Clinton woos evangelicals at AIDS conference

Clinton woos evangelicals at AIDS conference

LAKE FOREST, California (Reuters) - Emphasizing her own Christian faith and quoting frequently from the Bible, Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton wooed a U.S. evangelical Clinton was the only one of six invited presidential candidates to attend a meeting on the role of the evangelical church in fighting AIDS, hosted by the influential Saddleback Valley Community Church in Southern California.

"I know the power of faith and of people of faith," Clinton said to warm applause. "Together I believe we can write the next chapter in this history. It is a proud and grace-filled history."

Clinton won a standing ovation from the audience of some 1,500 Christian pastors, nongovernmental groups and church members, despite opposition in some parts of America's 60 million strong evangelical community to her presence because of her support of abortion and gay rights.

Others saw Clinton's appearance as a bid to grab votes from the religious right, which generally leans toward the Republican Party.

"What Saddleback is doing is helping raise her profile as a legitimate presidential candidate in the eyes of evangelical Christians, and I think that is a huge error," said Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association, which has 2.8 million supporters.

Democrats Barack Obama and John Edwards and Republicans John McCain, Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney sent short policy statements to the conference by video.

Clinton spoke of her upbringing in the Methodist church and pledged to spend $50 billion on treatment, prevention and care for global HIV/AIDS by 2013 if she is elected president.

"For many of us, the golden rule calls on us to act. Not only can we now talk about AIDS in church, but the Church is leading the way," she said of Saddleback's efforts.

Said Saddleback member Christie Mayles afterward: "I wish I could have met her afterward. She is my new hero."

LIVES, NOT LABELS

Saddleback's four year-old AIDS initiative is already controversial. It seeks to turn its 22,000 weekly followers and Christians around the world into volunteers and care-givers of AIDS victims. According to a 2005 poll by the Christian research group Barna only 17 percent of evangelical Christians surveyed said they would be willing to help AIDS orphans.

Saddleback pastor Rick Warren, author of the best-selling inspirational book "The Purpose Driven Life," said ahead of Thursday's meeting that there were many issues on which Clinton and his church disagree.

"But when millions are dying each year we are interested in lives, not labels," Warren said in a statement. "We want everyone to become concerned about the AIDS pandemic."

Clinton had much to gain from a good reception at the conference. Scott Keeter, research director of the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, said surveys had shown that about 36 percent of white evangelical Protestants either identify themselves as Democrat or say they lean toward that party.

But in an August survey, 58 percent of those questioned had an unfavorable impression of Clinton, Keeter said.

conference on AIDS on Thursday with a pledge to fight the global pandemic together.

India, EU work on free trade pact for 2008 at summit talks

India, EU work on free trade pact for 2008 at summit talks
NEW DELHI (AFP) - The European Union and India held summit talks on Friday, working towards a 2008 target for a free trade pact between the 27-member bloc and the South Asian giant, officials said. "We are hopeful that by the time the next summit materialises we will be in a position to conclude the agreement," which is due by the end of next year, Premier Manmohan Singh told a press conference.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso added: "We believe that it (the free trade deal) should be an ambitious one. In fact today a great part of the meeting was related to trade."

The EU is India's largest trading partner, accounting for a fifth of India's total trade, and is also one of its most important sources of foreign investment.

Officials from both sides had set the tone for the day with calls for a free trade deal to be wrapped up by next year.

Indian Trade Minister Kamal Nath had Thursday urged a successful and early conclusion of a free trade pact and European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson voiced similar hopes.

The eighth EU-India Summit was intended to forge closer strategic ties and also deepen cooperation in "energy, climate change and World Trade Organisation talks," said an EU mission statement in New Delhi.

Both Singh and his Portuguese counterpart Jose Socrates said India and the EU accorded high priority to climate change.

Socrates hoped a December 3-14 UN conference in Bali on climate change would yield "a roadmap" for the reduction of emissions.

Singh meanwhile said he had conveyed New Delhi's "readiness to engage constructively in international efforts to preserve the environment."

"We seek a solution that does not perpetuate poverty in developing countries," Singh added.

In a joint statement India and the EU said they were committed to the stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations.

"The EU and India agreed to work together bilaterally to accelerate their countries' transitions towards a low carbon economy," they said.

India and the EU "are committed to moving forward in the United Nations forum and called on all parties to actively and constructively participate" in the Bali conference.

"They emphasised the importance of a post 2012 agreement for greenhouse gas reduction commitment by developed countries in facilitating significant cost reductions of clean technologies," the statement added.

The year 2012 marks the expiry of current commitments by developed countries to cut emissions.

Singh and Barroso had held late morning talks with their delegations which included Indian foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee, trade minister Kamal Nath and national security advisor M. K. Narayanan.

On the stalled World Trade Organisation trade talks, the joint statement said "the successful and timely outcome of the .... multilateral trade negotiations remains the foremost trade policy priority," of both sides.

"Both sides are determined to work closely together to ensure the successful conclusion of the negotiations through a comprehensive, balanced and ambitious outcome in all areas of negotiation," it added

On the political front, the sessions focused on the situation in Nepal, where both sides regretted the delay in holding elections, and on Sri Lanka and Pakistan besides Africa and the Middle East, an EU statement said.

Deals were signed Friday on scientific, technological and development cooperation.

The EU had earmarked 470 million euro (690 million dollars) to promote economic development with India over the next five years, Barroso wrote in an article published in the Indian media on Friday.

China to eliminate WTO-banned subsidies: US

China to eliminate WTO-banned subsidies: US

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States announced Thursday that China has agreed to eliminate a dozen WTO-banned subsidies that have given Chinese exports a broad, unfair trade advantage.

US Trade Representative Susan Schwab said Washington and Beijing had signed an agreement that would resolve a complaint filed by the United States and Mexico at the World Trade Organization in February.

The agreement marked a significant step forward in easing strained trade relations with China, which has by far the largest trade surplus with the US.

"This outcome represents a victory for US manufacturers, producers and their workers," Schwab said at a news conference. The banned subsidies are to be eliminated by January 1.

The US-Mexico complaint at the Geneva-based WTO alleged China was maintaining several subsidy programs prohibited under the international institution's rules across a spectrum of industrial sectors in China including steel, wood products and information technology.

Schwab said the 12 illegal subsidies distort the playing field for US-produced goods sold in the United States, China and third-country markets. Many of the subsidies are tax breaks that are available to benefit up to 60 percent of China's exports.

She said she could not quantify the amount of benefits that would be gained by their elimination but said they were "very substantial because the subsidies were so pervasive."

Two types of Chinese subsidies are affected: export subsidies, which give Chinese goods an advantage abroad, and import substitution subsidies, which encourage companies in China to purchase Chinese-made goods instead of imports.

The US has case is one of several pending at the WTO over the politically charged trade relationship between the US and China. Many lawmakers in the US accuse China of using illegal subsidies and an artificially low currency to boost exports, resulting in a massive trade deficit for the United States.

China's surplus with the US in September ballooned by 5.5 percent from August to 23.8 billion dollars.

Schwab underscored that Beijing's renunciation of the banned subsidies "is excellent news for China as a WTO member and excellent news for world trade.

Schwab said the agreement was reached after lengthy negotiations and showed the policy of dialogue and enforcement of the Republican administration of President George W. Bush was working.

"It clearly shows the wisdom of this approach over some legislative approaches that would simply impose retaliatory tariffs," she said.

The US-China Business Council welcomed China's decision to settle the case.

"The resolution of this case demonstrates that engagement with China, through bilateral discussion and through multilateral forums such as the WTO, successfully advances the interests of US companies and workers," said council president John Frisbie.

But US Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, insisted: "We still need to do more. We must aggressively and consistently enforce our trade laws and safety standards, labor rights must be promoted, and future trade deals must be written to promote economic growth, not endless trade deficits."

Schwab noted upcoming bilateral meetings of the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade and the high-level Strategic Economic Dialogue and said "more results are needed, and at a faster pace."

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson will lead a delegation to the SED talks scheduled for December 12-13 in China.

GOP gay group slams Romney in new ad

GOP gay group slams Romney in new ad

WASHINGTON - A Republican gay rights advocacy group accuses Mitt Romney of "Mitt-flops" in a new radio ad that criticizes the former Massachusetts governor on his tax record. The ad by the Log Cabin Republicans notes that Romney signed legislation in 2003 that increased taxes on New Hampshire residents who worked in Massachusetts. It also says Romney raised taxes on businesses, a point Romney disputes by saying he was merely closing tax loopholes.

"Mitt Flops — sounds like something you'd wear to the beach, but they could cost you," the ad states. "Let's see. Running for governor, Mitt Romney said he'd balance the budget without raising taxes. So what'd he really do? He raised taxes on some New Hampshire residents who worked in Massachusetts, taxing their income and their pensions."

The ad represents yet another anti-Romney campaign by an independent political group that is hitting the airwaves with six weeks before the New Hampshire primary. This weekend, the Republican Majority for Choice, a group that advocates abortion rights, is running television and newspaper ads in New Hampshire and Iowa accusing Romney of flip-flopping on abortion.

The radio ad represents the second effort by the Log Cabin Republicans to cast Romney as a flip-flopper. Last month, the group aired an ad in Iowa and on national cable that sought to undercut his support among social conservatives.

Romney spokesman Kevin Madden said it was no surprise that a gay rights group would oppose Romney because he has supported a federal amendment that would declare marriage to be between a man and a woman.

"This negative attack and gross distortion of the governor's record was launched and paid for by a group recognized as having Mayor (Rudy) Giuliani as their 'favorite' candidate," Madden said. Giuliani has had the support of some gay rights groups in the past and has backed limited legal recognition for same-sex couples.

"Governor Romney has a stellar record of fiscal responsibility, having cut wasteful spending and worked to lower taxes as a chief executive focused on pro-growth economic policies," Madden said.

The criticism from the Log Cabin Republicans is similar to criticism of Romney contained in Giuliani's Web site, and in some cases the two camps cite the same sources.

But Log Cabin President Patrick Sammon said there was no coordination between his group and the Giuliani camp.

"We are not endorsing any candidates in this race," he said. "We have members who are working and supporting different candidates. Gov. Romney is, as usual, trying to attack the messenger instead of responding to the message."

Stem cell pioneer says embryonic research still needed

Stem cell pioneer says embryonic research still needed

TOKYO (AFP) - A Japanese scientist who helped produce stem cells from skin says controversial research on human embryos must continue for now, as it will take time to put the new breakthrough into practical use. The announcement last week of the groundbreaking discovery by US and Japanese scientists won praise from leading critics of embryonic stem cell research, including US President George W. Bush and the Roman Catholic Church.

"It was a breakthrough. It allowed us to see a goal. But the goal is far off in the distance," Shinya Yamanaka, the leader of the Kyoto University research team, told AFP in an interview.

His team and US researchers led by James Thomson of the University of Wisconsin at Madison said they generated stem cells from human skin.

The development would eventually allow doctors to create stem cells using a patient's genetic code, eliminating the risk that the body would reject transplanted tissues or organs.

But Yamanaka cautioned it would still take a long time before researchers could treat stem cells from skin like those from embryos.

"Scientists have to continue embryonic stem cell research as it would take some time for us -- at least a year, I would say -- to prove its safety in research on monkey cells," followed by tests on human cells, he said.

Research involving embryonic stem cells -- which can develop into various organs or nerves -- is seen as having the potential to save lives by helping find cures for diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

But the studies have provoked a furore among religious conservatives, who argue that such research destroys a human life, albeit one at its earliest stage of development.

Bush has banned all federal funding for research on new human stem cells, battling with Congress, although money is still available for research on embryos gathered before the ban.

Japan, the largest spender on scientific research after the United States, has fewer taboos about embryonic research.

However, all projects in Japan need approval from a government panel on bioethics, which has restrictions including a prohibition on attempts at human cloning. Many women are also hesitant to donate eggs.

"Before our success in the human skin research, we had to do research on animals because it is extremely hard to obtain human embryonic stem cells for research purposes," Yamanaka said.

Yamanaka's team generated versatile iPS (induced Pluripotent Stem) cells, which, like embryonic stem cells, can develop into various organs and tissues.

The researchers last year generated the world's first iPS cell by introducing four genes into mice skin.

In the breakthrough project, they succeeded in generating the human iPS cells by putting the same four genes into human skin cells.

This alternative way of developing stem cells, however, holds the risk of causing cancer because it uses a retrovirus -- seen as having a carcinogenic quality -- to make the skin cell function as a stem cell.

In addition, one of the four genes is a cancer gene.

"We have to test the safety of the alternative stem cells first, including the risk of cancer," said Yamanaka.

"But honestly, I can't predict at all how long it may take for us to solve the challenges," he said.

"We were able to adapt our mice experiment to human skin a year later, but it could have taken years. The same can be said for our future research," he said.

Other challenges include trying to verify that the iPS cells function in exactly the same way as embryonic stem cells using human eggs, he said.

Theoretically, iPS cells could also develop into human eggs and sperm. "Further research must be done in order to avoid the misuse of reproductive cells," Yamanaka said.

In a bid to skirt the ethical debate, another set of Japanese researchers in March said they had succeeded in cloning mouse embryos from unfertilised eggs, believing it was less controversial than using fertilised eggs.

Ancient sea scorpion was bigger than a human

Ancient sea scorpion was bigger than a human
LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have found the fossilized claw of a 2.5-metre (8-foot) sea scorpion, a nightmarish creature living before the age of dinosaurs. The discovery of the 390-million-year-old specimen in a German quarry suggests prehistoric spiders, insects and crabs were much larger than previously thought, researchers at Britain's Bristol University said on Wednesday.

"This is an amazing discovery," said university researcher Simon Braddy.

"We have known for some time that the fossil record yields monster millipedes, super-sized scorpions, colossal cockroaches, and jumbo dragonflies but we never realized, until now, just how big some of these ancient creepy-crawlies were."

The find was described by Braddy and colleagues in the journal Biology Letters.

The claw of the sea scorpion Jaekelopterus rhenaniae measured 46 centimeters (18 inches) long, indicating the creature was half a meter longer than previous estimates of the ancient arthropods.

Just why prehistoric arthropods -- creatures with external skeletons and segmented bodies -- grew so large is unclear. Some scientists believe they may have become giants because of the higher levels of oxygen in the atmosphere in the past.

Another theory is that they evolved in an "arms race" alongside their likely prey, the early armored fish.

Theatergoers line up for Bway tickets

Theatergoers line up for Bway tickets

NEW YORK - Theatergoers lined up for tickets Thursday as Broadway returned to business following a crippling 19-day strike that cost producers and the city millions of dollars.Tickets sold at a discounted $26.50 as people lined up for the musical "Chicago."

"I never thought I'd have the opportunity to see a Broadway show! And the price is right," said Susie Biamonte as she waited for tickets. The play was re-opening with a new cast — Aida Turturro and Vincent Pastore of "Sopranos" fame.

The stagehands and theater producers reached a tentative agreement late Wednesday, ending a strike that kept more than two dozen shows dark for nearly three weeks. The strike took an economic bite out of New York, with businesses like restaurants, stores, hotels — even hot dog vendors — losing an estimated $2 million a day.

But Biamonte and her friends from Canada said they'd help fix the damage during their weekend in the city.

"We're going to make sure they'll be successful again, because we'll leave money behind," Rosemary Girardo said as the "Chicago" line moved ahead.

The settlement came Wednesday night, the third day of marathon sessions between Local 1 and the League of American Theatres and Producers to end the lengthy work stoppage that has cost producers and the city millions of dollars.

Most plays and musicals that were shut during the walkout, which began Nov. 10, were expected to be up and running Thursday evening.

"The contract is a good compromise that serves our industry," said Charlotte St. Martin, the league's executive director. "What is most important is that Broadway's lights will once again shine brightly, with a diversity of productions that will delight all theatergoers during this holiday time."

Union President James J. Claffey Jr. was equally effusive in signing off on the agreement, saying, "The people of Broadway are looking forward to returning to work, giving the theatergoing public the joy of Broadway, the greatest entertainment in the world."

Details of the five-year contract, which must be approved by the union membership, were not disclosed.

But negotiations, which began last summer, were difficult, right up to the last day, as both sides struggled with what apparently was the final hang-up: the issue of wages. It concerned how much to pay stagehands in return for a reduction in what the producers say were onerous work rules that required them to hire more stagehands than are needed.

Until then, the talks had focused on how many stagehands are required to open a Broadway show and keep it running. That means moving scenery, lights, sound systems and props into the theater; installing the set and making sure it works; and keeping everything functioning well for the life of the production.

The strike couldn't have happened at a worse time for Broadway. Such popular shows as "Wicked," "Jersey Boys," "Mamma Mia!" and "The Lion King" were shut during the lucrative Thanksgiving holiday week. It's normally one of the best times of the year for Broadway, when the city is filled with tourists and Christmas shoppers.

Financial losses were staggering. But it wasn't just producers and stagehands who were hurt. Actors, musicians and even press agents lost paychecks, too. And theater-related businesses also suffered.

City Comptroller William Thompson estimated the economic impact of the strike at $2 million a day, based on survey data that include theatergoers' total spending on tickets, dining and shopping. The league put the damage even higher.

Eight shows remained open during the strike (their theaters had separate contracts with Local 1), and they were joined by a ninth when "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" got a court order to let it reopen.

The end of the walkout means a scramble for new opening nights for several shows that were in previews when the strike hit. They include Aaron Sorkin's "The Farnsworth Invention," "August: Osage County" from Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company and an adaptation of a long-lost Mark Twain comedy, "Is He Dead?"

Disney's "The Little Mermaid" already has announced it would push back its scheduled Dec. 6 opening — with a new date still to be set.

"We are so excited," Tituss Burgess, who portrays Sebastian the crab in the lavish musical, told New York 1 TV. The actor said he hadn't anticipated the strike would last as long as it did.

"We hope everyone's satisfied ... the atmosphere around our stage door was: We tried to remain positive," Burgess added. "We're just happy to be going back to work."

Alecia Parker, executive producer of "Chicago," said that she wasn't worried theatergoers might not come back to Broadway.

"I think people have been very disappointed to have Broadway dark," Parker told the television station. "I think we'll see an outpouring of support from the community."

Parker said rehearsals were planned Thursday to get the cast back up to speed, but she anticipated few problems. "You can imagine the adrenaline for coming back after 19 days," she said.

Broadway's last strike occurred in 2003 when musicians staged a four-day walkout. The musicians also struck in 1975, shutting musicals but not plays for 25 days.

Father: Missing 2-year-old was loved

Father: Missing 2-year-old was loved

NEW YORK - A man believed to be the father of "Baby Grace," a 2-year-old girl whose body washed ashore in Texas, said in an interview broadcast Thursday that the girl's mother loved her, and he didn't believe she was capable of harming the little girlThe girl's mother, Kimberly Dawn Trenor, and stepfather, Royce Clyde Zeigler II, were arrested Saturday and charged with injury to a child and tampering with evidence. According to court documents, Trenor, 19, told police she and her husband killed the girl in July and hid her body in a shed before dumping it in Galveston Bay.

While DNA tests are pending, authorities say they are fairly confident the girl nicknamed "Baby Grace" after washing ashore last month is that of Riley Ann Sawyers. Riley's father, Robert Sawyers, said Trenor loved their daughter.

"No, I never thought she could do anything like this," Sawyers said in an interview broadcast Thursday on NBC's "Today" show.

"I mean, she loved Riley. ... You can't not love that little girl the first time you see her, you know. It's heart wrenching to think she might have done this to such a beautiful little girl," said Sawyers, 20, of Mentor, Ohio.

Sawyers was never married to Trenor but the high school sweethearts lived with their daughter in his parents' Ohio home for about two years. He was charged with domestic violence against Trenor in March, and the two split up. The charge was reduced to disorderly conduct.

Sawyers said Thursday that he never hit Trenor and said the charge stemmed from "an argument that got blown out of proportion."

Trenor moved with her daughter from Ohio to Texas in June to be with Zeigler. Sawyers said Trenor didn't give him a reason for ending their relationship.

"She just told me one day that she just didn't want to be together anymore," he said. "Gave me back the ring that I gave her for our engagement and just got distant after that."

A teary Sawyers said he wanted his daughter to be remembered as "a beautiful, loving little girl. I mean, there's nothing more else to her than that. She's beautiful, loving, and touches your heart the second you meet her."

Tobacco-deal lawyer indicted in Miss.

NEW ORLEANS - An attorney who helped negotiate a multibillion-dollar settlement against tobacco companies in the 1990s and has sued insurers over unpaid Hurricane Katrina claims was indicted Wednesday in a suspected scheme to bribe a Mississippi judge.The indictment accuses Richard "Dickie" Scruggs of conspiring to pay the judge $50,000 to rule in his favor in a lawsuit brought by other attorneys who sought fees for work on Katrina insurance litigation.

Circuit Court Judge Henry Lackey reported the "bribery overture" to federal authorities and agreed to assist investigators in an "undercover capacity," according to the indictment.

Scruggs was indicted along with three other attorneys, including his son, who is his law partner, and a former Mississippi auditor. They face charges including one count of defrauding the federal government and two counts of wire fraud.

"I'm convinced that these guys did not do what they're accused of doing," said Joey Langston, a lawyer for Scruggs' firm.

Also named as defendants in the indictment are Zach Scruggs; Sidney Backstrom, a lawyer in Scruggs' firm; Timothy Balducci, a New Albany, Miss.-based lawyer; and former state auditor Steven Patterson, who works with Balducci.

Patterson resigned as auditor in 1996 after he was accused of lying on state documents to avoid paying taxes on a car tag.

Scruggs turned himself in to authorities Wednesday afternoon at a federal building in Oxford, Miss., where the grand jury handed up the indictments earlier in the day, Langston said.

After their arraignment Wednesday, Richard Scruggs was released on $100,000 bail, while Zach Scruggs and Patterson each were freed on $50,000 bail. Langston said Backstrom is expected to be arraigned Thursday, but he couldn't say when Balducci is expected to appear in court.

Langston said it was too early for him to comment on the details of the allegations.

"Right now, we've just got to get our arms around it," he said.

Richard Scruggs, whose brother-in-law is Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., earned millions from asbestos litigation and from his role in brokering a multibillion-dollar settlement with tobacco companies in the mid-1990s.

His case against the tobacco companies was portrayed in the 1999 movie "The Insider," starring Al Pacino and Russell Crowe.

After Katrina hit on Aug. 29, 2005, the Gulf Coast native sued insurers on behalf of hundreds of policyholders whose claims were denied after the storm.

On Tuesday, FBI agents searched Scruggs law offices and left with copies of computer hard drives, Langston said.

The alleged bribery scheme stems from a lawsuit filed in March against Scruggs by a Jackson, Miss., law firm, Jones, Funderburg, Sessums, Peterson & Lee in a dispute over $26.5 million in attorneys' fees.

Scruggs created a legal team called the Scruggs Katrina Group to represent policyholders who sued their insurers after the hurricane.

In January, Scruggs' legal team reached a mass settlement of suits with State Farm Insurance Cos. that involved more than $26 million in lawyers' fees.

The lawsuit accuses Scruggs of trying to "freeze out" lawyers from the Jackson law firm, including senior partner John G. Jones, and pay it a "ridiculously low figure" for its "substantial" work.

After the suit was filed, Balducci is accused of having several meetings and conversations with Lackey in which Balducci agreed to pay the judge for ruling in favor of Scruggs in the case, according to the indictment.

Scruggs allegedly tried to cover up the scheme by falsely creating documents that showed he hired Balducci to work on an unrelated case, when he was actually reimbursing him for the cash bribes, the indictment said.

Rock Center's eco-friendly tree is lit

Rock Center's eco-friendly tree is lit

NEW YORK - This year, all the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lights are greenThe holiday display, lit at a Wednesday night ceremony, still includes a rainbow of colors. But this year the 84-foot-tall Norway spruce is sporting energy-saving bulbs, and an array of solar panels atop 45 Rockefeller Plaza will help power them.

Early revelers began gathering around the tree Wednesday afternoon, hoping to snag a good view of performances by such stars as Tony Bennett, Josh Groban and Ashley Tisdale.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Radio City Rockettes helped flip the switch for the tree lights shortly before 9 p.m.

The 60-year-old spruce has been covered with five miles of wire and 30,000 multicolored bulbs known as light emitting diodes, or LEDs.

Using the new lights is expected to reduce the energy consumption of the holiday display from 3,510 to 1,297 kilowatt hours per day — a savings equal to the amount of energy used to power a 2,000-square-foot home for a month.

The rooftop solar panels installed to power the lights will become a permanent fixture to help offset the energy demands of Rockefeller Center.

Organizers are planning to recycle the tree by using it as lumber for Habitat For Humanity projects in New York, the Gulf Coast, India and Brazil.

The tree's topper can sparkle even without any lights: The Swarovski star is adorned with 25,000 crystals. It's almost 10 feet in diameter.

NBC broadcast part of the tree lighting event, which also included performances by Celine Dion, Carrie Underwood, Natasha Bedingfield, Sean Kingston and Taylor Swift.

This is the 75th formal tree lighting ceremony at the Art Deco plaza in midtown Manhattan. While the first official lighting was in 1933, the first Rockefeller Christmas tree was put up two years earlier by workers helping to build the complex.

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Ex-officer lawyer denies barrel existed

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. - A lawyer for Drew Peterson has denied a large container was ever hauled out of the former police officer's suburban home the day his wife vanished

"We have heard several stories. First it was a barrel. Then it was a container. The shape keeps shifting," Joel Brodsky told NBC's "Today" show Thursday. "There never was a barrel. There never was a container."

Peterson's stepbrother reportedly said he removed a container from an upstairs bedroom and put it in his sport-utility vehicle, according to media reports that cited anonymous sources close to the investigation into Stacy Peterson's disappearance last month.

The stepbrother, Thomas Morphey, later became distraught after learning that Stacy Peterson was missing and tried to kill himself, The Herald News of Joliet reported Wednesday.

In Thursday's interview, Brodsky lashed out at the stepbrother, claiming the man has a history of mental problems and bouts with alcoholism. "He's simply not a credible witness," Brodsky told NBC.

Authorities say Drew Peterson is a suspect in his fourth wife's disappearance and have called her case a possible homicide. Investigators are also re-examining the 2004 death of Drew Peterson's third wife, Kathleen Savio. Police have said her death may have been a homicide staged to look like an accidental bathtub drowning.

Eva Longoria's Beauty Tip

Eva Longoria's Beauty Tip

With the constant pressure on celebrities to always look their best, Hollywood is always in search of the next "fountain of youth." But Eva Longoria says it's much simpler than all of that.

The Desperate Housewives star has revealed her personal prescription for looking her best. happiness, health, and exercise. And while it sounds too easy to work, Eva swears by it.

She recently told press, "I think it's a combination of a lot of things. It's obviously emotional health. And it's obviously your physical health, but there's a lot of maintenance involved, and I'm not talking about anti-ageing. I'm just talking about general health, getting your checkups and getting your blood tests and making sure you get your mammograms."

And rather than complicated chemical peels, Longoria opts for the normal, everyday facial. "For me, as far as skin is concerned, I'm a big advocate of facials. And, I moisturise. And, I read my magazines. I listen to good advice from people who really know, and I try to watch what I eat. But, it's diet. It's exercise. It's maintenance. It's checkups. It's attitude. It's a lot of things. And, I think you just need to be aware of what's going to work for you."

As far as emotional health, Eva says keeping yourself centered goes a long way in the appearance department. Your body is a vehicle of your emotions and a vehicle of feelings and a vehicle of whatever you need to get done in life. And, you've got to take care of that vehicle."

Strike against Bolivian reforms

Strike against Bolivian reforms

Six of the nine provinces in Bolivia are holding a one-day strike against a new draft constitution.
Opposition leaders say the changes will concentrate too much power in the hands of the government.

President Evo Morales says the constitution will finally give indigenous and poor Bolivians a say in running the country.

At the weekend four people died in protests against the reforms in the city of Sucre.

Opposition leaders in the gas-rich provinces of Santa Cruz and Tarija say the strike is attracting widespread support.

Television reports showed roadblocks in Bolivia's fourth-biggest city, Cochabamba.

'Defending neoliberalism'

Mr Morales condemned the strikers in a rally in the highland capital of La Paz.



"The strike... is against this process of change, the new economic model, against the nationalisation of natural resources," he was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.


"At heart, it's about defending the neoliberal model that has done so much harm to the country."

One key sticking point in the constitutional changes is the designation of Bolivia's capital.

Sucre has seen weeks of unrest by protesters supporting opposition plans to make the city the sole capital of Bolivia.


It is currently home to the Supreme Court, and was Bolivia's capital until 1899, but since then it has shared the title with La Paz.



Opposition anger is compounded by the way the government has pushed its reforms through the assembly elected to write the new constitution.

In the absence of opposition delegates, who boycotted the session, the assembly voted by a simple majority to approve all of President Morales's draft proposals.

Bolivians are also split over how much autonomy to give to its increasingly restless provinces such as Santa Cruz.

International concern

The final draft constitution will be put to a national referendum but no date has yet been set.

BBC South America correspondent Daniel Schweimler says Bolivia has a long history of political upheaval and appears to be heading for another crisis.

The tension has led to international appeals for calm. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged all sides to refrain from violence.

"In order to strengthen democracy and respect for human rights in Bolivia, the secretary general urges all political and social actors to remain calm, to abstain from using violence and to seek a consensus on the pressing issues affecting the Bolivian people," a statement from his office said.

The US state department has called on President Morales and the opposition "to show restraint and tolerance

Brits to adopt Chinese twins?

Brits to adopt Chinese twins?

A British tabloid claims Britney Spears is planning to adopt twins from China.

The newspaper claims, “The desperate singer has told friends she’s in the final stages of talks with an adoption agency and plans to go ahead with the move very soon. Friends feel that Britney has decided to adopt the two six-year-old tots from China in a frantic bid to fill the void left by losing her sons to K-Fed,” it continues.

Spears recently lost custody of her children – two-year-old Sean Preston and one-year-old Jayden James – to her ex-husband following a string of alcohol and drug-fuelled exploits and a stint in rehabilitation.

Brits has also apparently spent $50,000 (Rs 19.89 lakh) on her own funeral, apparently splashing out the cash because she fears an untimely death due to her outlandish lifestyle.

A source close to Brit tells the paper, “It doesn’t seem that Britney has thought this through completely. Adoption and a funeral? The two don’t exactly go hand-in-hand.

“Paying for a funeral is a sensible thing to do – but not when you’re only 25!”

Paris Hilton Makes Inaugural Visit to Shanghai

Paris Hilton Makes Inaugural Visit to Shanghai

After spending a brief amount of time in the States following trips to Moscow, Tokyo and Seoul, Paris Hilton has made her way out of the country once more.

This time, the hotel heiress has headed off to Shanghai for the first time to attend Friday's 2007 MTV Awards and Style Gala at the Shanghai Grand Stage.

Rather than supporting her family name by staying at the Shanghai Hilton, the former Simple Life star opted to check into the newly opened Hyatt on the Bund for her first trip to the city.

"The panoramic Bund view from the hotel room seemed the major reason to attract her there," an employee of MTV China told press, adding, "Hilton hopes to gain a better understanding of the city's landmark charm within a limited time."

According to the latest reports, Paris also plans to visit the Shanghai Museum and Oriental Pearl TV Tower during her stay. Insiders are also telling that she may have a mini fashion show up her sleeve.

Crowds welcome Ivoary Coast leader

Crowds welcome Ivory Coast leader

Ivory Coast's president has been greeted by large crowds as he makes a symbolic three-day visit to former rebel strongholds in the north.
The president's itinerary included the town of Ferkessedougou, the birthplace of his rival during four years of civil conflict, Guillaume Soro.

The two men are now reconciled and Mr Soro serves as prime minister.

In a speech there, Mr Gbagbo emphasised that, with the war over, the time for political campaigning was coming soon.

Long-delayed elections are due to be held by mid 2008, as agreed in the peace deal signed by the two leaders in March this year.

The deal put an end to the uprising by New Forces rebels which began when they seized a large swathe of northern territory in September 2002, accusing President Gbagbo of discriminating against northerners and Muslims.

Man charged with Nickell murder

Man charged with Nickell murder

A 41-year-old man has been charged with the murder of Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common.
The 23-year-old was stabbed 49 times and sexually assaulted in the attack in south-west London while she walked with her young son on 15 July 1992.

Robert Napper will appear at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on 4 December.

Colin Stagg, from Roehampton, west London, was prosecuted for the murder, but cleared in 1994.

A judge threw the case out on the grounds that police had used a "honey trap" plot to encourage him to confess.

Painstaking process

The charge follows a review of the evidence by police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) into the former model's murder.

Hilary Bradfield, of the CPS Serious Casework Unit, said: "As the investigation has developed, I have been carefully examining and assessing the evidence.

"It has been a painstaking process and alongside the police we have considered all aspects of the case in detail.

"This week we have reached a decision that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and have authorised the police to charge."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Robert Napper, 41, has today been charged with the murder of Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common on July 15 1992."

Brown under fire over donations

Brown under fire over donations

Gordon Brown's competence as PM has come under fire during heated Commons exchanges following the donations row.
David Cameron said there had been "disaster after disaster" since Mr Brown took over, and asked if he was "cut out for the job".

Lib Dem acting leader Vincent Cable said Mr Brown had gone "from Stalin to Mr Bean" in a matter of weeks.

Mr Brown said he would be judged on his record for delivering low inflation and investing in the NHS and education.

It has emerged that property developer David Abrahams has given Labour more than £650,000 under other people's names over four years - something Mr Brown has described as unlawful and "completely unacceptable".

'Beggars belief'

Labour's general secretary Peter Watt has already resigned after admitting he knew about the funding arrangement and Mr Brown has announced an inquiry.

It has also emerged that Labour's chief fundraiser Jon Mendelsohn was told about it last month, but did not tell anyone else - he said he wanted to sort out the matter with Mr Abrahams and explain it to him personally.

DONORS
Ray Ruddick - £196,850
Janet Kidd - £185,000 since 2003
John McCarthy - £257,125 since 2004
Janet Dunn - £25,000
Source: Electoral Commission


Mendelsohn's full statement
Q&A: Donations row
Profile: David Abrahams

During heated exchanges at prime minister's questions, Mr Cameron said the prime minister's explanation - that he had no knowledge of the nature of the donations, "beggars belief" and "goes to questions of the prime minister's own integrity".

"We have had 155 days of this government. We've had disaster after disaster. A run on a bank, half the country's details lost in the post and now this.

"His excuses go from incompetence to complacency and there are questions about his integrity. Aren't people rightly asking now, is this man simply not cut out for the job?"

Black Wednesday

In response Mr Brown pointed to Mr Cameron's role in "Black Wednesday" in 1992 - when the UK crashed out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism.

He said competence was delivering low inflation, low interest rates, the highest employment for a generation and more investment for the NHS and education.

The house has noticed the prime minister's remarkable transformation in the last few weeks from Stalin to Mr Bean

Vincent Cable
Lib Dems


Sketch: Commons clashes
Point-by-point: Clashes

He said he had acted immediately to set up two inquiries into Mr Abrahams' donations and said: "All of us on all sides of this House have an interest in integrity in funding to political parties."

Asked why he had not "called in the police" if he thought something unlawful had taken place - Mr Brown said Labour had followed convention in reporting it to the Electoral Commission.

Letter to police

He added: "We are happy to cooperate in any way because in my view this is something that has got to be cleaned up in the interests of the whole of public life and I'm determined to take that action."

Acting Lib Dem leader Mr Cable made reference to a comment by the former civil service boss Lord Turnbull, who said Mr Brown as chancellor had operated with "Stalinist ruthlessness".

Mr Cable said: "The house has noticed the prime minister's remarkable transformation in the last few weeks from Stalin to Mr Bean, creating chaos out of order rather than order out of chaos."



Speaker Michael Martin had to repeatedly warn MPs to stop shouting as a succession of senior Tory MPs taunted Mr Brown.

Michael Ancram suggested Mr Brown's officials liked to keep him "in the dark", while another Tory MP, Peter Tapsell asked whether finally becoming prime minister had turned into a "poisoned chalice".

Meanwhile, while reviewing PMQs for the BBC's Daily Politics the Lib Dem leadership candidate Chris Huhne said he had written to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair asking him to investigate the circumstances surrounding Mr Abrahams' donations.

In the Commons Mr Brown defended Mr Mendelsohn, saying he had only started in the job from 3 September, while the donations stretched back over four years and had "absolutely no involvement" in the donations.

And he said there was not "one iota" of evidence that his deputy leader, Harriet Harman, who has admitted accepting money in Janet Kidd's name - which later turned out to be from Mr Abrahams - knew about its true origins before Saturday.

Meanwhile Janet Dunn, the fourth person to be named as one of Mr Abrahams' intermediaries, who said on Tuesday she knew nothing about the £25,000 donation in her name, has since said that was inaccurate.

She said the whole issue had come as a "complete surprise" and she had not intended to mislead - after reviewing her records she found a cheque to the Labour Party was drawn on her account in 2003.

Satellite tie-up for fast Galileo

Satellite tie-up for fast Galileo

The UK company that built the test satellite for Europe's Galileo network is joining forces with a German firm to bid together to build more satellites.
SSTL believes the link-up will drive down costs and speed up production by boosting competition among suppliers.

Europe's proposed rival to the US Global Positioning System (GPS) has been delayed by rows over funding.

A compromise deal is expected to be announced at a meeting of transport ministers in Brussels on Thursday.

It follows a recent agreement by EU members to use leftover portions of the farming budget and spare science and technology funds to cover a 4bn euros (£3bn) funding gap. The shortfall was created when a private consortium asked to build and operate Galileo collapsed.

Under the new deal, the work will be split into six segments, enabling all countries to get a share of the construction work.

Project impetus

Amid this backdrop, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) is joining forces with OHB, based in Bremen, Germany.


OHB has built several satellites for research purposes and is involved in human spaceflight and the Columbus space laboratory.

"To date there's been no competition for operational Galileo satellites," said Phillip Davies, the business development manager at Guildford-based SSTL.

"The announcement of the new team opens up the possibility of a real competition."

The partnership believes it can produce Galileo spacecraft quickly and at an extremely competitive price. OHB would build the satellites; SSTL would produce the electronic payloads.

The 30-strong constellation of Galileo satellites was conceived in the 1990s as an alternative to GPS, the technology that underpins car navigation systems and tracking devices.

European market

The proposed European system promises to improve the availability and precision of location and timing signals delivered from space. Designed to work alongside GPS, the enhanced programme is expected to drive many new applications, especially as new mobile phones come on to the market with sat-nav functionality.

Galileo will have five services geared to different types of application or need.

So far only a single test satellite - built and operated by SSTL - has been launched. Giove-A was lofted from Kazakhstan in December 2005.

A contract for the first four satellites in the final constellation was placed with a consortium, known today as European Satellite Navigation Industries, in 2004. New contracts must be placed in the coming months for more spacecraft if Galileo is to maintain its present schedule of being operational by the end of 2012.

A committee of British MPs recently called for the scheme to be curtailed unless there was a more convincing cost-benefit analysis; but SSTL has always maintained that once the system becomes even partially operational, the benefits will be obvious. It believes its partnership with OHB provides a solution to getting Galileo working quickly.

CNN regrets Chavez caption gaffe

CNN regrets Chavez caption gaffe

The US news channel CNN says it regrets a production mistake which Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said could encourage assassination attempts.
On Monday, CNN's service in Spanish put up a caption reading "Who killed him?" over a report about Mr Chavez.

The caption - which was quickly removed - came from another story about the death of an American football star.

Mr Chavez has urged Venezuelan prosecutors to consider legal action against CNN.

He showed footage of the incident repeatedly during a two-hour appearance on the Venezuelan state television channel.

In a statement, CNN said its presenter had immediately made clear on air that there had been a mistake.

The channel said it would also broadcast further on-air clarifications of the incident.

It is not the first time Mr Chavez has attacked CNN, which he has accused of being involved in a campaign by Washington to destabilise Venezuela.

CNN denies that its reporting is biased and says it has no links to the US government.

Tense referendum

Mr Chavez is campaigning for a referendum on Sunday on a series of constitutional reforms, which include a measure that would allow him to be re-elected indefinitely.

Opinion polls suggest it could be the closest contest Mr Chavez has faced since he became president in 1999.

In his television appearance, Mr Chavez warned of "destabilisation plans" and said that "a gang of fascists" must not stop "the march of history".

He said the security forces were ready and urged his supporters to turn out to vote in large numbers.

"We are going to win cleanly", Mr Chavez said.

University students are leading the opposition to the constitutional reform plans.

They accuse Mr Chavez of seeking to take away basic freedoms and trying to stay in power permanently.

UK's toads 'at risk' from fungus

UK's toads 'at risk' from fungus

Britain's native toads are at risk from a deadly infection that has driven many of the world's amphibians to extinction, say UK scientists.

The fungal disease is currently confined to Kent, where it was brought in by imported frogs.

But if it spread further it could, in theory, completely wipe out the British toad population, according to research published in a Royal Society journal.

Experts want tighter controls on the aquarium trade to protect native toads.

The chytrid fungus, or Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, BD, as it is sometimes called, infects the skins of amphibians such as frogs, toads, salamanders and newts.

One-third of all the losses in amphibian species recorded around the world are thought to be due to the disease.

Under the worst case scenario, you could lose the common toad in the UK

Dr Matthew Fisher, Imperial College

Although the frogs that brought the fungus to Kent have long since disappeared, it is likely that they have left a reservoir of infection in the environment.

And scientists fear the disease is being brought into Britain time and time again through the world trade in amphibians.

"We strongly suspect BD is being introduced into the UK on a daily basis through the amphibian trade," said Dr Matthew Fisher, of Imperial College London.

"Our borders are wide open to the introduction of this infectious disease."

Severe declines

Dr Fisher and colleagues at the Institute of Zoology in London developed mathematical models to test what would happen if the disease found its way into breeding populations of the common toad (Bufo bufo), an amphibian which is known to be susceptible to BD.



They found that the critical parameter was the length of time the fungus could survive in the environment away from its natural host.

The models show that there would be little impact on UK toads if the fungus was only able to live outside its host for seven weeks.

But, if it was able to survive in water for a year, the impact would be considerable, with severe declines in the numbers of toads, and in some cases extinction in 10 years within infected areas.

Previous research has demonstrated that the fungus is able to live for at least seven weeks outside its natural host.

But the rapid declines in amphibian numbers in areas such as Australia and South America suggest that it may linger for much longer than has so far been seen in the laboratory.

Dr Matthew Fisher told the BBC: "Under the worst case scenario, you could lose the common toad in the UK. That's highly unlikely but it has to be taken into consideration."

Exotic pets

The research, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, adds weight to calls to test all amphibians for the disease before they are brought into Britain.

The wildlife charity Froglife said it was important to make people aware of the danger to native amphibians.

"It is thought that it could have been brought to the UK by exotic pet species, such as the African clawed toad, that have escaped or been deliberately released," said a spokesperson.

"It is vital strict controls on the health of imported animals are in place to help limit the spread of this devastating disease."

TV rivals form on-demand service

TV rivals form on-demand service

The BBC, ITV and Channel 4 are to launch a joint on-demand service, which will bring together thousands of hours of television programmes in one place.
The service is set to go live in 2008 and will offer viewers access to current shows and archive material.

Plans will have to be approved by the BBC Trust and the other broadcasters' boards, and a name for the service will be unveiled ahead of its launch.

The three broadcasters currently offer their own separate on-demand services.

The BBC's iPlayer and ITV's catch-up service will continue to exist along the new online "aggregator", which will provide a complement to the established providers.

However, Channel 4's 4oD will no longer be a standalone service once it is incorporated within the project.

Programming from all three broadcasters will be available for free download, streaming, rental and purchase via the internet, with expansion on to other platforms planned


John Smith, the chief executive of BBC Worldwide, said the venture was a "historic partnership" between the BBC, ITV and Channel 4.

"The new service will contain some of the very best of the UK's content for consumers to view in one place, which will be both easy to use and great fun," he added.

Michael Grade, ITV's executive chairman, described the project as having the potential to become "an important shop window for UK broadcaster content and a great destination for viewers".

For Channel 4, chief executive Andy Duncan said further innovation in the area of on-demand would "give viewers ultimate control over what they watch and when they watch it".

"Partnering and sharing expertise is the best way of doing this," he added.

The BBC and ITV's on-demand services launched earlier this year, with the commerical broadcaster initially concentrating on soap opera catch-ups.

Channel 4's service offers hundreds of hours of programming from current series such as Ugly Betty to classic shows including Father Ted.

Other on-demand services are offered by other providers including Five, Sky, BT Vision and Tiscali

Politics 'stifling $100 laptop'

Politics 'stifling $100 laptop'

A lack of "big thinking" by politicians has stifled a scheme to distribute laptops to children in the developing world, a spokesman has said.
Walter Bender of One Laptop per Child (OLPC) said politicians were unwilling to commit because "change equals risk".

But, he said, there needed to be a "dramatic change" because education in many countries was "failing" children.

In an interview with the BBC, Nigeria's education minister questioned the need for laptops in poorly equipped schools.

Dr Igwe Aja-Nwachuku said: "What is the sense of introducing One Laptop per Child when they don't have seats to sit down and learn; when they don't have uniforms to go to school in, where they don't have facilities?"

"We are more interested in laying a very solid foundation for quality education which will be efficient, effective, accessible and affordable."

The previous government of Nigeria had committed to buying one million laptops.

Dr Aja-Nwachuku said he was now assessing OLPC alongside other schemes from Microsoft and Intel. There is still a concerted misinformation campaign out there

Walter Bender, OLPC
"We are asking whether this is the most critical thing to drive education."

But speaking separately to BBC News, Professor Bender said: "We think that change has to be dramatic."

"You've got to be big, you've got to be bold. And what has happened is that there has been an effort to say 'don't take any risks - just do something small, something incremental'."

"It feels safe but by definition what you are ensuring is that nothing happens."

Winds of change

OLPC was started in 2002 by Nicholas Negroponte, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
It aims to put thousands of low-cost laptops, known as the XO, in the hands of children around the world.

The machines are planned to cost $100 and have been especially designed for use in remote and harsh environments where there is little access to electricity or the internet.

But getting the project off the ground has proved difficult.

Professor Negroponte has had high profile run-ins with major technology firms.

He told an audience at a Linux event: "if I am annoying Microsoft and Intel then I figure I am doing something right."

Microsoft head Bill Gates had questioned the XOs design, particularly the lack of hard drive and its "tiny screen".

But recently, the firm announced that it was working on a version of Windows XP that would run on the pared down machines.

The price will come down as the numbers go up. It will take time but it will happen

Walter Bender

"We are spending a non-trivial amount of money," Microsoft's Will Poole told Reuters.

Earlier this year, Professor Negroponte also accused Intel of selling its own cut-price laptop - the Classmate - below cost price to drive him out of markets. He said that Intel "should be ashamed of itself" and said its tactics had hurt his mission "enormously".

Within weeks it was announced that Intel had joined the board of OLPC amid speculation that the firm was unhappy about the XO using a processor from its main rival AMD.

'Small thinking'

Although these episodes now appear to be behind OLPC, Professor Bender said there was still an "aggressive" effort to undermine the charity.



There is still a concerted misinformation campaign out there," he said.

Mr Bender said he would not speculate on who was behind the alleged campaign.

"Wherever it is coming from, it exists," he told BBC News.

But he said the main problem for OLPC was dealing with conservative politicians.

"Change equals risk especially for politicians. And we are certainly advocating change because the [education] system is failing these children," he said.

"It has not been that processor versus that processor or that operating system versus that operating system - it's been small thinking versus big thinking. That's really the issue," he said.

Sales target

Originally, the laptops were to be sold to governments in lots of one million for $100 apiece.

Over time, however, the project has dropped the minimum number of machines that can be ordered, leading some to speculate that governments were not buying into the scheme


The project also recently launched an initiative to allow citizens of North America to buy two machines at a time; one for themselves and one for a child in a developing country.

But Mr Bender said the shift was because of a better understanding of how to distribute smaller numbers cheaply and effectively, rather than a lack of orders.

"Part of it was our understanding of how the supply chain was going to work and having enough flexibility in the supply chain to make it work with a small number," he said.

"The big numbers were really about how you get this thing started not how you make it work in the long term.

"That was always going to be about supporting any good idea that comes along. And we've been able to get it started without the big top down numbers so we are off and running."

Developing tool

Since the scheme was first announced in 2002 there have been reports of several countries signing up to it.

Both Nigeria and Libya were reported to have ordered more than one million laptops.



the numbers go up. It will take time but it will happen," said Mr Bender.

The manufacturer of the laptop - Quanta - recently revealed it had started mass production of the machines, after a number of delays.

Previously, OLPC had said it needed three million orders to make production feasible.

Professor Negroponte said it was an important milestone that had been reached despite "all the naysayers".

"We're not turning back - we have passed the point of no return," said Mr Bender. "It is happening."
maching currently costs $188. 'the price will come downas

the numbers go up. It will take time but it will happen," said Mr Bender.

The manufacturer of the laptop - Quanta - recently revealed it had started mass production of the machines, after a number of delays.

Previously, OLPC had said it needed three million orders to make production feasible.

Professor Negroponte said it was an important milestone that had been reached despite "all the naysayers".

"We're not turning back - we have passed the point of no return," said Mr Bender. "It is happening."

New Mid-East peace drive launched

New Mid-East peace drive launched

Israeli and Palestinian leaders have agreed to start talks aimed at reaching a full peace deal by the end of 2008.
Opening a Middle East peace conference, US President George W Bush said all outstanding issues dividing the two sides would be on the table.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the talks must include the status of Jerusalem as a Palestinian capital, and the future of refugees.

Israeli PM Ehud Olmert said Israel was prepared to make compromises for peace.

Standing before the diplomats from more than 40 countries and international agencies at the US naval academy at Annapolis, Maryland, President Bush stepped back to allow the Palestinian and Israeli leaders to shake hands.

"We agree to engage in vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations and shall make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008," Mr Bush said, reading from a statement agreed by the two sides.

KEY ISSUES


Jerusalem
Water
Refugees
Borders and settlements
History of failed talks

He said the first negotiations would start on 12 December, with further meetings to be held every two weeks after that.

He committed himself to spending the rest of his presidency - until January 2009 - working towards "an independent democratic viable Palestinian state".

"Such a state will provide Palestinians with the chance to lead lives of freedom, purpose and dignity," Mr Bush said.

"And such a state will help provide Israelis with something they have been seeking for generations: to live in peace with their neighbours."

'Time has come'

Mr Abbas followed with his own speech, saying: "We have to start comprehensive and deep negotiations on all issues of final status, including Jerusalem, refugees, borders, settlements, water and security and others".

This window of opportunity might never open again

Mahmoud Abbas
Palestinian president


Key excerpts: Speeches
Reactions to Annapolis

He said East Jerusalem should be the capital of the new Palestinian state, something deeply opposed by many Israelis who regard it as part of their own capital.

Mr Olmert said he had come to Annapolis despite the obstacles posed by continuing violence against the people of Israel.

But he added that the "time has come... we want peace".

Mr Olmert agreed that all the core issues dividing the two sides would be on the table, and that Israel would assist Palestinian refugees find a future in the new Palestinian state.

Following the speeches, the delegates at Annapolis broke into sessions for further discussions.

In a closing news conference, a tired-looking US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the event had demonstrated "unambiguously" that the new initiative had international support.

"No one believes failure is an option," she said.

Ms Rice is reported to have made 36 phone calls to world leaders over last weekend as part of efforts to achieve results at the conference.

Nations will be asked to provide financial support for Palestinian aid programmes at a donors' conference in Paris in mid-December.

Low expectations



Observers say the fact that the summit is being hosted by the US and has attracted the participation of Saudi Arabia and Syria, two Arab states that do not recognise Israel, is critical to its chances for success.

But expectations going into Annapolis have been low because every other attempt at negotiation between the Israelis and the Palestinians has failed, says the BBC's Jeremy Bowen at the conference.

However, there are grounds for optimism, says our correspondent: the Americans are behind the talks, there is no plan B and the consequences of failure could be bloody.

Wider tensions

The absence of Palestinian faction Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organisation by the US, the EU and Israel, could also make negotiating a deal problematic.

Hamas controls the internal affairs of the Gaza Strip and says it will not be bound by anything decided in Annapolis.

ANNAPOLIS SCHEDULE
1400 GMT (0900 Washington time): Arrivals
1440-1530 GMT: Closed meeting between Bush, Olmert and Abbas
1600 GMT: Speeches by all three leaders
1700 GMT: Three sessions on international support, economic and institutional development and regional peace
0030 GMT: End of meeting press conference

In Gaza on Tuesday tens of thousands of people joined a rally protesting against the talks, many of them chanting "Abbas is a traitor" and "We will not recognise Israel".

And in the West Bank, controlled by Mr Abbas's Fatah faction, Palestinian security forces broke up several protests against the Annapolis gathering. One man was killed in Hebron, Palestinian medical officials said.

In Jerusalem, Israelis gathered at the Western Wall on Monday to protest against the conference.

Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu labelled the meeting "a continuation of one-sided concessions".

The wider tensions in the Middle East are also a concern, with many fearing that problems with Iraq, Iran and Lebanon could derail any peace process, our correspondent says.

Mr Abbas and Mr Olmert have said say they are ready and willing to negotiate, our correspondent says - the question is, whether events and some of their own people will let them.

Putin machine squeezes opponents

Putin machine squeezes opponents

Opposition politicians in Russia are warning that the parliamentary election on 2 December could mark the end of any serious opposition to President Vladimir Putin and his already dominant political party, United Russia.
Liberal parties say they are being squeezed out by deliberate changes to electoral laws and that the country is on the way to becoming a one-party state.

One of the last pre-election opinion polls to be published, from the independent Levada centre, suggests that only one party will get into parliament alongside United Russia - the Communist Party.

The mood of resignation, if not despair, was reflected at a recent party for the liberal Yabloko party here in Moscow.


It was held to mark the party's 14th birthday and two long tables laden with vodka bottles and finger-food had been set out.

While party leader Grigory Yavlinsky led the toasts and glasses started clinking in traditional fashion, he was soon admitting to me that his party now faced so many obstacles that it was impossible to play an opposition role in today's Russia.

"When you have no possibility for independent financing, no access to independent media, no access to independent justice, then by European standards there's no possibility to become an opposition," he said.

New rules

Since the last election four years ago there has also been a series of significant changes to electoral laws which opposition parties say aims to push them out of the political system.

Among the most important are:


Increasing the minimum percentage of votes required for a party to enter parliament from 5% to 7% and banning parties from forming coalitions in order to break through the higher threshold

Increasing the minimum number of members a party must have in order to be officially registered by the authorities, from 10,000 to 50,000

Banning independent candidates from running for parliament.
Yabloko has always been a small party and failed to cross the lower threshold in the last election. Now it knows it stands absolutely no chance of getting back into parliament.

But Mr Yavlinsky refuses to give up.

"We are sure there are millions of people who support the alternative, who want to bring democracy," he said.

Besides the legal changes and the Kremlin's control of all the most important media outlets, opposition parties also complain of harassment by the authorities.

Several leaders of the Other Russia opposition coalition were arrested on Saturday at a rally in Moscow. Former chess champion Garry Kasparov, one of the coalition leaders, was jailed for five days.

Another liberal party, the Union of Right Forces (SPS), says more than a million copies of its manifesto were confiscated by the police in Siberia.



Party leader Nikita Belykh has accused the government of using "totalitarian methods" to undermine the SPS election campaign.

Another place of sombre reflection these days is the parliamentary office of independent MP Vladimir Ryzhkov.

He has been an outspoken critic of President Putin and his party United Russia for many years.

But now he has been packing his bags. His days as a member of the Duma - the lower house of parliament - are over.

He cannot run as an independent candidate because of the changes in the law and his party was disqualified because a court ruled it did not meet the new minimum party membership requirement.

Mr Ryzhkov disputes this and says he has taken the case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

He is bitter and says the upcoming election will be "the first absolutely non-free election since the end of the Soviet Union".

"It's becoming more and more like Soviet political system," he said, "with one centre of power: (the) Kremlin and Kremlin administration, which controls everything - parliament, courts, the party system, media, regional authorities and local authorities.

"(It's) a pyramid of power headed by one man."

'Successful leader'

But supporters of the Kremlin dismiss all these allegations as the complaints of losers.

"There is a liberal electorate in Russia," says pro-Kremlin analyst Vyacheslav Nikonov, "but only for one liberal project.

"During all public opinion polls (for the liberals) in previous years the figures have been quite stable at between eight and ten per cent. They need to unite and that is what they are not doing."

Mr Nikonov believes the other big problem the liberal parties face is that they are still associated with the chaos of the 1990s and in particular the economic crash in 1998.

And as for allegations that this whole election is being manipulated to ensure United Russia wins a huge majority, Mr Nikonov was equally dismissive.

"President Putin received the country eight years ago (when it had a ) GDP of $200 billion and today Russia's GDP is $1.2 trillion.. and people feel it," he says.

"So it's not just about manipulation, it's also about Putin being one of the most successful Russian leaders."

Surprise U2 charity gig wows fans

Surprise U2 charity gig wows fans

Bono and The Edge of rock superstars U2 delighted fans when they made a surprise appearance at a charity gig.
The Irish pair played an unannounced four-song set, before just 250 people, for Mencap's Little Noise Sessions at the Union Chapel, in north London.

Referring to their bandmates, Bono joked: "Don't tell Larry (Mullen) and Adam (Clayton) we've done this."

BBC Radio 1 DJ Jo Whiley, the event's curator, said the multi-million-selling duo "were actually nervous beforehand".

Whiley, who has helped curate a number of shows to raise funds for Mencap added: "Seeing them in a situation like this, in a tiny chapel, makes people realise just how great they are - worthy of all the praise they get."

Joshua Tree

The crowd were told about some "very special guests" by organisers, but had no idea who it would be until they walked out on stage.

"The singer, Paul, is a shy guy, so please be gentle with him," Whiley told the crowd, before Bono and The Edge - real names Paul Hewson and Dave Evans - appeared.

They opened their set with Stay, moving on to Desire and Angel Of Harlem.

Their closing track was a first-time performance for the song Wave Of Sorrow - a track originally written for their 1987 album Joshua Tree.

Both men left the stage to a standing ovation.

"After they came off stage, Bono was asking me if they'd been OK and they were also wondering whether the 'new' song had gone down well," Whiley said.

The pair acted as the first warm-up act for Biffy Clyro.

Rumours

Fan Simon Dowling, 20, from Newcastle, said: "I was here for Biffy Clyro. We turned up at 5 o'clock outside and got rumours it was Bono and the Edge and we were like, 'that can't be true'.

"I've used all the battery on my phone taking pictures of them."

Biffy Clyro singer Simon Neil said he had found out only on Friday morning that Bono and The Edge were to perform.

"We got to meet them earlier and they were very kind. They actually apologised to us for jumping on our show which obviously, you know, is incredibly polite," he said.

Doctor Who's first producer dies

Doctor Who's first producer dies


Doctor Who's first producer, and the BBC's first female TV producer, Verity Lambert, has died aged 71.
She was also the youngest person to take charge of a BBC television show when the sci-fi drama started in 1963.

Lambert also produced dramas including Minder, Quatermass, Rumpole of the Bailey and Jonathan Creek, while her company made 1990s BBC soap Eldorado.

She was made an OBE in recognition of her services to film and television in January 2002.

'Total one-off'

Lambert oversaw the first two series of Doctor Who before leaving in 1965.

Russell T Davies, the current writer and executive producer of Doctor Who, said: "There are a hundred people in Cardiff working on Doctor Who and millions of viewers, in particular many children, who love the programme that Verity helped create."



This is her legacy and we will never forget that," he added.

In 1985 Lambert formed her own independent television company, Cinema Verity, which went on to make the sitcom May to December and the short-lived soap Eldorado.

Most recently she completed the second series of BBC One's Love Soup.

Jane Tranter, controller of BBC Fiction said: "Verity was a total one-off. She was a magnificently, madly, inspirationally talented drama producer."

Lambert had been due to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Women in Film and Television Awards next month.

Her death on Thursday came the day before the 44th anniversary of the very first episode of Doctor Who.

France unveils anti-piracy plan

France unveils anti-piracy plan

French web users caught pirating movies or music could soon be thrown offline.
Those illegally sharing files will face the loss of their net access thanks to a newly-created anti-piracy body granted the wide-ranging powers.

The anti-piracy body comes out of a deal agreed by France's music and movie makers and its net firms.

The group who brokered the deal said the measures were intended to curb casual piracy rather than tackle large scale pirate groups.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the deal was a "decisive moment for the future of a civilised internet".

Net firms will monitor what their customers are doing and pass on information about persistent pirates to the new independent body. Those identified will get a warning and then be threatened with either being cut off or suspended if they do not stop illegal file-sharing.

The agreement between net firms, record companies, film-makers and government was drawn up by a special committee created to look at the problem of the net and cultural protection.

Denis Olivennes, head of the French chain store FNAC, who chaired the committee said current penalties for piracy - large fines and years in jail - were "totally disproportionate" for those young people who do file-share illegally.

In return for agreeing to monitor net use, film-makers agreed to speed up the transfer of movies to DVD and music firms pledged to support DRM-free tracks on music stores.

The deal was hailed by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), which represents the global interests of the music business.

"This is the single most important initiative to help win the war on online piracy that we have seen so far," it said in a statement.

French consumer group UFC Que Choisir was more cautious.

It said the agreement was "very tough, potentially destructive of freedom, anti-economic and against digital history".