the Champions League this season. The 24 year old Reds skipper spoke out ahead of Tuesday's first leg at home to Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16, which he will miss through suspension. "Let's be realistic, there are some fantastic teams left in the Champions League," he told BBC Radio Five Live. "We are just going to try to stay in as long as possible but we realise that maybe it is not our year this year." Gerrard has made no secret of his desire to be involved in Europe's premier club competition. Last season he described qualification for the Champions League as the "be all and end all" and rumours persist that he will leave Anfield if the Reds fail to secure a place in the competition. He has consistently been linked with a move away from Liverpool, with Chelsea the favourites to snap up the England midfielder. And Blues boss Jose Mourinho backed Gerrard's view that Rafael Benitez's team could struggle to progress this season. "Rafa has still time in front of him to build an even better team, maybe he's a little bit behind (right now)," he told BBC Radio Five Live. Gerrard, who fired Liverpool into the last 16 of this season's competition with a brilliant goal in December's win over Olympiakos, insisted he was still fully focused on helping Liverpool to glory this season. The Reds are currently fifth in the Premiership table, five points off the crucial fourth spot, which brings Champions League qualification and they face Chelsea in Sunday's Carling Cup final. "It's big couple of months for Liverpool," he added. "We're fighting for the fourth spot for the Champions League for next season but we are still involved in two cup competitions, which are very important. "We are confident we can upset Chelsea in the Carling Cup final and get to the last eight of the Champions League because, financially, it is big for the club and, personally for myself, it is very good."


Cebit, the world's largest hi tech fair, has opened its doors in Hanover for a look at the latest technologies for homes and businesses. There are more than 6,000 exhibitors registered and about 500,000 visitors are expected to pass through the doors. Third generation mobiles, the digital home and broadband are key themes at the show. Camera phones will get better resolutions as vendors set out to prove that bigger is definitely better. Samsung is set to steal some initial limelight with the launch of a 7 megapixel phone on the opening day. The SCH V770 has some of the features of high end digital single lens reflex cameras such as manual focus and the ability to attach a telephoto or wide angle lens. Camera phones are likely to prove an interesting battle ground at the show, said Ben Wood, principal analyst at research firm Gartner. "It is firmly established that cameras are an integral part of phones and now the technology arms race is on in terms of megapixels. There will be a certain amount of 'look how big mine is'," he said. There will also be increasing focus on music enabled mobiles. "At 3GSM in Cannes everyone went music mad and music is going to be a big theme for all the vendors at Cebit," said Mr Wood. Sony Ericsson will use the fair to show off the W800 its recently unveiled Walkman branded phone and there is speculation that Motorola may unveil its ROKR handset, widely tipped as the first to carry Apple's iTunes music software. Apple and Motorola announced they were getting together at the end of last year as a result of a long standing friendship between Motorola's chief executive Ed Zander and Steve Jobs. Some analysts think Motorola may save the launch for CTIA, a wireless show in America the following week, which could be a telling sign about how operators are coming to view the German tech fair. "One of the interesting things is that CeBIT is clearly a show in decline," said Mr Wood. "A lot of the big players, such as Nokia, are pulling back saying it is hard to justify a big presence at all of the shows. It could be the last big year for Cebit," he said. Other themes include TV enabled mobiles which are bound to create a buzz in the halls as Vodafone unveils a prototype handset that can show live digital television. There has been a glut of recent headlines about mobile TV French operators are teaming up, O2 is trialling a system in Oxford, UK, and Nokia begins trialling a system in Finland with the Finnish Broadcasting Company, YLE TV and commercial TV channels. Cebit could become the battleground for the two competing methods for getting TV on to mobiles, and is also likely to provide a stage for a technology slated to compete with 3G. HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) has been described as "3G on steroids" and could offer consumers much faster download times. For instance, a song which currently takes one and a half minutes to download to a phone could be done in 10 seconds. Korean giants LG Electronics and Samsung will show off HSDPA handsets at the show and the technology is set to be rolled out in the US, Europe and Korea next year. Broadband will continue to be a key theme at the show with internet telephony proving this year's killer application. Germany's largest online service provider, T Online, is tipped to reveal software for low cost net telephony which would see it competing with its parent company Deutsche Telekom. Cebit is used by many to unveil cutting edge products and in the mobile sphere this is likely to mean a lot of bright, colourful handsets as fashion continues to compete with technology when it comes to the device everyone has in their pockets. Rainbow coloured phones, influenced by handsets from Japan, are just one example of how Asian companies will stamp their mark on this year's show, at which they will have their biggest ever presence. Cebit organisers have created a digital home in Hall 25 of the 27 hangar like buildings that will house the show. "The digital home will be a hyped theme at the show. The house will be totally wired and full of things that can be used for home entertainment," said Cebit organiser Gabriele Dorries.


Civil liberties group the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has joined a legal fight between three US online journalists and Apple. Apple wants the reporters to reveal 20 sources used for stories which leaked information about forthcoming products, including the Mac Mini. The EFF, representing the reporters, has asked California's Superior court to stop Apple pursuing the sources. It argues that the journalists are protected by the American constitution. The EFF says the case threatens the basic freedoms of the press. Apple is particularly keen to find the source for information about an unreleased product code named Asteroid and has asked the journalists' e mail providers to hand over communications relevant to that. "Rather than confronting the issue of reporter's privilege head on, Apple is going to the journalist's ISPs for his e mails," said EFF lawyer Kurt Opsahl. "This undermines a fundamental First Amendment right that protects all reporters. "If the court lets Apple get away with this, and exposes the confidences gained by these reporters, potential confidential sources will be deterred from providing information to the media and the public will lose a vital outlet for independent news, analysis and commentary," he said. The case began in December 2004 when Apple asked a local Californian court to get the journalists to reveal their sources for articles published on websites AppleInsider.com and PowerPage.org. Apple also sent requested information from the Nfox.com, the internet service provider of PowerPage's publisher Jason O Grady. As well as looking at how far corporations can go in preventing information from being published, the case will also examine whether online journalists have the same privileges and protections as those writing for newspapers and magazines. The EFF has gained some powerful allies in its legal battle with Apple, including Professor Tom Goldstein, former dean of the Journalism School at the University of California and Dan Gillmor, a well known Silicon Valley journalist. Apple was not immediately available for comment.


Gordon Brown has outlined what he thinks should be the key themes of New Labour's next general election bid. He said ensuring every child in Britain had the best start in life could be a legacy to match the NHS's creation. The chancellor has previously planned the party's election strategy but this time the role will be filled by Alan Milburn a key ally of Tony Blair. The premier insisted Mr Brown will have a key role in Labour's campaign, and praised his handling of the economy. Writing in the Guardian newspaper, Mr Brown outlined his view of the direction New Labour should be taking. "As our manifesto and our programme for the coming decade should make clear, Labour's ambition is not simply tackling idleness but delivering full employment; not just attacking ignorance, disease and squalor but promoting lifelong education, good health and sustainable communities." BBC political editor Andrew Marr said that Mr Brown's article was "a warning shot" to Mr Blair not to try and cut him out of the manifesto writing process. "It was, as always, coded and careful... but entirely deliberate," was Mr Marr's assessment. The prime minister was asked about Mr Brown's article and about his election role when he appeared on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Mr Blair said a decision had yet to be taken over how the election would be run but the chancellor's role would be "central". Mr Blair argued that under New Labour the country had changed for the better and that was "in part" because of Mr Brown's management of the economy. And he pledged childcare would be a "centrepiece" of Labour's manifesto. He also predicted the next general election will be a "tough, tough fight" for New Labour. But the prime minister insisted he did not know what date the poll would take place despite speculation about 5 May. Mr Blair said he was taking "nothing for granted" ahead of the vote warning that the Tory strategy was to win power via the back door by hinting they were aiming to cut Labour's majority instead of hoping for an outright win.


India and Russia are to work together in a series of energy deals, part of a pact which could see India invest up to 20bn in oil and gas projects. On the agenda are oil and gas extraction as well as transportation deals, to be led by Russian energy giant Gazprom and India's ONGC. The Indian firm is also expected to hold talks on Tuesday about buying a stake in assets once owned by Yukos. It is reported to be keen on buying a 15% stake in oil unit Yuganskneftegas. The former Yukos subsidiary was controversially sold off last year and eventually acquired by state owned energy giant Rosneft. Russian media reported that India and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding on energy co operation on Tuesday during a meeting between Oil and Natural Gas Corporation chairman Subir Raha, Gazprom chairman Aleksey Miller and India's petroleum minister Mani Shankar Aiyar. The agreement is likely to see the two companies develop refining facilities in Russia, India and elsewhere and organise delivery of oil, gas and petrochemicals from Russia to India and other countries across Asia. ONGC could invest in gas and oil fields in Sakhalin, in the far east of Russia, and may also take part in joint tender bids for projects in eastern Siberia and the Caspian Sea. India is urgently searching for fresh energy supplies particularly liquefied natural gas as domestic demand is growing at more than 5% a year. ONGC's Mr Raha said the two could work together on joint bids from next year. "At current oil and gas prices, our cash flow situation is good," he told Reuters. "What we are saying is Gazprom has a huge amount of gas and we have the money. "The investment may go up to 20bn or more for a period of five years or so." Russian news agencies reported that India's petroleum minister Mr Aiyar and Russian energy minister Viktor Khristenko would discuss the future of Yugansk at a meeting on Tuesday. ONGC's Mr Raha declined to be drawn on his firm's reported interest in the company. However, he stressed that ONGC was not interested in a 'loan for oil deal' in connection to Yugansk, similar to that concluded recently between Rosneft and China's National Petroleum Corporation. "China's problem is it has immediate demand and they needed the oil for their coastal refineries. We do not. We would like long term security through equity participation." It is thought that any decision over Yugansk will be delayed until a US court has decided whether to grant Yukos bankruptcy protection. Yukos is suing a host of companies involved in the sale of Yugansk, auctioned off to pay a huge back tax bill. It has also threatened legal action against any business which has future commercial dealings with its former subsidiary.


Shares in train and plane making giant Bombardier have fallen to a 10 year low following the departure of its chief executive and two members of the board. Paul Tellier, who was also Bombardier's president, left the company amid an ongoing restructuring. Laurent Beaudoin, part of the family that controls the Montreal based firm, will take on the role of CEO under a newly created management structure. Analysts said the resignations seem to have stemmed from a boardroom dispute. Under Mr Tellier's tenure at the company, which began in January 2003, plans to cut the worldwide workforce of 75,000 by almost a third by 2006 were announced. The firm's snowmobile division and defence services unit were also sold and Bombardier started the development of a new aircraft seating 110 to 135 passengers. Mr Tellier had indicated he wanted to stay at the world's top train maker and third largest manufacturer of civil aircraft until the restructuring was complete. But Bombardier has been faced with a declining share price and profits. Earlier this month the firm said it earned 10m ( 19.2m) in the third quarter, down from a profit of 133m a year ago. "I understand the board's concern that I would not be there for the long term and the need to develop and execute strategies, and the need to reshape the management structure at this time," Mr Tellier said in a statement on Monday. Bombardier said restructuring plans drawn up by Mr Tellier's would continue to be implemented. Shares in Bombardier lost 65 Canadian cents or 25% on the news to 1.90 Canadian dollars before rallying to 2.20 Canadian dollars.


The UK economy grew by an estimated 3.1% in 2004 after accelerating in the last quarter of the year, says the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The figure is in line with Treasury and Bank of England forecasts. The ONS says gross domestic product (GDP) rose by a strong 0.7% in the three months to 31 December, compared with 0.5% in the previous quarter. The rise came despite a further decline in production output and the worst Christmas for retailers in decades. The annual figure marked out the best year since 2000, and was also well ahead of the 2.2% recorded in 2003. Growth in the final three months of 2004 marked the 50th consecutive quarter of expansion. "On the basis of the latest information the UK has entered 2005 on course to continue its record period of growth," said Paul Boateng, chief secretary to the Treasury in a statement. The ONS said the services sector, which accounts for nearly three quarters of the UK economy, grew 1.0% in the quarter. The strong services figure was welcomed by analysts, given lacklustre retail sales in December and across the Christmas holiday period. "The fact that other services components are doing so well suggests to me that we are back to trend (growth) and I am not particularly concerned about any further slowdown," said Ross Walker, UK economist at RBS Financial Markets. However, output in the production sector contracted 0.5%, the second quarterly fall in row and a state of affairs that some economists classify as a recession. However the ONS would not comment on the definition of a recession and whether the manufacturing recovery was over. But Steve Radley, chief economist at the manufacturers' organisation EEF, said: "These figures remain at odds with what is actually happening on the ground. "Whilst companies may be experiencing tougher conditions this year, 'recession' is not a word that manufacturers would currently recognise." The ONS said a sharp fall in mining and quarrying, which was driven by oil and gas extraction, was primarily responsible for the overall contraction in manufacturing production figures. Simon Rubinsohn, chief economist at Gerrard, said: "This outturn (of 0.7%) was well ahead of the market expectations and cast doubt on the scare stories doing the rounds surrounding the current state of the UK economy." And he said the GDP figures may help to "push interest rate expectations a little higher along the curve". "The suggestion from the money markets is that the next move is now more likely to be in an upward rather than a downward direction. This is consistent with our own thinking," said Mr Rubinsohn. The Bank of England's nine strong rate setting committee voted unanimously earlier this month to keep interest rates steady at 4.75%, minutes of the meeting showed on Wednesday.


If you are a geek or gadget fan, the next 12 months look like they are going to be a lot of fun. The relentless pace of development in the hi tech world and rampant competition in many of its sectors, particularly among mobile phone firms, all suggests that 2005 is going to be a very good year. To begin with, 2005 will be the year that third generation (3G) mobile phones become inescapable. The 3 network launched in 2003, Vodafone launched its consumer service in November, Orange followed in early December and T Mobile and O2 are due to launch in 2005. The main result of these launches will likely be a slew of good deals for consumers as operators try to poach new customers from rivals and convince existing users to trade up. Already the extra capacity in 3G networks lets 3 offer good deals on voice calls at rates that will probably have to be matched by the other operators. But the shift in technology and low cost of voice calls means that operators lose a significant chunk of their revenue. "Show me an operator that believes their voice business can sustain them, and I'll write their obituary" said Niel Ransom, chief technology officer at Alcatel. Instead operators are likely to push all other things that 3G phones can do such as video messaging and other multimedia capabilities. Already camera phones look set to challenge digital cameras and are likely to win more fans as multi megapixel devices go on sale. But 3G will not have everything its own way. It will face competition from emerging technologies such as Wimax. This wireless technology can boost data transmission speeds up to 75 megabits per second and works over distances of up to 30 miles. Kent is likely to be the site of the UK's first Wimax network which is due to go live in 2005 and it could be the way that rural areas get high speed net access. Analyst firm Telecom View predicts that Wimax will steal a lot of market share from 3G and will be a clear winner. Bob Larribeau, principal analyst at Telecom View, said the better return on investment offered by technologies such as Wimax could dent the possible returns of 3G networks. And the growing ubiquity of wi fi must not be forgotten either. The technology is popping up in more places than ever and its wider use is only held back by the price differences across countries and suppliers. Moves to unite mobile and fixed phones look set to get more emphasis in 2005 too. For a start, BT looks set to roll out its Bluephone project during the next 12 months. The service revolves around a hybrid device that uses the mobile networks when you are out and about but switches back to the fixed line when you are at home. Fixed line phones will also start to get much more serious competition from a technology that has the formidable name of Voice over IP (Voip). Voip routes calls via the net instead of the fixed line phone network. Anyone with a broadband connection, which is now more than 50% of the UK's net using population, can use Voip and could slash their monthly phone bills if they used it. Telecommunications regulator Ofcom has declared 056 to be the area code for Voip calls and 2005 is likely to see a lot more consumer focused Voip call services starting up. Home broadband services will also start to increase in speed as dwindling numbers of new users signing force the pace of competition. If 2004 has been the year of the portable music player, they 2005 looks like it will be the year of the portable media player. Motorola has just announced a deal with Apple to produce a phone that works with the iTunes service and other hybrid gadgets that sport a big memory and lots of other functions will become commonplace. The pace of advancement in storage media will continue mean that the cost per megabyte of memory will plummet. Some of those devices will sport huge hard drives letting you store more data than you ever wanted or knew you had. Convergence could mean that single function devices start to dwindle in number. Instead every gadget will be able to do almost anything and communicate almost any way you want. The only downside is that consumers will face a series of tough choices as they are confronted by a bewildering array of gadgets each with an enormous numbers of features and vast data holding capacities. But that is the kind of problem most gadget fans can live with.


A system to make it easier to create website addresses using alphabets like Cyrillic could open a back door for scammers, a trade body has warned. The Internationalised Domain Names system has been a work in progress for years and has recently been approved by the Internet Electronic Task Force. But the UK Internet Forum (UKIF) is concerned that the system will let scammers create fake sites more easily. The problem lies in the computer codes used to represent language. Registering names that look like that of legitimate companies but lead users to fake sites designed to steal passwords and credit card details could become a whole lot easier for determined scammers, says Stephen Dyer, director of UKIF. Domain names are the "real language" addresses of websites, rather than their internet protocol address, which is a series of numbers. They are used so people can more easily navigate the web. So called ASCII codes are used to represent European languages but for other languages a hybrid of a system called Unicode is used. So, for example, website PayPal could now be coded using a mixture of the Latin alphabet and the Russian alphabet. The resulting domain as displayed to the users would look identical to the real site as a Russian 'a' look just like an English 'a'. But the computer code would be different, and the site it would lead users to could be a fake. This is more than just a theory. A fake Paypal.com has already been registered with net domain giant Verisign by someone who has followed the debate around the Internationalised Domain Name (IDN) system, said Mr Dyer. As the idea was to prove a point rather than be malicious the fake domain has now been handed back to Paypal but it sets a worrying precedent, Mr Dyer said. "Although the IDN problem is well known in technical circles, the commercial world is totally unaware how easily their websites can be faked," said Mr Dyer. "It is important to alert users that there is a new and invisible and almost undetectable way of diverting them to what looks like a perfectly genuine site," he added. There are solutions. For instance, browsers could spot domains that use mixed characters and display them in different colours as a warning to users. Mr Dyer acknowledged that it would be a huge undertaking to update all the world's browsers. Another solution, to introduce IDN disabled browsers could be a case of "throwing out the baby with the bath water," he said. CENTR, the Council of European National Top Level Domain Registries, agrees. "A rush to introduce IDN disabled browsers into the marketplace is an overly zealous step that will harm public confidence in IDNs a technology that is desperately needed in the non English speaking world," the organisation said in a statement.


Peer to peer (P2P) networks are here to stay, and are on the verge of being exploited by commercial media firms, says a panel of industry experts. Once several high profile legal cases against file sharers are resolved this year, firms will be very keen to try and make money from P2P technology. The expert panel probed the future of P2P at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier in January. The first convictions for P2P piracy were handed out in the US in January. William Trowbridge and Michael Chicoine pleaded guilty to charges that they infringed copyright by illegally sharing music, movies and software. Since the first successful file sharing network Napster was forced to close down, the entertainment industry has been nervous and critical of P2P technology, blaming it for falling sales and piracy. But that is going to change very soon, according to the panel. The music and film industries have started some big legal cases against owners of legitimate P2P networks which are not illegal in themselves and of individuals accused of distributing pirated content over networks. But they have slowly realised that P2P is a good way to distribute content, said Travis Kalanick, founder and chairman of P2P network Red Swoosh, and soon they are all going to want a slice of it. They are just waiting to come up with "business models" that work for them, which includes digital rights management and copy protection standards. But, until the legal actions are resolved, experimentation with P2P cannot not happen, said Michael Weiss, president of StreamCast Networks. Remembering the furore around VCRs when they first came out, Mr Weiss said: "Old media always tries to stop new media. "When they can't stop it, they try to control it. Then they figure out how to make money and they always make a lot of money." Once the courts decided that the VCR in itself was not an illegal technology, the film studios turned it into an extremely lucrative business. In August 2004, the San Francisco based US Court of Appeals ruled in favour of Grokster and StreamCast, two file sharing networks. The court said they were essentially in the same position that Sony was in the 1980s VCR battle, and said that the networks themselves could not be deemed as illegal. P2P networks usually do not rely on dedicated servers for the transfer of files. Instead it uses direct connections between computers or clients. There are now many different types of P2P systems than work in different ways. P2P nets can be used to share any kind of file, like photos, free software, licensed music and any other digital content. The BBC has already decided to embrace the technology. It aims to offer most of its own programmes for download this year and it will use P2P technology to distribute them. The files would be locked seven days after a programme aired making rights management easier to control. But the technology is still demonised and misunderstood by many. The global entertainment industry says more than 2.6 billion copyrighted music files are downloaded every month, and about half a million films are downloaded a day. Legal music download services, like Apple iTunes, Napster, have rushed into the music marketplace to try and lure file sharers away from free content. Sales of legally downloaded songs grew tenfold in 2004, with 200 million tracks bought online in the US and Europe in 12 months, the IFPI reported this week. But such download services are very different from P2P networks, not least because of the financial aspect. There are several money spinning models that could turn P2P into a golden egg for commercial entertainment companies. Paid for pass along, in which firms receive money each time a file is shared, along with various DRM solutions and advertiser based options are all being considered. "We see there are going to be different models for commoditising P2P," said Marc Morgenstern, vice president of anti piracy firm Overpeer. "Consumers are hungry for it and we will discover new models together," agreed Mr Morgenstern. But many net users will continue to ignore the entertainment industry's potential controlling grip on content and P2P technology by continuing to use it for their own creations. Unsigned bands, for example, use P2P networks to distribute their music effectively, which also draws the attention of record companies looking for new artists to sign. "Increasingly, what you are seeing on P2P is consumer created content," said Derek Broes, from Microsoft. "They will probably play an increasing role in helping P2P spread," he said. Looking into P2P's future, file sharing is just the beginning for P2P networks, as far as Mr Broes is concerned. "Once some of these issues are resolved, you are going to see aggressive movement to protect content, but also in ways that are unimaginable now," he said. "File sharing is the tip of the iceberg."


Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will visit Auschwitz for the 60th anniversary of the former Nazi concentration camp's liberation, it has been announced. Prince Edward will also join the UK delegation in Poland for National Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January. Between 1.1 and 1.5 million people, mainly Jews, were killed at Auschwitz. The Tories said they were glad Mr Straw had been "shamed" into going, having earlier criticised the decision to send a lower ranking official. Shadow Foreign Secretary Michael Ancram said: "I am glad the foreign secretary has finally been shamed into representing Britain at this important act of commemoration. "Once again this government has shown crass insensitivity until it has been forced by public opinion into doing what it should have done in the first place." In Britain, the Queen and Prince Philip will lead the nation's commemoration at a service in Westminster Hall, London. The Queen will also host a reception for holocaust survivors at St James's Palace. Altogether, some six million people, mainly Jews, perished in the Holocaust. The Queen's grandson, Prince Harry, sparked outrage earlier this week after photographs of him wearing a Nazi uniform at a costume party emerged. The prince, 20, apologised, but critics have called for him to go to Auschwitz for the commemoration of the Soviets' 1945 liberation of the camp. Prince Harry should see for himself "the results of the hated symbol he so foolishly and brazenly chose to wear", Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder of Jewish human rights group the Simon Wiesenthal Center said.


Griffin Park Tuesday, 1 March 1945 GMT Barry Knight (Kent) home to Manchester United in the quarter finals Midfielder Andrew Frampton and striker Deon Burton are both slight doubts with hamstring injuries, but should be fit Saints are missing their entire first choice midfield of Jamie Redknapp, Graeme Le Saux, Nigel Quashie and David Prutton. Anders Svensson and Matt Oakley are likely replacements with Kevin Phillips also scheduled to start, with Henri Camara rested. Brentford boss Martin Allen: "After conceding eight goals in our last three matches, I have to admit I'm not very confident. "There's no doubt we're the underdogs and after defending so poorly recently it's not looking good. "Southampton have just drawn with the Premiership champions and that makes our task harder than it was already." Southampton boss Harry Redknapp: "We know they can give us problems. "Brentford have done well but we are the Premiership side and should have the better players. "Staying in the Premiership is our priority. We want to win, of course we do. We'll battle but if it comes to a football match I think we'll win." KEY MATCH STATS BRENTFORD are the lowest ranked club left in the FA Cup. They're on their best run in the competition since reaching the quarter finals for the fourth time in their history 16 years ago. Now they have the carrot of the plum draw in the last eight dangling before them. Victory over Premiership strugglers Southampton, would bring the mighty Manchester United to Griffin Park and a gigantic pay day for the sole League One survivors. Martin Allen's brave side came back from two goals down at St Mary's to earn a deserved replay. Southampton striker Henri Camara scored twice from close range to put the Saints in command, but Isaiah Rankin hit back just before half time, and Sam Sodje headed past a creaky defence on 58 minutes. The Londoners have conceded six goals in their two subsequent League outings three each in losing away to Hartlepool and drawing at home to Sheffield Wednesday. But they haven't lost in six League and Cup games on home turf winning three and drawing three since the reverse to Torquay on Boxing Day. SOUTHAMPTON go into this tie on the back of an eventful Premiership match with Arsenal on Saturday. An angry David Prutton pushed referee Alan Wiley after being shown the red card, but his side still came back to draw 1 1. It was Saints' fourth stalemate in succession in all competitions, but didn't lift them out of the relegation zone. The retention of their ever present Premier League status must be the number one priority, irrespective of the rewards that success against Brentford would bring. Victory here would set up a repeat of the 1976 final, when Saints astounded the football world by defeating Tommy Docherty's Manchester United courtesy of Bobby Stokes' famous winner. They also knocked out the Red Devils in 1991 on penalties in the fourth round. But to write another chapter in their FA Cup history, the Solent side must avoid succumbing to lower division opposition for the first time since Rotherham, from the second level, beat them 2 1 in a third round tie at Millmoor on 16 January 2002. Southampton were last humbled by a club from the third tier six years ago. Fulham were then in the Second Division, when they won a third round replay at Craven Cottage 1 0 on 13 January 1999. To get to within two matches of a second visit to the Millennium Stadium in three years for the final, Harry Redknapp must guide his side past a club 36 places inferior on the League ladder, and a manager 19 years his junior, who played under him at West Ham. HEAD TO HEAD 10th League One QUARTER FINALS (four times) 18th PREM WINNERS (once)


Swiss cement firm Holcim has bid 800m ( 429m) to buy two Indian cement firms and a holding company in the country. It plans to buy Associated Cement Companies (ACC), Ambuja Cement Eastern and the holding firm, Ambuja Cement India Ltd, a Holcim statement said. Shares in ACC fell 5.5% as investors, who thought the offer was underpriced, decided to sell. Meanwhile, UK based firm Aggregate Industries said it had agreed a 1.8bn takeover by Holcim. The deal with Aggregates will give Holcim, the world's second biggest cement maker, an entry into the UK market and boost its presence in the US. Peter Tom, who will remain as Aggregate chief executive, said the 138p a share offer provided "significant value" for shareholders. The Markfield, Leicestershire based company runs 142 quarries in the UK and the US. It also has 164 ready mixed concrete plants, 90 asphalt plants and 32 pre cast concrete factories. If the Indian deals go ahead, it will give Holcim a major presence in the world's fastest growing market behind China. ACC is India's second largest cement maker with an annual capacity of 18.2 million tonnes and a market share of 13%. "Holcim is looking to buy it (ACC) very cheap," said KK Mittal, a fund manager with Escorts Mutual Fund in New Delhi. "The market is not impressed. If they want a substantial chunk, then they should be paying a premium over the market price." Shares in Holcim rose by 2.3% on Thursday following news of the takeover.


Shell has signed a 6bn ( 3.12bn) deal with the Middle Eastern sheikhdom of Qatar to supply liquid natural gas (LNG) to North America and Europe. The UK Dutch group will own 30% of the project, with Qatar's state oil firm owning the rest. The agreement is the latest in a string of deals reached by Qatar, which is trying to make itself a regional leader in natural gas. US oil giant ExxonMobil signed up for a 12.8bn deal earlier on Sunday. France's Total is expected to join the ExxonMobil scheme, dubbed Qatargas 2, on Monday, taking 5 million tonnes of LNG a year. ExxonMobil will be taking some 15 million tonnes each year for 25 years from the end of 2007 under the deal. Shell's agreement, under the name Qatargas 4, foresees the building of new facilities to handle 1.4 billion cubic feet of gas, and 7.8 million tonnes of LNG each year from 2011 onwards.


Wales coach Mike Ruddock says John Yapp has what it takes as an international. The 21 year old Blues prop is the only uncapped player in Wales' Six Nations squad, gaining a chance in the absence of Ospreys loose head Duncan Jones. "John is a young man with a big future. He has been playing with the Blues for two years and has racked up mileage on his playing clock," said Ruddock. "He has international size, is a big, physical lad and a good ball carrier with a high tackle count." Ruddock's assessment was backed up by Yapp's coach at the Blues, former Wales and Lions prop Dai Young. "John's been on an upward curve all season and is going from strength to strength," Young told BBC Sport Wales. "His ball carrying gives us good go forward, he impresses in defence and his work rate is excellent. "He's working hard on his scrummaging technique, which he is keen to improve to become a destroyer on the loose head. "To be fair to him he's not quite there with the scrummaging yet, but nobody can fault his effort, commitment and attitude. "John's a very strong man and is eager for the challenge, if he's pitched in he won't let anyone down. "He's developing quickly, but I hope he isn't pushed too quickly in a way that would hurt his development." Ruddock hopes that the selection of Yapp and Dragons lock Ian Gough out of the international reckoning since falling out with former coach Steve Hansen will send a message to other players in Wales. "John and Ian have been rewarded for impressing during the Heineken Cup competition," said Ruddock. "Both of them have played well, and we want to send a message out that consistently playing well gets you in the squad. "We believe this is an exciting squad representing traditional values of Welsh rugby, and based on the performances in the November internationals. "We have strength and experience up front, and well recognised talent, pace and skill behind. "The management team just want to get hold of the players and get out on the training pitch at the moment. "They are all due in on Sunday, and that's when the hard work starts."


That's what I call a tough game. It was very physical and fair play to the Italians they made us work very hard for our victory. Their organisation was very, very good and they proved again that they are getting better and better as the years go by. It is by far the strongest Italian team that we have faced. We knew all along that we would be a huge threat particularly the first game in the Championship. It was not like the days gone by when you could get scores on the board early. We had to work our socks off and try and build our scores gradually. It was really hard work out there and the players have plenty of bumps and bruises to prove it. I'm not too bad, but there are one or two others who will be feeling it a bit on Monday morning. In the backs, we were not frustrated at such, but the new rucking laws were a little bit problematical. The different interpretations between the referee and the players was a little difficult. But we managed to get the ball in our hands and I got a try near the end of the first half. It's always good to score. It was great work by Brian and I always knew I had scored even though it went upstairs to the video referee. Eddie (O'Sullivan) was very calm at half time even though we were only 8 6 ahead. He spelled out what we needed to do and advocated getting the ball out of our own territory. That new ruck law made it a bit more difficult to get out of our own half. We were penalised a lot at the breakdown, and if they had kicked all their chances at goal we would have been behind at the break. So really we went back to playing a territory game and simplifying things and having more patience on the ball. Every one was a little down after the game following the injuries to Brian and Gordon. As yet we do not know the full extent of the injuries, but it does not that good. Now we have to focus on Scotland and only six days to recover. It's a big ask after such a bruising encounter. I was very impressed the way the Scots played against the French on Saturday. It could so easily have gone their way but for a couple of decisions. We will be under no illusions it is going to be tough for us. In the meantime, when in Rome ... .


Parmalat, the Italian food group at the centre of one of Europe's most painful corporate scandals, has reported a doubling in profit. Its pre tax earnings in the fourth quarter were 77m euros ( 53m; 100m), up from 38m in the same period of 2003. Less welcome was the news that the firm had been fined 11m euros for having violated takeover rules five years ago. The firm sought bankruptcy protection in December 2003 after disclosing a 4bn euro hole in its accounts. Overall, the company's debt is close to 12bn euros, and is falling only slowly. Its brands, well known in Italy and overseas, have continued to perform strongly, however, and have barely lost revenue since the scandal broke. But a crucial factor for the company's future is the legal unwinding of its intensely complex financial position. On Tuesday, the company's administrator, turnaround expert Enrico Bondi, sued Morgan Stanley, its former banker, to return 136m euros relating to a 2003 bond deal. That brought to 49 the number of banks that Mr Bondi has sued, a mass of legal action that could bring in as much as 3bn euros. The company has also sued former auditors and financial advisors for damages. And criminal cases against the company's former management are proceeding separately.


Holders Manchester United and Premiership leaders Chelsea both face difficult away ties against Premiership opposition in the FA Cup fifth round. United were drawn against Everton, while Chelsea face a trip to Newcastle. Brentford and Hartlepool the only sides left from outside the top two divisions will replay for the right to travel to Southampton. Burnley's reward for a place in the last 16 was a home tie against Lancashire rivals Blackburn. The tie between Manchester United and Everton could see the return of teenage striker Wayne Rooney to his former club for the first time since his acrimonious 27m move. Nottingham Forest boss Gary Megson could face a trip back to old club West Brom if they come through their fourth round replay against Tottenham. Arsenal were handed a potential home tie against fellow Londoners West Ham, providing the Hammers come through their replay against Sheffield United. Charlton will play Leicester and Bolton await the winners of the Derby Fulham replay. : Bolton v Derby or Fulham West Bromwich Albion or Tottenham v Nottingham Forest Everton v Manchester United Charlton Athletic v Leicester City Burnley v Blackburn Southampton v Brentford or Hartlepool Newcastle v Chelsea Arsenal v West Ham or Sheffield United Ties to be played on 19/20 February.


The 'bad behaviour' of e mail users is helping to sustain the spam industry, a new study has found. According to a survey conducted by security firm Mirapoint and market research company the Radicati Group, nearly a third of e mail users have clicked on links in spam messages. One in ten users have bought products advertised in junk mail. Clicking on a link in a spam message can expose people to viruses and alert spammers to live e mail accounts. The fact that one in ten e mail users are buying things advertised in spam continues to make it an attractive business, especially given that sending out huge amounts of spam costs very little, the report concludes. "This preliminary data is surprising and somewhat shocking to us," said Marcel Nienhuis, market analyst at the Radicati Group. "It explains why e mail security threats including spam, viruses and phishing scams continue to proliferate," he said, accusing users of "bad e mail behaviour". Spammers are increasingly hooking into whatever happens to be flavour of the month, according to security firm Clearswift. It has recently seen a rise in the number of spam messages offering phoney Sony PSP giveaways. And, in perhaps a nod to the popularity of the American drama series Desperate Housewives, it has also seen a dramatic rise in junk mails purporting to give details of women looking for casual sex. But rather than finding a companion, users who click on such mail will find themselves redirected to porn sites, where they run the risk of downloading spyware on to their PC. Clearswift has seen a 180% rise in sex related spam over the course of the last month. "Without casting aspersions, those likely to respond to these kind of adverts will be invariably hoping that 'one thing leads to another' but aside from the fact that these mails are bogus, clicking on any link within a spam mail can lead to a whole host of unwanted problems," said Alyn Hockey, Clearswift's director of research. Sexually explicit terms make up 14% of security firm Sophos' top 50 word that spammers most commonly try to disguise in order to beat anti spam filters. Spammers will deliberately misspell a word or use digits instead of letters in an attempt to by pass anti spam software, said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for security firm Sophos. "The list of words most commonly hidden by the spammers from anti spam software reveals that most spam is about the old favourites: money, drugs and sex," said Mr Cluley. But anti spam filters can only be part of the solution to the menace of junk e mail. "People must resist their basic instincts to buy from spam mails. Spammers are criminals, plain and simple. If no one responded to junk e mail and didn't buy products sold in this way, then spam would be as extinct as the dinosaurs," he said.


A rise has been recorded in the number of students from south of the border applying to universities in Scotland. However, Lifelong Learning Minister Jim Wallace said that this would not result in Scottish students missing out. Applications from England and Wales rose by 17% between January 2005 and the previous year, up 23,600 to 27,700. Fears had been expressed that a flood of "fee refugees" would try to avoid top up fees of up to 3,000 a year being introduced in England. In June last year, Mr Wallace announced proposals to increase tuition fees for English students studying in Scotland by 2,000 in an attempt to prevent a cross border flood, although no figure has yet been agreed. Legislation to introduce the top up fees in England is not due to take effect until autumn 2006 and students who start before then will not have to pay additional fees at all. The figures were made public on Thursday by admissions service Ucas. Universities Scotland, which represents university principals, claimed that an increase in applications did not amount to Scottish students being squeezed out. Director, David Caldwell, said some students could be applying in an attempt to avoid the possible increase in annual fees at English universities, but this was not a major factor. He told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "The reason people are opting for Scottish universities is that they are perceived as being of very high quality, they offer very attractive courses and Scotland is seen as a very attractive place to study. "They know that when they take up their studies in 2006 they will be hit by top up fees if they are going to a university in England and that may be part of the reason why the numbers coming to Scotland are so inflated. "However, it does not mean that we will see thousands of additional students from England studying here." Mr Wallace agreed and said the figures had to be looked at in context. He explained that when applications were translated into acceptances, the number was not huge an additional figure of about 200. Also, the picture was further blurred by the fact that applications from Wales, where there are no plans for top up fees, have also risen, by 19%. Mr Wallace said: "Accepting students from all parts of the world does show the high regard in which Scottish higher education is held, not just in Britain. "We want to make sure that when students are making their choice, they do so on the nature of the course and not because they are under some sort of financial pressure to go to Scotland. "We do not want to have a situation where it becomes impossible for Scottish students to get places at Scottish universities because we are seen as the cheap option. "Very often the quality of the university experience is enhanced by the fact there are students coming from a wide range of backgrounds so it would be wrong to go the other way and start excluding students."


The Conservatives would stand up for the "forgotten majority", Michael Howard pledged as he unveiled the first part of the Tory election manifesto. The Tory leader argued there was a mass of people whom he says feel let down by Tony Blair and who share Tory values. In the foreword to the manifesto, he promises to focus on restoring order, trying to lower taxes and giving power back to the people. Labour says the document offers only a return to a "failed Tory past". The Liberal Democrats say the Conservatives cannot win what they predict will be a three party contest. Campaigning activity is accelerating ahead of the general election, which is widely tipped for May but could be any time before June 2006. Labour on Monday postponed a launch of election posters because of the Asian tsunami disaster. Mr Howard published the introduction to the Tory manifesto. Other chapters will follow in coming weeks. In a speech in Northamptonshire, he said the "forgotten majority" made up the backbone of Britain. They were people who were saving for their first home or their retirement, working hard and accepting their responsibilities. He says in the manifesto foreword: "They have been forgotten, neglected and taken for granted by Mr Blair." Saying Britain must change direction, Mr Howard argues government is too big and cannot continue "down the path of ever rising taxes". He promises to ensure frontline professionals, parents and patients make the key decisions rather than Whitehall "bureaucrats". And he says the Tories would get a grip on crime, immigration and disorder. "The decline of responsibility and the proliferation of so called 'human rights' have left us in a moral quagmire, unable to get a grip on rising crime and disorder," he says. Mr Howard says he will produce a Timetable for Action so people can hold him to account but on issues like taxation he has so far only published options, not specific plans. Mr Howard told BBC News: "I'm determined to lower taxes but I'm also determined not to make any promises I can't keep." The Tories were unveiling material months ahead of the expected election because they needed time to make voters aware of their policies, he said. He was asked if Tory support for the government on Iraq and identity cards had given the Lib Dems the chance to portray themselves as the opposition to Labour. Mr Howard argued the only test for his policies was whether they were best for Britain. It had nothing to do with putting "clear blue water" between himself and his opponents. Labour's election slogan will be: "Britain's working, don't let the Tories wreck it again". Campaign coordinator Alan Milburn accused the Tories of "launching Thatcherism in instalments" while Labour helped the hard working majority of families. Lib Dem president Simon Hughes said his party had set out its election stance in September. "The Liberal Democrats will ask the British people for support this year as the party with the policies best able to deliver freedom and fairness and to restore trust," he said.


The global web blog community is being called into action to lend support to two imprisoned Iranian bloggers. The month old Committee to Protect Bloggers' is asking those with blogs to dedicate their sites on 22 February to the "Free Mojtaba and Arash Day". Arash Sigarchi and Mojtaba Saminejad are both in prison in Iran. Blogs are free sites through which people publish thoughts and opinions. Iranian authorities have been clamping down on prominent sites for some time. "I hope this day will focus people," Curt Hopkins, director of the Committee, told the BBC News website. The group has a list of actions which it says bloggers can take, including writing to local Iranian embassies. The Committee has deemed Tuesday "Free Mojtaba and Arash Day" as part of its first campaign. It is calling on the blogsphere the name for the worldwide community of bloggers to do what it can to help raise awareness of the plight of Mojtaba and Arash as well as other "cyber dissidents". "If you have a blog, the least you could do is put nothing on that blog except 'Free Mojtaba and Arash Day'," said Mr Hopkins. "That would mean you could see that phrase 7.1 million times. That alone will shine some light on the situation. "If you don't have one, find one dedicated to that it takes about 30 seconds." Technorati, a blog search engine, tracks about six million blogs and says that more than 12,000 are added daily. A blog is created every 5.8 seconds, according to a US research think tank. The Committee to Protect Bloggers was started by US blogger Curt Hopkins and counts fired flight attendant blogger Ellen Simonetti as a deputy director. She has since started the International Bloggers' Bill of Rights, a global petition to protect bloggers at work. Although not the only website committed to human rights issues by any means, it aims to be the hub or organisation, information and support for bloggers in particular and their rights to freedom of speech. The Committee, although only a month old, aims to be the focal point for blogger action on similar issues in the future, and will operate as a non for profit organisation. "Blogging is in this weird no man's land. People think of it as being one thing or another depending on their point of view," said Mr Hopkins. "Some think of themselves as pundits, kind of like journalists, and some like me have a private blog which is just a publishing platform. "But they do not have a constituency and are out there in the cold." It is not just human rights issues in countries which have a track record of restricting what is published in the media that is of concern to bloggers. The question of bloggers and what rights they have to say what they want on their sites is a thorny one and has received much press attention recently. High profile cases in which employees have been sacked for what they have said on their personal, and often anonymous blogs, have highlighted the muddy situation that the blogsphere is currently in. "This is a big messy argument," explained Mr Hopkins. He added: "It is just such a new way of doing business, there will be clamp downs." But the way these issues get tested is through the courts which, said Mr Hopkins, "is part of the whole messy conversation." "If you haven't already got bloggers in your company, you will have them tomorrow and if you don't have a blogger policy now you had better start looking at having one. Mr Hopkins said that the blogsphere which is doubling every five months was powerful because it takes so little time and expertise to create a blog. "Everyone does this mums, radicals, conservatives," he said. Many companies offer easy to use services to create a blog and publish it in minutes to a global community. "That is the essential difference. What I call 'templating software' gives every single person on Earth the chance to have one. "You don't even have to have your own computer."


Larne's teenage star Robbie Weir is poised to join Sunderland after turning down a move to Stoke City. The 17 year old Irish League midfielder was also being chased by Rangers and Fulham, but Mick McCarthy's side appear to have won the race. But Larne boss Jimmy McGeough has yet to confirm that Weir is on his way from Inver Park. "I heard on Sunday that he has joined Sunderland, but not from the lad himself," he said. ''Robbie has an agreement with Larne that he can negotiate with interested clubs. ''Personally, I would rather see him making an impact at local level to build up his physique before moving into the full time game. ''He has been on trial with a number of clubs. But it would be great to see him making it at Sunderland.''