It's become commonplace to argue that Blair and Brown are like squabbling school kids and that they (and their supporters) need to grow up and stop bickering. But this analysis in fact gets it wrong. It's not just children who fight adults do too. And there are solid reasons why even a trivial argument between mature protagonists can be hard to stop once its got going. The key feature of an endless feud is that everyone can agree they'd be better off if it ended but everyone wants to have the last word. Each participant genuinely wants the row to stop, but thinks it worth prolonging the argument just a tiny bit to ensure their view is heard. Their successive attempts to end the argument with their last word ensure the argument goes on and on and on. (In the case of Mr Blair and Mr Brown, successive books are published, ensuring the issues never die.) Now this isn't because the participants are stupid it's actually each individual behaving entirely rationally, given the incentives facing them. Indeed, there's even a piece of economic theory that explains all this. Nothing as obscure as "post neo classical endogenous growth theory" which the chancellor himself once quoted but a ubiquitous piece of game theory which all respectable policy wonks are familiar with. It's often referred to as the "prisoner's dilemma", based on a parable much told in economics degree courses... about a sheriff and two prisoners. The story goes that two prisoners are jointly charged with a heinous crime, and are locked up in separate cells. But the sheriff desperately needs a confession from at least one of them, to provide enough evidence to convict them of the crime. Without a confession, the prisoners will get a minimal sentence on some trumped up charge. Clearly the prisoners' best strategy is to keep their mouths shut, and take the short sentence, but the clever sheriff has an idea to induce them to talk. He tells each prisoner separately, that if they confess and they are the only one to confess they'll be let off their crime. And he tells them that if they don't confess and they are the only one not to confess they'll get life. Now, if you are prisoner confronted with this choice, your best bet is to confess. If your partner doesn't confess, you'll get off completely. And if your partner does confess, you'd better confess to ensure you don't get life. The result is of course, both prisoners confess, so the sheriff does not have to let either one off. Both prisoners' individual logic was to behave that way, even though both would have been better if they had somehow agreed to shut up. Don't worry if you don't entirely follow it you can to look it up on Google, where there are 283,000 entries on it. The prisoners' dilemma and all its ramifications have truly captured economists in the last couple of decades. It is a parable used to describe any situation where there is an obvious sensible choice to be taken collectively, but where the only rational choice individually is to behave selfishly. A cold war arms race for example a classic case where both Russia and America would be better off with just a few arms, rather than a lot of arms. But as long as each wants just a few more arms than the other, an arms race ensues with the results that the individually logical decision to buy more arms, results in arms levels that are too high. What economics tells us is that once you're in a prisoners' dilemma unless you are repeating the experience many times over it's hard to escape the perverse logic of it. It's no good just exhorting people to stop buying arms, or to stop arguing when all their incentives encourage them to carry on. Somehow, the incentives have to change. In the case of the Labour Party, if you believe the rift between Blair and Brown camps is as bad as the reports suggest, Solomon's wisdom needs to be deployed to solve the problem. Every parent knows there are ingenious solutions to arguments, solutions which affect the incentives of the participants. An example, is the famous rule that "one divides, the other chooses" as a way of allocating a piece of cake to be sliced up between greedy children. In the case of an apparently endless argument, if you want it to come to an end, you have to ensure the person who has the last word is one who loses rather than the one who wins the row. The cost of prolonging the row by even one more briefing, or one more book for that matter, has to exceed the benefit of having the last word, and getting your point in. If the rest of the party can enforce that, they'll have the protagonists retreating pretty quickly.


Defiant Matt Williams says he will not quit as Scotland coach even if his side slump to a new low with defeat by Italy at Murrayfield. That would leave the Scots as favourites to win the Wooden Spoon for the second year running. "I have never quit anything in my life, apart from maybe painting the kitchen," he told BBC Sport. "The support we have been given from Murrayfield in my whole time here has been 100%." Williams has yet to experience an RBS Six Nations victory after seven attempts and Scotland have lost 12 of their 14 games under his leadership. But he rejected the comparison made in some media sources with Berti Vogts, recently sacked as Scotland football manager after a poor run of results. "How can a German football coach and an Australian rugby coach have anything in common?" he asked. "It is a bizarre analogy. It is so absurd that it borders on the humorous." Williams insists that he is revelling in the pressure, despite the possibility of a second Six Nations series without a victory. "That is not beyond the realms of possibility," he admitted. "There's nothing much between the teams, so we could win the next three games or lose them. "But I actually really enjoy seeing how you cope with such pressure as a coach. "It helps the team grow and helps you grow as a coach. "We could have won in Paris but for the last five minutes and now we have two defeats, but we were confident for those two first games and we are confident we can beat Italy too."


Saturday 20 November Lansdowne Road, Dublin 1300 GMT The Irish coach knows a repeat of the record 83 3 victory over the States in 2000 is not on the agenda and expects a real test at Lansdowne Road. "Their coach Tom Billups will have them very organised," said O'Sullivan. "They ran five tries past the French in the summer, so we will not take them for granted. We have guys coming into the team who are chomping at the bit." The Irish line up shows nine changes from the team which started against South Africa with winger Tommy Bowe and flanker Denis Leamy making their international debuts. The other changes see recalls for backs David Humphreys, Kevin Maggs and Guy Easterby with Eric Miller, Marcus Horan, Donnacha O'Callaghan and Frank Sheehan all returning to the pack. O'Sullivan said the players coming in had the opportunity to stake claims for inclusion against Argentina on 27 November. Easterby gets a rare start at scrum half while Humphreys, now effectively Ronan O'Gara's deputy at fly half, wins his 65th cap. "We have got to get the focus right on the day," said Ulster man Humphreys. "The US may be classed as weaker opposition, but we will treat them with the respect they deserve." The States lost 39 31 against France in their last international and are ranked 16th in world rugby. The Americans have made three changes, plus one positional switch from the game in July against the French. Lock Alec Parker, blind side flanker Brian Surgener and right wing Al Lakomskis return and captain Kort Schubert of the Cardiff Blues shifts to number eight. Schubert is the only Eagles player remaining from the sides' meeting four years ago. G Murphy; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll (capt), K Maggs, T Bowe; D Humphreys, G Easterby; M Horan. F Sheahan, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell, S Easterby, D Leamy, E Miller. S Byrne, S Best, L Cullen, A Foley, P Stringer, R O'Gara, G Dempsey. Viljoen; Lakomskis, Emerick, Sika, Fee, Hercus, Timoteo; MacDonald, Wyatt, Waasdorp, Parker, Klerck, Surgener, Petruzzella, Schubert (capt). Hobson, Osentowski, Gouws, Mo'unga, Williams, Sherman, Tuipulotu.


The Apple Powerbook 100 has been chosen as the greatest gadget of all time, by US magazine Mobile PC. The 1991 laptop was chosen because it was one of the first "lightweight" portable computers and helped define the layout of all future notebook PCs. The magazine has compiled an all time top 100 list of gadgets, which includes the Sony Walkman at number three and the 1956 Zenith remote control at two. Gadgets needed moving parts and/or electronics to warrant inclusion. The magazine staff compiled the list and specified that gadgets also needed to be a "self contained apparatus that can be used on its own, not a subset of another device". "In general we included only items that were potentially mobile," said the magazine. "In the end, we tried to get to the heart of what really makes a gadget a gadget," it concluded. The oldest "gadget" in the top 100 is the abacus, which the magazine dates at 190 A.D., and put in 60th place. Other pre electronic gadgets in the top 100 include the sextant from 1731 (59th position), the marine chronometer from 1761 (42nd position) and the Kodak Brownie camera from 1900 (28th position). The Tivo personal video recorder is the newest device to make the top 10, which also includes the first flash mp3 player (Diamond Multimedia), as well as the first "successful" digital camera (Casio QV 10) and mobile phone (Motorola Startac). The most popular gadget of the moment, the Apple iPod, is at number 12 in the list while the first Sony transistor radio is at number 13. Sony's third entry in the top 20 is the CDP 101 CD player from 1983. "Who can forget the crystalline, hiss free blast of Madonna's Like A Virgin emanating from their first CD player?" asked the magazine. Karl Elsener's knife, the Swiss Army Knife from 1891, is at number 20 in the list. Gadgets which could be said to feature surprisingly low down in the list include the original telephone (23rd), the Nintendo GameBoy (25th), and the Pulsar quartz digital watch (36th). The list also contains plenty of oddities: the Pez sweet dispenser (98th), 1990s toy Tamagotchi (86th) and the bizarre Ronco inside the shell egg scrambler (84th). Almost everyone has a mobile phone, how many people own a Powerbook? or an iPod? The findings of this magazine are not very convincing. What about the magnetic compass? We still use it 1,000 years after it was invented. I am amazed by the obsession with individual gadgets rather than genre. For example the Sony walkman was the first truly portable way of listening to your own music on the move whereas Minidisc, Flash MP3, portable CD players etc. are really just improvements in technology. My favourite 'true' gadgets are probably my portable MiniDisc player and the little battery powered whizzy thing I use to froth up my coffee! Calm down it's only in their opinion, and any list that includes the Taser in the top 100 gadgets has to be suspect.... Swiss army knife and no question about it. How many of the other items are still relatively unchanged from the original idea and still as useful/popular? You don't need a laptop or even a pocket calculator to work that one out! This list merely illustrates interesting cultural divides between the American authors and the overwhelmingly British responses. Brits see no further than mobile phones and the over thirties Sinclair; whilst the Americans focus on Apple, TV remotes and TiVO (which probably is rather obscure in Europe). What about the Soda Stream. This gadget changed my pre teen life. Lap tops may enable you to "think different, but you cant use them to "get busy with the fizzy" How about Astro Wars, one of the pioneers for computer games, i remember spending many an hour playing this and it still works today! However tried it the other day and it was rubbish, still a great gadget of its time. Why worry about mobile phones. Soon they will be subsumed into the PDA's / laptops etc. What about the Marine Chronometer? Completely revolutionised navigation for boats and was in use for centuries. For it's time, a technological marvel! Sony Net Minidisc! It paved the way for more mp3 player to explode onto the market. I always used my NetMD, and could not go anywhere without it. A laptop computer is not a gadget! It's a working tool! The Sinclair Executive was the world's first pocket calculator. I think this should be there as well. How about the clockwork radio? Or GPS? Or a pocket calculator? All these things are useful to real people, not just PC magazine editors. Are the people who created this list insane ? Surely the most important gadget of the modern age is the mobile phone? It has revolutionised communication, which is more than can be said for a niche market laptop. From outside the modern age, the marine chronometer is the single most important gadget, without which modern transportation systems would not have evolved so quickly. Has everyone forgot about the Breville pie maker?? An interesting list. Of the electronic gadgets, thousands of journalists in the early 1980s blessed the original noteboook pc the Tandy 100. The size of A4 paper and light, three weeks on a set of batteries, an excellent keyboard, a modem. A pity Tandy did not make it DOS compatible. What's an Apple Powerbook 100 ? It's out of date not much of a "gadget". Surely it has to be something simple / timeless the tin opener, Swiss Army Knife, safety razor blade, wristwatch or the thing for taking stones out of horses hooves ? It has to be the mobile phone. No other single device has had such an effect on our way of living in such a short space of time. The ball point pen has got to be one of the most used and common gadgets ever. Also many might be grateful for the pocket calculator which was a great improvement over the slide rule. The Casio pocket calculator that played a simple game and made tinny noises was also a hot gadget in 1980. A true gadget, it could be carried around and shown off. All top 10 are electronic toys, so the list is probably a better reflection of the current high tech obsession than anything else. I say this as the Swiss Army Knife only made No 20. Sinclair QL a machine far ahead of its time. The first home machine with a true multi takings OS. Shame the marketing was so bad!!! Apple.. a triumph of fashion over... well everything else. Utter rubbish. Yes, the Apple laptop and Sony Walkman are classic gadgets. But to call the sextant and the marine chronometer 'gadgets' and rank them as less important than a TV remote control reveals a quite shocking lack of historical perspective. The former literally helped change the world by vastly improving navigation at see. The latter is the seed around which the couch potato culture has developed. No competition. I'd also put Apple's Newton and the first Palm Pilot there as the front runners for portable computing, and possibly the Toshiba Libretto for the same reason. I only wish that Vulcan Inc's Flipstart wasn't just vapourware otherwise it would be at the top. How did a laptop ever manage to beat off the challenge of the wristwatch or the telephone (mobile or otherwise)? What about radios and TVs? The swiss army knife. By far the most useful gadget. I got mine 12 years ago. Still wearing and using it a lot! It stood the test of time. Psion Organiser series 3, should be up there. Had a usable qwerty keyboard, removable storage, good set of apps and programmable. Case design was good (batteries in the hinge a first, I think). Great product innovation. The first mobile PC was voted best gadget by readers of...err... mobile PC?! Why do you keep putting these obviously biased lists on your site? It's obviously the mobile phone or remote control, and readers of a less partisan publication would tell you that. The Motorola Startac should be Number One. Why? There will be mobile phones long after notebook computers and other gadgets are either gone or integrated in communications devices. The Psion series 3c! The first most practical way to carry all your info around... I too would back the Sinclair Spectrum without this little beauty I would never have moved into the world of IT and earn the living that I do now. I'd have put the mobile phone high up the list. Probably a Nokia model. Sinclair Spectrum 16k. It plugged into the tv. Games were rubbish but it gave me a taste for programming and that's what I do for a living now. I wish more modern notebooks even Apple's newest offerings were more like the PB100. Particularly disheartening is the demise of the trackball, which has given way to the largely useless "trackpad" which every notebook on the market today uses. They're invariably inaccurate, uncomfortable, and cumbersome to use. Congratulations to Apple, a deserved win!


National Insurance will be raised if Labour wins the next election, Tory leader Michael Howard has claimed. Tony Blair has said he does not want higher tax rates for top earners but on Wednesday said other tax promises would be left to Labour's manifesto. Prime minister's questions also saw Mr Blair predict that new plans would probably cut net immigration. He attacked Tory plans to process asylum claims abroad but Mr Howard said Labour had proposed the idea too. The Commons questions session again saw the leaders of the two biggest parties shape up for the forthcoming election campaign. The Tories have promised 4bn in tax cuts but have yet to say where they will fall. Mr Howard pointed to the Institute for Fiscal Studies' predictions that Labour will need to increase taxes to cover an 11bn gap in its spending plans. He accused ministers of wasting money on unsuccessful attempts to curb bad behaviour and truancy in schools and on slow asylum processing. It was no good Mr Blair claiming tax pledges were being left to the manifesto as he had given one to MPs on Tuesday about the top rate of income tax, argued Mr Howard. Pointing to national insurance, he added: "Everyone knows tax will go up under Labour: isn't it now clear which tax it would be?" Mr Blair instead hailed Labour's achievement in using a strong economy to invest in public services. "When we have money not only going into extra teachers and nurses but equipment in schools and hospitals, that money is not wasted," he said. On the tax questions, he added: "We will make commitments on tax at the time of the manifesto." Home Secretary Charles Clarke this week published plans for a new points system for economic migrants, with only high skilled workers allowed into the UK from outside the European Union. Mr Blair said abuses would be weeded out and chain migration, where families automatically get the right to settle with immigrant workers, would end. That would probably create a fall in the migrant numbers, he said. The prime minister ridiculed the Tory plans for asylum quotas and for processing all asylum claims overseas. He challenged the Tories on which country would house their processing centres what he called a "fantasy island". Mr Howard read from a letter about the government's own plans at the European Council of Ministers for processing asylum seekers outside the EU. But Mr Blair said: "All the other countries could not agree on the way forward, nor could the UN."


The French economy picked up speed at the end of 2004, official figures show but still looks set to have fallen short of the government's hopes. According to state statistics body INSEE, growth for the three months to December was a seasonally adjusted 0.7 0.8%, ahead of the 0.6% forecast. If confirmed, that would be the best quarterly showing since early 2002. It leaves GDP up 2.3% for the full year, but short of the 2.5% which the French government had predicted. Despite the apparent shortfall in annual economic growth, the good quarterly figures a so called "flash estimate" mark a continuing trend of improving indicators for the health of the French economy. The government is reiterating a 2.5% target for 2005, while the European Central Bank is making positive noises for the 12 nation eurozone as a whole. Also on Friday, France's industrial output for December was released, showing 0.7% growth. "The numbers are good," said David Naude, economist at Deutsche Bank. "They send a positive signal of a rebound in output... and open the way for a continuation in that trend into the New Year." Service sector activity improved in January, hitting a seven month high. But unemployment remains high at about 10%.


Consumers' confidence in the state of the US economy is at its highest for five months and they are optimistic about 2005, an influential survey says. The feel good factor among US consumers rose in December for the first time since July according to new data. The Conference Board survey of 5,000 households pointed to renewed optimism about job creation and economic growth. US retailers have reported strong sales over the past 10 days after a slow start to the crucial festive season. According to figures also released on Tuesday, sales in shopping malls in the week to 25 December were 4.3% higher than in 2003 following a last minute rush. Wal Mart, the largest US retailer, has said its December sales are expected to be better than previously forecast because of strong post Christmas sales. It is expecting annual sales growth of between 1% and 3% for the month. Consumer confidence figures are considered a key economic indicator because consumer spending accounts for about two thirds of all economic activity in the United States. "The continuing economic expansion, combined with job growth, has consumers ending this year on a high note," said Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board's consumer research centre. "And consumers' outlook suggests that the economy will continue to expand in the first half of next year." The overall US economy has performed strongly in recent months, prompting the Federal Reserve to increase interest rates five times since June.


Cable firm Telewest is to offer a personal video recorder (PVR) in a set top box to challenge Sky Plus. Sky Plus is the market leader in the field of digital video recorders in the UK, with 474,000 subscribers. PVRs record TV programmes to a hard drive, letting viewers pause, and rewind live television and effectively "time shift" the viewing experience. A number of PVRs incorporating Freeview digital terrestrial TV are also on the market but their success is limited. Telewest's PVR will offer a 160GB hard drive, which has storage for up to 80 hours of programmes. The box has three tuners, which means viewers can record two channels simultaneously while watching a third channel. Sky Plus boxes come in two versions a 20GB version for 99 and a 160GB version for 399. Sky also charges a 10 subscription fee to the service, unless viewers have a subscription to one of its premium packages. Telewest has yet to reveal pricing for the new box or if it will be charging a subscription fee for the service. Eric Tveter, president and chief operating officer at Telewest Broadband, said: "We will make our PVR set top box available later this year, putting a stop to missed soaps, interrupted films and arguments over which programmes to record." PVRs and recordable DVD players are set to replace video recorders as the standard method of recording and saving favourite TV programmes. Last year, high street retailer Dixons said it was going to stop selling VHS machines in favour of PVRs and recordable DVD machines. Sky has said it aims to have 25% of its subscribers using Sky Plus by 2010 it is predicting 10 million total subscribers by that date. It currently has 7.4 million subscribers, while Telewest provides digital cable to 1.7 million customers.


The dollar has fallen to a new record low against the euro after data fuelled fresh concerns about the US economy. The greenback hit 1.3516 in thin New York trade, before rallying to 1.3509. The dollar has weakened sharply since September when it traded about 1.20, amid continuing worries over the levels of the US trade and budget deficits. Meanwhile, France's finance minister has said the world faced "economic catastrophe" unless the US worked with Europe and Asia on currency controls. Herve Gaymard said he would seek action on the issue at the next meeting of G7 countries in February. Ministers from European and Asian governments have recently called on the US to strengthen the dollar, saying the excessively high value of the euro was starting to hurt their export driven economies. "It's absolutely essential that at the meeting of the G7 our American friends understand that we need coordinated management at the world level," said Mr Gaymard. Thursday's new low for the dollar came after data was released showing year on year sales of new homes in the US had fallen 12% in November with some analysts saying this could indicate problems ahead for consumer activity. Commerce Department data also showed consumer spending which drives two thirds of the US economy grew just 0.2% last month. The figure was weaker than forecast and fell short of the 0.8% rise in October. The official US policy is that it supports a strong dollar but many market observers believe it is happy to let the dollar fall because of the boost to its exporters. The US government has faced pressure from exporter organisations which have publicly stated the currency still has further to fall from "abnormal and dangerous heights" set in 2002. The US says it will let market forces determine the dollar's strength rather than intervene directly. Statements from President Bush in recent weeks highlighting his aim to cut the twin US deficits have prompted slight upturns in the currency. But while some observers said the quiet trade on Thursday had exacerbated small moves in the market, most agree the underlying trend remains downwards. The dollar has now fallen for a third consecutive year and analysts are forecasting a further, albeit less dramatic weakening, in 2005. "I can see it finishing the year around 1.35 and we can see that it's going to be a steady track upward for the euro/dollar in 2005, finishing the year around 1.40," said Adrian Hughes, currency strategist with HSBC in London.


The gap between US exports and imports has widened to more than 60bn ( 31.7bn), an all time record. Figures from the Commerce Department for November showed exports down 2.3% to 95.6bn, while imports grew 1.3% to 155.8bn on rising consumer demand. Part of the expanding deficit came from high prices for oil imports. But the numbers suggested the sliding dollar which makes exports less expensive has had little impact, and could indicate slowing economic growth. The trade deficit far bigger than the 54bn widely expected on Wall Street prompted a rapid response from the currency markets. By 1650 GMT, the dollar was trading against the euro at 1.3280, almost a cent and a half weaker than before the announcement. Against the pound, the dollar was down about 0.7% at 1,8923. "The dollar's fall has been sudden, violent and appropriate given this number," said Brian Taylor of Wells Fargo in Minneapolis. "Recent exchange rate movements certainly haven't had any impact yet." Treasury Secretary John Snow put a brave face on the news, saying it was a sign of strong economic expansion. "The economy is growing at such a fast rate that it is generating lots of disposable income... some of which is used to buy goods from our trading partners." Although the White House officially still backs the US's traditional "strong dollar" policy, it has tacitly indicated that it would be happy if the slide continued. The dollar has fallen by 50% against the euro as well as by 30% against the yen in the past three years. The main catalyst, most economists accept, is the large budget deficit on the one hand, and the current account deficit the difference between the flow of money in and out of the US on the other. The trade deficit is a large part of the latter. In November, the fall in exports was largely due to a decline in sales of industrial supplies and materials such as chemicals, as well as of cars, consumer goods and food. One small bright spot for US policy makers was a slight decline in the deficit with China, often blamed for job losses and other economic woes. Although China's overall trade surplus is expanding, according to Chinese government figures, the Commerce Department revealed the US's deficit with China was 19.6bn in November, down from 19.7bn the month before. But the deficit with Japan was at its worst in more than four years.


Companies fail to draw up plans to cope with HIV/Aids until it affects 20% of people in a country, new research says. The finding comes in a report published on Thursday by the World Economic Forum, Harvard and the UN aids agency. "Too few companies are responding proactively to the social and business threats," said Dr Kate Taylor, head of the WEF's global Health Initiative. Nearly 9,000 business leaders in 104 countries were surveyed for Business and HIV/AIDS: Commitment and Action? Dr Taylor described the level of action taken by businesses as revealed by the report as "too little, too late". The issue will be highlighted to business and world leaders at the World Economic Forum, which meets in Davos, Switzerland, next week. The WEF report shows that despite the fact that 14,000 people contract HIV/Aids every day, concern among businesses has dropped by 23% in the last 12 months. Most (71%) have no policies in place to address the disease. Nor could over 65% of the business leaders surveyed say or estimate the prevalence of HIV among their staff. The UN programme tackling Aids, UNAIDS, pointed out that having a clear strategy for dealing with HIV/Aids was a good investment as well as being socially responsible. One company that does have a plan is Anglo American, the international mining company, which estimates an HIV prevalence of 24% among its 130,000 strong Southern African workforce. Over the last two years the company has implemented extensive voluntary counselling and testing for HIV infection, coupled with anti retroviral therapy for employees progressing to Aids. Over 90% of the 2,200 employees who have accessed and remained on treatment are well and have returned to normal work. "Effective action on HIV/Aids is synonymous with good business management and leads to more profitable and sustainable operations," said Brian Brink, senior vice president, health, at Anglo American. "Companies should encourage all workers to know their HIV status, making it as routine as monitoring blood pressure or cholesterol," he said. "Providing access to treatment is a critical part of this." Across sub Saharan Africa, even in countries with an HIV prevalence of 10 19%, only around 7% of companies have formal HIV/Aids policies in place, according to the report. The gap is even wider in China, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria and Russia, the so called "next wave" countries, which are predicted to experience the highest numbers of new HIV/Aids cases worldwide by 2010. The report adds "an important building block to our understanding of how the business community is experiencing the HIV/Aids epidemic and to whether and how it is reacting," said David Bloom, professor of economics and demography at the Harvard School of Public Health. The WEF report concludes that businesses need to understand their exposure to HIV/Aids risks and come up with good local practices to manage them. A key priority, in both high and low prevalence settings, said the WEF is to establish a policy based on non discrimination and confidentiality.


South Africa biggest retail bank Absa has said it is still in talks with UK bank Barclays over the sale of majority stake in the group. In November, Absa said it was close to striking a deal with Barclays. But the group said Barclays is still waiting for the approval of South Africa's banking and competition authorities to make a formal offer. Absa also announced that it expects to see earnings grow by 20 25% in its current financial year. "Discussions with Barclays are continuing, but shareholders are advised that no agreement has been reached as to any offer being made by Barclays to acquire a majority stake in Absa," Absa said in a statement. If Barclays buys a stake in Absa it will be one of the largest foreign investments in South Africa in recent years. Absa currently has a market value of about 8.5bn ( 4.4bn). Analysts said Absa's earnings forecast was better than expected. However, the company warned that headline earnings growth would be trimmed by about four percentage points because of share options for a black economic empowerment transaction and a staff share incentive scheme. The South African group will release its results for the year to 31 March on 30 May.


Teenager LaShawn Merritt ran the third fastest indoor 400m of all time at the Fayetteville Invitational meeting. The world junior champion clocked 44.93 seconds to finish well clear of fellow American Bershawn Jackson in Arkansas. Only Michael Johnson has gone quicker, setting the world record of 44.63secs in 1995 and running 44.66secs in 1996. Kenyan Bernard Lagat missed out on the world record by 1.45secs as he ran the third quickest indoor mile ever to beat Canada's Nate Brannen by almost 10secs. The Olympic silver medallist's time of three minutes 49.89secs was inferior only to the 1997 world record of Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj and former world record holder Eamonn Coghlan of Ireland's 3:49.78. Lagat was on course to break El Guerrouj's record through 1200m but could not maintain the pace over the final 400m. Ireland's continued his excellent form by winning a tight 3,000m in 7:40.53. Cragg, who recently defeated Olympic 10,000m champion Kenenisa Bekele in Boston, held off Bekele's Ethiopian colleague Markos Geneti by only 0.19secs to secure his victory. Mark Carroll, who will join Cragg in the European Indoor Championships next month, finished a solid third in 7:46.78. Olympic 200m gold medallist of Jamaica ran the fastest women's 60m in the world this year as she equalled her personal best of 7.09secs. World indoor 60m hurdles champion also won, improving his season leading time to 7.51secs.


England coach Andy Robinson is facing disciplinary action after criticising referee Jonathan Kaplan in his side's Six Nations defeat to Ireland. The Rugby Football Union (RFU) will investigate Robinson after deciding not to lodge a complaint against Kaplan. Robinson may even have to apologise for his comments in order to avoid sanction from the International Rugby Board. Robinson had said he was "livid" about Kaplan's decisions on Saturday to disallow two England "tries." The England coach went on to claim that "only one side was refereed". After reviewing tapes of the match, the RFU decided not to formally complain to the IRB over the standard of Kaplan's refereeing. Instead the RFU said in a statement they would, "set out any concerns the England team management may have in a confidential manner". An IRB spokesman said on the matter: "We take all breaches of the code very seriously. "Should the RFU resolve the issue to our satisfaction, as happened last month when the Scotland coach Matt Williams apologised for remarks made, it would be the end of the matter." Kaplan has vigorously defended his performance in England's 19 13 defeat at Landsdowne Road and admitted he was "very disappointed" with Robinson's remarks. And the South African has been appointed to take charge of Scotland's match against Wales on 13 March. The RFU recently fined Northampton coach Budge Pountney 2,000 and imposed a six week ban for his criticism of referee Steve Lander after a Premiership match.


The Belgian sports minister at the centre of the Svetlana Kuznetsova doping row says he will not apologise for making allegations against her. Claude Eerdekens claims the US Open champion tested positive for ephedrine at an exhibition event last month. Criticised for making the announcement, he said: "I will never apologise. This product is banned and it's up to her to explain why it's there." Kuznetsova says the stimulant may have been in a cold remedy she took. The Russian said she did nothing wrong by taking the medicine during the event. The Women's Tennis Association cleared Kuznetsova of any offence because the drug is not banned when taken out of competition. Eerdekens said he made the statement in order to protect the other three players that took part in the tournament, Belgian Justine Henin Hardenne, Nathalie Dechy of France and Russia's Elena Dementieva. But Dechy is fuming that she has been implicated in the row. "How can you be happy when you see your face on the cover page and talking about doping?" Dechy said. "I'm really upset about it and I think the Belgian government did a really bad job about this. "I think we deserve an apology from the guy. You cannot say anything like this you cannot say some stuff like this, saying it's one of these girls. This is terrible." Dementieva is also angry and says that Dechy and herself are the real victims of the scandal. "You have no idea what I have been through all these days. It's been too hard on me," she said. "The WTA are trying to handle this problem by saying there are three victims, but I see only two victims in this story me and Nathalie Dechy, who really have nothing to do with this. "To be honest with you, I don't feel like I want to talk to Sveta at all. I'm just very upset with the way everything has happened."


Brentford face a home tie against holders Manchester United in the FA Cup sixth round if they can come through their replay against Southampton. The League One side held the Saints at St Mary's in their fifth round tie and were rewarded with a potential draw against Sir Alex Ferguson's side. Newcastle will be at home to either Tottenham or Nottingham Forest. Bolton host Arsenal or Sheffield United and Leicester will visit the winners of the Burnley and Blackburn replay. The ties will be played on the weekend of 12 13 March. was delighted to be paired with United, although he admitted they still have plenty of work to do to set up a dream tie. "We've got our work cut out next Tuesday but you can't deny it's exciting," he said. "It would be a sell out. It will probably be on television. We have financial problems and the revenue it could bring in would certainly help our situation. "We're happy to be in the draw but we've still got to beat a Premiership team. "We've got to beat Southampton first and that's going to be a hard game but if we do there will be some celebration." welcomed the opportunity to face United. "We're not counting on anything yet," he said. "It is obviously going to be a difficult replay judging by the way Brentford came back at us on Saturday and the fact that United have come out of the hat will give them even more incentive. "But I've been drawn against United so many times in cups and beaten them at both Bournemouth and West Ham. "There are no easy ties in the FA Cup and I'm sure nobody is counting on one." Newcastle v Tottenham or Nottingham Forest Southampton or Brentford v Manchester United Bolton v Arsenal or Sheffield United Burnley or Blackburn v Leicester


A proposed European law on software patents will not be re drafted by the European Commission (EC) despite requests by MEPs. The law is proving controversial and has been in limbo for a year. Some major tech firms say it is needed to protect inventions, while others fear it will hurt smaller tech firms. The EC says the Council of Ministers will adopt a draft version that was agreed upon last May but said it would review "all aspects of the directive". The directive is intended to offer patent protection to inventions that use software to achieve their effect, in other words, "computer implemented invention". In a letter, EC President Jos 233; Manuel Barroso told the President of the European Parliament, Josep Borrell, that the Commission "did not intend to refer a new proposal to the Parliament and the Council (of ministers)" as it had supported the agreement reached by ministers in May 2004. If the European Council agrees on the draft directive it will then return for a second reading at the European Parliament. But that will not guarantee that the directive will become law instead it will probably mean further delays and controversy over the directive. Most EU legislation now needs the approval of both parliament and the Council of Ministers before it becomes law. French Green MEP Alain Lipietz warned two weeks ago that if the Commission ignored the Parliament's request it would be an "insult" to the assembly. He said that the parliament would then reject the Council's version of the legislation as part of the final or conciliation stage of the decision procedure. In the US, the patenting of computer programs and internet business methods is permitted. This means that the US based Amazon.com holds a patent for its "one click shopping" service, for example. Critics are concerned that the directive could lead to a similar model happening in Europe. This, they fear, could hurt small software developers because they do not have the legal and financial might of larger companies if they had to fight patent legal action in court. Supporters say current laws are inefficient and it would serve to even up a playing field without bringing EU laws in line with the US.


The US economy has grown more than expected, expanding at an annual rate of 3.8% in the last quarter of 2004. The gross domestic product figure was ahead of the 3.1% the government estimated a month ago. The rise reflects stronger spending by businesses on capital equipment and a smaller than expected trade deficit. GDP is a measure of a country's economic health, reflecting the value of the goods and services it produces. The new GDP figure, announced by the Commerce Department on Friday, also topped the 3.5% growth rate that economists had forecast ahead of Friday's announcement. Growth was at an annual rate of 4% in the third quarter of 2004 and for the year it came in at 4.4%, the best figure in five years. However, the positive economic climate may lead to a rise in interest rates, with many expecting US rates to rise on 22 March. In the January to March quarter, the economy is expected to grow at an annual rate of about 4%, economists forecast. In the final quarter of 2004, businesses increased spending on capital equipment and software by 18%, up from 17.5% in the third quarter. Consumer spending grew 4.2% in the final quarter, down from the third quarter's 5.1%.


BBC Sport reflects on the future for Liverpool after our exclusive interview with chief executive Rick Parry. Chief executive Parry is the man at the helm as Liverpool reach the most crucial point in their recent history. Parry has to deliver a new 60,000 seat stadium in Stanley Park by 2007 amid claims of costs spiralling above 120m. He is also searching for an investment package of a size and stature that will restore Liverpool to their place at European football's top table. But it is a challenge that appears to sit easily with Parry, who has forged a reputation as one of football's most respected administrators since his days at the fledgling Premier League. Liverpool have not won the championship since 1990, a fact that causes deep discomfort inside Anfield as they attempt to muscle in on the top three of Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal. Throw in the small matter of warding off every top club in world football as they eye captain Steven Gerrard, and you can see Parry is a man with a lot on his plate. But in the comfort of a conference room deep inside Liverpool's heartbeat The Kop end Parry spoke to us with brutal honesty about the crucial months ahead. He only dodged one question when asked to reveal the name of the mystery investor currently courting Liverpool, a polite smile deflected the inquiry. But to his credit, he met everything else head on in measured tones that underscore the belief that Liverpool still mean business. By business he means becoming title challengers again, and locking the pieces together that will help return the trophy to Liverpool is Parry's mission. Parry has already successfully put one of those planks in place in the form of new manager Rafael Benitez. And his enthusiasm for the Spaniard's personality and methods is an indication of his clear feeling that he has struck gold. Benitez's early work has given Parry renewed optimism about the years ahead. But it remains a massive task at a club with a unique history and expectations. This will not come as news to Parry, a lifelong Liverpool supporter, but his quiet determination suggests he is no mood to be found wanting... Captain Gerrard is central to Liverpool's plans and Parry's insistence that all offers will be refused is a firm statement of intent. As ever, the player will have the final say, and Parry acknowledges that, but he is determined to provide the framework and environment for Liverpool and Gerrard to flourish. In terms of the search for new investment, Hawkpoint were appointed as advisors to flush out interest in March 2004. Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shiniwatra came and went, while the most serious statement of intent came from tycoon and lifelong fan Steve Morgan. Morgan had a succession of bids rejected, having come close in the summer only for talks to break down over potential costs for the new stadium. BBC Sport understands Morgan is still ready and willing to invest in Liverpool, and Parry has kept the door ajar despite currently seeking investment elsewhere. Morgan, however, has had no formal contact with Liverpool or their advisors since last December, blaming indecision at board level as he publicly withdrew his 70m offer. He was also convinced his interest was being used to lure in others, so any new approach would now have to come from Liverpool. Morgan will certainly not be making another call. So speculation continues about the new benefactor, with trails leading to the Middle East and America, but all met with an understandable veil of secrecy from Anfield. Parry meanwhile sees the new ground as crucial to Liverpool's future, but is refusing to become emotionally attached to the idea. He is determined the ground will only be built on an affordable basis and will not make future Liverpool management hostages to the new stadium. Parry will pull back the moment the figures do not stack up, but there has been a vital new development in North London that has re shaped Liverpool's thinking. Liverpool have publicly refused to entertain the idea of stadium sponsorship and potential naming rights but the realism of Arsenal's stunning 100m deal for their new Emirates Stadium at Ashburton has changed the landscape. Parry labelled the deal "an eye opener" and admits Liverpool would be missing a trick not to explore the possibilities. He knows some traditionalist Liverpool fans will reel at any attempt to call the new stadium anything other than just 'Anfield', but the maths of modern day football decree that multi millions for stadium and team could ease the pain. I would take 50m if we had no investment, but if we did, keep him. As for the stadium, if it gets us cash what difference does it make really? 50m for Gerrard? I don't care who you are, the Directors would take the money and it is the way it should be. We cannot let that sum of money go, despite Gerrard's quality. Through a cleverly worded statement, the club has effectively forced Gerrard to publicly make the decision for himself, which I think is the right thing to do. Critical time for Liverpool with regards to Gerrard. Ideally we would want to secure his future to the club for the long term. I am hoping he doesn't walk out of the club like Michael Owen did for very little cash. 50m realistically would allow Rafa to completely rebuild the squad, however, if we can afford to do this AND keep Gerrard we will be better for it. I would however be happy with Gerrard's transfer for any fee over 35m. Parry's statements are clever in that any future Gerrard transfer cannot be construed as a lack of ambition by the club to not try and keep their best players. Upping the ante is another smart move by Parry. I would keep Gerrard. No amount of money could replace his obvious love of the club and determination to succeed. The key is if Gerrard comes out and says that he is happy. Clearly, if he isn't, then we would be foolish not to sell. The worrying thing is who would you buy (or who would come) pending possible non Champions League football.


Marcel Desailly insists there is no chance of history repeating itself when Chelsea take on Barcelona on Wednesday. The French star was part of the Chelsea side crushed 5 1 at the Nou Camp in the Champions League quarter final second leg in 2000. "Things will be totally different this time," he told BBC Sport. "Now everyone knows about Chelsea and is a little bit afraid of them. They are one of the major clubs in Europe and the pressure will be on Barcelona." Chelsea have not played Barcelona since that quarter final tie five years ago. The Blues had looked destined to progress after winning the first leg at Stamford Bridge 3 1, courtesy of two goals from Tore Andre Flo and one by Gianfranco Zola. But they collapsed in the second leg, going down to strikes from Rivaldo (2), Luis Figo, Dani and Patrick Kluivert. Former Chelsea captain Desailly, who is now playing for Al Gharafa in Qatar, says there is no comparison between that side and the current Blues team, who are top of the Premiership. "Mentally they are much stronger, even though a lot of their players are young," the 36 year old said. "We made some mistakes at the Nou Camp in 2000 a lot of them were individual mistakes. "It would not happen now. This team has a new motivation and a different mentality." World Cup winner Desailly saw huge changes during his time at Stamford Bridge. He was signed for 4.6m from AC Milan in 1998 by Ruud Gullit and went on to play under Gianluca Vialli and Claudio Ranieri. But the biggest change occurred when billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003. Desailly says the Russian's arrival helped to instil a winning mentality at the club as well as a demand for success. "The whole of Chelsea is different now the chairman, the manager and all the players," he said. "Everything is new and there is a huge determination to win. "Since that game in 2000, Chelsea have gained more experience in Europe and were very close to reaching the Champions League final last season." Desailly is one of the most decorated players in the history of football. He won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship with France, the Champions League in 1993 with Marseilles and 1994 with AC Milan, two Serie A titles and the FA Cup in 2000 with Chelsea. He is now winding down his career in Qatar, alongside the likes of Frank Lebeouf, Josep Guardiola, Titi Camara, Gabriel Batistuta and Christophe Dugarry. So he is full of admiration for two of his colleagues from the great Milan side of the mid 90s who are likely to line up against Manchester United on Wednesday Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Costacurta. "I'm happy that they have managed to play so long at a high level," he said. "I made a vow to Costacurta that as long as he plays, I will continue to play. "And it's amazing that Paolo has managed to play at such a high level for such a long time."


Uefa says it will allow European matches to be played on artificial pitches from the start of next season. European football's governing body made the decision at a meeting of its Executive Committee on Wednesday. Uefa explained that the move "follows comprehensive studies into the sporting and medical aspects of using artificial playing surfaces." They can be used subject to complying with Uefa quality criteria but there use will not be made obligatory. Luton, Preston, Queens Park Rangers and other clubs used to have plastic pitches during the the 1980s but, after a two year study, Uefa insists the surfaces have moved on. International matches can also be played on such pitches, although games at major tournaments have to be contested on grass. Uefa spokesman Rob Faulkner said: "People in England have bad memories of the artificial pitches of Luton and QPR in the 1980s, but the latest generation are completely different and are much more like grass. "We have sanctioned its use from the start of next season but only as long as it is the latest generation of artificial turf and meets a whole series of standards." Several leading clubs from Scandinavia, Russia and eastern Europe especially those who only play Champions League or Uefa Cup matches in winter are now expected to instal artificial pitches.


"Do you have it in your heart? How much guts do you have? How much do you hate to lose?" These are the questions Jimmy Connors will be asking of Britain's brightest tennis hopes in the months, and possibly years, to come. The American legend swept into London on Thursday to announce a "long term" relationship with the Lawn Tennis Association after spending three days at the Elite Performance winter camp in La Manga. And the man who epitomised the phrase 'will to win' before Lleyton Hewitt was even born is clear about the qualities he hopes to convey. "You know, everybody hits the ball well and there's a very fine line between number one and number 100," said Connors. "I was that fine line for a long time. But if I can help, I want to be part of teaching kids how to win." Connors is not the first great name to offer his services to the LTA his long time rival John McEnroe has repeatedly done the same. But Connors is at pains to point out that his interest goes well beyond any publicity stunt, and he gave a glowing recommendation to the work of LTA performance director David Felgate and his team. "Britain has a different attitude, the right attitude, in taking the game forward and finding the next Wimbledon champion," said Connors. "That's something you don't find every day. Everybody talks a good game but not everybody puts that into effect. "The impression I came away with after just seeing David and the other coaches for three days was one like I've never seen before, especially over here. "This is not going to happen overnight, there are no miracle workers, but you're going in the right direction." The 52 year old's enthusiasm for the work going on in this country is in marked contrast to his relationship with tennis officials back in America. "I've had discussions with the USTA (United States Tennis Association) over a number of years," he said. "That's where it (my input) ended." Connors is a straight talker and will be equally blunt and honest in his dealings with the LTA and the cream of Britain's young players. "If they're chosen, they've got to produce," he said. "If not, someone will come and take their place. There's only one number one spot and it's lonely up there, but it's got the best view." In the year that has seen Andrew Murray emerge as Britain's great new hope, Connors rejected suggestions that the Scot might be put under too much pressure too soon. "Tim Henman has a whole country on his shoulder," said Connors. "I don't know that pressure, but if you like that it can be a certain push to get on to the next level. "Someone's going to have to come and take over from him (Henman). If I was Andrew Murray, I'd embrace that. That's what we play for." Despite the emphasis on hard work, training and preparation, Connors does admit that the desire required of a champion has to come from within. "The passion I had, I don't know if you can find that," he admitted. "I was also nuts. I say that because there was nothing better for me than to compete on the tennis court. "It was the most important thing in the world for me, and to do that something's got to be not right with you. There was nothing better for me ever than to play tennis in front of 25,000 people. "What I had when I played tennis is what I am. You have to have that, you can't be moulded."


Tony Blair is pressing the US to cut greenhouse gases despite its unwillingness to sign the Kyoto Protocol, Downing Street has indicated. Officials have confirmed climate change was discussed when influential senator John McCain recently visited Mr Blair. Climate change was an issue the prime minister "wanted to progress" during the UK's presidency of the G8 and EU in 2005, said a spokesman. But he played down reports Mr Blair was considering a new US friendly treaty. According to the Times, the UK leader wants to end US isolation with a "Kyoto lite" agreement on the scale and nature of the threat from climate change. He is said to have discussed the idea with Mr McCain during his time at Number 10. The prime minister is said to believe the United States' refusal to sign the Kyoto Protocol on emissions is undermining other countries' resolve to cut carbon dioxide production. So far the US has refused to sign up to the Kyoto treaty which aims to cut emissions branding it politically motivated and not based on science. President Bush's advisers have repeatedly denied global warming is taking place. Europe, which disputes the claim, has also signalled it wants to press ahead with talks about longer term climate change action in a way which involves both the United States and developing countries. Mr Blair's reported treaty would also establish an international programme to develop technology needed for renewable energy and the reduction of carbon emissions, says the Times. But there is still apparently "little prospect" of America agreeing to cut emissions, which could further provoke environmental campaigners already angry at the lack of progress. Mr Blair was left blushing on Wednesday when it emerged his manifesto target of a 20% cut to the 1990 greenhouse gas level by 2010 was set to be missed.


Thousands of technology lovers and industry experts have gathered in Las Vegas for the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The fair showcases the latest technologies and gadgets that will hit the shops in the next year. About 50,000 new products will be unveiled as the show unfolds. Microsoft chief Bill Gates is to make a pre show keynote speech on Wednesday when he is expected to announce details of the next generation Xbox. The thrust of this year's show will be on technologies which put people in charge of multimedia content so they can store, listen to, and watch what they want on devices any time, anywhere. About 120,000 people are expected to attend the trade show which stretches over more than 1.5 million square feet. Highlights will include the latest trends in digital imaging, storage technologies, thinner flat screen and high definition TVs, wireless and portable technologies, gaming, and broadband technologies. The show also includes several speeches from key technology companies such as Intel, Microsoft, and Hewlett Packard among others. "The story this year remains all about digital and how that is completely transforming and revolutionising products and the way people interact with them," Jeff Joseph, from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) told the BBC News website. "It is about personalisation taking your MP3 player and creating your own playlist, taking your digital video recorder and watch what you want to watch when you are no longer at the whim of the broadcasters." Consumer electronics and gadgets had a phenomenal year in 2004, according to figures released by CES organisers, the CEA, on Tuesday. The gadget explosion signalled the strongest growth yet in the US in 2004. Shipments of consumer electronics rose by almost 11% between 2003 and 2004. That trend is predicted to continue, according to CEA analysts, with wholesale shipments of consumer technologies expected to grow by 11% again in 2005. The fastest growing technologies in 2004 included blank DVD media, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) TVs, digital video recorders (DVRs), and portable music players. "This year we will really begin to see that come to life in what we call place shifting so if you have your PVR personal video recorder in your living room, you can move that content around the house. "Some exhibitors will be showcasing how you can take that content anywhere," said Mr Joseph. He said the products which will be making waves in the next year will be about the "democratisation" of content devices and technologies that will give people the freedom to do more with music, video, and images. There will also be more focus on the design of technologies, following the lead that Apple's iPod made, with ease of use and good looks which appeal to a wider range of people a key concern. The CEA predicted that there would be several key technology trends to watch in the coming year. Gaming would continue to thrive, especially on mobile devices, and would reach out to more diverse gamers such as women. Games consoles sales have been declining, but the launch of next generation consoles, such as Microsoft's Xbox and PlayStation, could buoy up sales. Although it has been widely predicted that Mr Gates would be showcasing the new Xbox, some media reports have cast doubt on what he would be talking about in the keynote. Some have suggested the announcement may take place at the Games Developers Conference in the summer instead. With more than 52% of US homes expected to have home networks, the CEA suggested hard drive boxes or media servers capable of storing thousands of images, video and audio files to be accessed through other devices around the home, will be more commonplace. Portable devices that combine mobile telephony, digital music and video players, will also be more popular in 2005. Their popularity will be driven by more multimedia content and services which will let people watch and listen to films, TV, and audio wherever they are. This means more storage technologies will be in demand, such as external hard drives, and flash memory like SD cards. CES runs officially from 6 to 9 January.


A late header by teenager Danny Graham earned Middlesbrough a battling draw with Charlton at the Riverside. Matt Holland had put the visitors ahead in the 14th minute after his shot took a deflection off Franck Queudrue. But Middlesbrough peppered the Charlton goal after the break and Chris Riggott stroked home the equaliser. Shaun Bartlett's strike put Charlton back in front but that lead lasted just six minutes before Graham rushed onto Queudrue's pass to head home. The match burst to life from the whistle and Charlton defender Hermann Hreidarsson had sight of an open goal after just six minutes. Hreidarsson received Danny Murphy's free kick from the right but he crashed his free header wide of the far post. The Iceland international looked such a danger the Boro bench could be heard issuing frantic instructions to mark him. Charlton's early pressure paid off when Bartlett received a long ball from Talal El Karkouri in the box and laid it off to Holland who buried his right footed strike. Szilard Nemeth, recalled in place of Joseph Desire Job, was twice denied his chance to get Middlesbrough back on level terms by Dean Kiely. The striker played a great one two with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink only to see Kiely get down well to smother his shot before directing a header straight into the keeper's arms. Boro had plenty of time on the ball but the Addicks comfortably mopped up the pressure with Kiely tipping a Hasselbaink header over the bar to take their lead into half time. It was all one way traffic after the break at the Riverside as Middlesbrough poured forward and Kiely even saved Hreidarsson's blushes when he palmed the ball away to prevent a Charlton own goal. But the Addicks keeper could do nothing about Riggott's equaliser in the 74th minute. The Boro defender looked suspiciously offside as he got on the end of Gareth Southgate's misdirected effort, but despite the Charlton protests his goal stood. The Addicks did not let their heads drop and Bartlett left the Boro defence standing, picking up Hreidarsson's cross to easily sink his right footed strike. But substitute Graham was on hand to grab a share of the points for the home side. The 19 year old striker nodding home the equaliser and his first Premiership goal with five minutes left on the clock. "I felt we did enough to win the game even though the first half was lacklustre. "We dominated after the break, the players showed a fantastic response and we should have gone on to win. "But for (Charlton goalkeeper) Dean Kiely, who made three tremendous saves, we could have scored five or six." "To take the lead and then to get penned back, it feels a little bit like a defeat," admitted Kiely. "We were winning but Middlesbrough kept knocking on the door. But we stood up and credit to us we didn't capitulate. "We'll kick on now. Our short term ambition is to progress from the seventh place finish from last year." Nash, Reiziger (Graham 82), Riggott, Southgate, Queudrue, Parlour (Job 86), Doriva, Nemeth (Parnaby 87), Zenden, Downing, Hasselbaink. Subs Not Used: Cooper, Knight. Riggott 74, Graham 86. Kiely, Hreidarsson, Perry, El Karkouri, Young, Konchesky, Murphy (Euell 78), Holland, Kishishev, Thomas (Johansson 72), Bartlett. Subs Not Used: Fish, Jeffers, Andersen. Konchesky, Hreidarsson, Perry. Holland 14, Bartlett 80. 29,603 M Riley (W Yorkshire).


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


Arsenal's Brazilian midfielder Edu has hit out at the club for stalling over offering him a new contract. Edu's deal expires next summer and he has been linked with Spanish trio Real Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. He told BBC Sport: "I'm not sure if I want to stay or not because the club have let the situation go on this far. "If they had really wanted to sign they should have come up with an offer six months before indicating they wanted to sign me and that's made me think." Edu's brother and representative Amadeo Fensao has previously said that Arsenal's current offer to the midfielder was well short of what he was seeking. And Edu, 26, added: "My brother is due to come to London on Thursday. "There is a meeting planned for 6 or 7 January to sort it out with Arsenal. "Now I have a choice to stay or go. I want to sort it out as soon as possible, that's in the best interests of both the club and myself. "I'm going to make my decision after the meeting later this week." Edu is now able to begin negotiations with other clubs because Fifa regulations allow players to start talks six months before their contracts expire. The midfielder, who broke in to the Brazilian national side in 2004, admitted he had been flattered to have been linked with the three Spanish giants. Edu said: "I've just heard stories from the news that the Madrid president Florentino Perez, the Valencia people, as well as Barcelona are interested. "That's nice, but I've never talked to them, so I can't say they want me sign 100%." Last month Wenger said he we was hopeful Edu would sign a new deal and played down suggestions that the lure of a club like Real Madrid would be too strong for Edu. Edu added that he had been encouraged by Wenger's support for him. "I still have a good relationship with Arsene Wenger he's always said he wants me to sign."


Net users are getting the chance to fight back against spam websites Internet portal Lycos has made a screensaver that endlessly requests data from sites that sell the goods and services mentioned in spam e mail. Lycos hopes it will make the monthly bandwidth bills of spammers soar by keeping their servers running flat out. The net firm estimates that if enough people sign up and download the tool, spammers could end up paying to send out terabytes of data. "We've never really solved the big problem of spam which is that its so damn cheap and easy to do," said Malte Pollmann, spokesman for Lycos Europe. "In the past we have built up the spam filtering systems for our users," he said, "but now we are going to go one step further." "We've found a way to make it much higher cost for spammers by putting a load on their servers." By getting thousands of people to download and use the screensaver, Lycos hopes to get spamming websites constantly running at almost full capacity. Mr Pollmann said there was no intention to stop the spam websites working by subjecting them with too much data to cope with. He said the screensaver had been carefully written to ensure that the amount of traffic it generated from each user did not overload the web. "Every single user will contribute three to four megabytes per day," he said, "about one MP3 file." But, he said, if enough people sign up spamming websites could be force to pay for gigabytes of traffic every single day. Lycos did not want to use e mail to fight back, said Mr Pollmann. "That would be fighting one bad thing with another bad thing," he said. The sites being targeted are those mentioned in spam e mail messages and which sell the goods and services on offer. Typically these sites are different to those that used to send out spam e mail and they typically only get a few thousand visitors per day. The list of sites that the screensaver will target is taken from real time blacklists generated by organisations such as Spamcop. To limit the chance of mistakes being made, Lycos is using people to ensure that the sites are selling spam goods. As these sites rarely use advertising to offset hosting costs, the burden of high bandwidth bills could make spam too expensive, said Mr Pollmann. Sites will also slow down under the weight of data requests. Early results show that response times of some sites have deteriorated by up to 85%. Users do not have to be registered users of Lycos to download and use the screensaver. While working, the screensaver shows the websites that are being bothered with requests for data. The screensaver is due to be launched across Europe on 1 December and before now has only been trialled in Sweden. Despite the soft launch, Mr Pollmann said that the screensaver had been downloaded more than 20,000 times in the last four days. "There's a huge user demand to not only filter spam day by day but to do something more," he said "Before now users have never had the chance to be a bit more offensive."


A new European directive could put software writers at risk of legal action, warns former programmer and technology analyst Bill Thompson. If it gets its way, the Dutch government will conclude its presidency of the European Union by pushing through a controversial measure that has been rejected by the European Parliament, lacks majority support from national governments and will leave millions of European citizens in legal limbo and facing the possibility of court cases against them. If the new law was about border controls, defence or even the new constitution, then our TV screens would be full of experts agonising over the impact on our daily lives. Sadly for those who will be directly affected, the controversy concerns the patenting of computer programs, a topic that may excite the bloggers, campaigning groups and technical press but does not obsess Middle Britain. After all, how much fuss can you generate about the Directive on the Patentability of Computer Implemented Inventions, and the way it amends Article 52 of the 1973 European Patent Convention? Yet if the new directive is nodded through at the next meeting of one of the EU's ministerial councils, as seems likely, it will allow programs to be patented in Europe just as they are in the US. Many observers of the computing scene, including myself, think the results will be disastrous for small companies, innovative programmers and the free and open source software movement. It will let large companies patent all sorts of ideas and give legal force to those who want to limit their competitors' use of really obvious ideas. In the US you cannot build a system that stores customer credit card details so that they can pay without having to re enter them unless Amazon lets you, because they hold the patent on "one click" online purchase. It is a small invention, but Amazon made it to the patent office first and now owns it. We are relatively free from this sort of thing over here, but perhaps not for long. The new proposals go back to 2002, although argument about patentability of software and computer implemented inventions has been going on since at least the mid 1980s. They have come to a head now after a year in which proposals were made, endorsed by the Council of Ministers, radically modified by the European Parliament and then re presented in their original form. Some national governments seem to be aware of the problems. Poland has rejected the proposal and Germany's main political parties have opposed it, but there is not enough opposition to guarantee their rejection. Early in December the British government held a consultation meeting with those who had commented on the proposals. Science Minister Lord Sainsbury went along to listen and outline the UK position, but according to those present, it was embarrassing to see how little the minister and his officials actually understood the issues concerned. The draft Directive is being put through the council as what is called an "A" item and can only be approved or rejected. No discussion or amendment is allowed. So why should we be worried? First, there is the abuse of the democratic process involved in disregarding the views of the parliament and abandoning all of their carefully argued amendments. This goes to the heart of the European project, and even those who do not care about software or patents should be worried. If coders are treated like this today, who is to say that it will not be you tomorrow? More directly, once software patents are granted then any programmer will have to worry that the code they are writing is infringing someone else's patent. This is not about stealing software, as code is already protected by copyright. Patents are not copyright, but something much stronger. A patent gives the owner the right to stop anyone else using their invention, even if the other person invented it separately. I have never, to my shame, managed to read Lord Byron's Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. If it was pointed out that one of my articles contained a substantial chunk of the poem then I could defend myself in court by claiming that I had simply made it up and it was coincidence. The same does not hold for a patent. If I sit down this afternoon and write a brilliant graphics compression routine and it happens to be the same as the LZW algorithm used in GIF files, then I am in trouble under patent law, at least in the US. Coincidence is no defence. The proposed directive is supported by many of the major software companies, but this is hardly surprising since most of them are US based and they have already had to cope with a legal environment that allows patents. They have legal departments and, more crucially, patents of their own which they can trade or cross license with other patent holders. Even this system breaks down, of course, as Microsoft found out last year when they initially lost a case brought by Eolas which claimed that Internet Explorer (and other browsers) infringed an Eolas patent. That one was eventually thrown out, but only after months of uncertainty and millions of dollars. But small companies, and the free and open software movement do not have any patents to trade. Much of the really useful software we use every day, programs like the Apache web server, the GNU/Linux operating system and the fearsomely popular Firefox browser, is developed outside company structures by people who do not have legal departments to check for patent infringements. The damage to software will not happen overnight, of course. If the directive goes through it has to be written into national laws and then there will be a steady stream of legal actions against small companies and open source products. Eventually someone will decide to attack Linux directly, probably with some secret funding from one or two large players. The new directive will limit innovation by forcing programmers to spend time checking for patent infringements or simply avoiding working in potentially competitive areas. And it will damage Europe's computer industry. We can only hope that the Council of Ministers has the integrity and strength to reject this bad law. Bill Thompson is a regular commentator on the BBC World Service programme Go Digital.


Tony Blair has become the Labour Party's longest serving prime minister. The 51 year old premier has marked his 2,838th day in the post, overtaking the combined length of Harold Wilson's two terms during the 1960s and 1970s. If Mr Blair wins the next election and fulfils his promise to serve a full third term, he will surpass Margaret Thatcher's 11 years by the end of 2008. In 1997, Mr Blair became the youngest premier of the 20th century, when he came to power at the age of 43. The last prime minister to be installed at a younger age was Lord Liverpool, who was a year his junior in 1812. Mr Blair's other political firsts include becoming the first Labour leader to win two successive full terms in power after the 2001 Labour landslide. And the birth of the Blairs' fourth child, Leo, on 20 May, 2000, was the first child born to a serving prime minister in more than 150 years. The last "Downing Street dad" was Lord John Russell in 1848. Labour won a huge majority of 167 over the Conservatives in 2001, but Mr Blair has since been criticised by many in his own party. The war in Iraq and reforms of the health service and education system have provoked dissent from backbenchers. Gordon Brown, chancellor of the exchequer under Mr Blair, became Britain's longest serving chancellor of modern times in 2004. Former Labour leader Lord Kinnock said the chancellor would be best placed to take over from Mr Blair. When asked about the future leadership of the party, he told ITV Wales' Waterfront programme: "That contest is a long way away and it will occur only when the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, decides he's subscribed all he can and then wants to go. "I think that the main contender will be Gordon Brown, who is a man of virtually unmatched capability and now great experience." Both Mr Brown and Mr Blair rose to prominence when Lord Kinnock led Labour between 1983 and 1992.


The Tories are to back controversial government plans to introduce ID cards. The shadow cabinet revealed its support ahead of next week's Commons vote on a bill to introduce compulsory ID. The decision follows a "tough meeting" where some senior Tories argued vociferously against the move, party sources told the BBC. The bill, which ministers claim will tackle crime, terrorism and illegal immigration, is expected to be opposed by the Liberal Democrats. They have said the scheme is "deeply flawed" and a waste of money. Sources within the Conservative Party told the BBC Michael Howard has always been in favour of ID cards, and tried to introduce them when he was Home Secretary. The party has been "agnostic" on the issue until now but had now decided to come off the fence, the Tory source said. Despite giving their backing to ID cards, the Conservatives insisted they would hold ministers to account over the precise purpose of the scheme. They said they would also press Labour over whether objectives could be met and whether the Home Office would deliver them. And they pledged to assess the cost effectiveness of ID cards and whether people's privacy would be properly protected. "It is important to remember that this bill will take a decade to come into full effect," a spokesman said. "It will do nothing to solve the immediate problems of rising crime and uncontrolled immigration." Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten said: "This has all the signs of Michael Howard overruling colleagues' concerns over ID cards. "The Tories should have the courage to try and change public opinion not follow it." The new chairman of the Bar Council, Guy Mansfield QC warned there was a real risk that people on the "margins of society" would be driven into the hands of extremists. "What is going to happen to young Asian men when there has been a bomb gone off somewhere? They are going to be stopped. If they haven't ID cards they are going to be detained."


Plans to create a single correctional agency for Scotland have been scrapped. The Scottish Executive will not now merge the Scottish Prison Service with local authority social work criminal justice departments. The National Correctional Agency would have provided a 'one stop' justice system but has been abandoned in the wake of stiff opposition. Instead, Scottish councils and the prison service will be compelled to work more closely to cut reoffending. The plan was to ensure offenders were monitored by the same body during and after prison, preventing many from being lost in the system and helping more of them to stop reoffending. Scotland's reoffending rate is high, with more than 60% of prisoners reconvicted within two years of release from jail. This is leading to an ever expanding prison population and the executive wants to tackle the problem. Ministers thought merging the prison service with the council controlled criminal justice social work departments, which provide community sentences, might have provided an answer. However, following a consultation on the idea, Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson has decided to drop the plans. Instead, Ms Jamieson will change the law to help produce a closer working relationship between both elements of the justice system. She will announce the move in her Criminal Justice Plan on Monday, aiming to "break down the barriers between what happens in prison and what happens in the community". The new measures will place a new statutory duty on the SPS to work with local authorities and others in area partnerships. A national advisory board on offender management will also be created to advise Ms Jamieson on the SPS's role and performance in reducing reoffending. The minister said: "Better joint working will help prisons play a much stronger role in ending reoffending behaviour and in particular help address the revolving door of reoffending that sees offenders entering prison for short periods during which little is done to address the behaviour that brought them there. "Communities who are paying the price for this reoffending both in terms of crime and in terms of prison costs expect better. "It costs the taxpayer 35,000 a year to provide each prison place and that cost is increasing. "Taxpayers who suffer the consequences of crime also end up paying for keeping those people in prison. "Therefore, as we continue to invest in the service, it is only right that we seek to ensure that that service becomes more accountable to the public it serves, to ministers and to parliament."


Former France centre Philippe Sella believes coach Bernard Laporte must recall Frederic Michalak to give his side any chance of beating Ireland. Sella admitted he had been impressed by current fly half Yann Delaigue in the RBS Six Nations to date. But he told BBC Sport: "Michalak is the answer both now and for the future. Delaigue deserved his chance but the time has come to bring back Michalak. "He does have weaknesses but has the all round game to upset Ireland." The 22 year old Michalak has spent much of the tournament on the bench after Delaigue impressed for Castres early in the season. With Michalak overlooked, the French stuttered to narrow wins over Scotland and then England before ironically playing their best rugby in the defeat to Wales. "The Wales game was amazing to watch but never did I think the French could lose that game at half time," said Sella. "Their only mistakes were that they didn't score enough points in the first half and were a little bit less focused in the second... but only a little bit." Sella, however, insisted the pressure had eased on the under fire Laporte, despite the defeat at the Stade de France. "This season is very important for shaping a team for the 2007 World Cup," said Sella, "which Laporte is doing very well. The French get better every game. "It's difficult, though, when you change a team and you change your tactics as everything has to gel. "But he has the players and the talent to take them all the way to World Cup victory. "As a result, it is important that people give him time. It may not seem good now that we're not winning the Grand Slam but no one will care in two years time if we're world champions." The majority of media criticism centred on the way in which France produced a performance devoid of running rugby in their opening two games. But while Sella admitted he liked the more flowing style employed against Wales, he said "the win was most important". "Winning is all that matters," he added. "Ok, the flair may not have been so good, but the discipline, organisation and defence was there, which are all important ahead of 2007." France play what Sella believes is their hardest game of the Six Nations against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday 12 March. The French go into the game as clear underdogs. But Sella added: "People forget that France can still win the Six Nations and they'll be focused on that. "But Ireland will be going for even more in front of their home crowd. It's going to be tough."


An Austrian village is testing technology that could represent the future of television. The people of Engerwitzdorf are filming, editing and producing their own regional news channel. The channel covers local politics, sports, events and anything that residents want to film and are prepared to upload for others to watch on PCs. The pilot has been so successful that Telekom Austria is now considering setting up other projects elsewhere. "It's growing unbelievably fast," said Rudolf Fischer, head of Telekom Austria's fixed line division. The trial of Buntes Fernsehen (Multi Coloured TV) was started in late 2004 and creates a net based TV station run by the 8,000 residents of Engerwitzdorf. The hardware and software to turn video footage into edited programmes has been provided by Telekom Austria but this equipment, following training, has been turned over to the villagers. Any video programme created by the villagers is uploaded to a Buntes Fernsehen portal that lets people browse and download what they want to watch. Most people watch the TV on their home PC and a broadband connection is needed to get broadcast quality programmes. In the first four months of the project villagers have created 60 films and put together regular reports on local news items. "They have adopted it very quickly," said Mr Fischer. "They like the possibility to create their own content and see what's going on in the area." "It's kind of the democratisation of local TV," he said, "because none of the bigger broadcasters would ever do anything like this for that region." The Buntes Fernsehen project has been such a success that Telekom Austria is now considering setting up other schemes in similarly rural areas. Mr Fischer said it was taking the roll out to other areas slowly because of the work involved in setting up the scheme, getting backers from local government and educating people how to make programmes. The Engerwitzdorf scheme is an outgrowth of Telekom Austria's online TV channel Aon which lets people watch programmes on their PC. Aon streams a couple of live channels, plus sports, news and music programmes on to the net and has a pay for download section that lets people watch what they want when they want to watch it. In October a larger TV on demand project is due to launch in Vienna that will let people download many programmes from the net.


Two senior officials at one of China's top commercial banks have reportedly disappeared after funds worth up to 120m ( 64m) went missing. The pair both worked at Bank of China in the northern city of Harbin, the South China Morning Post reported. The latest scandal at Bank of China will do nothing to reassure foreign investors that China's big four banks are ready for international listings. Government policy sees the bank listings as vital economic reforms. Bank of China is one of two frontrunners in the race to list overseas. The other is China Construction Bank. Both are expected to list abroad during 2005. They shared a 45bn state bailout in 2003, to help clean up their balance sheets in preparation for a foreign stock market debut. However, a report in the China published Economic Observer said on Monday that the two banks may have scrapped plans to list in New York because of the cost of meeting regulatory requirements imposed since the Enron scandal. Bank of China is the country's biggest foreign exchange dealer, while China Construction Bank is the largest deposit holder. China's banking sector is burdened with at least 190bn of bad debt according to official data, though most observers believe the true figure is far higher. Officially, one in five loans is not being repaid. Attempts to strengthen internal controls and tighten lending policies have uncovered a succession of scandals involving embezzlement by bank officials and loans for favours. The most high profile case involved the ex president of Bank of China, Wang Xuebing, jailed for 12 years in 2003. Although, he committed the offences whilst running Bank of China in New York, Mr Wang was head of China Construction Bank when the scandal broke. Earlier this month, a China Construction Bank branch manager was jailed for life in a separate case. China's banks used to act as cash offices for state enterprises and did not require checks on credit worthiness. The introduction of market reforms has been accompanied by attempts to modernise the banking sector, but links between banks and local government remain strong. Last year, China's premier, Wen Jiabao, targeted bank lending practices in a series of speeches, and regulators ordered all big loans to be scrutinised, in an attempt to cool down irresponsible lending. China's leaders see reforming the top four banks as vital to distribute capital to profitable companies and protect the health of China's economic boom. But two problems persist. First, inefficient state enterprises continue to receive protection from bankruptcy because they employ large numbers of people. Second, many questionable loans come not from the big four, but from smaller banks. Another high profile financial firm, China Life, is facing shareholder lawsuits and a probe by the US Securities and Exchange Commission following its 2004 New York listing over its failure to disclose accounting irregularities at its parent company.


Billions of pounds spent on conflict in Iraq and in the Middle East should have been used to reduce poverty, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor has said. The head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales made the comments on BBC Radio 4 and will re iterate his stance in his Christmas Midnight Mass. The cardinal used a Christmas message to denounce the war in Iraq as a "terrible" waste of money. He and the Archbishop of Canterbury have both spoken out about the war. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day slot, he criticised the fact that "billions" have been spent on war, instead of being used to bring people "out of dire poverty and malnourishment and disease". The cardinal said 2005 should be the year for campaigning to "make history poverty". He added: "If the governments of the rich countries were as ready to devote to peace the resources they are willing to commit to war, that would be to see with new eyes and speak with a new voice and perhaps then others would listen to us with new ears." The cardinal will touch on this theme again on Friday night when he will tell the congregation of 2,000 at Westminster Cathedral that peace is "worth, always, striving for". "How is it that peace has not arrived?," the cardinal will ask. "How is it that there is war in Iraq, violence in the Holy Land, and the horror of pain and death amongst the poor and deprived who suffer from injustice and thus do not find peace?" "How can one wish a happy Christmas for our fellow Christians in Iraq or in the Holy Land or those who suffer in Africa unless you and I, in whatever way is open to us, say and do what makes for peace?" Both the Cardinal and Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams appealed for the weapons inspectors to be given more time in Iraq before the war started. Dr Williams has since criticised the government over its case for war, saying the failure to find weapons of mass destruction had damaged faith in the political system. On Friday, the Cardinal will ask the congregation to search for peace. "It is possible, it is real, it is worth, always, striving for, because of the promise of Our Saviour," he will say. "I also wish you peace in your homes because peace in your home is the beginning of peace in the homes of the community. " A spokesman said Downing Street had no comment to make. But Prime Minister Tony Blair has said he will put Africa at the top of the agenda when Britain chairs the G8 summit next year.


Celtic's Henri Camara and Nacho Novo of Rangers have both been suspended for offences missed by the referee in a recent Old Firm game. Both were given automatic one match bans and 12 additional disciplinary points for their actions. That means Novo will miss a further two games because of his prior record. Camara will miss one additional game. Novo was found guilty of stamping on Celtic's Stephen Pearson. Camara was punished for kicking Gregory Vignal. "I'm extremely disappointed. I don't know if there's a lot to add to that," said Rangers manager Alex McLeish of Novo's punishment. "But what I will say is that I'm at a loss as to why that incident should be picked up and highlighted when there were so many other incidents during the game." Both players will miss this weekend's games when Celtic host Dundee United and Rangers visit Kilmarnock unless they decide to appeal. The additional bans come into effect from 28 December meaning Camara will also be unavailable for the home game against Livingston while Novo will miss the meetings with Dundee United and Dunfermline. An SFA spokesman said: "They have seven days to appeal but with matches coming along at the weekend they would need to do so before Friday. "But if they do appeal it won't be heard before this weekend because it takes a bit of time to seat up an appeals tribunal." Meanwhile, Bob Malcolm and Rangers have been informed by letter as to the outcome of the hearing regarding his reaction to Rangers being awarded a penalty in the same game. Malcolm, a substitute on the day, was taken from the Rangers dug out and spoken to by police about an alleged gesture he made. But the SFA would not detail what, if any, punishment Malcolm would receive. "Once Rangers receive our letter we will be in a position to make a comment on the findings," added the spokesman.


Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will not face any Football Association action over the comments he made after their Carling Cup tie with Manchester United. Mourinho intimated that United boss Sir Alex Ferguson influenced referee Neale Barry after the duo walked down the tunnel together at half time. But an FA spokesman told BBC Sport: "We are not taking action over Mourinho. "We have looked at the comments and we have decided that no further action is required. That is the end of it." Mourinho was concerned that Ferguson's conversation with Barry was followed by an inconsistent display by the official. "I see one referee in the first half and another in the second," said Mourinho. "If the FA ask me what happened, I will tell them. What I saw and felt made it easier to understand a few things. "Maybe when I turn 60 and have been managing in the same league for 20 years and have the respect of everybody I will have the power to speak to people and make them tremble a little bit. "The referee controlled the game in one way during the first half but in the second they had dozens of free kicks. It was fault after fault, dive after dive. "But I know the referee did not walk to the dressing rooms alone at half time. He should only have had his two assistants and the fourth official with him, but there was also someone else." Referees chief Keith Hackett believes Mourinho should retract his comments about Ferguson and Barry as he believes the Blues boss has questioned their integrity. "I'm hoping he might reconsider his comments, unfortunately this is the nature of the game," said Hackett. "I don't want referees or myself getting in the psychological warfare between two managers. For the second leg we have an experienced referee, and we should be talking about the quality of that game rather than the refereeing. "Sometimes managers have grounds for comments, and I note that, but a referees integrity has been questioned, that is offensive and should be avoided. Mr Mourinho should look at the facts." Mourinho added that the match was entertaining for a goalless draw and insisted his team could still reach the final. "It's 0 0, so if we win we go through and if we get a draw we go to extra time," he said. "We have exactly the same chance we had before this game. "We are confident of getting a result but we know what Manchester United is, a footballing power. It'll be difficult for us, but also for them."