US wants Twitter details of Wikileaks activists

The US government has subpoenaed the social networking site Twitter for personal details of people connected to Wikileaks, court documents show.

The US District Court in Virginia said it wanted information including user names, addresses, connection records, telephone numbers and payment details.
Those named include Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and an Icelandic MP.
The US is examining possible charges against Mr Assange over the leaking of 250,000 classified diplomatic cables.
Reports indicate the Department of Justice may seek to indict him on charges of conspiring to steal documents with Private First Class Bradley Manning, a US Army intelligence analyst.
Mr Manning is facing a court martial and up to 52 years in prison for allegedly sending Wikileaks the diplomatic cables, as well military logs about incidents in Afghanistan and Iraq and a classified military video.
'Given a message' According to the

court order issued on 14 December by the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia,

  the US Attorney's Office has provided evidence to show that the information held by Twitter is "relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation".

Continue reading the main story

The San Francisco-based website was given three days to respond was also told not to disclose that it had been served the subpoena, or the existence of the investigation.

However, the same court removed those restrictions on Wednesday and authorised Twitter to disclose the order to its customers.
The subpoena requested the details of Mr Assange, Pfc Manning and Icelandic MP Birgitta Jonsdottir, as well as Dutch hacker Rop Gonggrijp and US programmer Jacob Appelbaum, both of whom have previously worked with Wikileaks.
The information sought includes mailing addresses and billing information, connection records and session times, IP addresses used to access Twitter, email accounts, as well as the "means and source of payment".
Mr Assange condemned the court order on Saturday, saying it amounted to harassment.
"If the Iranian government was to attempt to coercively obtain this information from journalists and activists of foreign nations, human rights groups around the world would speak out," he said in a statement.
The order was unsealed "thanks to legal action by Twitter", he added.
Twitter has declined comment on the claim, saying only: "To help users protect their rights, it's our policy to notify users about law enforcement and governmental requests for their information, unless we are prevented by law from doing so."
Ms Jonsdottir, who until recently was a vocal supporter of Wikileaks, revealed on Friday that the Department of Justice had asked Twitter for her personal details and all of her tweets since November 2009.
She said she had 10 days to appeal against the subpoena.
Ms Jonsdottir wrote on her Twitter feed: "USA government wants to know about all my tweets and more since 1 November 2009. Do they realise I am a member of parliament in Iceland?"

Birgitta Jonsdottir says she helped produce a controversial Wikileaks video

She said that she would call Iceland's justice minister to discuss the request.
"I think I am being given a message, almost like someone breathing in a phone," she said.
Ms Jonsdottir was the chief sponsor of the Icelandic Modern Media Initiative (IMMI) law, which made Iceland an international haven for investigative journalism and free speech.
She has said she helped to produce a video for Wikileaks showing a US Apache helicopter shooting civilians in Iraq in 2007.
The classified video, released by Wikileaks last April, brought the whistle-blowing website to the world's attention.
The website's founder, Julian Assange, is currently fighting extradition from the UK to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning as part of an inquiry into alleged sex offences.
Ms Jonsdottir reportedly left Wikileaks late last year after she argued unsuccessfully that Mr Assange should take a low-profile role until his legal troubles were resolved.

Google to fix phone bug that misdirects text messages

Google says it will fix a mobile phone bug that mistakenly sends text messages to the wrong people.

The glitch, which has hit a small portion of the company's Android mobile phones, first emerged last year.
Those affected say some of their texts have ended up in the hands of random recipients.
After investigating the issue, Google said it had "developed a fix" and would be rolling it out soon.
It is nearly a year since the problem was first reported, although the number of incidents appeared to increase last summer.
Initial examinations confused the problem with another, similar bug - but the company admitted yesterday that some users have seen their messages delivered to the incorrect recipient.
"It took us some time to reproduce this issue, as it appears that it's only occurring very rarely," said Nik Kralevich, an engineer on the Android security team.
"Even so, we've now managed to both reproduce it and develop a fix that we will deploy."
It is not clear, however, when users will actually receive the fix - or how it would happen.
Some mobile bugs require a complete software update - which would require plugging affected handsets into a computer - while others can be fixed remotely.
Potentially embarrassing Although the company was keen to stress that only a tiny fraction of users have reported problems, some users say it has proven embarrassing and potentially costly.
"Today I sent a text asking about a contract from a potential employer - and it went to my current boss," wrote one user on Google's bug forum.
"If this hurts my career, I will be looking into legal action."
Tracking down the bug has become increasingly important for Google since Android - its system to power smartphones - has grown massively in popularity over the past year.
It has rocketed from having a share of just 3% of the worldwide smart phone market in 2009 to more than 25% today.
Most users affected suggested it is an inconvenient, rather than crippling, problem - but those who have experienced the glitch say that it has been troubling.
"I don't know where the SMS messages are going," Christina Bunce, a university programme leader from Falmouth, told the BBC.
"But I can see they have been sent and never arrived."

Piracy concerns over Apple's new Mac download store

Several groups claim to have found security flaws in the company's new Mac App Store, which launched on Thursday.
The new service allows people to find and download approved applications to their Apple computers.
However pirates suggest that the loopholes mean many pieces of paid-for software are vulnerable to unauthorised copying.
Apple chief executive Steve Jobs had hailed the launch as "innovative", but the company has yet to respond to the claims.
While Mac users have been able to purchase and install programs on their computers for many years, the Californian technology giant hopes the new system can emulate the success of its music and mobile download services.
The store has more than 1,000 programs for download, including best sellers such as Angry Birds.
Apple scrutiny Unlike ordinary software downloads, however, every program in the store is scrutinised by Apple and must pass a series of tests before gaining approval.
Almost immediately after the launch, however, pirates and Apple experts outlined a series of loopholes that could allow software to be copied or shared illegally.
One flaw, which only affects some applications including the popular Angry Birds game, involves simply copying and pasting the purchase code to allow paid-for programs to be used for free.
At the same time, a group known as Hackulous says it has developed a program called Kickback which can break the protection on any piece of App Store software.

However the organisation, which has previously broken the copy protection systems used by the iPhone and iPad, says it will not release its work until next month.

"We're not going to release Kickback until well after the store's been established," said "Dissident", a spokesman for the group. "We don't want to devalue applications and frustrate developers."
Google battle extensively about the company - said the loopholes showed gaps in the system. "Apple should test for this in the review process, and reject paid apps that are susceptible to this simple technique," he wrote.
In the past the company has come under fire for the opaque nature of its approval scheme, which has sometimes resulted in applications being blocked without an obvious reason.
Most notably Google complained after its Voice application for the iPhone was turned down. It was eventually given approval, but only after a protracted battle between the two companies.
The news also comes after it emerged that as many as 50,000 fraudulently-obtained iTunes accounts were for sale on Chinese auction site TaoBao.

Hodgson leaves Liverpool as Dalglish takes over

Liverpool today confirmed that manager Roy Hodgson has left the club by mutual consent.

Hodgson had been under huge pressure following poor results this season and the decision came as no surprise with the club 12th in the Barclays Premier League, just four points above the relegation zone.

Kenny Dalglish will take control of team matters for tomorrow's third round FA Cup tie with Manchester United at Old Trafford.

In a statement on the club's website, principal owner John Henry said: "We are grateful for Roy's efforts over the past six months, but both parties thought it in the best interests of the club that he stand down from his position as team manager.

"We wish him all the best for the future."

Hodgson added: "Being asked to manage Liverpool football club was a great privilege.

"Any manager would be honoured to manage a club with such an incredible history, such embedded tradition and such an amazing set of fans.

"Liverpool is one of the great clubs in world football. I have, however, found the last few months some of the most challenging of my career.

"I am very sad not to have been able to put my stamp on the squad, to be given the time to bring new players into the club in this transfer window and to have been able to be part of the rebuilding process at Liverpool.

"The club has some great, world-class players, with whom it has been a pleasure to work and I wish the entire squad well for the rest of the season.

"I thank those with whom I have built up a close working relationship at the club for their loyalty and support during very testing times, and finally of course to the Liverpool fans, your passion and dedication to the club will see Liverpool at the top of the game once more."

Speaking about the decision to put Dalglish in charge of the team for the rest of the season, Henry added: "We are delighted that Kenny Dalglish has agreed to step in and manage the team for Sunday's FA Cup tie at Old Trafford and for the remainder of the season.

"Kenny was not just a legendary footballer, he was the third of our three most successful managers - three giants. We are extraordinarily fortunate and grateful that he has decided to step in during the middle of this season."

Chairman Tom Werner said: "No one who cares for this great club has been happy with the way this season has unfolded and we have examined options and considered at length what is best for us going forward.

"Kenny will bring considerable experience to the position and provide management and leadership for the rest of the season."

Hodgson was named Liverpool boss on July 1 last year, signing a three-year contract and looking to translate his success at Fulham onto a bigger stage.

But despite victories in the early stages of the Europa League, domestic results failed to live up to expectations, most memorably with a Carling Cup exit to League Two Northampton at Anfield.

The Reds even found themselves in the bottom three of the league with a 2-1 home defeat to promoted Blackpool, the first time since September 1964 they had ended a round of top-flight fixtures in such a position.

A run of three straight league wins, including over Chelsea at Anfield, eased the pressure, but Hodgson was forced to apologise to the club's fans for saying he "had never had the famous Anfield support" since taking over.

Those comments came after another home defeat, this time to bottom side Wolves, and the final straw came with Wednesday's 3-1 loss at Blackburn.

Royal Family granted new right of secrecy

The Royal Family is to be granted absolute protection from public scrutiny in a controversial legal reform designed to draw a veil of secrecy over the affairs of the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William.

Letters, emails and documents relating to the monarch, her heir and the second in line to the throne will no longer be disclosed even if they are in the public interest.

Sweeping changes to the Freedom of Information Act will reverse advances which had briefly shone a light on the royal finances – including an attempt by the Queen to use a state poverty fund to heat Buckingham Palace – and which had threatened to force the disclosure of the Prince of Wales's prolific correspondence with ministers.

Lobbying and correspondence from junior staff working for the Royal Household and Prince Charles will now be held back from disclosure. Buckingham Palace confirmed that it had consulted with the Coalition Government over the change in the law. The Government buried the plan for "added protection" for the Royal Family in the small print of plans called "opening up public bodies to public scrutiny".

Maurice Frankel, head of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, said that since the change referred to communications written on behalf of the Queen and Prince Charles it might be possible for "park keepers working in the royal parks" to be spared public scrutiny of their letters written to local authorities.

The decision to push through the changes also raises questions about the sincerity of the Liberal Democrats' commitment to government transparency. In opposition, senior Liberal Democrats frequently lined up to champion the Freedom of Information Act after it came into force in 2005.

Ian Davidson, a former member of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC), told The Independent: "I'm astonished that the Government should find time to seek to cover up royal finances. When I was on the PAC what we wanted was more disclosure not less.

"Every time we examined royal finances we found extravagance and indulgence as well as abuse of expenses by junior royals.

"Everywhere we looked, there were savings to be made for the Government. This sends the wrong message about public disclosure and accountability."

Paul Flynn, another member of the committee, described the special protection for the Royals as "indefensible". He said: "I don't think it serves the interests of the public or the Royal Family very well."

Mr Frankel said he believed that Prince Charles was the driving force behind the new law.

"The heir to the throne has written letters to government departments in an attempt to influence policy," he said.

"He clearly does not want these to get into the public domain."

Later this month, lawyers for the Cabinet Office, backed by Prince Charles, will go to court to continue to resist Freedom of Information requests of ministers to publish letters written to them by the Prince of Wales.

A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said that the change to the law was necessary because the Freedom of Information Act had failed to protect the constitutional position of the monarch and the heir to the throne. He explained that the sovereign has the right and duty to be consulted, to encourage and warn the government, and by extension, the heir to the throne had the constitutional right and duty to prepare himself for the role of King.

"This constitutional position relies on confidentiality, so that all such correspondence remains confidential," he said.

But he said that change would also mean that correspondence not covered by the absolute exemption would be made public 10 years earlier than under the current disclosure rules.

The Palace's position was backed by Professor Vernon Bogdanor, research professor at King's College London.

He told The Independent: "The essence of constitutional monarchy is that the Queen and other members of the Royal Family remain politically neutral. The Queen meets the Prime Minister once a week, when both are in London, to discuss government policy.

"The heir to the throne has the right, and perhaps the duty, to question ministers on policy so as to prepare himself for the throne. Such discussions are only possible if they remain confidential. Otherwise the neutrality of the Queen and of the Prince of Wales could be undermined.

"When the Queen meets the Prime Minister, no one else is present – not even the Queen's Private Secretary. For this reason, it is right that the Royal Family should be exempt from FOI."

The Government claimed that the thrust of the changes announced yesterday would make it "easier for people to use FOI to find and use information about the public bodies they rely on and their taxes pay for".

The Ministry of Justice intends to increase the number of organisations to which FOI requests can be made, bringing in bodies such as the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Financial Services Ombudsman, and the higher education admissions body UCAS, and also all companies wholly owned by any number of public authorities.

In the public interest? The stories they didn't want us to know

*In 2004 the Queen asked ministers for a poverty handout to help heat her palaces but was rebuffed because they feared it would be a public relations disaster. Royal aides were told that the £60m worth of energy-saving grants were aimed at families on low incomes and if the money was given to Buckingham Palace instead of housing associations or hospitals it could lead to "adverse publicity" for the Queen and the government.

*A "financial memorandum" formalising the relationship between the sovereign and ministers set out tough terms on how the Queen can spend the £38.2m handed over by Parliament each year to pay for her staff and occupied palaces.

*The Queen requested more public money to pay for the upkeep of her crumbling palaces while allowing minor royals and courtiers to live in rent-free accommodation.

*As early as 2004 Sir Alan Reid, the Keeper of the Privy Purse, had unsuccessfully put the case to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for a substantial increase in the £15m-a-year grant to maintain royal buildings.

*The Palace planned to go ahead with refurbishing and renting the apartment of Diana, Princess of Wales at Kensington Palace after it had lain empty since her death in 1997.

*A letter exchange revealed a tussle over who has control of £2.5m gained from the sale of Kensington Palace land. Ministers said it belonged to the state, while Buckingham Palace said it belonged to the Queen.

Obama urges end to 'symbolic battles' in Congress

President Barack Obama urged newly empowered Republicans today not to wage "symbolic battles" against him but to instead work together to help spur job growth and economic recovery.

Obama issued his appeal in his weekly radio address after Republicans took power in the US House of Representatives on Wednesday, setting up potentially fierce fights with the president and his Democrats on spending, debt and healthcare.

"Our fundamental mission must be to accelerate hiring and growth," Obama said.

He touted as an example of bipartisan cooperation a massive compromise tax cut package approved by Congress last month that he said had contributed to "more optimistic economic forecasts for the year ahead."

Obama cautiously welcomed yesterday's US Labor Department report that unemployment in December fell to 9.4 per cent from 9.8 per cent. But the rise of 103,000 in non-farm payrolls fell short of economists' expectations.

"We know that these numbers can bounce around from month to month. But the trend is clear," he said. "The pace of hiring is picking up.

Turning to the political front, Obama kept up his push for increased bipartisanship since his Democrats were trounced in the November congressional elections.

"What we can't do is refight the battles of the past two years that distract us from the hard work of moving our economy forward," he said.

"What we can't do is engage in the kinds of symbolic battles that so often consume Washington while the rest of America waits for us to solve problems," he said.

Resurgent Republicans have vowed to undo Obama's healthcare reform plan, but the effort took a hit on Thursday when congressional budget analysts said repeal would add billions of dollars to the federal budget deficit.

Democrats, who still control the Senate despite losses in last year's elections, have promised to protect the healthcare law, Obama's signature legislative victory. The Republican drive to overturn it is thus seen as largely symbolic.

Jeddah suffers further flooding

DUBAI - Jeddah suffered further flooding on Monday as heavy rains saw streets once again submerged by water and traffic come to a standstill, local daily Arab News reported.

The rains come less than a week after the last downpours that flooded large parts of the Red Sea port city, which suffers from poor drainage infrastructure.

Thursday’s downpours left some districts up to waist-high in water and many affected areas were still immersed when it started raining on Monday, according to the newspaper.

The fresh rains and warnings of more to come this week sparked fears among residents that floodwater could begin encroaching into their homes, Arab News reported.

Residents in one district are threatening Jeddah municipality with legal action over the flooding, alleging authorities did not have adequate prevention measures in place, according to the newspaper.

“This is the second time our area is inundated because of rainfalls,” resident Ismail Qashgari was quoted as saying.

“The municipality has got budget allocations to prevent flash floods. We’ll ask for compensation for material damages caused by floods.”

Authorities have struggled to clear the rainwater following Thursday’s downpours and health experts have warned large puddles of stagnant water could turn into a breeding grounds for disease-carrying insects.

The flooding has not claimed any casualties in Jeddah, but a man and three children died on in the Mecca region on Thursday, according to authorities.

Torrential rains in November 2009 caused severe flooding in Jeddah that killed at least 123 people and devastated parts of the city.

Thousands of families were left homeless and more than 10,785 buildings were wrecked and 10,850 vehicles destroyed, according to official figures.

The floods sparked outrage among residents, many of whom blamed inadequate infrastructure for escalating the disaster.

King Abdullah ordered an inquiry into the disaster and police questioned dozens of people, including government officials, contractors and engineers.

Netanyahu makes condolence call to Abbas

JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu telephoned Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Tuesday to express condolences on the death of his older brother, the Israeli premier's office said.

"I join you in your deep pain at the loss of your brother," Netanyahu was quoted as saying.

Netanyahu and Abbas have not met face-to-face since September, shortly before direct Israeli-Palestinian peace talks broke down, just three weeks after they were launched.

The Israeli leader told Abbas in the phone call that he hoped they could resume negotiations, which collapsed after a 10-month Israeli moratorium on settlement building in the occupied West Bank expired.

"We are neighbours," Netanyahu said in the statement. "And I believe with all my heart that with mutual effort and will we can move toward real peace between our peoples."

On Monday, Ismail Haniya, leader of a rival Palestinian government of the Islamist movement Hamas which rules Gaza, also called Abbas with condolences on the death of Atta Abbas, who died earlier the same day in Damascus.

Iran invites Russia, China to atom sites but not US

TEHRAN - Iran is to open its atomic sites to some world powers, officials announced on Tuesday, as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad insisted the West was wrong to confront Tehran over its nuclear programme.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said in Tehran that invitations to visit Iran's nuclear sites in Natanz and Arak have been sent to ambassadors of some of the nations represented in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Diplomatic sources at the IAEA in Vienna said, however, that invitations had gone out to Russia and China but that the United States, Britain, France and Germany were not on the list.

The invitees also include Hungary as rotating president of the European Union, Egypt and Cuba, according to the sources.

The rare move to open up its facilities comes as Tehran works to garner support for its atomic drive in the run-up to talks with the six world powers in Turkey at the end of January.

"The representatives of some European Union countries, NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) and some representatives of the five-plus-one (six world powers) have been invited to visit our nuclear sites," Mehmanparast told a news conference.

When asked whether the United States was invited for the trip, he said "the list of the countries invited for the visit will be unveiled when it is finalised."

Mehmanparast said the initiative was part of the Islamic republic's attempt to demonstrate "cooperation with the IAEA" and showed "the goodwill of our country and the peaceful and cooperative nature of our (nuclear) activities."

ISNA news agency cited Iran's envoy to the IAEA, Ali Asgar Soltanieh, as saying the visit was scheduled for January 15-16 and would be to the country's main uranium enrichment plant at Natanz and the heavy water facility at Arak.

"This invitation is within the framework of Iran's transparent nuclear policy," Soltanieh said.

Such visits to Iran's atomic facilities are rare and the last trip which Tehran arranged for members of the IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog, dates back to February 2007.

The proposed new visit to the nuclear facilities in central Iran, Mehmanparast said, is to "take place before the Istanbul meeting," for which a final date has yet to be fixed.

Iran and Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany are to meet for another round of talks on Tehran's atomic programme. The previous round of talks, after a 14-month hiatus, was held in Geneva on December 6-7.

The talks are aimed at ascertaining whether Iran is seeking nuclear weapons or is indeed looking only to meet the energy needs of its growing population, as it insists.

China, a close ally and economic partner of Iran, confirmed it was among those invited to visit the atomic sites.

"China has received the invitation from the Iran side and will maintain communication with Iran on this," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said, without giving details.

Ahmadinejad was adamant on Tuesday that the West had made a mistake by confronting Iran over its atomic programme.

"You should accept that you have made mistakes. You should accept that you chose the wrong path," the hardliner said in a speech in his hometown of Semnan that was broadcast live on state television.

The "previous path (of confronting Tehran) will have no result but defeat," the president said, adding that the West must respect the rights of other countries.

Ahmadinejad and other Iranian officials have maintained that pursuing nuclear technology is the Islamic republic's "inalienable right."

The United States has not ruled out a military strike to stop Iran's growing nuclear programme under Ahmadinejad, and Tehran has been slapped with four sets of UN sanctions.

Washington has been spearheading a campaign of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme, which world powers suspect is masking a drive for atomic weapons.

Apart from initial unilateral punitive measures imposed soon after the fourth set of UN sanctions, Washington placed new sanctions last month, targeting Iran's Revolutionary Guards and its energy and shipping sectors.

Those targeted included Guards member Parviz Fattah, a former energy minister, and the Pars Oil and Gas Company, which is responsible for tapping some of the world's largest gas fields.

Bus bomb wounds 15 soldiers' children in Pakistan

Police say a remote-controlled bomb tore through a bus carrying children of paramilitary soldiers in southwest Pakistan.

Fifteen children were wounded, five of them critically.

Area police chief Abdul Latif says the attack occurred in Turbat, 435 miles (700 kilometers) from Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province.

The bus was being escorted by two other military vehicles, but they were not hit.

Militant Baluch nationalist groups are active in Turbat. The groups are part of a low-level insurgency that seeks more autonomy for Baluchistan province and a greater share of the money from its natural resources.

South Korea tightens rules to combat illegal whaling

South Korea says it is tightening rules to combat illegal whaling.

Although commercial whale hunting is banned in the country, the trading of whales that are found dead is still legal.
The new rules will require fisherman to report to police immediately if they discover dead whales in their nets or washed ashore.
The move comes after critics said some fishermen were exploiting a loophole in the law.
The new regulations mean that, from Monday, samples from all dead whales must be given to the authorities for testing, and their meat can only be sold after a full investigation into how the animal died.
Those who catch dead whales will also only be allowed to process and sell them at state-designated facilities, South Korea's agricultural ministry said.
The new law aims to tackle a "growing amount of illegal whale hunting" around the country, it said, according to AFP news agency.
"Once the new measures go into effect, Seoul will be able to better meet allegations of lax oversight raised by some countries and the IWC (International Whaling Commission), and lay the foundation for monitoring marine resources around the Korean Peninsula," a ministry official was quoted by Yonhap news agency as saying.
South Korea used to allow commercial whaling but banned it when the IWC implemented a global moratorium in 1986.

Honey West actress Anne Francis dies aged 80

Actress Anne Francis, who played a sexy private eye in US TV series Honey West, has died aged 80.

Her daughter Jane Uemura, told the Los Angeles Times newspaper that she died from complications of pancreatic cancer.
The star was awarded the best female TV star Golden Globe for Honey West in 1966.
She was also known for playing the love interest in the 1950s science-fiction classic Forbidden Planet.
Throughout her career, which began in radio and Broadway, Francis appeared opposite stars such as Spencer Tracy, Paul Newman and Robert Taylor.
Her other films included Bad Day at Black Rock with Tracy, Rogue Cop and A Lion Is in the Streets.
When film work began to die down, Francis became active in television, appearing in dozens of series, including Mission Impossible, The Golden Girls, Charlie's Angels and Nash Bridges.

Pink Floyd end EMI legal dispute

Pink Floyd have ended a legal battle with their record company EMI and signed a new contract with the label.

The rock group recently won a court ruling against the label over whether a deal signed in the pre-download age could be applied to digital sales.
"All legal disputes between the band and the company have been settled as a result of this new deal," EMI said.
An EMI statement said it would "help the band reach new and existing fans through their incredible body of work".
The band, who have sold more than 200 million albums worldwide, have been with EMI since signing their first record deal in the 1960s. The new agreement will last for five years.
'Seamless' albums They have chosen not to follow acts like The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Queen and Radiohead, who have all left the label since it was taken over by private equity firm Terra Firma in 2007.
The recent court case centred around Pink Floyd's last record deal, which was signed before the days of legal downloads and said individual songs could not be sold without the band's permission.
The band argued that the rule should apply to download sales in stores such as iTunes as well as CDs, saying their "seamless" albums should not be split up.
EMI disagreed, claiming the word "record" in the band's contract applied "to the physical thing - there is nothing to suggest it applies to online distribution".
A judge sided with Pink Floyd in March, and EMI's appeal was dismissed last month.
'Very fond' However, single Pink Floyd tracks have remained on sale through iTunes and will continue to be available under the new deal.
Speaking in October, Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason told BBC News it was "not actually a big punch up" with the record company, but rather "about getting a third party to adjudicate".
He also said he was "very fond" of EMI but bemoaned how "the gang known as 'business affairs' have taken over the running of the company".
"I look back with considerable fondness to the days when it was the entrepreneurs and individuals who actually ran these companies and created something that was about the music," he said.
Announcing the new deal, EMI chief executive Roger Faxon said: "Pink Floyd are one of the most important and influential bands of all time and I know I speak for everyone at EMI when I say that it is a privilege to have the opportunity to work with them."

Facebook used in hunt for Jo Yeates' killer

Detectives have begun a Facebook campaign in a bid to catch the killer of Jo Yeates.

Her body was found on Christmas Day, in Longwood Lane, Failand, eight days after she was reported missing from her home in Clifton, Bristol.
Police said Facebook was more effective than posters and leaflet drops as it has the potential to reach more people.
Meanwhile, Miss Yeates' mother, Teresa, has spoken of how quiet life is without her daughter's "joy and and vibrancy".
Detectives investigating the murder of the 25-year-old landscape architect have said there was no evidence she was sexually assaulted, but they have not ruled out a sexual motive.
The force has appealed for sightings of a 4x4 seen near to where her body was found.
'63,000 views' Her landlord, Chris Jefferies, 65, who was arrested on suspicion of her murder, is free on bail.
The Facebook campaign involves an advert that will allow people to contact the incident room via the social networking site rather than calling in.

The force has already received 260 messages through the website

Det Ch Insp Phil Jones, of Avon and Somerset Police, said he hoped it would encourage more people to come forward with information.
"The majority of people these days are spending time on Facebook and other social networking sites; this has become part of everyday routine for many people," he said.
"This advert allows us to point people to special features on our website with all the latest information, it allows them to contact the incident room direct online rather than calling in.
"I would once again urge anyone who may have not contacted my team and may have information that could help this enquiry to contact us. Let us decide if this information is significant."
He said police had successfully used Facebook in a number of high-profile cases because information could be shared more widely than by poster.
Scott Fulton, head of e-services at the force, said: "On this inquiry alone we have had shares of the story from the force's Facebook page of 24,220.
"Additionally there have been over 63,000 views of the news updates on our website, a further 18,000 on the dedicated Jo page and over 70,000 views of the CCTV clips on our YouTube channel.
'Dangerous chemicals' "Through the website we have had 260 inbound messages to the incident room through the website."
Speaking about life without her daughter, Mrs Yeates, who lives in Ampfield, Hampshire, said: "It is just so quiet here without her.
"She just had this joy and vibrancy, even though she didn't live here.
"I am sat in the kitchen just wanting her to come through the door."
Crime scene investigators are continuing to examine Miss Yeates' flat in Canynge Road.
There was a sign outside the building saying "Do not enter, dangerous chemicals" and officers wearing white suits came out of the flat wearing masks.
A number of uniformed officers were also seen entering Mr Jefferies' flat on the opposite side of the building.
Miss Yeates was last seen at about 2000 GMT on 17 December after she had been drinking with colleagues in the Bristol Ram pub in Park Street in the city.
She visited three shops on the way home and was filmed on CCTV.
She bought a pizza in one of the stores - the receipt was discovered in her flat but no evidence of the pizza or the packaging has been found.

Labour and Tories clash over VAT increase

Chancellor George Osborne has defended the VAT increase from 17.5% to 20%, saying it could boost employment and was better than raising income tax.

But Labour leader Ed Miliband urged the government to apologise for suggesting that the rate rise was a "progressive" policy.
The VAT rise, which came into effect on Tuesday, will bring in an extra £13bn in revenue, the Treasury says.
Food, children's clothing, newspapers and magazines are not subject to VAT.
It is the second increase in a year, after Labour chancellor Alistair Darling restored the 17.5% rate last January, having temporarily reduced it to 15% for 13 months to stimulate the economy.
Research by the Centre for Retail Research and online shopping group Kelkoo has suggested that retail sales will fall by about £2.2bn in the first three months of the year as a result of the rise in VAT.
The British Retail Consortium has also warned that the rise, announced in the June Budget, may have squeezed the traditional January sales period into a concentrated burst around the New Year.

Continue reading the main story

But Mr Osborne told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I didn't come into politics and become chancellor of the exchequer wanting to increase taxes. I'm actually someone who believes we want to try and lower taxes in this country.

"But when you've got a very large budget deficit and you've in the middle of a European sovereign debt crisis - and you've decided that at least part of dealing with the deficit has to come from tax rises - then I think VAT presents itself as the choice."
He added: "If you look at the population and how much they spend, then VAT is progressive."
Mr Osborne also said the VAT rise was a "tough but necessary step towards Britain's economic recovery", and that 20% was "a reasonable rate to set, given the very difficult situation we find ourselves in".
He added that he regarded the increase as "permanent" and it would "increase employment" because it would increase confidence that the government was tackling the budget deficit.
But, in an interview with the BBC News Channel's chief political correspondent, Laura Kuenssberg, Mr Miliband said: "David Cameron admitted before the election that VAT rises are unfair.

"Everyone knows that poor and middle-income households will be hit hardest. He should come out and apologise for misleading the British people."
Shadow chancellor Alan Johnson said: "This is a broken promise - this was the big issue of the general election campaign."
The change affects any VAT-registered business which sells or purchases goods or services that are subject to the standard rate.

US healthcare law: Republicans bid to overturn reform

Republican leaders have begun a bid to overturn the healthcare law signed by US President Barack Obama in 2010.

A bill to repeal the landmark law was formally unveiled on Monday evening, two days before Republicans assume control of the lower house of Congress.
It is set to be voted on by the House of Representatives on 12 January.
But he vote is expected to be largely symbolic as Democrats retain a Senate majority and can block the move and the president could ultimately veto it.
'Jewel in crown' The Republicans won sweeping gains in November's mid-term congressional elections in part by attacking what they portrayed as a costly and job-killing healthcare law.
The BBC's Steve Kingstone, in Washington, says healthcare reform is so far the legislative jewel in the crown of President Obama's administration.
What remains to be seen is whether this is simply a symbolic flexing of muscles by the Republicans, or whether it sets the tone for two years of party-political acrimony, our correspondent says.
With power in Congress divided, Democrats and Republicans must work together if new laws are to be passed.
On Tuesday Mr Obama appealed to Republican congressional leaders on to put partisan politics aside to rebuild the US economy.
Speaking on board Air Force One as he travelled back to Washington from a holiday in Hawaii, Mr Obama said: "You know, I think that there's going to be politics. That's what happens in Washington - that they [Republicans] are going to play to their base for a certain period of time.
"But I'm pretty confident that they're going to recognise that our job is to govern and make sure that we are delivering jobs for the American people and that we're creating a competitive economy for the 21st Century, not just for this generation but for the next one."
The US healthcare reform law was approved in March last year, making it compulsory for Americans to buy medical insurance and illegal for insurance companies to deny coverage to customers with pre-existing conditions.
If, as expected, the attempted repeal fails, the Republicans will attack the law through other means, specifically by using congressional committees to cut off relevant funds, our correspondent says.

Student protest footage released by Met Police

Police have released CCTV footage of people they wish to interview after Prince Charles's car was attacked during December's student protests.

The Metropolitan Police have issued the pictures taken from cameras in the Regent Street and Oxford Circus area of London on Thursday 9 December.
A convoy, including a car carrying the prince and the Duchess of Cornwall, was attacked in the area.
The protests were in response to the rise in tuition fees.
The Met's Operation Malone team is investigating the violence in the capital that day.
Police say the newly-released images and footage show a woman striking the royal car and causing damage to one of the convoy vehicles.
In one picture, the woman is seen with a man, whom police also wish to trace as a potential witness.
Officers are also keen to trace two men seen separately attacking the royal car.
Det Ch Supt Matthew Horne, who is leading the Operation Malone team, said: "We believe that most of the people whose pictures we have released may have committed serious offences of violent disorder and criminal damage in this area and urge them, or anybody who knows them, to come forward and speak to us.

This woman is one of the people that police wish to interview regarding the student protests

"We understand the importance of the right to protest, but people who break the law and endanger those who wish to protest peacefully by committing criminal offences must face the inevitable consequences of their actions.
"I would like to remind anybody involved in attacks of violence that we will investigate them and do everything in our power to bring them before a court.
"Those who are convicted of an offence will have to face the consequences of having a criminal record, which could have a potential impact on their future employment and travel."
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were travelling to the Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium in a distinctive Rolls-Royce Phantom VI when the incident occurred.
Their car was surrounded by as many as 20 demonstrators on Regent Street. One of the vehicle's windows was smashed and paint was thrown at it.
At least three metal dustbins were also hurled at two other cars in the convoy and the duchess was poked in the ribs through an open window. White paint was also thrown over the vehicle.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson ordered an internal review into the incident, which has been presented to Home Secretary Theresa May.
Operation Malone detectives are collating and trawling through hours of CCTV and footage gathered by police during the protests, to identify people for potential prosecution.

Nazi-era graves to be dug up in Austria

Officials in western Austria say exhumations are to take place at a psychiatric hospital thought to contain the remains of Nazi victims.

The remains of 220 people are buried at a cemetery in Hall in Tyrol province and the hospital believes many died as part of the Nazi euthanasia programme.
A planned construction project has been halted to allow a full investigation.
Thousands of people with physical or mental disabilities were killed by the Nazis who saw them as unfit to live.
Some 30,000 were killed at one psychiatric hospital alone - Schloss Hartheim, near Linz in upper Austria.

Tilak, the company responsible for the Hall hospital, said the graves contained the remains of people buried between 1942 and 1945.
There were, it added, "suspicions that the dead [were] at least partially victims" of the Nazis' euthanasia programme.
'Dark chapter' Exhumations are to begin when the ground thaws, probably in March.
Announcing that a commission of experts would be formed shortly to investigate, Guenther Platter, governor of Tyrol province, said he had been "deeply shaken" by the discovery.
"This dark chapter of history must now be carefully brought to light," he added.
Investigators would be seeking to identify the remains and establish the case of death, Tilak representatives were quoted as saying by Austria's Die Presse newspaper.
Hospital historian Oliver Seifert said it was already clear that not all of those buried had been victims of the Nazis.
"We know that active killing went on at other institutions in Austria... but there are no indications of this at the moment in Hall," he told Reuters news agency.
Hall Hospital remains a functioning psychiatric hospital, with beds for 500 patients.

Philippines killing: 'Killer'caught in victim's photo

A photograph taken by a Philippine politician moments before he was shot dead has led to the arrest of his suspected killer.

Reynaldo Dagsa, a Manila district councillor, took a photo of his family outside their house on New Year's Day.
Unknowingly, a man raising his gun to fire was included in the background of the snap.

The killer is shown in the photograph wearing a back-to-front baseball cap just behind Mr Dagsa's daughter, wife and mother-in-law, who were unaware of his presence.
"While he was taking the picture of his family on New Year's Day, the killer appeared and he inadvertently took the picture of the killer with the gun aimed at him," local police chief Jude Santos told the AFP news agency.
Gun violence plagues the Philippines, with cheap firearms easily available on the legal and black markets.

Ivory Coast crisis: Gbagbo to negotiate 'peaceful' end

Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo has agreed to negotiate a "peaceful end" to his country's crisis without preconditions, regional leaders say.

The chairman of the Ecowas regional group said Mr Gbagbo had also agreed to immediately lift the blockade around the temporary headquarters of his presidential rival Alassane Ouattara.
The UN regards Mr Ouattara the winner of November elections but Mr Gbagbo, the incumbent, refused to cede power.
Ecowas has threatened to force him out.
The BBC's John James in Ivory Coast's business capital, Abidjan, says it is important not to over-emphasise the importance of Mr Gbagbo's statement.
Mr Gbagbo has given no indication he is willing to step down, our correspondent says.
Mr Ouattara, who is holed up in a hotel protected by UN peacekeepers, has said he is willing to talk, as long as the internationally agreed election results are accepted by Mr Gbagbo.

Hodgson pleads for time to build his own Liverpool team

LONDON - Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has made a plea for time to make his own mark on the club amid mounting speculation that his days are numbered.

British media reports claim that the club's new American owners have already decided to replace Hodgson and are merely biding their time to ensure they get the right man.

Having been brought some breathing space by Joe Cole's last-minute winner in Saturday's 2-1 home victory over Bolton Wanderers, Hodgson, who replaced Rafael Benitez before the start of the current season, told the club's website (www.liverpoolfc.tv) that he needed time.

"Being honest about it, I am hoping that one day I will get a chance to stamp a little more of my authority and philosophy on the team by choosing some more of the players," Hodgson said.

"It is not often mentioned, but I have not been that active in the transfer market since I have been here.

"The players who are playing are the ones you have watched playing for the past few years. They have done exceptionally well for me in accepting a new manager, with a new style and a new training method, and giving the performances they have given, albeit that unfortunately we have been guilty of inconsistency."

Liverpool are currently ninth in the standings, already 16 points behind leaders Manchester United with their hopes of a first league title since 1990 long gone.

Two seasons ago they were top of the league going into the New Year and, having seen Benitez moved on, the fans are hugely frustrated that their club has made no progress under the new man.

Hodgson was appointed by the former owners and the new bosses have changed the management structure by bringing in Damien Comolli as director of football strategy.

RESTING STARS

Comolli is likely to have a major say in any transfer deals, something Hodgson will be well used to having worked under similar systems during his many and varied management stints around Europe.

Hodgson, however, is not expecting a major influx of players in the January window and says the squad he has needs to start making a difference and needs to be led by their three world-class players - Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina.

"If we are going to win games it is the Torreses, the Gerrards, the Reinas, that are going to be the ones to get us up the table and lift us above the rest," he said, adding that the two outfield men would have to be nursed through a gruelling fixture list.

"Fernando had a very serious knee injury, which seems to be in the past, but when you have had an injury there is always the little risk of recurrence. And Steven, of course, is susceptible to muscle injury if he plays too many games one after the other.

"I have just got to hope that the ones who just seem to keep going - the Duracell bunnies like Dirk Kuyt and Lucas Leiva - can keep us going and give me a chance of giving a rest to the others.

"But it is the same for all the teams in the league. We have got a couple of rearranged matches which doesn't help, but a lot of teams do."

Liverpool visit Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday before facing Manchester United in the FA Cup at Old Trafford on Sunday.

They then have a rearranged league game at Blackpool on Jan. 12, the home Merseyside derby with Everton on Jan. 16 and a trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers, who beat them at Anfield last month, on Jan. 22.

England ride their luck in Sydney test

SYDNEY - England rode their luck through a rocky afternoon spell to reach 167-3 in their first innings at the close of play on the second day of the fifth Ashes test after dismissing Australia for 280 on Tuesday.

Alastair Cook, who was saved from dismissal by a no-ball review, had made 61 with nightwatchman James Anderson alongside him on one after a triple blow from the Australian bowlers had disrupted England's comfortable post-lunch progress.

England have already retained the Ashes courtesy of their innings and 157-run victory in Melbourne last week but Australia could still square the series at 2-2 with a victory this week.

That looked highly unlikely when Australia were reduced to 189-8 in the morning session but Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus then delighted the 40,000 crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground with a stand of 76 for the ninth wicket.

After dismissing the Australians, England were cruising at 98 without loss in their reply when Hilfenhaus bowled Andrew Strauss for 60 to reignite the contest.

Johnson, who had made 53 with the bat, then struck to remove Jonathan Trott for a duck six balls later and England were on the rack.

Kevin Pietersen, who came out to the crease to a chorus of boos, survived a shaky start, most notably when he hit the ball between his legs and the stumps when he was on eight.

Cook was approaching his third half century of the series on 46 when Australia's debutant spinner Michael Beer thought he had claimed his first test wicket.

England's top batsman of the series walked after ballooning the ball into the hands of Hilfenhaus but umpire Billy Bowden called him back and checked with the third umpire, who confirmed that the hapless Beer had overstepped the crease.

COMFORTABLE CATCH

Pietersen look destined to stay with Cook until the end of the day but, when he was on 36, a rush of blood to the head saw him mis-time a hook shot off Johnson and Beer took a comfortable catch at deep backward square.

It was a shot that recalled those made by several Australian batsmen as the hosts lost four wickets for 55 runs in the morning.

Brad Haddin, elevated to number six in the batting order, departed for six runs 20 minutes into the session after a wild slash at an Anderson delivery took a big edge and Matt Prior claimed a simple catch behind the wicket.

Mike Hussey started by defying the English attack as he has for much of the series but he went for 33 just before the new ball was taken, tricked into an inside edge onto his own stumps by an inswinger from Paul Collingwood.

Anderson got the new ball swinging immediately and Steve Smith was the next to go for 18 with an ill-advised attempt at a big drive that took an edge and Collingwood snaffled up at third slip.

Peter Siddle made two runs but lasted just four balls before getting an outside edge to another Anderson outswinger and England skipper Andrew Strauss did the honours in the slips.

Johnson and Hilfenhaus then mounted their marvellously aggressive rearguard action, both slugging sixes in one three-ball spell.

Once Tim Bresnan had removed Johnson's off stump, however, it was only a matter of time and Hilfenhaus duly fell, well caught behind for 34 after getting a nick on a short delivery from Anderson, who finished with 4-66.

Tsonga makes winning return in Qatar

DOHA - Third-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga began his season with a crushing 6-2, 6-0 win over Spain's Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo in the first round of the Qatar Open.

Tsonga had not played since October because of a knee injury, but he showed no signs of rust as he broke serve twice in the first set and three times in the second to complete a one-sided win.

"Yeah, I played a good match," Tsonga said. "Everybody's friendly with me here. I feel really good.

"I'm completely fit. I'm maybe healthier than before, and, you know, I just enjoy every moment on the court, and that's it. I hope it will continue."

Tsonga will face Sergei Bubka in the second round after the Ukrainian wildcard entry, who is the son of the former Olympic and world champion pole-vaulter of the same name, upset Spain's Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-0, 6-3.

Also on Monday, fourth seed and defending champion Nikolay Davydenko of Russia eased past Fabio Fognini of Italy 6-1, 6-4 in 63 minutes.

Playing an aggressive baseline game, punctuated with solid returns, Davydenko, who beat Rafael Nadal of Spain in last year's final, broke Fognini in games two and four to take the first set in 25 minutes.

Employing similar tactics, the 29-year-old Russian wasted little time in taking the second set. Davydenko fired six aces, and did not face a break point in the entire match.

Top-ranked Rafael Nadal plays his first ATP match of the season against Karol Beck of Slovakia on Tuesday, when two-time champion Roger Federer of Switzerland also plays Dutch qualifier Thomas Schoorel.

Nadal beat Federer in straight sets on Saturday at an invitational event in Abu Dhabi.

Tendulkar stands firm as India reduce deficit

CAPE TOWN - Sachin Tendulkar stood between South Africa and a healthy first innings lead as he took India to 237 for four at lunch on the third day of the third and deciding test at Newlands on Tuesday.

Tendulkar was on 94 not out as India scored 95 runs and lost two wickets in the session, closing the deficit to 125 runs.

But it was a session in which the South Africans would have been dismayed at their misfortune, until shortly before lunch when they were given their second wicket of the innings via a run out off a dropped catch.

Tendulkar's fierce drive off left-arm spinner Paul Harris was airborne and to the bowler's right, slamming into his fingers. It deflected into the stumps and non-striker Vangipurappu Laxman was run out for 15.

Laxman, the man of the match in India's series-levelling victory in last week's second test in Durban, had looked threatening as he blasted three fours.

Rahul Dravid had been run out for five on the second day after trying to steal a run when Gautam Gambhir was dropped behind the wicket off Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

Opening batsman Gambhir led a charmed life, playing and missing numerous times without edging the ball, as he went from his overnight score of 65 to 93. But Harris then made a telling breakthrough when he turned a ball out of the rough back into the left-hander, whose hesitant poke edaed a low catch which was well taken by wicketkeepe? Mark Boucher.

Tendulkar, who scored seven test centuries last year, stands on the brink of his 51st hundred in 177 games, but even he played and missed an inordinate number of times.

Germany denies it plans secret spy project with US

BERLIN - Germany's aerospace center denied Monday that it is working with the U.S. on a $270 million high-tech secret spy program, insisting that its plans for a high-resolution optical satellite have purely scientific and security uses.

U.S. State Department cables obtained by WikiLeaks and revealed by Norwegian daily Aftenposten say Germany joined a partnership with the U.S. to create a satellite spying program that was presented as a commercial enterprise, but is actually run by the German intelligence service and the German Aerospace Center, DLR.

German Aerospace Center spokesman Andreas Schuetz said that such a project for a high-resolution optical satellite has been in discussion for the past two years under the name HIROS.

"HIROS is neither a spy satellite, nor a secret project," Schuetz said. He insisted that the project was to be used only for government purposes, "for example crisis management during natural catastrophes and for scientific uses."

He refused to give any further details, saying the plan was still in the project stage and could not be discussed.

According to the cables, sent in 2009 and last year, the satellites were to be in place by 2013, but it wasn't clear if the funding for the project had been secured.

The cables from the U.S. Embassy in Berlin are among a trove of 250,000 uncensored diplomatic documents that secret-spilling site WikiLeaks has been making public. They were posted online by Aftenposten, which said last month it had obtained all the documents.

Mitchell Moss, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Berlin refused to comment on the cables, citing U.S. State Department policy that they are still considered classified.

The cables say the project had been causing friction with Germany's European Union partners, especially France, which was to be strictly excluded from the project. They cite French efforts to halt the proposal as "fierce and persistent due to its potential competition with French industry."

The French Foreign Ministry refused to comment on reported French hostility to the satellite spy program, saying in its traditional Monday online briefing that "we confirm nothing attributed to authorities and French diplomats in documents revealed by the WikiLeaks site."

Germany's Defense Ministry, which was also cited in the cables as being involved in the project, had no immediate comment.

2011: The best places in the world to invest

Every investor knows that playing the stock market is a gambler's game. Strike lucky and the returns can be eye-watering, get it wrong and prepare to take a sharp intake of breath as money slides down the drain.

But for those with extra cash to spare – even as little as £500 – a plethora of opportunities look promising for the year ahead. And if choosing the right fund seems akin to finding a needle in a haystack, a glance over the world's major regions is a good starting point.

Investing on home soil

The stock market took a pasting in October following the Chancellor's announcement of £81bn in spending cuts over the next four years, but some sectors emerged looking surprisingly strong.

Manufacturing is the Cinderella sector. Once widely derided, it expanded so much last year that it made the UK the seventh-largest manufacturing centre in the world, with machinery and equipment firms seeing output rise by 16.8 per cent.

Retail investors can buy into this trend while it is still young by putting surplus cash into a range of UK funds that cover the sector, such as the AXA Framlington UK Select Opportunities Fund. Axa's fund has a 26 per cent exposure to industrials and delivered a return of 28.1 per cent last year, equivalent to a £280 gain, before fees, on an investment of £1,000 over 12 months.

Bhupinder Anand, the head of London-based independent investment adviser Anand Associates, predicts further growth this year: "Now is a good time to invest in UK manufacturing as interest rates are low, inventories and stock levels are down while new order balances are at record levels. A weak pound has led to increased overseas demand which will particularly help heavy exporters."

Europe

Investment mavericks have long cited the need to be courageous with investments when others are cautious. This year the threat of defaults has hovered over Greece and Ireland and

there are few places that induce such levels of pulse quickening than the landmass across the Channel.

But where there is fear there also lies hope and Cédric de Fonclare, a fund manager who covers Europe for investment house Jupiter, says investors stand to benefit from the region's abundance of undervalued firms. "Investors are paying a low valuation price because Europe isn't fashionable, but companies in Europe offer significant potential due to their low valuation reach and strong balance sheets," he says. "More than 10 per cent of total assets are in cash for the average company in Europe so they have got very strong balance sheets."

The JP Morgan Europe Dynamic Fund produced a return of 15 per cent in 2010, equivalent to a £150 gain on a £1,000 investment, making it one of several funds which may be attractive to investors with a minimum deposit of £1,000 to spare.

Currency woes for the euro, which saw it fall against the dollar last year, spell good news for investors who will get more stock for the same amount of sterling as a few months ago. According to financial advice website Fool.co.uk, listed European firms are trading at about 10 times earnings for 2011, well below the average of 14.5 per cent for the past 30 years, meaning that there may be strength in weakness.

United States

The land of opportunity had well-publicised economic woes last year – culminating in a pledge from the Federal Reserve to pump $600bn (£390bn) into the economy via quantitative easing before this June – making some investors think twice about investing in the region. But it's still one of the most competitive markets on earth, currently responsible for almost half of the global consumer goods market and offering investors a chance to benefit from near rock-bottom interest rates. The US stock market posted a 17.3 per cent return last year – well above the 9 per cent posted by the UK's FTSE 100. Analysts believe individual company balance sheets are in good shape, too.

A host of communications, retail and technology chains produced stellar returns last year, among them fast-food chain McDonald's, whose share price rose from a year low of $61 to an $81 high, and software firm Oracle, whose shares soared from a low of $21 to $32. The M&G American fund produced an annual return of 20.4 per cent.

Dan Morris, a global strategist at JP Morgan, predicts: "Depreciation of the dollar should help to reorient US domestic demand towards the national economy and away from imports, helping to reduce one of the larger global imbalances that initially precipitated the credit crisis."

Emerging markets

This sector has become synonymous with high returns on exotic investments – from beach huts to elephant sanctuaries. Powered by explosive growth rates and high commodity prices, the emerging-markets boom has seen a wave of investors put their money into the sector, with many enjoying attractive returns.

Last year the Aberdeen Emerging Markets Fund produced a return of 30.4 per cent and continues to have a low minimum investment of £500, making it accessible to most investors.

With many analysts refusing to buy into speculation of an emerging market bubble, and economies in Asia and Indonesia continuing to generate strong real GDP growth, the trend for positive returns looks set to remain. Nick Price, the manager of Fidelity's Emerging Market Equities Fund, predicts the growth trajectory will continue. "The secular drivers of emerging markets remain intact – attractive demographics, competitive advantages from low labour costs, an abundance of natural resources, increasing prosperity, productivity gains and sound fiscal management."

Seize the day

The unpredictable nature of stocks since the financial crisis may yet make this one of the best times for growth this century has seen. For those financially able to take a punt, wisely chosen investments could make a difference over the next 12 months – but decisions should not be taken lightly.

Lee Bowyer banned for challenge on Bacary Sagna

Birmingham midfielder Lee Bowyer will be suspended for the next three matches after accepting a Football Association charge of violent conduct for a challenge on Arsenal's Bacary Sagna.

Referee Peter Walton confirmed to the FA that if he had seen the challenge he would have sent Bowyer off during Saturday's Premier League clash at St Andrew's.

Bowyer will now miss tonight's Barclays Premier League fixture at Blackpool, the FA Cup trip to Millwall on Saturday and next Tuesday's Carling Cup semi-final, first leg at West Ham.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish told the club's official website: "We accept the decision and will now have to move forward into the next three games without the services of Bowyer.

"We have got a good discipline record at this club and stress to the players every week how important discipline is."

Television replays highlighted the incident - Bowyer standing on Sagna while the Arsenal player was grounded near the touchline - in the aftermath of Arsenal's 3-0 success.

Bowyer, 34, will be back for the derby clash with Aston Villa at St Andrew's on January 16.

Blues manager Alex McLeish has already indicated he has no problems with trial by television, providing it focuses on all controversial incidents.

He highlighted a late challenge by Gunners midfielder Samir Nasri on City captain Stephen Carr which did not come under the same sort of scrutiny from the cameras.

McLeish also praised the maturity shown by Bowyer during his three seasons with Blues after leaving Upton Park.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger preferred not to highlight Bowyer's challenge after the game.

Tottenham fix sights on Suarez as key figures question Beckham bid

Striker is Redknapp's priority as Ajax hint at £17m price tag for Uruguayan / Deal would depend on Keane move.

The Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez is a target for Tottenham Hotspur this transfer window and his club Ajax have indicated privately that they would be prepared to sell the player for a fee of around £17m.

The decision on Suarez was the key issue at the club before Harry Redknapp raised the possibility of the loan signing of David Beckham on Friday which has dominated over the weekend. However, there are doubts among key figures at Spurs as to whether signing Beckham until March would be a wise move – and even Redknapp is thought to be less sure than he might have indicated.

While Redknapp has changed his mind dramatically in the past on major decisions, including those in his own managerial career, the indications yesterday were that Spurs would not follow-up with their interest in Beckham.

Redknapp, whose side play Everton at Goodison Park tomorrow, has been told by chairman Daniel Levy he will have funds to spend in the transfer window but a priority is a striker with Robbie Keane on his way out this month.

The prospect of signing Suarez, 23, is regarded as more in keeping with the club's possibility of signing young talent at good value and the debate at Spurs is whether he would be able to replicate his prolific Dutch league goalscoring in the Premier League.

The total cost of a deal for Suarez is also likely to break Spurs' relatively modest current transfer record of around £15.5m for Luka Modric. Impressive at the World Cup finals in South Africa, Suarez interested Spurs last summer and the signs from Ajax are that they are now prepared to cash in on a player who is regarded as one of the best in the Dutch league.

Redknapp will have the final say and he is not completely convinced of the Suarez's capacity to succeed in the English game. Any deal would also be contingent on moving on Keane for whom Spurs expect to have offers this month from the likes of Everton, Newcastle, Birmingham City and Stoke City.

The disadvantage for Spurs is that Suarez is also cup-tied for the Champions League group stages. The top goalscorer in the Dutch league with 35 last season, he has been the subject of controversy this season after he was suspended for seven games by the Dutch football association, the KNVB, in November for biting the shoulder of opponent Otman Bakkal in a game against PSV Eindhoven.

As for Beckham, the player's representatives know that they face major opposition from within the Major League Soccer hierarchy at yet another loan deal. Quite apart from the Achilles injury Beckham suffered playing for Milan in March, the MLS feel that his annual trips back to play in Europe over the past two years have diminished his value to their "brand".

They fear that the inevitable attention that would surround his return to the Premier League would see him regarded more as Tottenham's property than that of the Los Angeles Galaxy whose season begins in March.

Beckham's management team will negotiate with the MLS over the next week to get some understanding on whether he can go on loan to Europe over the next three months. The player has a preference for Spurs, although his spokesman said yesterday that more than one offer was on the table.

The story was ignited by Redknapp who said in his press conference that he was interested in the 35-year-old, thus contradicting everything said by the club up to that point. Redknapp's decision to express a public interest in Beckham is understood to have been impulsive and provoked by his frustration at David Bentley, who had pulled out of a training session.