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1,897	'Evil twin' fear for wireless net People using wireless high-speed net (wi-fi) are being warned about fake hotspots, or access points. The latest threat, nicknamed evil twins, pose as real hotspots but are actually unauthorised base stations, say Cranfield University experts. Once logged onto an Evil Twin, sensitive data can be intercepted. Wi-fi is becoming popular as more devices come with wireless capability. London leads the global wi-fi hotspots league, with more than 1,000. The number of hotspots is expected to reach 200,000 by 2008, according to analysts. "Users need to be wary of using their wi-fi enabled laptops or other portable devices in order to conduct financial transactions or anything that is of a sensitive or personal nature," said Professor Brian Collins, head of information systems at Cranfield University. "Users can also protect themselves by ensuring that their wi-fi device has its security measures activated," he added. BT Openzone, which operates a vast proportion of public hotspots in the UK, told the BBC News website that it made every effort to make its wi-fi secure. "Naturally, people may have security concerns," said Chris Clark, chief executive for BT's wireless broadband. "But wi-fi networks are no more or less vulnerable than any other means of accessing the internet, like broadband or dial-up." He said BT Openzone, as well as others, have sophisticated encryption from the start of the login process to the service at a hotspot. "This means that users' personal information and data, logon usernames and passwords are protected and secure," said Mr Clark. In the vast majority of cases, base stations straight out of the box from the manufacturers are automatically set up with the least secure mode possible, said Dr Nobles. Cybercriminals who try to glean personal information using the scam, jam connections to a legitimate base station by sending a stronger signal near to the wireless client. Anyone with the right gear can find a real hotspot and substitute it with an evil twin. "Cybercriminals don't have to be that clever to carry out such an attack," said Dr Phil Nobles, a wireless net and cybercrime expert at Cranfield. "Because wireless networks are based on radio signals they can be easily detected by unauthorised users tuning into the same frequency." Although wi-fi is increasing in popularity as more people want to use high-speed net on the move, there have been fears over how secure it is. Some companies have been reluctant to use them in large numbers because of fears about security. A wireless network that is not protected can provide a backdoor into a company's computer system. Public wi-fi hotspots offered by companies like BT Openzone and The Cloud, are accessible after users sign up and pay for use. But many home and company wi-fi networks are left unprotected and can be "sniffed out" and hi-jacked by anyone with the correct equipment. "BT advises that customers should change all default settings, make sure that their security settings on all equipment are configured correctly," said Mr Clark. "We also advocate the use of personal firewalls to ensure that only authorised users can have access and that data cannot be intercepted." Dr Nobles is due to speak about wireless cybercrime at the Science Museum's Dana Centre in London on Thursday.	Public wi-fi hotspots offered by companies like BT Openzone and The Cloud, are accessible after users sign up and pay for use.People using wireless high-speed net (wi-fi) are being warned about fake hotspots, or access points.Wi-fi is becoming popular as more devices come with wireless capability.London leads the global wi-fi hotspots league, with more than 1,000.BT Openzone, which operates a vast proportion of public hotspots in the UK, told the BBC News website that it made every effort to make its wi-fi secure."Users need to be wary of using their wi-fi enabled laptops or other portable devices in order to conduct financial transactions or anything that is of a sensitive or personal nature," said Professor Brian Collins, head of information systems at Cranfield University.Although wi-fi is increasing in popularity as more people want to use high-speed net on the move, there have been fears over how secure it is."This means that users' personal information and data, logon usernames and passwords are protected and secure," said Mr Clark."Cybercriminals don't have to be that clever to carry out such an attack," said Dr Phil Nobles, a wireless net and cybercrime expert at Cranfield."Naturally, people may have security concerns," said Chris Clark, chief executive for BT's wireless broadband."Users can also protect themselves by ensuring that their wi-fi device has its security measures activated," he added.
875	Tarantino to direct CSI episode Film director Quentin Tarantino is to direct an episode of US television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. The Oscar-winning Pulp Fiction director has also written an original story for the season finale episode. CSI's co-producer, Carol Mendelsohn, said the episode would have "more bugs and blood" than usual. It is not Tarantino's first venture into TV. In 1995 he directed an episode of the medical drama ER and has also appeared in Alias. Ms Mendelsohn said the production team had been trying for a while to get Tarantino to direct an episode of CSI, and added that he was a fan of the forensic drama. She said he finally agreed a few weeks ago while CSI was doing some location shooting in Las Vegas and the show's stars persuaded him. "He knows everything there is to know about CSI, and he is into the whole mythology of CSI," Mendelsohn said. "Quentin came in a couple of weeks ago. We had a story meeting with the writers. "He had a great idea, and it was so much fun to have him in the room... we are positively giddy." Filming is due to start in early April and the Tarantino-directed episode will be broadcast in the US on 19 May.	Ms Mendelsohn said the production team had been trying for a while to get Tarantino to direct an episode of CSI, and added that he was a fan of the forensic drama.Film director Quentin Tarantino is to direct an episode of US television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.She said he finally agreed a few weeks ago while CSI was doing some location shooting in Las Vegas and the show's stars persuaded him.The Oscar-winning Pulp Fiction director has also written an original story for the season finale episode.CSI's co-producer, Carol Mendelsohn, said the episode would have "more bugs and blood" than usual.
1,929	Nuclear body seeks new tech The computer systems used to monitor the world's nuclear power installations are so outdated that they are hampering the work of inspectors. A spokesman for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said its current technology could allow key information to be overlooked as it was more than 20 years old. Such systems are the only method of tracking nuclear material worldwide. The agency has appealed for more funds to update its hardware and software. "A major overhaul of the system is needed to allow inspectors immediate, secure online access to information," said project manager Livio Costantini. IAEA inspectors make around 3,000 visits a year to more than 900 nuclear facilities worldwide. They are there to verify official reports of activities in the plants, to carry out environmental checks, and also to look for any signs that nuclear material is being smuggled in or out of the facility. The computer system inspectors currently use for comparing data from earlier visits, for instance, was built in the 1970s and largely paper based. An IAEA spokesman said this was extremely inefficient and makes searching for anomalies like searching for a needle in a haystack. The organisation is aiming to start a system upgrade in November, aiming to provide inspectors in the field with secure online access to previous inspection data, design blueprints of nuclear facilities, even satellite images of the plant. Where possible, it hopes to link the system with national records of the import and export of nuclear materials. Further analysis of these could help spot potential smuggling activities or illicit technology transfers between countries, according to a spokesman. Computer specialist at the IAEA, Peter Smith, would like to be able to incorporate state of the art visualisation techniques, more familiar to video games players, into the inspector's toolkit. "The commercials you now see have people are moving around in a virtual world," he said. "If we could have that on our laptops, we could be walking through the plant seeing, on the laptop, how the plant should look. "And if there's a door in the wall that is not on our laptop, then we have a problem." The IAEA estimates the total cost of the four-year project to upgrade its technology will be $40m. So far it has only received $11m from the US and the UK. "Failure to replace the hardware and software, and to integrate fully all the information system components will carry large risks," said an agency statement.	A spokesman for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said its current technology could allow key information to be overlooked as it was more than 20 years old.IAEA inspectors make around 3,000 visits a year to more than 900 nuclear facilities worldwide.Such systems are the only method of tracking nuclear material worldwide."Failure to replace the hardware and software, and to integrate fully all the information system components will carry large risks," said an agency statement."A major overhaul of the system is needed to allow inspectors immediate, secure online access to information," said project manager Livio Costantini.The organisation is aiming to start a system upgrade in November, aiming to provide inspectors in the field with secure online access to previous inspection data, design blueprints of nuclear facilities, even satellite images of the plant.The computer systems used to monitor the world's nuclear power installations are so outdated that they are hampering the work of inspectors.An IAEA spokesman said this was extremely inefficient and makes searching for anomalies like searching for a needle in a haystack.
1,095	Game warnings 'must be clearer' Violent video games should carry larger warnings so parents can understand what their children are playing, the trade and industry secretary has said. Patricia Hewitt is expected to call for the law banning the sale of 18-rated games to children to be enforced better at a games industry meeting on Sunday. She is concerned too many children are playing games aimed at adults which include "high levels of violence". Parents are expected to spend millions on video games as Christmas presents. Violent games have been hit by controversy after the game Manhunt was blamed by the parents of 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah, who was stabbed to death in Leicester in February. His mother, Giselle, said her son's killer, Warren Leblanc, 17 - who was jailed for life in September - had mimicked behaviour in the game. Police investigating the Stefan's murder dismissed its influence and Manhunt was not part of its legal case. Ahead of Sunday's meeting in London, Ms Hewitt said she was proud of the UK's "vibrant games industry" but was concerned too many children were playing games which should only be sold to adults. Roger Bennett, head of gaming industry body ELSPA, said banning violent games would be wrong. He said: "We don't want to go down that route. We have seen that the government is supportive of the industry." The government is holding a further meeting on Friday with industry and retail representatives as well as the British Board of Film Classification to discuss how labelling can be made clearer. Ms Hewitt said: "Adults should be treated as adults and children as children. It is important that retailers respect the classifications and do not sell games with high levels of violence to minors. "Equally parents need to know what they might be buying for their children. "Video games are different to films or videos, and not all parents have grown up playing games in the way our children do. "We need to look carefully at how we improve content warnings and strengthen sales enforcement." Her call was backed by Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Tessa Jowell who said: "You wouldn't let your child watch the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. You wouldn't let them go to a strip club. "So you shouldn't let them play an 18-rated game. It's the same principle - adults can make their own informed choices, but children can't always and need to be protected." Anyone convicted of selling an 18-rated game to a child can be jailed for six months and fined up to Â£5,000. Rockstar Games, the makers of Manhunt, has said in the past it markets its games responsibly and only targets its adverts at adults.	Ahead of Sunday's meeting in London, Ms Hewitt said she was proud of the UK's "vibrant games industry" but was concerned too many children were playing games which should only be sold to adults.Violent video games should carry larger warnings so parents can understand what their children are playing, the trade and industry secretary has said.Patricia Hewitt is expected to call for the law banning the sale of 18-rated games to children to be enforced better at a games industry meeting on Sunday."Video games are different to films or videos, and not all parents have grown up playing games in the way our children do.Violent games have been hit by controversy after the game Manhunt was blamed by the parents of 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah, who was stabbed to death in Leicester in February.She is concerned too many children are playing games aimed at adults which include "high levels of violence"."So you shouldn't let them play an 18-rated game.Roger Bennett, head of gaming industry body ELSPA, said banning violent games would be wrong.Anyone convicted of selling an 18-rated game to a child can be jailed for six months and fined up to Â£5,000.Ms Hewitt said: "Adults should be treated as adults and children as children.
383	Fed warns of more US rate rises The US looks set for a continued boost to interest rates in 2005, according to the Federal Reserve. Minutes of the December meeting which pushed rates up to 2.25% showed that policy-makers at the Fed are worried about accelerating inflation. The clear signal pushed the dollar up to $1.3270 to the euro by 0400 GMT on Wednesday, but depressed US shares. "The markets are starting to fear a more aggressive Fed in 2005," said Richard Yamarone of Argus Research. The Dow Jones index dropped almost 100 points on Tuesday, with the Nasdaq also falling as key tech stocks were hit by broker downgrades. The dollar also gained ground against sterling on Tuesday, reaching $1.8832 to the pound before slipping slightly on Wednesday morning. The release of the minutes just three weeks after the 14 December meeting was much faster than usual, indicating the Fed wants to keep markets more apprised of its thinking. This, too, is being taken in some quarters as a sign of aggressive moves on interest rates to come. The key Fed funds rate has risen 1.25 percentage points during 2004 from the 46-year low of 1% reached not long after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. That long trough "might be contributing to signs of potentially excessive risk-taking in financial markets", said the Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC), which sets interest rates. The odds now favour a further boost to rates at the next meeting in early February, economists said. But the respite for the dollar, which spent late 2003 being pushed lower against other major currencies by worries about massive US trade and budget deficits, may be short-lived. "You can't rule out a further correction... but we don't think it's a change in direction in the dollar," said Jason Daw at Merrill Lynch. "Nothing fundamental has changed."	Minutes of the December meeting which pushed rates up to 2.25% showed that policy-makers at the Fed are worried about accelerating inflation.The key Fed funds rate has risen 1.25 percentage points during 2004 from the 46-year low of 1% reached not long after the 9/11 attacks in 2001.The US looks set for a continued boost to interest rates in 2005, according to the Federal Reserve.The odds now favour a further boost to rates at the next meeting in early February, economists said.This, too, is being taken in some quarters as a sign of aggressive moves on interest rates to come.The clear signal pushed the dollar up to $1.3270 to the euro by 0400 GMT on Wednesday, but depressed US shares.
683	UK TV channel rapped for CSI ad TV channel Five has been criticised for sending "offensive" and "threatening" advertising material to viewers for a new show about murder scene scientists. Five mailed thousands of fake dossiers including photos of murder victims and an e-mail suggesting the recipient was being stalked by a serial killer. Following complaints, the Advertising Standards Authority contacted Five to cease promotion of crime show CSI:NY. Five admitted it had sent out 55,000 promotion packs but had now stopped. The promotion material was sent in brown envelope of the type used by investigators in the series, a spin-off from the highly successful CSI: Crime Scene Investigation series, which also runs on Five. The pack also features pictures of forensic evidence from a crime scene and a wanted poster, which did have a CSI:NY logo printed in large at the bottom. Five said it had received 100 complaints but that it had been surprised at the reaction because it was "obvious this material is promoting a drama". A Five spokesman said: "In light of the efforts we have made to make the nature of the contents so transparent we are surprised a very small minority of recipients have mistaken it as anything else. "Everyone who was sent this promotion has expressed an interest in receiving details about this particular genre of programming on various websites. "We have also received emails and calls from recipients praising the originality and imagination of the campaign."	The promotion material was sent in brown envelope of the type used by investigators in the series, a spin-off from the highly successful CSI: Crime Scene Investigation series, which also runs on Five.Five admitted it had sent out 55,000 promotion packs but had now stopped.Five said it had received 100 complaints but that it had been surprised at the reaction because it was "obvious this material is promoting a drama".Following complaints, the Advertising Standards Authority contacted Five to cease promotion of crime show CSI:NY.
1,948	Loyalty cards idea for TV addicts Viewers could soon be rewarded for watching TV as loyalty cards come to a screen near you. Any household hooked up to Sky could soon be using smartcards in conjunction with their set-top boxes. Broadcasters such as Sky and ITV could offer viewers loyalty points in return for watching a particular channel or programme. Sky will activate a spare slot on set-top boxes in January, marketing magazine New Media Age reported. Sky set-top boxes have two slots. One is for the viewer's decryption card, while the other has been dormant until now. Loyalty cards have become a common addition to most wallets, as High Street brands rush to keep customers with a series of incentives offered by store cards. Now similar schemes look set to enter the highly competitive world of multi-channel TV. Viewers who stay loyal to a particular TV channel could be rewarded by free TV content or freebies from retail partners. Broadcasters aiming content at children could offer smartcards which gives membership to exclusive content and clubs. "Parents could pre-pay for some content, as a kind of TV pocket money card," said Nigel Whalley, managing director of media consultancy Decipher. Viewers could even be rewarded for watching ad breaks, with ideas such as ad bingo being touted by firms keen to make money out of the new market, said Mr Whalley. Credit cards that have been chipped could be used in set-top boxes to pay for movies, gambling and gaming. "The idea of an intelligent card in boxes offers a lot of possibilities. It will be down to the ingenuity of the content players," said Mr Whalley. For the BBC, revenue-generating activity will be of little interest but the new development may prompt changes to Freeview set-top boxes, said Mr Whalley. Currently most Freeview boxes do not have a slot which would allow viewers to use a smartcard. Some 7.4 million households have Sky boxes and Sky is hoping to increase this to 10 million by 2010. Loyalty cards could play a role in this, particularly in reducing the number of people who cancel their Sky subscriptions, said Ian Fogg, an analyst with Jupiter Research.	Viewers could soon be rewarded for watching TV as loyalty cards come to a screen near you."Parents could pre-pay for some content, as a kind of TV pocket money card," said Nigel Whalley, managing director of media consultancy Decipher.Credit cards that have been chipped could be used in set-top boxes to pay for movies, gambling and gaming.Any household hooked up to Sky could soon be using smartcards in conjunction with their set-top boxes.Sky set-top boxes have two slots.Broadcasters such as Sky and ITV could offer viewers loyalty points in return for watching a particular channel or programme.Loyalty cards could play a role in this, particularly in reducing the number of people who cancel their Sky subscriptions, said Ian Fogg, an analyst with Jupiter Research.Viewers who stay loyal to a particular TV channel could be rewarded by free TV content or freebies from retail partners.
580	Children vote Shrek 2 best film Young UK film fans voted animated Hollywood hit Shrek 2 best film at the children's Bafta awards on Sunday. More than 6,000 children voted in the only category chosen by fans. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, runner-up in the poll, was the choice of the Bafta experts who named it best feature film. BBC One Saturday morning show Dick and Dom In Da Bungalow won two awards - best entertainment and best presenters for Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood. Former Playschool presenter Floella Benjamin was awarded the Special Award for outstanding creative contribution to children's film and television. She first appeared on Playschool 25 years ago and was made an OBE in 2001 for services to broadcasting. South American-themed cartoon Joko! Jakamoko! Toto! won the honour for pre-school animation and its writer Tony Collingwood for original writer. Debbie Isitt won the award for best adapted writer for her work with Jacqueline Wilson's The Illustrated Mum, which won the award for best schools drama. Schools' Factual (primary) - Thinking Skills: Think About It - Hiding Places Schools' Factual (secondary) - In Search of the Tartan Turban Pre-School Live Action - Balamory Animation - Brush Head Drama - Featherboy Factual - Serious Desert Interactive Bafta - King Arthur International category - 8 Simple Rules for Dating my Teenage Daughter	Young UK film fans voted animated Hollywood hit Shrek 2 best film at the children's Bafta awards on Sunday.Debbie Isitt won the award for best adapted writer for her work with Jacqueline Wilson's The Illustrated Mum, which won the award for best schools drama.Former Playschool presenter Floella Benjamin was awarded the Special Award for outstanding creative contribution to children's film and television.Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, runner-up in the poll, was the choice of the Bafta experts who named it best feature film.BBC One Saturday morning show Dick and Dom In Da Bungalow won two awards - best entertainment and best presenters for Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood.
381	Oil rebounds from weather effect Oil prices recovered in Asian trade on Tuesday, after falling in New York on milder winter weather across the US. With winter temperatures staying relatively high in the northern US, a barrel of light crude ended Monday down $1.33 to $42.12. However crude prices have rebounded in Asia, rising to $42.30 a barrel for February delivery. In London, trading of Brent crude was suspended for a public holiday, but the price fell to $39.20 in the Far East. With milder temperatures expected to continue in the northern parts of the US over the next few days at least, analysts have said the price of oil may fall further - even if the decline was only temporary. "Weather has been the Achilles' heel of this market," said ABN AMRO analyst John Brady. "But it is winter in the northeast. Eventually we'll get another cold blast." Despite a fall of more than $12 a barrel from the record highs reached in late October, the price of crude oil remains almost 30% higher than year-ago levels. Prices rose last week after militant attacks in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, briefly renewed fears that the supply chain might be broken in the world's leading crude exporter. "The market was panicked but fears essentially evaporated... since there was no follow-up," said Deborah White, senior economist for energy at SG Securities in Paris.	With winter temperatures staying relatively high in the northern US, a barrel of light crude ended Monday down $1.33 to $42.12.With milder temperatures expected to continue in the northern parts of the US over the next few days at least, analysts have said the price of oil may fall further - even if the decline was only temporary.Oil prices recovered in Asian trade on Tuesday, after falling in New York on milder winter weather across the US.Despite a fall of more than $12 a barrel from the record highs reached in late October, the price of crude oil remains almost 30% higher than year-ago levels.However crude prices have rebounded in Asia, rising to $42.30 a barrel for February delivery.
628	REM concerts blighted by illness US rock band REM have been forced to cancel concerts after bass player Mike Mills was taken to hospital suffering from "severe flu-like symptoms". The band were forced to cut short Monday night's show in Sheffield, and have cancelled Tuesday's Glasgow date. Mills could "hardly stand up, let alone play", said an REM spokesman, who added he is now "resting" in hospital. The remainder of the band played a short acoustic set on Monday. Tuesday's gig has been rescheduled for 15 June. Those who had a ticket for the show in Glasgow are being advised to retain their ticket stub so they can attend the new date. The band's spokesman said that they would review their remaining dates on a "day-to-day basis", based on doctors' advice to Mills. "Obviously we all want Mike to get better, and clearly we all want to play the shows. Rest assured we will do so as soon as possible," he said. The band were still hopeful they would be able to make their Wednesday date, added the spokesman. REM played accoustic versions of their hits Losing My Religion, I've Been High, Leaving New York and The One I Love to the Sheffield Arena audience on Monday. The band had originally been scheduled to play four dates in the UK as part of a world tour. In 1995 former drummer Bill Berry collapsed in Switzerland while the band was on tour, having suffered a ruptured aneurysm. He made a full recovery, only to leave the band two years later.	The band were forced to cut short Monday night's show in Sheffield, and have cancelled Tuesday's Glasgow date.The band were still hopeful they would be able to make their Wednesday date, added the spokesman.The band had originally been scheduled to play four dates in the UK as part of a world tour.The remainder of the band played a short acoustic set on Monday.Mills could "hardly stand up, let alone play", said an REM spokesman, who added he is now "resting" in hospital.US rock band REM have been forced to cancel concerts after bass player Mike Mills was taken to hospital suffering from "severe flu-like symptoms".
2,169	More movies head to Sony's PSP Movies Open Water and Saw are among those to be made available for Sony's PSP games console. Film studio Lions Gate entertainment has announced an initial list of 12 movies that will be on the UMD format used by the handheld. "The typical buyer of the machine [is] the core demographic to whom our films generally appeal," said Steve Beeks, president of Lions Gate. Already available in Japan, the PSP is released in the US on 24 March. Spider-Man 2 on UMD will be given to the first million customers in the US. The Punisher and House of the Dead along with older titles such as Total Recall and Rambo: First Blood, will be in the UMD format, with disks costing between $20 (Â£10.40) to $30 (Â£15.60) for new titles and $10 (Â£5.20) to $20 for older films. "When we first saw the machine and started talking to Sony, we immediately decided it was going to be a winner, both from the gaming perspective and from the perspective of people watching movies on the go," Mr Beeks said. The disks, which are smaller than DVDs, only work in Sony's PSP and can hold up to 1.8GB of data. "We actually believe people who buy the UMD would not have bought it on DVD," he said. "There are people who will want UMD because of the portability. Maybe they're already taking the games with them out of the house, and they're bigger gamers than they are movie watchers." Four movies have already been announced for PSP. They are: XXX, Hellboy, Resident Evil: Apocalypse and Once Upon a Time in Mexico.	Four movies have already been announced for PSP.Film studio Lions Gate entertainment has announced an initial list of 12 movies that will be on the UMD format used by the handheld.Already available in Japan, the PSP is released in the US on 24 March."There are people who will want UMD because of the portability."We actually believe people who buy the UMD would not have bought it on DVD," he said."When we first saw the machine and started talking to Sony, we immediately decided it was going to be a winner, both from the gaming perspective and from the perspective of people watching movies on the go," Mr Beeks said.
1,981	Online games play with politics After bubbling under for some time, online games broke through onto the political arena in 2004. The US presidential election provided a showcase for many, aimed at talking directly to a generation that has grown up with joysticks and gamepads. Experts say this reflects how video games are becoming a mainstream part of culture and society. The first official political campaign game was technically launched during the last week of 2003: the Iowa Game, commissioned by the Democrat hopeful Howard Dean. More than 20 followed suit, including Frontrunner, eLections, President Forever and The Political Machine, which allowed players to run an entire presidential campaign, including having to cope with the media. Others helped raise the stakes during the Bush/Kerry contest by highlighting a candidate's virtues or his vices. The phenomenon has astonished the forefathers of political games, a handful of multi-discipline games enthusiasts keen to push frontiers. "When I started researching political games at the university, about five years ago, I thought it was going to be something that would take decades to happen," said Gonzalo Frasca, computer games specialist at the Information Technology University of Copenhagen. "I must admit that I was the first person to be surprised at seeing how fast they have evolved," added the Uruguayan-born researcher, who has so far created games for two political campaigns. Many artists and designers are experimenting with this form of gaming with an agenda in projects such as newsgaming.com. The aim is to comment on international news events via games. The ability of games to simulate reality makes them a powerful modelling tool to interact with actual situations in an original way. "Video games generate strong reactions mainly because they are new, but also because our culture needs to learn how to deal with simulation," Mr Frasca told the BBC News website. This was the case with the one he created for a political party in Uruguay, Cambiemos, an online puzzle game that offered a view on how the country's problems could be solved by working together. "It's up to us to explore what we can learn from ourselves through play and video games." Ultimately, Dr Frasca sees games as a small laboratory where we can play with our hopes, fears and beliefs. "Children learn a lot about the world through play. There is no reason why we adults should stop doing it as we grow up." But experts estimate it will still take at least about a decade until this new breed of video gaming communication become a common tool for political campaigns. This is hardly surprising, compared to other forms of mass media like the worldwide web. Only a few years ago, most politicians did not have a webpage, while now it is almost a must-have. Dr Frasca said: "Political campaigns will continue to experiment with video games. They represent a new tool of communication that can reach a younger audience in a language that can clearly speak to them." "It will not replace other forms of political propaganda, but it will integrate itself on to the media ecology of political campaigns."	Dr Frasca said: "Political campaigns will continue to experiment with video games."When I started researching political games at the university, about five years ago, I thought it was going to be something that would take decades to happen," said Gonzalo Frasca, computer games specialist at the Information Technology University of Copenhagen.The first official political campaign game was technically launched during the last week of 2003: the Iowa Game, commissioned by the Democrat hopeful Howard Dean."It will not replace other forms of political propaganda, but it will integrate itself on to the media ecology of political campaigns."The phenomenon has astonished the forefathers of political games, a handful of multi-discipline games enthusiasts keen to push frontiers.After bubbling under for some time, online games broke through onto the political arena in 2004.But experts estimate it will still take at least about a decade until this new breed of video gaming communication become a common tool for political campaigns."I must admit that I was the first person to be surprised at seeing how fast they have evolved," added the Uruguayan-born researcher, who has so far created games for two political campaigns."Video games generate strong reactions mainly because they are new, but also because our culture needs to learn how to deal with simulation," Mr Frasca told the BBC News website."It's up to us to explore what we can learn from ourselves through play and video games."
922	Blair sets date for Africa report The Commission for Africa's report will be released on 11 March - Comic Relief day, Tony Blair has said. July's G8 summit in Gleneagles in Perthshire - chaired by the prime minister - will use the report as the basis for talks on Africa. The announcement followed the final meeting of the commission - which includes singer Bob Geldof - in London. As well as more aid, fairer trade and less debt, the commission is likely to demand action on corruption in Africa. Mr Blair told a news conference: "It will be a report that's brutally frank about the reality, but I hope idealistic about what can be done if the will is there. "It's an ambitious project we have set ourselves and you will have to judge on its outcome when we publish it." Mr Blair has vowed to put Africa at the top of his agenda during his time at the helm of the G8. He acknowledged he would have a "a job of persuading to do" on other nations to get the necessary commitment to debt relief. Bob Geldof, in characteristically blunt style, promised that the commission would not just be a talking shop but would deliver radical new thinking to change direction for Africa. The former rock star's presence on the commission has been interpreted as a sign that it will be uncompromising in its demands. The people involved include two African government leaders and a range of other African politicians, as well as experts from some other developed countries.	The Commission for Africa's report will be released on 11 March - Comic Relief day, Tony Blair has said.As well as more aid, fairer trade and less debt, the commission is likely to demand action on corruption in Africa.Bob Geldof, in characteristically blunt style, promised that the commission would not just be a talking shop but would deliver radical new thinking to change direction for Africa.Mr Blair has vowed to put Africa at the top of his agenda during his time at the helm of the G8.The former rock star's presence on the commission has been interpreted as a sign that it will be uncompromising in its demands.
1,141	Army chiefs in regiments decision Military chiefs are expected to meet to make a final decision on the future of Scotland's Army regiments. A committee of the Army Board, which is made up of the most senior defence figures, will discuss plans for restructuring regiments on Monday. The proposals include cutting Scotland's six single-battalion regiments to five and merging these into a super regiment. The plans have faced stiff opposition from campaigners and politicians alike. The committee's decision must be ratified by Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon and Prime Minister Tony Blair. It is expected that it will be made public next week. When ministers announced a reorganisation of the Army it drew a question mark over the futures of the Black Watch, the Kings Own Scottish Borderers, the Royal Scots, the Royal Highland Fusiliers and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. In October, the Council of Scottish Colonels proposed the merger of the Royal Scots and the King's Own Scottish Borderers into a single battalion. Under their vision, it would be one of five in the new super regiment. The proposals to either merge or amalgamate the six regiments into a super regiment sparked a political outcry, with Labour backbenchers and opposition politicians opposing the plan. They felt the timing was insensitive because the Black Watch was in the frontline in Iraq, suffering casualties. The Save the Scottish Regiments campaigners were so angered they threatened to stand against Labour at the next general election. Speaking ahead of the expected Army Board meeting, a spokesman said: "The government and the Army Board have spent the past four months attempting to trick serving soldiers and the public into thinking their planned changes for the Scottish regiments are for the good of the Army and for that of the serving soldier. "They are very much not for the good and will destroy Scotland's regiments by moulding them into a single super regiment which will lead to severe recruitment problems, a loss of local connections to those regiments and a loss to Scotland of an important part of her heritage and, most importantly, her future - the regiments are the envy of armies around the world." An alternative blueprint had been put forward by Labour MP Eric Joyce, who proposed going ahead with the merger while preserving the other regiments. For a brief time, there was speculation the prime minister might consider the plan, but that now seems unlikely. Speaking in Scotland last week, Mr Blair said the aim was to preserve tradition but introduce a more effective structure and hinted that a super regiment was likely. He said: "They don't want to get rid of the history or the traditions of the regiment or the local connections - far from it, all they want to do is make sure they can transfer people easily across regiments and deploy them more flexibly." The prime minister said he hoped campaigners' concerns would be taken into account but the need for effective change had to be paramount.	"They are very much not for the good and will destroy Scotland's regiments by moulding them into a single super regiment which will lead to severe recruitment problems, a loss of local connections to those regiments and a loss to Scotland of an important part of her heritage and, most importantly, her future - the regiments are the envy of armies around the world."The proposals to either merge or amalgamate the six regiments into a super regiment sparked a political outcry, with Labour backbenchers and opposition politicians opposing the plan.The proposals include cutting Scotland's six single-battalion regiments to five and merging these into a super regiment.Speaking in Scotland last week, Mr Blair said the aim was to preserve tradition but introduce a more effective structure and hinted that a super regiment was likely.A committee of the Army Board, which is made up of the most senior defence figures, will discuss plans for restructuring regiments on Monday.Speaking ahead of the expected Army Board meeting, a spokesman said: "The government and the Army Board have spent the past four months attempting to trick serving soldiers and the public into thinking their planned changes for the Scottish regiments are for the good of the Army and for that of the serving soldier.Under their vision, it would be one of five in the new super regiment.He said: "They don't want to get rid of the history or the traditions of the regiment or the local connections - far from it, all they want to do is make sure they can transfer people easily across regiments and deploy them more flexibly."
1,993	2D Metal Slug offers retro fun Like some drill sergeant from the past, Metal Slug 3 is a wake-up call to today's gamers molly-coddled with slick visuals and fancy trimmings. With its hand-animated sprites and 2D side-scrolling, this was even considered retro when released in arcades four years ago. But a more frantic shooter you will not find at the end of your joypad this year. And yes, that includes Halo 2. Simply choose your grunt and wade through five 2D side-scrolling levels of the most hectic video game blasting you will ever encounter. It is also the toughest game you are likely to play, as hordes of enemies and few lives pile the pressure on. Players must battle soldiers, snowmen, zombies, giant crabs and aliens, not to mention the huge, screen-filling bosses that guard each of the five levels. The shoot-anything-that-moves gameplay is peppered with moments of old-school genius. Fans of robotic gastropods should note the title refers, instead, to the vast array of vehicles on offer in a game stuffed with bizarre hardware. Tanks, jets and submarines can be commandeered, as well as cannon-toting camels, elephants and ostriches - more weaponry on offer than in an acre of Iraq. Doling out justice is a joy thanks to ultra responsive controls, and while this is a tough nut to crack, it is addictive enough to have you gagging for that one last go. And at a mere Â£20, Metal Slug 3 is as cheap as sliced, fried spuds, as the man says. Of course, most of you will ignore this, lacking as it does the visual fireworks of modern blasters. But at a time when blockbuster titles offer only a fresh lick of paint in favour of real innovation, Metal Slug 3 is a fresh gasp of air from an era when the Xbox was not even a twinkle in Bill Gates' eye.	But at a time when blockbuster titles offer only a fresh lick of paint in favour of real innovation, Metal Slug 3 is a fresh gasp of air from an era when the Xbox was not even a twinkle in Bill Gates' eye.Simply choose your grunt and wade through five 2D side-scrolling levels of the most hectic video game blasting you will ever encounter.Fans of robotic gastropods should note the title refers, instead, to the vast array of vehicles on offer in a game stuffed with bizarre hardware.With its hand-animated sprites and 2D side-scrolling, this was even considered retro when released in arcades four years ago.And at a mere Â£20, Metal Slug 3 is as cheap as sliced, fried spuds, as the man says.Like some drill sergeant from the past, Metal Slug 3 is a wake-up call to today's gamers molly-coddled with slick visuals and fancy trimmings.
1,650	Prop Jones ready for hard graft Adam Jones says the Wales forwards are determined to set the perfect attacking platform for the backs by dominating the powerful France pack in Paris. The prop said: "If we get stuffed in the front five our backs have had it. "The mentality of the French is 'scrum, scrum, scrum'. We will see how good France are and the scrum is the key. "I just hope [the backs] carry on where they left off against Italy. It's just up to us in the forwards to win the ball and give them the opportunity." Wales have won two of their last three visits to Stade de France, having secured back-to-back wins under Graham Henry in 1999 and 2001. And with the likes of Shane Williams and Gavin Henson finding top form at the right time, Mike Ruddock's team is now one of international rugby's most potent attacking threats. "Gavin is ridiculously talented. He has been bouncing around the place this week, so he is up for it," warned Jones. France have been criticised for their uncharacteristic one-dimensional play in their victories over Scotland and France. Captain Fabien Pelous has acknowledged his side needs to show more attacking flair, but stressed the game with be won or lost up front. The lock believes the Welsh forwards are not big enough to trouble his side in the scrum or line-out, but Jones insisted his fellow front-row colleagues have nothing to fear. "Gethin [Jenkins] won't be intimidated tomorrow, none of us will," said Jones, who will be facing France for the first time. "We will go out there and front up and hopefully get the ball out to the backs. "Me and Gethin are quite young so it is good to have someone of Mefin's experience in there. "Mefin is a good thinker who puts things across. But what is the saying? If you are good enough you are old enough and Gethin certainly is. "He is a really good player and I imagine he will be on the Lions tour [to New Zealand this summer]."	We will see how good France are and the scrum is the key."Gethin [Jenkins] won't be intimidated tomorrow, none of us will," said Jones, who will be facing France for the first time.Adam Jones says the Wales forwards are determined to set the perfect attacking platform for the backs by dominating the powerful France pack in Paris."We will go out there and front up and hopefully get the ball out to the backs.The lock believes the Welsh forwards are not big enough to trouble his side in the scrum or line-out, but Jones insisted his fellow front-row colleagues have nothing to fear.If you are good enough you are old enough and Gethin certainly is."Me and Gethin are quite young so it is good to have someone of Mefin's experience in there.France have been criticised for their uncharacteristic one-dimensional play in their victories over Scotland and France.
750	Elvis 'set for chart hat-trick' The late US legend Elvis Presley is likely to score his third UK number one single in three weeks on Sunday, according to early sales figures. The king of rock 'n' roll has already had consecutive chart-toppers with Jailhouse Rock and One Night. A Fool Such As I, the next in a series of 18 reissues, is on course to beat the Chemical Brothers to the top. But his next single, It's Now Or Never, will face a challenge from tsunami charity single Grief Never Grows Old. Sir Cliff Richard, Russell Watson, Boy George, Bill Wyman and members of the Bee Gees, the Beach Boys, America and the Eagles are expected to feature on the charity song. Bookmakers have offered odds of 10/1 for all Presley's 18 hits to go back to number one. A Fool Such As I would become the 1,001st number one single in UK chart history after One Night took the 1,000th place on Sunday. The latest release is currently outselling the Chemical Brothers' comeback single Galvanize plus other new releases from Athlete, Ciara and Feeder. Presley's 18 original number ones are being reissued as limited release singles, with fans eager to buy the set to fill a collector's box that went on sale in the first week. Record company Sony BMG is now manufacturing 5,000 more copies of each single than originally planned to meet demand, taking the total number of copies of each song on sale to about 28,000.	A Fool Such As I would become the 1,001st number one single in UK chart history after One Night took the 1,000th place on Sunday.The late US legend Elvis Presley is likely to score his third UK number one single in three weeks on Sunday, according to early sales figures.Presley's 18 original number ones are being reissued as limited release singles, with fans eager to buy the set to fill a collector's box that went on sale in the first week.Bookmakers have offered odds of 10/1 for all Presley's 18 hits to go back to number one.
1,995	'Ultimate game' award for Doom 3 Sci-fi shooter Doom 3 has blasted away the competition at a major games ceremony, the Golden Joystick awards. It was the only title to win twice, winning Ultimate Game of the year and best PC game at the awards, presented by Little Britain star Matt Lucas. The much-anticipated sci-fi horror Doom 3 shot straight to the top of the UK games charts on its release in August. Other winners included Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas which took the Most Wanted for Christmas prize. Only released last week, it was closely followed by Halo 2 and Half-Life 2, which are expected to be big hits when they are unleashed later this month. But they missed out on the prize for the Most Wanted game of 2005, which went to the Nintendo title, The Legend of Zelda. The original Doom, released in 1994, heralded a new era in computer games and introduced 3D graphics. It helped to establish the concept of the first-person shooter. Doom 3 was developed over four years and is thought to have cost around $15m (Â£8.3m). The top honour for the best online game of the year went to Battlefield Vietnam. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay was handed the Unsung Hero Game of 2004. Its release was somewhat eclipsed by Doom 3, which was released on the same week. It was, however, very well received by gamers and was praised for its storyline which differed from the film released around the same time. Electronic Arts was named top publisher of the year, taking the crown from Nintendo which won in 2003. The annual awards are voted for by more than 200,000 readers of computer and video games magazines. Games awards like this have grown in importance. Over the last six years, the UK market for games grew by 100% and was worth a record Â£1,152m in 2003, according to a recent report by analysts Screen Digest.	It was the only title to win twice, winning Ultimate Game of the year and best PC game at the awards, presented by Little Britain star Matt Lucas.Its release was somewhat eclipsed by Doom 3, which was released on the same week.The original Doom, released in 1994, heralded a new era in computer games and introduced 3D graphics.Doom 3 was developed over four years and is thought to have cost around $15m (Â£8.3m).The much-anticipated sci-fi horror Doom 3 shot straight to the top of the UK games charts on its release in August.The top honour for the best online game of the year went to Battlefield Vietnam.The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay was handed the Unsung Hero Game of 2004.
1,998	Gadgets galore on show at fair The 2005 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is a geek's paradise with more than 50,000 new gadgets and technologies launched during the four-day event. Top gadgets at the show are highlighted in the Innovations Showcase, which recognises some of the hottest developments in consumer electronics. The BBC News website took an early pre-show look at some of those technologies that will be making their debut in 2005. One of the key issues for keen gadget users is how to store all their digital images, audio and video files. The 2.5GB and 5GB circular pocket hard drive from Seagate might help. The external USB drive won a CES best innovations design and engineering award and is small enough to slip into a pocket. "It is the kind of storage that appeals to people who want their PCs to look cool," said Seagate. "It is all about style but it also has lots of functionality." "It is the first time you can say a hard drive is sexy," it said. In the centre of the device is a blue light that flashes while data is being written to ensure users do not unplug it when it is busy saving those precious pictures. Universal Electronics' NevoSL is a universal controller that lets people use one device to get at their multimedia content, such as photos, no matter where it is in their house. It can also act as a remote for home theatre and stereo systems. Working with home broadband networks and PCs, the gadget has built-in wireless and a colourful, simple interface. Paul Arling, UEI chief, said consumers face real problems when trying to get at all the files they own that are typically spread across several different devices. He said the Nevo gave people a simple, single way to regain some control over digital media in the home. The Nevo won two awards at CES, one as a Girl's Best Friend award and another for innovation, design and engineering. The gadget is expected to go on sale before the summer and will cost about $799 (Â£425). Hotseat is targeting keen gamers with money to spend with its Solo Chassis gaming chair. The specially-designed chair lets gamers play in surround-sound while stretching out in their own "space". It is compatible with all the major games consoles, DVD players and PCs. "We found that kids love playing in surround sound," said Jay LeBoff from Hotseat. "We are looking at offering different types of seats, depending on the market success of this one." The chair also lets people experience surround sound while watching videos, with wireless control for six surround sound speakers. And a drinks holder. The chair, which looks like a car seat on a skeletal frame, should go on sale in April and is expected to cost $399 (Â£211). Satellite radio is big business in the US. In the UK, the digital radio technology is known as DAB and works on slightly different technology. Eton Corporation's Porsche designed P7131 digital radio set will be launched both as a DAB radio in the UK as well as a satellite radio set in the US. DAB sets have been slow to take-off in the UK, but this one concentrates on sleek looks as much as technology. "It is for the risqué consumer," said an Eton spokesperson. "We are proud of it because it has the sound quality for the audiophile and the looks for the design-conscious consumer." The Porsche radio is set to go on sale at the end of January in the US and in the first quarter of 2005 in the UK. In the US is it expected to cost $250 (Â£133). The average person has a library of 600 digital images estimates the Consumer Electronics Association, the organisation behind CES. This is expected to grow to a massive 3,420 images - or 7.2GB - in five years' time. One gadget that might help swell that collection is Sanyo's tiny handheld VPC-C4 camcorder which is another innovation in design and engineering award winner. It combines high quality video and stills in a very small device. It takes MPEG4 video quality at 30 frames a second and has a four megapixel still camera. Images and video are stored on SD cards, which have come down in price in recent months. A 512MB card will store about 30 minutes of video and 420 stills. The device is so tiny it can be controlled with one thumb. Because images and video are stored on SD memory, it is portable to other devices and means other data like audio can be stored on the card too. Wearable technology has always promised much but failed to deliver because of lack of storage capability and poor design. MPIO's tiny digital USB music players come in an array of fashionable colours, taking a leaf out of the Apple iPod mini book of design and reflecting the desire for gadgets that look good. Slung on a cord, the player would not look too geeky dangling discreetly from the neck. Although the pendant design was launched three months ago, the device emphasises large storage as well as good looks for fashion-conscious gadget fiends. An even dinkier model, the FY500, comes out in May and will store about 256MB of music. The range of players recently won an International Forum design award 2005.	One of the key issues for keen gadget users is how to store all their digital images, audio and video files.MPIO's tiny digital USB music players come in an array of fashionable colours, taking a leaf out of the Apple iPod mini book of design and reflecting the desire for gadgets that look good."We are proud of it because it has the sound quality for the audiophile and the looks for the design-conscious consumer."DAB sets have been slow to take-off in the UK, but this one concentrates on sleek looks as much as technology.One gadget that might help swell that collection is Sanyo's tiny handheld VPC-C4 camcorder which is another innovation in design and engineering award winner.The chair, which looks like a car seat on a skeletal frame, should go on sale in April and is expected to cost $399 (Â£211).Although the pendant design was launched three months ago, the device emphasises large storage as well as good looks for fashion-conscious gadget fiends.The gadget is expected to go on sale before the summer and will cost about $799 (Â£425).The Nevo won two awards at CES, one as a Girl's Best Friend award and another for innovation, design and engineering.In the UK, the digital radio technology is known as DAB and works on slightly different technology.Eton Corporation's Porsche designed P7131 digital radio set will be launched both as a DAB radio in the UK as well as a satellite radio set in the US."It is the kind of storage that appeals to people who want their PCs to look cool," said Seagate.The Porsche radio is set to go on sale at the end of January in the US and in the first quarter of 2005 in the UK.The average person has a library of 600 digital images estimates the Consumer Electronics Association, the organisation behind CES.The 2005 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is a geek's paradise with more than 50,000 new gadgets and technologies launched during the four-day event.Because images and video are stored on SD memory, it is portable to other devices and means other data like audio can be stored on the card too.The external USB drive won a CES best innovations design and engineering award and is small enough to slip into a pocket.Working with home broadband networks and PCs, the gadget has built-in wireless and a colourful, simple interface.It combines high quality video and stills in a very small device.
1,733	O'Connor aims to grab opportunity Johnny O'Connor is determined to make a big impression when he makes his RBS Six Nations debut for Ireland against Scotland on Saturday. The Wasps flanker replaces Denis Leamy but O'Connor knows that the Munster man will be pushing hard for a recall for the following game against England. "It's a 'horses for courses' selection really," said O'Connor. "There's a lot of competition here and I can't just drag my heels around if I don't get picked." It looks a definite head-to-head battle between himself and 23-year-old Leamy - three stone heavier than O'Connor - for the number seven role against the world champions. Nonetheless, all O'Connor is currently concerned about is making an impression while winning his third cap. "Missing the Italian game was disappointing certainly, but you can't dwell on these things - it's part and parcel of rugby. "Denis has been playing really well and deserved his opportunity. "It's a good situation to be in if there are good players around you, pushing for a place in the side." O'Connor, who celebrated his 25th birthday on Wednesday, was touted by Wasps director of rugby Warren Gatland as a possible 2005 Lions Test openside as far back as last September. And his reputation as a breakdown scavenger and heavy hitter has seen him come to the forefront of O'Sullivan's mind for the Scottish tussle. O'Connor added: "It will be interesting to see how situations on the deck is reffed, with the new laws having come in. "Obviously the breakdown a big part of what I do on the pitch so I'm hoping to hold some influence there against what is a very solid Scottish pack." O'Connor will be winning his third cap after making his debut in the victory over South Africa last November.	O'Connor will be winning his third cap after making his debut in the victory over South Africa last November.Nonetheless, all O'Connor is currently concerned about is making an impression while winning his third cap.The Wasps flanker replaces Denis Leamy but O'Connor knows that the Munster man will be pushing hard for a recall for the following game against England."It's a 'horses for courses' selection really," said O'Connor.O'Connor added: "It will be interesting to see how situations on the deck is reffed, with the new laws having come in.O'Connor, who celebrated his 25th birthday on Wednesday, was touted by Wasps director of rugby Warren Gatland as a possible 2005 Lions Test openside as far back as last September.
2,040	TV future in the hands of viewers With home theatre systems, plasma high-definition TVs, and digital video recorders moving into the living room, the way people watch TV will be radically different in five years' time. That is according to an expert panel which gathered at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to discuss how these new technologies will impact one of our favourite pastimes. With the US leading the trend, programmes and other content will be delivered to viewers via home networks, through cable, satellite, telecoms companies, and broadband service providers to front rooms and portable devices. One of the most talked-about technologies of CES has been digital and personal video recorders (DVR and PVR). These set-top boxes, like the US's TiVo and the UK's Sky+ system, allow people to record, store, play, pause and forward wind TV programmes when they want. Essentially, the technology allows for much more personalised TV. They are also being built-in to high-definition TV sets, which are big business in Japan and the US, but slower to take off in Europe because of the lack of high-definition programming. Not only can people forward wind through adverts, they can also forget about abiding by network and channel schedules, putting together their own a-la-carte entertainment. But some US networks and cable and satellite companies are worried about what it means for them in terms of advertising revenues as well as "brand identity" and viewer loyalty to channels. Although the US leads in this technology at the moment, it is also a concern that is being raised in Europe, particularly with the growing uptake of services like Sky+. "What happens here today, we will see in nine months to a years' time in the UK," Adam Hume, the BBC Broadcast's futurologist told the BBC News website. For the likes of the BBC, there are no issues of lost advertising revenue yet. It is a more pressing issue at the moment for commercial UK broadcasters, but brand loyalty is important for everyone. "We will be talking more about content brands rather than network brands," said Tim Hanlon, from brand communications firm Starcom MediaVest. "The reality is that with broadband connections, anybody can be the producer of content." He added: "The challenge now is that it is hard to promote a programme with so much choice." What this means, said Stacey Jolna, senior vice president of TV Guide TV group, is that the way people find the content they want to watch has to be simplified for TV viewers. It means that networks, in US terms, or channels could take a leaf out of Google's book and be the search engine of the future, instead of the scheduler to help people find what they want to watch. This kind of channel model might work for the younger iPod generation which is used to taking control of their gadgets and what they play on them. But it might not suit everyone, the panel recognised. Older generations are more comfortable with familiar schedules and channel brands because they know what they are getting. They perhaps do not want so much of the choice put into their hands, Mr Hanlon suggested. "On the other end, you have the kids just out of diapers who are pushing buttons already - everything is possible and available to them," said Mr Hanlon. "Ultimately, the consumer will tell the market they want." Of the 50,000 new gadgets and technologies being showcased at CES, many of them are about enhancing the TV-watching experience. High-definition TV sets are everywhere and many new models of LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) TVs have been launched with DVR capability built into them, instead of being external boxes. One such example launched at the show is Humax's 26-inch LCD TV with an 80-hour TiVo DVR and DVD recorder. One of the US's biggest satellite TV companies, DirectTV, has even launched its own branded DVR at the show with 100-hours of recording capability, instant replay, and a search function. The set can pause and rewind TV for up to 90 hours. And Microsoft chief Bill Gates announced in his pre-show keynote speech a partnership with TiVo, called TiVoToGo, which means people can play recorded programmes on Windows PCs and mobile devices. All these reflect the increasing trend of freeing up multimedia so that people can watch what they want, when they want.	What this means, said Stacey Jolna, senior vice president of TV Guide TV group, is that the way people find the content they want to watch has to be simplified for TV viewers.These set-top boxes, like the US's TiVo and the UK's Sky+ system, allow people to record, store, play, pause and forward wind TV programmes when they want.Essentially, the technology allows for much more personalised TV.With home theatre systems, plasma high-definition TVs, and digital video recorders moving into the living room, the way people watch TV will be radically different in five years' time.It means that networks, in US terms, or channels could take a leaf out of Google's book and be the search engine of the future, instead of the scheduler to help people find what they want to watch.High-definition TV sets are everywhere and many new models of LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) TVs have been launched with DVR capability built into them, instead of being external boxes.One such example launched at the show is Humax's 26-inch LCD TV with an 80-hour TiVo DVR and DVD recorder.One of the US's biggest satellite TV companies, DirectTV, has even launched its own branded DVR at the show with 100-hours of recording capability, instant replay, and a search function.All these reflect the increasing trend of freeing up multimedia so that people can watch what they want, when they want.But some US networks and cable and satellite companies are worried about what it means for them in terms of advertising revenues as well as "brand identity" and viewer loyalty to channels.With the US leading the trend, programmes and other content will be delivered to viewers via home networks, through cable, satellite, telecoms companies, and broadband service providers to front rooms and portable devices.They perhaps do not want so much of the choice put into their hands, Mr Hanlon suggested.One of the most talked-about technologies of CES has been digital and personal video recorders (DVR and PVR).
1,011	New drink limit 'would cut toll' More lives than previously thought could be saved by cutting drink-drive limits by a third, a report says. University College London research claims cutting the limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg would save 65 lives a year. The findings are being published by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety as MPs are due to vote on the government's Road Safety Bill. The bill includes changes to speeding fines but not to the drink-drive limit. The research, carried out by transport expert professor Richard Allsop, says cutting the limit would also lead to 230 fewer serious injuries on the UK's roads compared with 2003. He estimates that this would save the country Â£119m a year. A previous estimate, contained in a 1998 Department of Transport Document, suggested such a move could save 50 lives a year. The findings are based on the assumption that drivers who currently keep below the legal limit would continue to do so were it to be lowered and that those who tend to exceed the limit slightly would also lower their drinking. Professor Allsop said: "Reducing the limit from 80mg to 50mg can be expected to save around 65 lives a year or around half of those who die in accidents where the driver's BAC [blood alcohol content] is within 30mg of the current limit. "Only about one in 50 of those driving during weekend evenings and nights will need to moderate their drinking to achieve this and fewer still at other times." Ministers do not support a lower limit, saying it is not clear it would have a major impact on drink drive casualties. They believe educating drivers is more important. The AA Motoring Trust said it was not sure what affect dropping the limit would have on drivers' attitudes to drink-driving. Road safety head Andrew Howard said: "It remains to be seen whether the social disapproval of the drinking driver will stay at the current rate if the alcohol limit is cut. "Parliamentarians need to consider this carefully. Britons police themselves by consensus much more effectively than they do by weight of enforcement alone." Liberal Democrat transport spokesman John Thurso said drink-driving remained a "major killer", with figures showing a worrying rise in the number of accidents involving drivers who had been drinking. He said there had been a 29% drop in the number of drivers being breathalysed since 1997, which he said the government needed to address if it wanted to reduce the danger caused by drink-driving. The Road Safety Bill, which gets its second reading on Tuesday, would allow the results of roadside breath tests to be used in court - currently a blood test is needed. It also includes plans for a staggered speeding fines and points system, penalising drivers who exceed limits by a wide margin more than those who are caught going just over. These have been criticised by road safety campaigners, including Labour backbencher Gwyneth Dunwoody, who says it will reduce the incentive for drivers to stay within the limits in residential areas, leading to more road casualties. In an article for the Times newspaper, Ms Dunwoody, who chairs the Transport Select Committee, says: "Slight increases to low car speeds increase hugely the risks to pedestrians and cyclists. "It is quite simple: if you hit someone at 30mph, they have a 50 per cent chance of survival. If you are going at 40mph, nine times out of ten they will die."	The findings are based on the assumption that drivers who currently keep below the legal limit would continue to do so were it to be lowered and that those who tend to exceed the limit slightly would also lower their drinking.University College London research claims cutting the limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg would save 65 lives a year.Professor Allsop said: "Reducing the limit from 80mg to 50mg can be expected to save around 65 lives a year or around half of those who die in accidents where the driver's BAC [blood alcohol content] is within 30mg of the current limit.Road safety head Andrew Howard said: "It remains to be seen whether the social disapproval of the drinking driver will stay at the current rate if the alcohol limit is cut.The research, carried out by transport expert professor Richard Allsop, says cutting the limit would also lead to 230 fewer serious injuries on the UK's roads compared with 2003.These have been criticised by road safety campaigners, including Labour backbencher Gwyneth Dunwoody, who says it will reduce the incentive for drivers to stay within the limits in residential areas, leading to more road casualties.It also includes plans for a staggered speeding fines and points system, penalising drivers who exceed limits by a wide margin more than those who are caught going just over.The AA Motoring Trust said it was not sure what affect dropping the limit would have on drivers' attitudes to drink-driving.The bill includes changes to speeding fines but not to the drink-drive limit.Ministers do not support a lower limit, saying it is not clear it would have a major impact on drink drive casualties.
1,960	BT offers free net phone calls BT is offering customers free internet telephone calls if they sign up to broadband in December. The Christmas give-away entitles customers to free telephone calls anywhere in the UK via the internet. Users will need to use BT's internet telephony software, known as BT Communicator, and have a microphone and speakers or headset on their PC. BT has launched the promotion to show off the potential of a broadband connection to customers. People wanting to take advantage of the offer will need to be a BT Together fixed-line customer and will have to sign up to broadband online. The offer will be limited to the first 50,000 people who sign up and there are limitations - the free calls do not include calls to mobiles, non-geographical numbers such as 0870, premium numbers or international numbers. BT is keen to provide extra services to its broadband customers. "People already using BT Communicator have found it by far the most convenient way of making a call if they are at their PC," said Andrew Burke, director of value-added services at BT Retail. As more homes get high-speed access, providers are increasingly offering add-ons such as cheap net calls. "Broadband and telephony are attractive to customers and BT wants to make sure it is in the first wave of services," said Ian Fogg, an analyst with Jupiter Research. "BT Communicator had a quiet launch in the summer and now BT is waving the flag a bit more for it," he added. BT has struggled to maintain its market share of broadband subscribers as more competitors enter the market. Reports say that BT has lost around 10% of market share over the last year, down from half of broadband users to less than 40%. BT is hoping its latest offer can persuade more people to jump on the broadband bandwagon. It currently has 1.3 million broadband subscribers.	BT is offering customers free internet telephone calls if they sign up to broadband in December.People wanting to take advantage of the offer will need to be a BT Together fixed-line customer and will have to sign up to broadband online.BT has launched the promotion to show off the potential of a broadband connection to customers.BT is keen to provide extra services to its broadband customers.BT is hoping its latest offer can persuade more people to jump on the broadband bandwagon.BT has struggled to maintain its market share of broadband subscribers as more competitors enter the market.
1,024	Brown shrugs off economy fears Gordon Brown is to freeze petrol duty increases, fund a Â£1bn package to avoid big council tax rises and boost childcare and maternity leave. In an upbeat pre-Budget report, he slightly increased borrowing but insisted economic targets would be met. The chancellor also hailed the longest period of growth in UK "industrial history" but denied he was "gloating". But Oliver Letwin, for the Tories, attacked government red tape and debt, dubbing Mr Brown "Sir Wastealot". The shadow chancellor said Mr Brown's "golden rule" had "turned to dross in his hands" and said he was borrowing to spend, not invest, with predicted debt over the coming years totalling Â£170bn. Mr Letwin told MPs: "The tide is going out on the chancellor's credibility. He is spending, borrowing and taxing so much because he is not getting value for taxpayer's money." Vincent Cable, for the Liberal Democrats, accused Mr Brown of ducking tough choices. He said: "Last week the prime minister gave us the politics of fear; this week the chancellor has offered the economics of complacency. "There are serious challenges ahead from the falling dollar and from the rapid downturn in the UK housing market and rising personal debt. But they have not been confronted." Mr Brown rejected the Lib Dem's call to open up the government's books to the National Audit Office, saying decisions on tax and spending should be made by ministers. Some economists say his forecasts on public finances are wishful thinking. BBC economic editor Evan Davis said the figures were plausible but also a gamble. Mr Brown's insistence he was not "gloating" was a pointed rebuttal of a warning from new European Commissioner Peter Mandelson. In his speech, he set out a 10-year childcare strategy for if Labour wins the next election. It includes a Â£285m cash injection to extend paid maternity leave from six months to nine, with parents able to transfer leave from the mother to the father. He also promised to increase free nursery education for three and four-year-olds to 15 hours from April 2007. And funds would be provided to keep schools open from 0800 to 1800GMT to look after children while their parents were at work. Taken together, the measures would create a "welfare state that is truly family-friendly for the first time in its history", said Mr Brown. He also announced a cash hand-out for older pensioners, with payments of Â£50 for the over-70s as part of the winter fuel allowance. In a move ministers say should keep council tax rises below 5% next year, the chancellor said he was providing an extra Â£1bn for local councils. The money is expected to come from government departments such as health and education. Mr Brown said he was set to meet his two fiscal rules - to borrow only to invest and keep debt "low and sustainable" - both in this economic cycle and the next. Borrowing figures for 2003/4 are Â£35bn - Â£2.5bn less than the Â£37.5bn predicted in March's budget, as already announced by the Office for National Statistics. Borrowing is tipped to fall to Â£31bn by 2005/06 - but that is still Â£2bn more than Mr Brown predicted in his March budget. Inflation would be 1.75% next year and 2% in the years to follow, Mr Brown forecast. He also pledged an extra Â£105m for security and counter-terrorism. Business groups have welcomed efforts to improve competitiveness and invest more in skills and innovation. But there worries about the costs of more family-friendly working. Simon Sweetman, from the Federation of Small Businesses, said: "The proposals on maternity leave have clearly been made with a general election in mind and with little thought to the impact on small employers."	The shadow chancellor said Mr Brown's "golden rule" had "turned to dross in his hands" and said he was borrowing to spend, not invest, with predicted debt over the coming years totalling Â£170bn.Mr Brown said he was set to meet his two fiscal rules - to borrow only to invest and keep debt "low and sustainable" - both in this economic cycle and the next.In a move ministers say should keep council tax rises below 5% next year, the chancellor said he was providing an extra Â£1bn for local councils.Inflation would be 1.75% next year and 2% in the years to follow, Mr Brown forecast.Borrowing is tipped to fall to Â£31bn by 2005/06 - but that is still Â£2bn more than Mr Brown predicted in his March budget.Taken together, the measures would create a "welfare state that is truly family-friendly for the first time in its history", said Mr Brown.But Oliver Letwin, for the Tories, attacked government red tape and debt, dubbing Mr Brown "Sir Wastealot".Gordon Brown is to freeze petrol duty increases, fund a Â£1bn package to avoid big council tax rises and boost childcare and maternity leave.Borrowing figures for 2003/4 are Â£35bn - Â£2.5bn less than the Â£37.5bn predicted in March's budget, as already announced by the Office for National Statistics.Mr Brown rejected the Lib Dem's call to open up the government's books to the National Audit Office, saying decisions on tax and spending should be made by ministers.BBC economic editor Evan Davis said the figures were plausible but also a gamble.The chancellor also hailed the longest period of growth in UK "industrial history" but denied he was "gloating".Vincent Cable, for the Liberal Democrats, accused Mr Brown of ducking tough choices.
233	Bat spit drug firm goes to market A German firm whose main product is derived from the saliva of the vampire bat is looking to raise more than 70m euros ($91m; Â£49m) on the stock market. The firm, Paion, said that it hoped to sell 5 million shares - a third of the firm - for 11-14 euros a share. Its main drug, desmoteplase, is based on a protein in the bat's saliva. The protein stops blood from clotting - which helps the bat to drink from its victims, but could also be used to help stroke sufferers. The company's shares go on sale later this week, and are scheduled to start trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on 10 February. If the final price is at the top of the range, the company could be valued at as much as 200m euros. The money raised will be spent largely on developing the company's other drugs, since desmoteplase has already been licensed to one manufacturer, Forest Laboratories.	A German firm whose main product is derived from the saliva of the vampire bat is looking to raise more than 70m euros ($91m; Â£49m) on the stock market.Its main drug, desmoteplase, is based on a protein in the bat's saliva.The firm, Paion, said that it hoped to sell 5 million shares - a third of the firm - for 11-14 euros a share.
963	Child access laws shake-up Parents who refuse to allow former partners contact with their children could be electronically tagged under plans being considered by ministers. Curfews and community service orders were other options which could be used if court orders to allow parental access were defied, Lord Falconer said. The constitutional affairs secretary outlined some of the plans on Tuesday. He denied fathers' activists had forced the changes, telling the BBC "there is a recognition that something is wrong". Between 15,000 and 20,000 couples go to court to resolve access disputes each year, although in nine out of 10 separations there is no court intervention. Lord Falconer told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he hoped voluntary mediation could help solve disputes before they reached court. But he opposed compulsory mediation, saying that it would lead to many people taking part with the wrong attitude. Other plans include: - Parenting plans to give advice on access arrangements, based on real-life examples that have worked in the past - Extending in-court conciliation - more informal hearings before contested court cases - Better access to legal, emotional and practical advice by telephone and internet - Legal aid changes to give incentives for early resolution of disputes. Judges can already jail parents who breach contact orders but that was a "nuclear option" which was rarely used as it was not seen as being in the child's interests, a spokesman said. The aim of the new legislation was to provide a "medium range" of penalties, such as fines, community service orders, compulsory anger management or parenting classes or curfews. Failure to comply with these measures could result in offenders being electronically tagged. On the possibility of tagging uncooperative parents, Lord Falconer said: "Tagging may be going too far, but let's have a debate about that." Full details of the new powers will not be revealed until a bill is published "in the next two weeks," a spokesman said. The government's proposals have met with disapproval from fathers' rights groups. John Ison, from the controversial group Fathers 4 Justice, said: "It is very disappointing. What we have got is a cynical case of recycling existing legislation." Jim Parton, from Families Need Fathers, said the new proposals "lacked compulsion". "We would like to see couples develop a plan and then have it as a source of a court order - then you know where you stand, you know what the minimum access is. "Otherwise, you see people make agreements which then fall apart." Mr Parton said he had been told by Children's Minister Margaret Hodge there was not enough time to pass the bill through parliament before the general election, which is likely to take place in May. The Conservatives have called for an equal split between parents on access to be made law. Theresa May, shadow secretary for the family, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the government's plans were "inadequate" and were "papering over the cracks of the current system". She said a Conservative government would bring a "radical reform" of the family courts, as well as enforcing a "legal presumption of co-parenting and compulsory mediation". "We want to make courts the last resort, rather than the first resort," she added. The government says children cannot simply be divided up "like property" when a marriage collapses. The Liberal Democrats have argued for flexibility in deciding access rules, rather than having "rigid targets".	Curfews and community service orders were other options which could be used if court orders to allow parental access were defied, Lord Falconer said."We would like to see couples develop a plan and then have it as a source of a court order - then you know where you stand, you know what the minimum access is.Lord Falconer told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he hoped voluntary mediation could help solve disputes before they reached court.Jim Parton, from Families Need Fathers, said the new proposals "lacked compulsion".Other plans include: - Parenting plans to give advice on access arrangements, based on real-life examples that have worked in the past - Extending in-court conciliation - more informal hearings before contested court cases - Better access to legal, emotional and practical advice by telephone and internet - Legal aid changes to give incentives for early resolution of disputes.Between 15,000 and 20,000 couples go to court to resolve access disputes each year, although in nine out of 10 separations there is no court intervention.She said a Conservative government would bring a "radical reform" of the family courts, as well as enforcing a "legal presumption of co-parenting and compulsory mediation".Theresa May, shadow secretary for the family, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the government's plans were "inadequate" and were "papering over the cracks of the current system".Parents who refuse to allow former partners contact with their children could be electronically tagged under plans being considered by ministers.Judges can already jail parents who breach contact orders but that was a "nuclear option" which was rarely used as it was not seen as being in the child's interests, a spokesman said.John Ison, from the controversial group Fathers 4 Justice, said: "It is very disappointing.
989	Kennedy calls for Iraq exit plans Tony Blair should set out a proper exit strategy from Iraq in the wake of next Sunday's elections in the country, Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy has said. In a speech focusing on issues arising from the re-election of George W Bush, Mr Kennedy said Iraq had become a "crucible of militant terrorism". He wants to see a phased withdrawal of UK troops "as soon as the situation allows", he said in London. Any exit strategy must "augment and support" the democratic process. "There are some who are of the opinion that the mere presence of British and American troops in Iraq feeds the insurgency," he said. "There is some truth in that, especially after the initial mistakes that were made - the heavy-handedness of operations like Fallujah, and the well-publicised instances of abuse at the hands of coalition forces." Mr Kennedy pointed out that the Netherlands, Portugal and the Czech Republic, which all have troops operating in the southern sector of Iraq, have announced their imminent withdrawal "regardless of the situation on the ground". He accused Mr Blair's government of "being less than straightforward" over its plans. "Next week the prime minister should make a statement regarding the elections in Iraq," Mr Kennedy said during his City of London speech. "He should set out a proper exit strategy, including the phased withdrawal of British troops, as the security situation allows." Mr Kennedy also argued that British troops deployed in Iraq should be replaced with forces from other countries - "especially Islamic countries".	Mr Kennedy also argued that British troops deployed in Iraq should be replaced with forces from other countries - "especially Islamic countries".Tony Blair should set out a proper exit strategy from Iraq in the wake of next Sunday's elections in the country, Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy has said."Next week the prime minister should make a statement regarding the elections in Iraq," Mr Kennedy said during his City of London speech.Mr Kennedy pointed out that the Netherlands, Portugal and the Czech Republic, which all have troops operating in the southern sector of Iraq, have announced their imminent withdrawal "regardless of the situation on the ground".In a speech focusing on issues arising from the re-election of George W Bush, Mr Kennedy said Iraq had become a "crucible of militant terrorism".
1,612	Robinson ready for difficult task England coach Andy Robinson faces the first major test of his tenure as he tries to get back to winning ways after the Six Nations defeat by Wales. Robinson is likely to make changes in the back row and centre after the 11-9 loss as he contemplates Sunday's set-to with France at Twickenham. Lewis Moody and Martin Corry could both return after missing the game with hamstring and shoulder problems. And the midfield pairing of Mathew Tait and Jamie Noon is also under threat. Olly Barkley immediately allowed England to generate better field position with his kicking game after replacing debutant Tait just before the hour. The Bath fly-half-cum-centre is likely to start against France, with either Tait or Noon dropping out. Tait, given little opportunity to shine in attack, received praise from Robinson afterwards, even if the coach admitted Cardiff was an "unforgiving place" for the teenage prodigy. Robinson now has a tricky decision over whether to withdraw from the firing line, after just one outing, a player he regards as central to England's future. Tait himself, at least outwardly, appeared unaffected by the punishing treatment dished out to him by Gavin Henson in particular. "I want more of that definitely," he said. "Hopefully I can train hard this week and get selected for next week but we'll have to look at the video and wait and see. "We were playing on our own 22 for a lot of the first half so it was quite difficult. I thought we defended reasonably well but we've just got to pick it up for France." His Newcastle team-mate Noon hardly covered himself in glory in his first major Test. He missed a tackle on Michael Owen in the build-up to Wales' try, conceded a penalty at the breakdown, was turned over in another tackle and fumbled Gavin Henson's cross-kick into touch, all inside the first quarter. His contribution improved in the second half, but England clearly need more of a playmaker in the inside centre role. Up front, the line-out remains fallible, despite a superb performance from Chris Jones, whose athleticism came to the fore after stepping into the side for Moody. It is more likely the Leicester flanker will return on the open side for the more physical challenge posed by the French forwards, with Andy Hazell likely to make way. Lock Ben Kay also justified his recall with an impressive all-round display on his return to the side, but elsewhere England positives were thin on the ground.	England coach Andy Robinson faces the first major test of his tenure as he tries to get back to winning ways after the Six Nations defeat by Wales.The Bath fly-half-cum-centre is likely to start against France, with either Tait or Noon dropping out.Robinson is likely to make changes in the back row and centre after the 11-9 loss as he contemplates Sunday's set-to with France at Twickenham.It is more likely the Leicester flanker will return on the open side for the more physical challenge posed by the French forwards, with Andy Hazell likely to make way.And the midfield pairing of Mathew Tait and Jamie Noon is also under threat.Tait, given little opportunity to shine in attack, received praise from Robinson afterwards, even if the coach admitted Cardiff was an "unforgiving place" for the teenage prodigy.His Newcastle team-mate Noon hardly covered himself in glory in his first major Test.Olly Barkley immediately allowed England to generate better field position with his kicking game after replacing debutant Tait just before the hour.
56	BMW drives record sales in Asia BMW has forecast sales growth of at least 10% in Asia this year after registering record sales there in 2004. The luxury carmaker saw strong sales of its three marques - BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce - in Asia last year after the launch of three new models. The company, which is vying with Mercedes-Benz for the title of leading premium carmaker, is confident about its prospects for the region in 2005. It is launching a revamped version of its 3-Series saloon class next month. BMW sold nearly 95,000 cars in Asia last year, up 2.6% on 2003. BMW-brand sales rose 2.3% to 80,600 while sales of Mini models rose 3.6% to 14,800. There was also a significant increase in sales of Rolls-Royces on the continent. BMW sold more than 100 of the iconic models compared with just ten the previous year. The German carmaker is aiming to boost annual sales in Asia to 150,000 by 2008. "Here in Asia, we consider a double-digit increase in retail on the order of 10 to 15% to be realistic on the basis of current features," said Helmut Panke, BMW's group chief executive. China remains the main area of concern for BMW after sales there fell 16% last year. However, BMW is hopeful of a much better year in 2005 as its direct investment in China begins to pay dividends. The company only began assembling luxury high-powered sedans in China in 2003. 2004 was generally a good year for BMW, which saw revenues from its core car-making operations rise 11%.	BMW has forecast sales growth of at least 10% in Asia this year after registering record sales there in 2004.The luxury carmaker saw strong sales of its three marques - BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce - in Asia last year after the launch of three new models.China remains the main area of concern for BMW after sales there fell 16% last year.BMW sold nearly 95,000 cars in Asia last year, up 2.6% on 2003.The German carmaker is aiming to boost annual sales in Asia to 150,000 by 2008.BMW sold more than 100 of the iconic models compared with just ten the previous year.
222	Oil companies get Russian setback International oil and mining companies have reacted cautiously to Russia's decision to bar foreign firms from natural resource tenders in 2005. US oil giant Exxon said it did not plan to take part in a new tender on a project for which it had previously signed a preliminary agreement. Miner Highland Gold said it regretted any limit on privatisation while BP, a big investor, declined to comment. Only firms at least 51% Russian-owned will be permitted to bid. The Federal Natural Resources Agency said "the government is interested in letting Russian companies develop strategic resources". The foreign ownership issue will be dealt with according to Russia's competition law, natural resources minister Yuri Trutnev was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. No further details were given, with Mr Trutnev suggesting that Russia may decide on a case-by-case basis. Observers said that the move may represent a shift in policy, as the administration of Vladimir Putin puts the protection of national interests above free market dynamics. Russia recently wrested back control of a large chunk of its oil industry from stock-market listed company Yukos, a move that prompted calls of outrage from many investors. Analysts warned that it was still too early to draw too many conclusions from this new set of proposals. Companies echoed this sentiment, saying that they would require more information before ringing the alarm bells. "It's not good. But it is very understandable," said Al Breach, an economist at UBS Brunswick. "But if the investment climate is stable - that's much more important. "Foreigners of course would like to have free entry but... this is not the end of the world." A number of other nations, including Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, protect their national resources from foreign firms. What has surprised observers is that since the collapse of communism Russia has been courting foreign investment. BP spent $7.5bn to create Russian-registered oil company TNK-BP, and has a partnership to develop the Sakhalin 5 petroleum field with state-owned Rosneft. Exxon, the world's largest oil company, has signed preliminary agreements to develop the Sakhalin 3 field. Company spokesman Glenn Waller said Exxon still considered the deal valid, despite Russia inviting new offers for the land block. According to Mr Waller, Exxon "were not planning to bid at a new tender anyway". "We regret the ministry has taken such a decision," said Ivan Kulakov, deputy chairman of Highland Gold - a mining firm that has the motto "Bringing Russia's Gold to Market". "It would be a shame if that has a negative impact on the investment climate." Other firms that have been linked with investment in Russia include France's Total, the US-based ChevronTexaco, and miner Barrick Gold.	Exxon, the world's largest oil company, has signed preliminary agreements to develop the Sakhalin 3 field.International oil and mining companies have reacted cautiously to Russia's decision to bar foreign firms from natural resource tenders in 2005."We regret the ministry has taken such a decision," said Ivan Kulakov, deputy chairman of Highland Gold - a mining firm that has the motto "Bringing Russia's Gold to Market".Company spokesman Glenn Waller said Exxon still considered the deal valid, despite Russia inviting new offers for the land block.What has surprised observers is that since the collapse of communism Russia has been courting foreign investment."It would be a shame if that has a negative impact on the investment climate."US oil giant Exxon said it did not plan to take part in a new tender on a project for which it had previously signed a preliminary agreement.BP spent $7.5bn to create Russian-registered oil company TNK-BP, and has a partnership to develop the Sakhalin 5 petroleum field with state-owned Rosneft.Other firms that have been linked with investment in Russia include France's Total, the US-based ChevronTexaco, and miner Barrick Gold.According to Mr Waller, Exxon "were not planning to bid at a new tender anyway".
1,069	Ministers lose slopping out case The Scottish Executive has lost an appeal against an inmate's compensation for being forced to slop out in prison. Armed robber Robert Napier, 25, won Â£2,450 after he claimed he suffered an outbreak of the skin complaint, eczema, when slopping out at Barlinnie Prison. Napier said that the practice, where prisoners use buckets in their cells as toilets, breached his human rights. On Thursday, the Court of Session threw out a move by the executive to apply a more rigorous standard of proof. The executive faces more than 1,000 similar claims for damages from prisoners and former inmates. More than 310 actions have already been raised in the Court of Session and sheriff courts in Scotland. An executive spokesman said: "We will study this judgement in detail. Much has changed to address the issues raised in the Napier case, for example, slopping out has ended at Barlinnie and work in other prisons is being accelerated. "Today's judgement does not affect the outcome of other cases." Napier, a remand prisoner at the time, raised a legal challenge in 2001 under the European Convention on Human Rights, in which he sought Â£5,000. He was awarded compensation last April after winning his case. Executive ministers raised an appeal arguing that the standard of proof to be applied in cases alleging a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights through degrading and inhumane treatment should "be beyond reasonable doubt". This is the standard normally applied in criminal trials in Scotland. However, civil litigation is settled on the test of "a balance of probabilities". Judge Lord Cullen, sitting with Lord Osborne and Lord Hamilton, ruled that alleged human rights breaches involving degrading treatment should be dealt with on the normal civil standard. Napier's lawyer Tony Kelly believes the action will soon be followed by others. Mr Kelly said: "There are hundreds of people still undergoing slopping out, overcrowding and poor regime and those people will certainly be heartened by today's judgement." Scottish National Party Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill said that the slopping out case had been "a fiasco from start to finish". He said: "Ministers were fully aware of the state of Scotland's jails. Funds were available but they chose to ignore the problem and after this ruling I suspect we will be faced with even more claims and no doubt more payouts. "A short term executive saving has resulted in a long term public cost."	Executive ministers raised an appeal arguing that the standard of proof to be applied in cases alleging a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights through degrading and inhumane treatment should "be beyond reasonable doubt".An executive spokesman said: "We will study this judgement in detail.The Scottish Executive has lost an appeal against an inmate's compensation for being forced to slop out in prison.Much has changed to address the issues raised in the Napier case, for example, slopping out has ended at Barlinnie and work in other prisons is being accelerated.Napier said that the practice, where prisoners use buckets in their cells as toilets, breached his human rights.On Thursday, the Court of Session threw out a move by the executive to apply a more rigorous standard of proof.Napier, a remand prisoner at the time, raised a legal challenge in 2001 under the European Convention on Human Rights, in which he sought Â£5,000.The executive faces more than 1,000 similar claims for damages from prisoners and former inmates.Scottish National Party Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill said that the slopping out case had been "a fiasco from start to finish".
700	Veteran comic Cyril Fletcher dies Veteran comedian and broadcaster Cyril Fletcher has died aged 91 at his home in Guernsey. Fletcher will be remembered for his "odd odes" and amusing misprints on TV show That's Life in the 1970s and 80s, as well as a long variety career. He was also a regular on Does the Team Think?, a comic version of radio information show The Brains Trust. That's Life host Esther Rantzen said he was "so lovely" and a "delight" to work with. "The thing about Cyril was that he was, to use a slightly old-fashioned phrase, an English gentleman," she said. "He was courteous, and understated, and he adored gardens, particularly creating them for his beautiful wife. "He was funny and witty to work with. He was a real friend and I shall miss him." One of the last comedians of old-time variety era, Fletcher made his first TV appearance in 1937. A year after BBC Television began, he was seen reciting humorous poems, appearing in a revue, Tele-Ho, and playing the Emperor of Morocco in the first televised pantomime, Dick Whittington. He went on to become a regular voice on radio, have a string of TV shows in the 1950s and appear in several films, including 1947's Nicholas Nickleby. He married actress Betty Astell in 1941 and in the 1950s and 60s, they produced pantos and summer shows, discovering new stars including Harry Secombe. In the mid-1990s, Fletcher said he had made a "fabulous living" since the age of 22 and had never had a day out of work. He was most recently seen presenting a gardening programme for Channel TV. Fletcher was described as a "consummate professional" by his friend and fellow broadcaster Michael Pointon. "It really was a pleasure to work with him - he had met everyone and done everything," Mr Pointon said. "He was a whimsical, droll fellow, but also a very artistic man. As a friend, he was very kind, and generous." Fletcher's daughter Jill said her father would be sorely missed. "He was greatly loved by the public," she said.	"He was greatly loved by the public," she said."He was funny and witty to work with.That's Life host Esther Rantzen said he was "so lovely" and a "delight" to work with.Fletcher was described as a "consummate professional" by his friend and fellow broadcaster Michael Pointon.As a friend, he was very kind, and generous.""It really was a pleasure to work with him - he had met everyone and done everything," Mr Pointon said.He was a real friend and I shall miss him.""The thing about Cyril was that he was, to use a slightly old-fashioned phrase, an English gentleman," she said.
1,586	Blues slam Blackburn over Savage Birmingham have confirmed Blackburn made a bid for Robbie Savage - but managing director Karen Brady has called it "derisory". Rovers have reportedly offered Â£500,000 up front for the Wales star, 30, with the fee rising to Â£2.2m. But Brady told The Sun the bid was "a waste of fax paper and my time". She added: "The way things are going all this could affect the relationship between the clubs. They've got into Robbie's head. But he's not for sale." Savage's future at Birmingham has been the source of speculation for several weeks, with some fans criticising his performances for the club earlier in the season. However, good displays against West Brom and Aston Villa have impressed Blues fans. "The crowd gave me a massive standing ovation when I came off on Saturday which was nice," he said. "It was fantastic even though I was criticised by a number of them in recent weeks and on Saturday it showed how much I mean to them. "It's not for me to say (about transfer rumours), it's between the two clubs. "I haven't created the speculation myself, I haven't phoned every national newspaper saying, 'Blackburn are trying to buy me'. It's not up to me." Birmingham manager Steve Bruce insists he does not want to sell Savage. "A lot is said and written about Sav but he has been terrific for Birmingham City the last two and a half years," he said. "The fans love him because he epitomises them. He works hard, They like people like that and there are not many like him. "And why the hell should I sell him to someone else? I am not interested."	Birmingham have confirmed Blackburn made a bid for Robbie Savage - but managing director Karen Brady has called it "derisory"."A lot is said and written about Sav but he has been terrific for Birmingham City the last two and a half years," he said.Savage's future at Birmingham has been the source of speculation for several weeks, with some fans criticising his performances for the club earlier in the season.Birmingham manager Steve Bruce insists he does not want to sell Savage."The crowd gave me a massive standing ovation when I came off on Saturday which was nice," he said.But Brady told The Sun the bid was "a waste of fax paper and my time"."It was fantastic even though I was criticised by a number of them in recent weeks and on Saturday it showed how much I mean to them."It's not for me to say (about transfer rumours), it's between the two clubs.
62	Wembley firm won't make a profit Shares in Multiplex Group, which is building the new Wembley stadium, fell as much as 19% after it said it would not make any money on the project. The Australian firm said it would only break even on the 1.2bn Australian dollars (Â£458m; $874m) rebuild, after a rise in costs on the work. Any profits would depend on the outcome of legal cases resulting from a change in steel contractor, it added. It cut A$68m from profit targets for Wembley and another UK project. Investors were shaken by the news and the firm's shares fell to a four month low of A$4.50, before recovering to close 16% down at A$4.67. The decline came despite Multiplex reporting an 11% rise in pre-tax profits to A$67.7m for 2004 and reaffirming its 2005 profit forecasts. Increased costs at Wembley and a separate development in London's Docklands saw Multiplex's construction division report profits of A$35.1m. The firm said the result was below expectations but stressed that the majority of its UK projects - which also include the White City redevelopment scheme in west London - were performing strongly. To recoup any profit from Wembley, where the firm changed its steel contractor due to a legal dispute, Multiplex will have to win legal claims against subcontractors. These claims could take up to two years to resolve. "Multiplex believes its claim are sound and ultimately will exceed the level needed to support the break even position," it said. "It is expected that profits will be possible in future periods as the claims are finalised." Wembley Stadium is to due to be completed in January and will officially open for the 2006 FA Cup Final. Analysts expressed concern at the unexpected paring back in profit. "Such a big writeback on the Wembley project in such a short period has impacted on management credibility," Simon Wheatley, from Goldman Sachs, told Reuters.	To recoup any profit from Wembley, where the firm changed its steel contractor due to a legal dispute, Multiplex will have to win legal claims against subcontractors.It cut A$68m from profit targets for Wembley and another UK project.Shares in Multiplex Group, which is building the new Wembley stadium, fell as much as 19% after it said it would not make any money on the project.The decline came despite Multiplex reporting an 11% rise in pre-tax profits to A$67.7m for 2004 and reaffirming its 2005 profit forecasts."It is expected that profits will be possible in future periods as the claims are finalised."Any profits would depend on the outcome of legal cases resulting from a change in steel contractor, it added.
1,940	Fast moving phone bugs appear Security firms are warning about several mobile phone viruses that can spread much faster than similar bugs. The new strains of the Cabir mobile phone virus use short-range radio technology to leap to any vulnerable phone as soon as it is in range. The Cabir virus only affects high-end handsets running the Symbian Series 60 phone operating system. Despite the warnings, there are so far no reports of any phones being infected by the new variants of Cabir. The original Cabir worm came to light in mid-June 2004 when it was sent to anti-virus firms as a proof-of-concept program. A mistake in the way the original Cabir was written meant that even if it escaped from the laboratory, the bug would only have been able to infect one phone at a time. However, the new Cabir strains have this mistake corrected and will spread via short range Bluetooth technology to any vulnerable phone in range. Bluetooth has an effective range of a few tens of metres. The risk of being infected by Cabir is low because users must give the malicious program permission to download on to their handset and then must manually install it. Users can protect themselves by altering a setting on Symbian phones that conceals the handset from other Bluetooth using devices. Finnish security firm F-Secure issued a warning about the new strains of Cabir but said that the viruses do not do any damage to a phone. All they do is block normal Bluetooth activity and drain the phone's battery. Anti-virus firm Sophos said the source code for Cabir had been posted on the net by a Brazilian programmer which might lead to even more variants of the program being created. So far seven versions of Cabir are know to exist, one of which was inside the malicious Skulls program that was found in late November. Symbian's Series 60 software is licenced by Nokia, LG Electronics, Lenovo, Panasonic, Samsung, Sendo and Siemens.	The new strains of the Cabir mobile phone virus use short-range radio technology to leap to any vulnerable phone as soon as it is in range.However, the new Cabir strains have this mistake corrected and will spread via short range Bluetooth technology to any vulnerable phone in range.Finnish security firm F-Secure issued a warning about the new strains of Cabir but said that the viruses do not do any damage to a phone.The Cabir virus only affects high-end handsets running the Symbian Series 60 phone operating system.Despite the warnings, there are so far no reports of any phones being infected by the new variants of Cabir.A mistake in the way the original Cabir was written meant that even if it escaped from the laboratory, the bug would only have been able to infect one phone at a time.
2,202	Mobile TV tipped as one to watch Scandinavians and Koreans, two of the most adventurous groups of mobile users, are betting on mobile TV. Anders Igels, chief executive of Nordic operator Teliasonera, tipped it as the next big thing in mobile in a speech at the 3GSM World Congress, a mobile trade fair, in Cannes this week. Nokia, the Finnish handset maker, is planning a party in Singapore this spring to launch its TV to mobile activities in the region. Consultancy Strategy Analytics of Boston estimates that mobile broadcast networks will have acquired around 51 million users worldwide by 2009, producing around $6.6bn (Â£3.5bn) in revenue. SK Telecom of South Korea, which is launching a TV to mobile service (via satellite) in May plans to charge a flat fee of $12 a month for its 12 channels of video and 12 channels of audio. It will be able to offer an additional two pay TV channels using conditional access technology. Mr Shin-Bae Kim, chief executive of SK Telecom, also at 3GSM, said: "We have plans to integrate TV with mobile internet services. "This will enable viewers to access the mobile internet to get more information on adverts they see on TV." There will be 12 handsets available for the launch of the Korean service. LG Electronics of South Korea was demonstrating one at 3GSM that could display video at 30 frames a second. Footage shown on the handset was clear and watchable. A speech on mobile TV by Angel Gambino of the BBC also drew a large crowd, suggesting that even those mobile operators and equipment vendors which are not particularly active in mobile TV yet are starting to look into it. But all is not simple and straightforward in the mobile TV arena. There is a battle for supremacy between two competing standards: DVB-H for Digital Video Broadcasting for Handsets and DMB for Digital Multimedia Broadcasting. Dr Chan Yeob Yeun, vice president and research fellow in charge of mobile TV at LG Electronics, said: "DMB offers twice the number of frames a minute as DVB-H and does not drain mobile batteries as quickly." The Japanese, Koreans and Ericsson of Sweden are backing DMB. Samsung of South Korea has a DMB phone too that will be one of those offered to users of the TU Media satellite mobile TV service to be launched in Korea in May. Nokia, by contrast, is backing DVB-H, and is involved in mobile TV trials that use its art-deco style media phone, which has a larger than usual screen for TV or visual radio (a way of accompanying a radio programme with related text and pictures). Mobile operators O2 and Vodafone are among the operators trialling mobile TV. But even if the standards battle is resolved, there is the thorny issue of broadcasting rights. Ms Gambino says the BBC now negotiates mobile rights when it is negotiating content. For those not convinced mobile users will want to watch TV on their handsets, Digital Audio Broadcasting may provide a good compromise and better sound quality than conventional radio. Developments in this area are continuing. At a DAB conference in Cannes, several makers of DAB chips for mobiles announced smaller, lower- cost chips which consume less power. Among the chip companies present were Frontier Silicon and Radioscape. The jury is still out on whether TV and digital radio on mobiles will make much money for anyone. But with many new services going live soon, it won't be long before the industry finds out.	A speech on mobile TV by Angel Gambino of the BBC also drew a large crowd, suggesting that even those mobile operators and equipment vendors which are not particularly active in mobile TV yet are starting to look into it.Mobile operators O2 and Vodafone are among the operators trialling mobile TV.Scandinavians and Koreans, two of the most adventurous groups of mobile users, are betting on mobile TV.But all is not simple and straightforward in the mobile TV arena.Samsung of South Korea has a DMB phone too that will be one of those offered to users of the TU Media satellite mobile TV service to be launched in Korea in May.Dr Chan Yeob Yeun, vice president and research fellow in charge of mobile TV at LG Electronics, said: "DMB offers twice the number of frames a minute as DVB-H and does not drain mobile batteries as quickly."SK Telecom of South Korea, which is launching a TV to mobile service (via satellite) in May plans to charge a flat fee of $12 a month for its 12 channels of video and 12 channels of audio.Nokia, the Finnish handset maker, is planning a party in Singapore this spring to launch its TV to mobile activities in the region.The jury is still out on whether TV and digital radio on mobiles will make much money for anyone.For those not convinced mobile users will want to watch TV on their handsets, Digital Audio Broadcasting may provide a good compromise and better sound quality than conventional radio."This will enable viewers to access the mobile internet to get more information on adverts they see on TV."
382	Ban on forced retirement under 65 Employers will no longer be able to force workers to retire before 65, unless they can justify it. The government has announced that firms will be barred from 2006 from imposing arbitrary retirement ages. Under new European age discrimination rules, a default retirement age of 65 will be introduced. Workers will be permitted to request staying on beyond this compulsory retirement age, although employers will have the right to refuse. Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt said people would not be forced to work longer than they wanted, saying the default age was not a statutory, compulsory retirement age. She said employers would be free to continue employing people for as long as they were competent. Under age discrimination proposals from the Department of Trade and Industry last year workers were to be allowed to work on till 70 if they wished. Business leaders had opposed the plan as they said it would be too costly and cumbersome. The British Chambers of Commerce welcomed the latest proposal. "This move today is the best of both worlds," it said. "Employers have the ability to define the end point of the employer-employee relationship and employees have flexibility with a right to request to work past the age of 65." But Age Concern said imposing a retirement age of 65 was "cowardly" and a "complete u-turn". "This makes a mockery of the Government's so-called commitment to outlawing ageism, leaving the incoming age discrimination law to unravel," said Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern England . "It is now inevitable that older people will mount legal challenges to the decision using European law." The decision will have no impact on the age at which workers can collect their state pension, the government has said.	Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt said people would not be forced to work longer than they wanted, saying the default age was not a statutory, compulsory retirement age.But Age Concern said imposing a retirement age of 65 was "cowardly" and a "complete u-turn".Under new European age discrimination rules, a default retirement age of 65 will be introduced.The decision will have no impact on the age at which workers can collect their state pension, the government has said."This makes a mockery of the Government's so-called commitment to outlawing ageism, leaving the incoming age discrimination law to unravel," said Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern England .Under age discrimination proposals from the Department of Trade and Industry last year workers were to be allowed to work on till 70 if they wished.
1,825	Ink helps drive democracy in Asia The Kyrgyz Republic, a small, mountainous state of the former Soviet republic, is using invisible ink and ultraviolet readers in the country's elections as part of a drive to prevent multiple voting. This new technology is causing both worries and guarded optimism among different sectors of the population. In an effort to live up to its reputation in the 1990s as "an island of democracy", the Kyrgyz President, Askar Akaev, pushed through the law requiring the use of ink during the upcoming Parliamentary and Presidential elections. The US government agreed to fund all expenses associated with this decision. The Kyrgyz Republic is seen by many experts as backsliding from the high point it reached in the mid-1990s with a hastily pushed through referendum in 2003, reducing the legislative branch to one chamber with 75 deputies. The use of ink is only one part of a general effort to show commitment towards more open elections - the German Embassy, the Soros Foundation and the Kyrgyz government have all contributed to purchase transparent ballot boxes. The actual technology behind the ink is not that complicated. The ink is sprayed on a person's left thumb. It dries and is not visible under normal light. However, the presence of ultraviolet light (of the kind used to verify money) causes the ink to glow with a neon yellow light. At the entrance to each polling station, one election official will scan voter's fingers with UV lamp before allowing them to enter, and every voter will have his/her left thumb sprayed with ink before receiving the ballot. If the ink shows under the UV light the voter will not be allowed to enter the polling station. Likewise, any voter who refuses to be inked will not receive the ballot. These elections are assuming even greater significance because of two large factors - the upcoming parliamentary elections are a prelude to a potentially regime changing presidential election in the Autumn as well as the echo of recent elections in other former Soviet Republics, notably Ukraine and Georgia. The use of ink has been controversial - especially among groups perceived to be pro-government. Widely circulated articles compared the use of ink to the rural practice of marking sheep - a still common metaphor in this primarily agricultural society. The author of one such article began a petition drive against the use of the ink. The greatest part of the opposition to ink has often been sheer ignorance. Local newspapers have carried stories that the ink is harmful, radioactive or even that the ultraviolet readers may cause health problems. Others, such as the aggressively middle of the road, Coalition of Non-governmental Organizations, have lauded the move as an important step forward. This type of ink has been used in many elections in the world, in countries as varied as Serbia, South Africa, Indonesia and Turkey. The other common type of ink in elections is indelible visible ink - but as the elections in Afghanistan showed, improper use of this type of ink can cause additional problems. The use of "invisible" ink is not without its own problems. In most elections, numerous rumors have spread about it. In Serbia, for example, both Christian and Islamic leaders assured their populations that its use was not contrary to religion. Other rumours are associated with how to remove the ink - various soft drinks, solvents and cleaning products are put forward. However, in reality, the ink is very effective at getting under the cuticle of the thumb and difficult to wash off. The ink stays on the finger for at least 72 hours and for up to a week. The use of ink and readers by itself is not a panacea for election ills. The passage of the inking law is, nevertheless, a clear step forward towards free and fair elections." The country's widely watched parliamentary elections are scheduled for 27 February. David Mikosz works for the IFES, an international, non-profit organisation that supports the building of democratic societies.	The other common type of ink in elections is indelible visible ink - but as the elections in Afghanistan showed, improper use of this type of ink can cause additional problems.The use of ink and readers by itself is not a panacea for election ills.The use of "invisible" ink is not without its own problems.The use of ink is only one part of a general effort to show commitment towards more open elections - the German Embassy, the Soros Foundation and the Kyrgyz government have all contributed to purchase transparent ballot boxes.The author of one such article began a petition drive against the use of the ink.The use of ink has been controversial - especially among groups perceived to be pro-government.In an effort to live up to its reputation in the 1990s as "an island of democracy", the Kyrgyz President, Askar Akaev, pushed through the law requiring the use of ink during the upcoming Parliamentary and Presidential elections.At the entrance to each polling station, one election official will scan voter's fingers with UV lamp before allowing them to enter, and every voter will have his/her left thumb sprayed with ink before receiving the ballot.The ink is sprayed on a person's left thumb.If the ink shows under the UV light the voter will not be allowed to enter the polling station.The actual technology behind the ink is not that complicated.The Kyrgyz Republic, a small, mountainous state of the former Soviet republic, is using invisible ink and ultraviolet readers in the country's elections as part of a drive to prevent multiple voting.This type of ink has been used in many elections in the world, in countries as varied as Serbia, South Africa, Indonesia and Turkey.
2,185	Digital UK driven by net and TV The UK's adoption of digital TV and broadband has helped make it the fourth most digitally-savvy nation in Europe, according a report by Jupiter Research. But the UK still lags in terms of broadband speeds compared to others. The most digitally sophisticated Europeans, in terms of use of digital goods such as mobiles, TV, net and cameras, are the Scandinavians. About 14 million households in the UK, 60%, have digital TV, according to the communications regulator Ofcom. The least digital of the European nations was Greece, in 17th position, according to the Digital Life Index. Scandinavian countries Sweden, Denmark and Norway came out top in the report, but there were some differences in technology trends. "The European Digital Life Index demonstrates that digital lifestyles are common today, but across Europe there is no single digital lifestyle," said Nate Elliott, Jupiter analyst. "Consumers adopt different digital products and services in different countries." Although there are differences between different European nations, the gap between them is closing, the report concluded. The trend for gadgets and technologies, such as digital video recorders (DVR), broadband, and video-on-demand will continue across Europe, he added. More than six million UK households now have broadband net. By the middle of 2005, it is estimated that 50% of all UK net users will be on broadband. Cable company NTL is trialling faster ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) broadband technology using ADSL2+ which can give speeds of 18Mbps compared to current speeds which are usually around 1Mbps or 2Mbps. BT is set to trial the technology later in the year. Super-fast broadband will be necessary to the delivery of services such as high-definition TV (HDTV) and video-on-demand, already very popular in France and other European countries. A separate survey by GMIPoll last week found that, globally, people's appetite for technology and gadgets continues unabated. The poll of 20,000 people in 20 countries found that 59% wanted more technology. The computer was the "must-have" gadget for most people (75%). The TV took second place (67%), while the mobile was ranked in third position with 54%. Digital cameras were the most popular choice of gadget for 2005, said the survey, with nearly 40% choosing this over wireless, home printing and DVR technologies. However, only 25% of Britons said a digital camera would be their top gadget purchase of the year. Almost a quarter, 22%, said they would be buying some sort of wireless device. Forty-four percent said they would be buying something "other". This might include digital music players, or gaming devices. The Nintendo DS, Sony's PSP and Gizmondo all hit the shops in 2005, and the first of the next generation of games consoles, Xbox 2, is set to launch later this year. Jupiter Research's index is calculated using 40 different variables across net users, digital TV adoption, wireless and mobile, online activity, and digital devices.	Jupiter Research's index is calculated using 40 different variables across net users, digital TV adoption, wireless and mobile, online activity, and digital devices.However, only 25% of Britons said a digital camera would be their top gadget purchase of the year."The European Digital Life Index demonstrates that digital lifestyles are common today, but across Europe there is no single digital lifestyle," said Nate Elliott, Jupiter analyst.The least digital of the European nations was Greece, in 17th position, according to the Digital Life Index.About 14 million households in the UK, 60%, have digital TV, according to the communications regulator Ofcom.The UK's adoption of digital TV and broadband has helped make it the fourth most digitally-savvy nation in Europe, according a report by Jupiter Research.The trend for gadgets and technologies, such as digital video recorders (DVR), broadband, and video-on-demand will continue across Europe, he added.Digital cameras were the most popular choice of gadget for 2005, said the survey, with nearly 40% choosing this over wireless, home printing and DVR technologies.The most digitally sophisticated Europeans, in terms of use of digital goods such as mobiles, TV, net and cameras, are the Scandinavians.More than six million UK households now have broadband net."Consumers adopt different digital products and services in different countries."
456	Gazprom 'in $36m back-tax claim' The nuclear unit of Russian energy giant Gazprom is reportedly facing a 1bn rouble ($35.7m; Â£19.1m) back-tax claim for the 2001-2003 period. Vedomosti newspaper reported that Russian authorities made the demand at the end of last year. The paper added that most of the taxes claimed are linked to the company's export activity. Gazprom, the biggest gas company in the world, took over nuclear fuel giant Atomstroieksport in October 2004. The main project of Atomstroieksport is the building of a nuclear plant in Iran, which has been a source of tension between Russia and the US. Gazprom is one of the key players in the complex Russian energy market, where the government of Vladimir Putin has made moves to regain state influence over the sector. Gazprom is set to merge with state oil firm Rosneft, the company that eventually acquired Yuganskneftegas, the main unit of embattled oil giant Yukos. Claims for back-taxes was a tool used against Yukos, and led to the enforced sale Yuganskneftegas. Some analysts fear the Kremlin will continue to use these sort of moves to boost the efforts of the state to regain control over strategically important sectors such as oil.	Gazprom is set to merge with state oil firm Rosneft, the company that eventually acquired Yuganskneftegas, the main unit of embattled oil giant Yukos.Gazprom is one of the key players in the complex Russian energy market, where the government of Vladimir Putin has made moves to regain state influence over the sector.The nuclear unit of Russian energy giant Gazprom is reportedly facing a 1bn rouble ($35.7m; Â£19.1m) back-tax claim for the 2001-2003 period.Gazprom, the biggest gas company in the world, took over nuclear fuel giant Atomstroieksport in October 2004.