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.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
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.
"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.
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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.
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 "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.
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.
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 "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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Alex Ferguson criticises 'off tangent' Arsene Wenger
Sir Alex Ferguson has slammed Arsene Wenger's criticism of Stoke ahead of Manchester United's clash with the Potters tonight.
Red Devils chief Ferguson praised Stoke counterpart Tony Pulis for the way he prepares his side and also for the way in which he copes with the occasional question marks rival bosses raise against it.
Wenger, who Ferguson has enjoyed some memorable years of sparring with, was named by the Scot as one such manager.
"People have criticised their physical style of play but they stick to what they do best," said Ferguson.
"I suppose Arsene Wenger has been one of their main critics, but then he does go off on a tangent at times. For instance, he criticised our pitch after they lost here before Christmas and I was at a loss to understand why.
"I have a great admiration for Tony and the wry way he rides the criticism levelled at his team. If anything the criticism galvanises the players."
Wenger, who was incensed by the Ryan Shawcross challenge which led to Aaron Ramsey's broken leg last year, has previously accused Pulis's side of employing "rugby style" tactics and suggested some were "cowards" after a bruising encounter in 2008.
Blackburn make bid for Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho
Blackburn have made a move for AC Milan playmaker Ronaldinho by offering him a deal worth about £20m over three years.
Venky's, the company that bought Rovers in 2010, says its Brazil office is in talks with the 30-year-old's manager.
"He is keen to play in the EPL [English Premier League] and I think that goes in our favour," Venky's chair Anuradha Desai told BBC Radio Lancashire.
Desai also revealed that Rovers had made attempts to sign David Beckham, 35, on loan from Los Angeles Galaxy.
She added the club were "open whenever he is ready to come".
The MLS season resumes on 15 March, meaning the ex-Manchester United midfielder would be available to play up to 11 games on a short-term deal.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has already suggested that Beckham is keen to move to White Hart Lane, while Newcastle are another interested party.
Ronaldinho is in his native Brazil after leaving AC Milan's winter training camp in Dubai - a move that looks set to end his troubled stay at the San Siro.
He moved to Milan from Barcelona in 2008 but lost his place in the starting XI after the club signed forwards Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho last summer.
Brazilian clubs Flamengo, Palmeiras and Gremio are all keen on Ronaldinho but Blackburn have tabled a bid to AC Milan and a tempting offer in terms of wages for the player.
"To be precise [it is] 7.6m euros (£6.5m) for the first year and about 8.5m euros (£7.2m) for the second and third years," confirmed Desai.
Rovers manager Steve Kean said the bid was a statement of intent from the club's Indian owners.
"I know there has been contact made by the owners to representatives of Ronaldinho but I don't know how far down the line it is and whether it will actually happen," he said.
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"If any Premier League manager was asked if they wanted to sign someone who has been World Player of the Year twice they would be interested.
"Everyone should look as it as a positive, it has been a long time since we have been able to do that."
Desai went on to defend her role at Blackburn since the club was taken over in November by the Rao family in a £43m deal.
Rovers became the first Indian-owned Premier League club when a trust set up by the late former owner Jack Walker to own the club sold its 99.9% holding to the newly formed company Venky's London Limited.
And Desai added: "The impression is I've never watched a football match. I've not watched in a stadium but I have been watching the World Cup in India.
"I have watched hundreds of cricket matches but not live - it's all on TV. To say I don't have any knowledge would be wrong. I am a good listener.
"The fans have to trust us and give us some time and you will see for yourself that we are sincere people, very passionate about the football team and football club and our fans. We will not let you down."
Desai also told Sky Sports News that they were looking at a couple of other players.
"We're thinking of getting Damien Duff back," she said.
The Republic of Ireland and Fulham winger began his career as a trainee at Ewood Park and helped Rovers win the League Cup in 2002 before moving to Chelsea where he won two Premier League titles.
Facebook cash injection values company at £32bn
Social networking site Facebook has landed a cash injection from a major Wall Street bank which values the company at 50 billion US dollars (£32 billion), it was reported today.
Goldman Sachs and Digital Sky Technologies (DST), a Russian investment firm and existing Facebook shareholder, have invested 500 million US dollars (£320 million) in the popular website, according to the New York Times.
The move places the company at twice the value of internet giant Yahoo - and roughly equal to well-established names such as aerospace firm Boeing and Kraft Foods. Google, by contrast, is valued at 190 billion US dollars (£122 billion).
Facebook, which has more than half a billion users worldwide, has resisted floating shares since it was founded nearly seven years ago, given the public scrutiny which comes with such a move.
The company, founded by chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, has out-muscled Google in the last two years, overtaking its rival to become the most-visited website last year, according to Experian Hitwise, a web traffic-tracker.
The deal with Goldman - the first Wall Street bank to invest in the website - and DST caps a strong 12 months for the company, which has added some 500 million users and, according to analysts' estimates, generated about 2 billion US dollars (£1.3 billion) in revenues.
It also reflects the significant speed at which the company's valuation has soared. Venture capital firm Accel Partners paid less than 13 million US dollars (£8 million) for 10% of Facebook in 2005.
Goldman will raise up to 1.5 billion US dollars (£970 million) from investors for Facebook as part of the deal, according to the New York Times.
Analyst Lou Kerner of Wedbush Morgan said if Facebook were to go public, the California-based firm could trade at 100 billion US dollars (£65 billion).
But a stock market flotation does not look likely for the time being as Mr Zuckerberg, 26, recently told flagship American news show 60 Minutes he did not see selling the company or going public as an end goal.
Mr Kerner said: "Companies go public to get access to capital, and Facebook clearly has access to capital."
Facebook is free to use and makes money from selling highly-targeted ads. Research firm eMarketer estimates that Facebook generated 1.29 billion US dollars (£833 million) in online ad revenue in 2010 and will rake in 1.76 billion (£1.1 billion) in 2011.
Digital Sky Technologies - together with sister company Mail.ru, which had its flotation in London in November - already owned about 10% of Facebook.
Microsoft also owns a small stake in Facebook. It invested 240 million US dollars (£155 million) in Facebook in 2007 in exchange for a 1.6% stake.
Get fitter, the lazy way
A new year means a new start and for many of us that means resolving to live better and be healthier, fitter and slimmer. But by February, these resolutions have often turned to dust.
The problem may be that we're asking too much of ourselves. "In the new year, people tend to introduce enormous changes to their lifestyles in an attempt to shift some extra pounds or get fit," says GP Dr Rob Hicks. "But it's the small changes that make the biggest difference – it means they are more likely to become habit. Basic measures like leaving bowls of fruit in strategic places – near the remote control, by the bed and so on – can actually do more than any diet."
Cutting out sugary drinks is another example. Alcoholic drinks also contribute lots of calories to our diet, without us eating less to compensate. Buying a smaller wine glass can cut significant numbers of calories from our diets without us even noticing.
Turn housework into a workout
"Forget the gym. Housework is a great way to burn calories," says Juliette Kellow, dietician and adviser to the online weight management programme Weight Loss Resources. "Polishing, dusting, mopping and sweeping are great for keeping arms shapely. Meanwhile, bending and stretching when you make the bed, wash windows or do the laundry are good for toning thighs and flexibility. And constantly running up and down the stairs as you tidy is a good aerobic workout."
In an hour, you can burn 193.7 calories vacuuming, 173.6 by dusting, 193.7 mopping the floor, 113.1 ironing and 180.3 cleaning windows, she says.
More energetic household chores such as decorating and spring cleaning are even better. "Don't forget the garden, either – weeding, digging, mowing the lawn, trimming hedges or bushes and sweeping up are all great muscle toners and calorie burners." One hour of gardening can burn a mammoth 287.8 calories, she reports.
Among Kellow's tips are to use a wax polish in a tin rather than a spray as you'll need to rub it much harder to get a shine. "Plan your housework so you have to run up and down the stairs," she adds. "Empty the dishwasher, then make the bed, vacuum the living room, then clean the bathroom."
Start having saunas
A daily 15-minute sauna could be the equivalent of taking regular exercise and save you from heart disease, Japanese scientists have found. Researchers at Kagoshima University discovered that two weeks after taking a sauna every day, a group of men at risk from heart disease had significantly wider arteries and increased blood flow. Daily saunas may even reverse the damage to blood vessels caused by high cholesterol levels, according to the researchers.
By raising your body temperature and making you sweat, saunas can also boost your lymphatic system. Your lymphatic system is responsible for ridding your body of all its toxins and if it fails to work properly, you can become more prone to headaches, poor digestion and mild infections such as colds.
Saunas are good for blood circulation, too, warming your hands and feet, as well as directing fresh blood to your internal organs, which helps them function more effectively.
Ignore claims that saunas burn calories, however. Although weight can be lost quite rapidly, it's due to a loss of fluid, not fat, which will quickly be regained when you drink.
Become a couch athlete
Staring at a screen might not sound the ideal recipe for getting fit and healthy. Gamers are better known for being couch potatoes who only go outside to buy more fizzy drinks and crisps. But despite their bad press, research increasingly shows that fitness video games can be as effective as running, aerobics classes and cycle rides.
"If you feel you are lacking in self-discipline and need a bit of help, exer-games may come into their own," says Shona Wilkinson, nutritional therapist at The Nutri Centre. "They are designed to make exercise fun and accessible. Most games offer a choice of yoga- type exercises, strength training and aerobic exercises. You can even go for a run through the countryside while remaining in your front room." "It's not any better than conventional aerobic exercise, but it's as effective," confirms Alasdair Thin, lecturer in human physiology at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, who has studied their effect.
If you were given money this Christmas, consider the Kinect for Xbox 360 (£249.99, www.game.co.uk). The camera uses a depth sensor and RGB camera to track your full body in 3D, allowing you to control and interact with the fitness games without a controller or remote. It also means Kinect can monitor your body during exercise and tell you how well you're doing. Fitness titles worth considering include Your Shape, Zumba Fitness and Dance Central. For those with a Nintendo Wii console, Get Fit with Mel B is an impressively energetic workout programme and if you have a PlayStation 3, consider The Fight and SingStar Dance.
No console? There's a huge amount of home-fitness equipment on the market, including the Leg Master, Thigh Glider, Powerball and Shake Weight.
Start walking
Just one brisk half-hour walk a day aids weight control and cuts the risk of 24 illnesses, from cancer and heart disease to dementia. Researchers at the University of East Anglia discovered that adults up to 65 can improve their chances of staying disease-free by doing 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week, including 30 minutes of brisk walking five days.
Begin with short walks for 10 to 20 minutes two to three times a week. You could even combine your walking with a shopping trip. Strolling around a shopping centre for an hour can burn 200 calories. Jenny Pacey, the fitness adviser to Ultimate Sports Nutrition, suggests other tricks to integrate walking into your routine without really noticing. "Walk up escalators and get into the habit of parking as far away as you can from the supermarket door – the added weight of shopping bags on your way back to your car will burn even more calories. Also, if I really fancy a glass of wine or a treat in the evening, I make an extra effort to walk to the shop to offset the extra energy intake."
Other benefits of walking include an improvement to cardiovascular health and muscle strength, as well as toning the legs and buttocks and strengthening the bones.
Make five small changes to your eating habits
Diets fail because they ask too much, according to researchers from the University of Liverpool. Instead, pick five small, achievable changes such as switching to skimmed milk, choosing leaner cuts of red meat and poultry, eating only half your pudding (save the rest for tomorrow night), eating an extra vegetable portion a day and eating from a smaller plate to help control portion size. "Cutting out the equivalent of just one biscuit each day can help you lose up to a stone in a year," says Jenny Allan, nutritionist for Slimming World. "However, banning all your favourite treats will lead to cravings that can be impossible to resist in the long term."
At least one of your five changes should be a food swap, she says – changing cooking oil for light cooking sprays, for example, or calorie-laden salad dressings for fat-free vinaigrettes, both of which will reduce your fat intake without compromising on taste or adding preparation time.
Your changes should not involve skipping meals. Studies show that people who try to lose weight tend to be more successful if they regularly eat a decent-sized breakfast. "Research also shows that when people add a low-energy density starter, such as soup or salad, before their meal, they actually eat less at the whole meal," says Bridget Benelam, spokes- person for the Nutrition Society.
Cook from scratch
Home cooking is easier and quicker than you think and one of the best ways to reach a healthy weight, says Sian Porter, spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association. "If you cook, you are in control of what you are eating, from the ingredients to the cooking method. Today, with the internet, supermarket recipe cards and straightforward timed recipe books, it has never been easier. By the time you've heated up your ready meal in the oven you could have grilled a lean pork chop, boiled some potatoes, steamed some vegetables and made a tasty sauce for it."
If you can't cook or lack time, fear not – never have there been so many gadgets to help. Among the latest is the Tefal VitaCuisine Compact Steamer (£71.66, www.argos.co.uk), which contains a "vitamin boost" button, resulting in 45 per cent more vitamin retention compared with traditional cooking methods. The Prostar Fish Steamer (£47.49, www.comet.co.uk) can steam a whole fish in 12 minutes, perfect for health-conscious people who don't have the time to prepare low-calorie meals. Meanwhile, the new Salter Nutri-Weigh Slim Electronic Scale calculates the nutritional value of 999 foods (£44.99, www.salterhousewares.com).
"Try a new recipe once a week – choosing a variety of foods is the best way to ensure your body gets all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy, but it's very easy to get stuck in a rut eating the same few meals," says nutritionist Fiona Hunter.
Eat consciously
"Do you eat lunch at your desk or dinner in front of the television? Eating consciously not only adds to the enjoyment of food, but it helps you to eat slowly and to notice how much you're shovelling down," says dietician Azmina Govindji.
Write down what you're eating, she suggests. "It may sound strange, but there is research to show that if you simply make a note of what you're eating, you will become more conscious of it and that in itself will help you to cut down."
We make hundreds of decisions a day about food, according Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating. At breakfast, for example, we think, should I stop pouring the milk into my cereal now? Do I put sugar or banana on top? Do I want toast or a muffin? Each of these food choices, he says, is affected by a slew of pushy but subtle influences – a food's container, for instance, influences how much seems "OK" to eat. Indeed, his most famous study found that people at the movies ate 53 per cent more popcorn if it was served in bigger buckets. By thinking about our food decisions and the things that influence it, we could shave enough calories off our diets to make a difference.
Even thinking about food could help you lose weight, according to a new study, which found that people who had imagined they were eating chocolate wanted it less than those who had not been thinking of it. The co-author of the study, Dr Joachim Vosgerau said that "the difference between imagining and experiencing may be smaller than previously assumed".
The problem may be that we're asking too much of ourselves. "In the new year, people tend to introduce enormous changes to their lifestyles in an attempt to shift some extra pounds or get fit," says GP Dr Rob Hicks. "But it's the small changes that make the biggest difference – it means they are more likely to become habit. Basic measures like leaving bowls of fruit in strategic places – near the remote control, by the bed and so on – can actually do more than any diet."
Cutting out sugary drinks is another example. Alcoholic drinks also contribute lots of calories to our diet, without us eating less to compensate. Buying a smaller wine glass can cut significant numbers of calories from our diets without us even noticing.
Turn housework into a workout
"Forget the gym. Housework is a great way to burn calories," says Juliette Kellow, dietician and adviser to the online weight management programme Weight Loss Resources. "Polishing, dusting, mopping and sweeping are great for keeping arms shapely. Meanwhile, bending and stretching when you make the bed, wash windows or do the laundry are good for toning thighs and flexibility. And constantly running up and down the stairs as you tidy is a good aerobic workout."
In an hour, you can burn 193.7 calories vacuuming, 173.6 by dusting, 193.7 mopping the floor, 113.1 ironing and 180.3 cleaning windows, she says.
More energetic household chores such as decorating and spring cleaning are even better. "Don't forget the garden, either – weeding, digging, mowing the lawn, trimming hedges or bushes and sweeping up are all great muscle toners and calorie burners." One hour of gardening can burn a mammoth 287.8 calories, she reports.
Among Kellow's tips are to use a wax polish in a tin rather than a spray as you'll need to rub it much harder to get a shine. "Plan your housework so you have to run up and down the stairs," she adds. "Empty the dishwasher, then make the bed, vacuum the living room, then clean the bathroom."
Start having saunas
A daily 15-minute sauna could be the equivalent of taking regular exercise and save you from heart disease, Japanese scientists have found. Researchers at Kagoshima University discovered that two weeks after taking a sauna every day, a group of men at risk from heart disease had significantly wider arteries and increased blood flow. Daily saunas may even reverse the damage to blood vessels caused by high cholesterol levels, according to the researchers.
By raising your body temperature and making you sweat, saunas can also boost your lymphatic system. Your lymphatic system is responsible for ridding your body of all its toxins and if it fails to work properly, you can become more prone to headaches, poor digestion and mild infections such as colds.
Saunas are good for blood circulation, too, warming your hands and feet, as well as directing fresh blood to your internal organs, which helps them function more effectively.
Ignore claims that saunas burn calories, however. Although weight can be lost quite rapidly, it's due to a loss of fluid, not fat, which will quickly be regained when you drink.
Become a couch athlete
Staring at a screen might not sound the ideal recipe for getting fit and healthy. Gamers are better known for being couch potatoes who only go outside to buy more fizzy drinks and crisps. But despite their bad press, research increasingly shows that fitness video games can be as effective as running, aerobics classes and cycle rides.
"If you feel you are lacking in self-discipline and need a bit of help, exer-games may come into their own," says Shona Wilkinson, nutritional therapist at The Nutri Centre. "They are designed to make exercise fun and accessible. Most games offer a choice of yoga- type exercises, strength training and aerobic exercises. You can even go for a run through the countryside while remaining in your front room." "It's not any better than conventional aerobic exercise, but it's as effective," confirms Alasdair Thin, lecturer in human physiology at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, who has studied their effect.
If you were given money this Christmas, consider the Kinect for Xbox 360 (£249.99, www.game.co.uk). The camera uses a depth sensor and RGB camera to track your full body in 3D, allowing you to control and interact with the fitness games without a controller or remote. It also means Kinect can monitor your body during exercise and tell you how well you're doing. Fitness titles worth considering include Your Shape, Zumba Fitness and Dance Central. For those with a Nintendo Wii console, Get Fit with Mel B is an impressively energetic workout programme and if you have a PlayStation 3, consider The Fight and SingStar Dance.
No console? There's a huge amount of home-fitness equipment on the market, including the Leg Master, Thigh Glider, Powerball and Shake Weight.
Start walking
Just one brisk half-hour walk a day aids weight control and cuts the risk of 24 illnesses, from cancer and heart disease to dementia. Researchers at the University of East Anglia discovered that adults up to 65 can improve their chances of staying disease-free by doing 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week, including 30 minutes of brisk walking five days.
Begin with short walks for 10 to 20 minutes two to three times a week. You could even combine your walking with a shopping trip. Strolling around a shopping centre for an hour can burn 200 calories. Jenny Pacey, the fitness adviser to Ultimate Sports Nutrition, suggests other tricks to integrate walking into your routine without really noticing. "Walk up escalators and get into the habit of parking as far away as you can from the supermarket door – the added weight of shopping bags on your way back to your car will burn even more calories. Also, if I really fancy a glass of wine or a treat in the evening, I make an extra effort to walk to the shop to offset the extra energy intake."
Other benefits of walking include an improvement to cardiovascular health and muscle strength, as well as toning the legs and buttocks and strengthening the bones.
Make five small changes to your eating habits
Diets fail because they ask too much, according to researchers from the University of Liverpool. Instead, pick five small, achievable changes such as switching to skimmed milk, choosing leaner cuts of red meat and poultry, eating only half your pudding (save the rest for tomorrow night), eating an extra vegetable portion a day and eating from a smaller plate to help control portion size. "Cutting out the equivalent of just one biscuit each day can help you lose up to a stone in a year," says Jenny Allan, nutritionist for Slimming World. "However, banning all your favourite treats will lead to cravings that can be impossible to resist in the long term."
At least one of your five changes should be a food swap, she says – changing cooking oil for light cooking sprays, for example, or calorie-laden salad dressings for fat-free vinaigrettes, both of which will reduce your fat intake without compromising on taste or adding preparation time.
Your changes should not involve skipping meals. Studies show that people who try to lose weight tend to be more successful if they regularly eat a decent-sized breakfast. "Research also shows that when people add a low-energy density starter, such as soup or salad, before their meal, they actually eat less at the whole meal," says Bridget Benelam, spokes- person for the Nutrition Society.
Cook from scratch
Home cooking is easier and quicker than you think and one of the best ways to reach a healthy weight, says Sian Porter, spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association. "If you cook, you are in control of what you are eating, from the ingredients to the cooking method. Today, with the internet, supermarket recipe cards and straightforward timed recipe books, it has never been easier. By the time you've heated up your ready meal in the oven you could have grilled a lean pork chop, boiled some potatoes, steamed some vegetables and made a tasty sauce for it."
If you can't cook or lack time, fear not – never have there been so many gadgets to help. Among the latest is the Tefal VitaCuisine Compact Steamer (£71.66, www.argos.co.uk), which contains a "vitamin boost" button, resulting in 45 per cent more vitamin retention compared with traditional cooking methods. The Prostar Fish Steamer (£47.49, www.comet.co.uk) can steam a whole fish in 12 minutes, perfect for health-conscious people who don't have the time to prepare low-calorie meals. Meanwhile, the new Salter Nutri-Weigh Slim Electronic Scale calculates the nutritional value of 999 foods (£44.99, www.salterhousewares.com).
"Try a new recipe once a week – choosing a variety of foods is the best way to ensure your body gets all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy, but it's very easy to get stuck in a rut eating the same few meals," says nutritionist Fiona Hunter.
Eat consciously
"Do you eat lunch at your desk or dinner in front of the television? Eating consciously not only adds to the enjoyment of food, but it helps you to eat slowly and to notice how much you're shovelling down," says dietician Azmina Govindji.
Write down what you're eating, she suggests. "It may sound strange, but there is research to show that if you simply make a note of what you're eating, you will become more conscious of it and that in itself will help you to cut down."
We make hundreds of decisions a day about food, according Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating. At breakfast, for example, we think, should I stop pouring the milk into my cereal now? Do I put sugar or banana on top? Do I want toast or a muffin? Each of these food choices, he says, is affected by a slew of pushy but subtle influences – a food's container, for instance, influences how much seems "OK" to eat. Indeed, his most famous study found that people at the movies ate 53 per cent more popcorn if it was served in bigger buckets. By thinking about our food decisions and the things that influence it, we could shave enough calories off our diets to make a difference.
Even thinking about food could help you lose weight, according to a new study, which found that people who had imagined they were eating chocolate wanted it less than those who had not been thinking of it. The co-author of the study, Dr Joachim Vosgerau said that "the difference between imagining and experiencing may be smaller than previously assumed".
Osborne defends 'tough but necessary' VAT hike
Chancellor George Osborne insisted that today's VAT rise from 17.5% to 20% was a "tough but necessary step" towards Britain's economic recovery.
He confirmed he regarded the increase introduced from midnight as permanent, but said alternatives to tackle the deficit, such as rises in National Insurance or income tax, would hit poorer families harder.
The VAT hike, announced in last year's Budget, is designed to raise £13 billion a year. Retailers have warned it could depress consumer spending in the high streets, while there are also fears it will fuel inflation and put upward pressure on pay settlements.
Shadow chancellor Alan Johnson accused the Government of breaking an election promise and said Labour favoured National Insurance rises rather than the VAT hike.
Mr Osborne told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "I think it is a reasonable rate to set, given the very difficult situation we find ourselves in. The VAT rise is a tough but necessary step towards Britain's economic recovery.
"If you don't want to raise VAT, you have got to do something else."
He added: "I said before Christmas that the VAT rate I regarded as permanent because it is a structural tax change."
The Chancellor added: "Income tax and National Insurance (increases) would have a more damaging impact on poorer people in our society."
Today's rise is the second VAT 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 during the recession.
The change affects any VAT-registered business which sells or purchases goods or services that are subject to the standard rate. Most foodstuffs, children's clothing and books remain zero-rated and reduced rates remain on items such as children's car seats and supplies of domestic fuel and power.
Online shopping group Kelkoo said the change would increase the price of a litre of petrol from £1.19 to £1.22, a digital camera from £131 to £133.79 and a Ford Focus car from £15,195 to £15,518.
The British Beer & Pub Association said it would add 6p to the cost of a pint of beer, pushing it through the £3 barrier for the first time.
Many shoppers are believed to have beaten the rise by buying big-ticket items in the New Year sales over the past few days before the new rate came into effect.
A report by the Centre for Retail Research suggested consumers will spend an average of £324 less in the remainder of this year as a result, cutting UK retail sales by as much as £2.2 billion in the first quarter of 2011 alone.
Mr Osborne said that, like any chancellor, he would not rule future tax changes in or out, but stressed: "Let me make it absolutely clear: our plans for the deficit reduction are set out now. All the components are in place, so we have set out the entire plans. There's not a missing component."
He added that the VAT move "will increase employment" because it would increase confidence that the Government was tackling the country's deficit.
Mr Johnson told Today: "This is a broken promise - this was the big issue of the General Election campaign.
"It does nothing for jobs and growth - this year has to be all about continuing the growth momentum. It hits the poorest hardest.
"For those three reasons this is the wrong tax at the wrong time."
He added: "We need to get the deficit down, there's no argument about that."
Mr Johnson said Labour had outlined £19 billion of tax rises in its last Budget, one element being NI increases.
"That was the argument at the General Election, that's still our argument now," said Mr Johnson.
Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT transport union, said higher VAT would "raise the bar in pay negotiations this year as we fight to defend our members' standards of living".
Campaigners for a "Robin Hood tax" on banks said the proceeds from the VAT increase would be significantly less than the £20 billion which they believe could be raised from a levy on financial transactions.
Max Lawson, a spokesman for the campaign, said: "Unlike the VAT increase, a Robin Hood tax on banks would be progressive and offers a real and fair alternative.
"The Government needs to show we are in this together and take the advice of authoritative institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the Institute for Fiscal Studies who have clearly stated that the financial sector is under-taxed.
"It is deeply unfair that those living in poverty may have to choose between paying their heating bill or giving their child a hot meal, whilst the bankers celebrate the new year with yet another round of multimillion-pound bonuses."
Argentina thieves tunnel into Buenos Aires bank
Bank robbers in Argentina have tunnelled into a vault and emptied more than 100 safety deposit boxes, police say.
The robbery in Buenos Aires was only detected when bank staff returned to work after the new year weekend. The thieves are thought to have spent six months digging a 30m (100ft) tunnel complete with lights and ventilation.
Alarms went off several times overnight but police saw the doors of the bank were shut and took no further action.
Bank executives did not say how much was stolen as the contents of the deposit boxes are confidential.
Hundreds of angry clients gathered outside the state-owned Banco Provincia branch in the Buenos Aires district of Belgrano to demand their savings and find out if their boxes had been broken into.
The thieves rented a neighbouring building in July last year and dug a tunnel that came out exactly where the safety deposit boxes were located.
"It was a really impressive job," said prosecutor Martin Nikilson, adding that investigators had not ruled out the possibility that the thieves had an accomplice inside the bank.
Many Argentines began putting their savings in safety deposit boxes after the financial crisis in 2001, when people with bank deposit accounts lost some of their money.
Jailed activist's wife may seek asylum outside India
The wife of a leading Indian human rights activist who has been jailed for helping Maoist rebels has said she may seek political asylum.
Ilina Sen, wife of Dr Binayak Sen, told reporters that she and her family were "not feeling safe in India" after her husband's conviction.Last month Dr Sen was found guilty of carrying messages and setting up bank accounts for the rebels.
Activists say the evidence against Dr Sen was "manufactured".
Human rights group Amnesty International has said his trial violated international standards.
US author Professor Noam Chomsky, Indian historian Prof Romila Thapar and dozens of well-known Indian academics have said in a statement that are "deeply shocked by the judgment of a Chhattisgarh [central Indian state] court holding Dr Sen to be guilty of sedition, and sentencing him to life imprisonment".
'Hounding' Dr Sen's wife said on Monday that the "only recourse left for me is to go to some embassy of a liberal, democratic country and ask for political asylum".
Mrs Sen, who is a social worker and runs an NGO, told the BBC that the police were "hounding" her in Chhattisgarh state, where Dr Sen worked with the poor.
"We are constantly followed by police, receive anonymous mails, threatening calls, and our phones are tapped," she said.
She said she moved to the western state of Maharashtra recently to escape the harassment.
"Even my landlord in Maharashtra was called up by police and made aware of my antecedents," Mrs Sen said.
Chhattisgarh government officials branded the allegations a "publicity stunt".
Mrs Sen said her husband's trial was a "sham... the allegations against him are vague and even a child can make out there is not an iota of truth in it".
He was arrested in Bilaspur town in May 2007 for alleged links to Maoist leader Narayan Sanyal, whom he used to visit in jail.
In December, a court in Chhattisgarh found Dr Sen and three others guilty of treason and sedition.
Dr Sen, a trained paediatrician, says he does not support the Maoists.
He ran a weekly clinic for tribal people and was piloting a community-based health programme.
Dr Sen won a prestigious Jonathan Mann human rights award for his services to poor and tribal communities.
He helped cut the infant mortality rate in the state and deaths from diarrhoea and dehydration, say local doctors.
Dr Sen has been outspoken about government support for the controversial Salwa Judum civilian militia to tackle Maoists in Chhattisgarh.
He has also expressed concern over rising inequality in India despite the economic boom.
Jerry Brown sworn in as new California governor
Jerry Brown has been sworn in as the new governor of the US state of California, taking over from the departing Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Mr Brown, a Democrat who also served as California's governor from 1975 to 1983, will be only the second person to lead the state for three terms.He said the year ahead would "demand courage and sacrifice" if California was to overcome its fiscal problems.
Among his first tasks will be to present a new budget plan.
The state faces a $28bn (£18bn) budget shortfall over the next 18 months.
Voters may be asked to agree to the extension of temporary taxes that were brought in in 2009 and are due to expire in July.
Mr Brown, 72, will need the backing of some Republicans in the state legislature if he is to put any tax measures to voters.
While vowing to tackle waste in government, Mr Brown pointed out that government spending on services would also have to be scrutinised.
He promised to be truthful about the state's finances, saying there would be "no more smoke and mirrors", to put any proposed tax rises before voters and to return more powers to local bodies.
"The budget I present next week will be painful but it will be an honest budget," he said.
Mr Brown defeated billionaire Republican candidate Meg Whitman in the November US mid-term elections to win office.
When he last held the governorship, Mr Brown became known as "Governor Moonbeam" for what were then viewed by some as outlandish ideas.
In the intervening years he twice pursued the Democratic nomination for president, campaigned for the US Senate and most recently served as state attorney general.
Mr Schwarzenegger, a Republican, leaves after seven years at the helm of the country's most populous state.
The 63-year-old former action movie star, best known for his role in the Terminator films, has not yet confirmed what he plans to do next.
He was not eligible to run for governor again because of term limits.
Iran invites foreign diplomats to nuclear sites
Iran has invited foreign diplomats to tour its nuclear facilities, ahead of fresh talks with key world powers over its controversial nuclear programme.
The offer was reportedly extended to Russia, China and several EU countries, but not the US.US State Department spokesman, Philip J Crowley, has dismissed the offer as a "clever ploy".
Many Western countries suspect Iran is developing nuclear weapons, but Tehran says its programme is peaceful.
US 'snub' "The representatives of some European Union countries, NAM [Non-Aligned Movement], and some representatives of the five-plus-one [world powers] have been invited to visit our nuclear sites," foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told reporters.
He said the invitation was part of the Islamic republic's attempt to demonstrate "co-operation with the IAEA", referring to the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
End Quote Philip J Crowley US State Department spokesmanIt's a clever ploy, but it's not a substitute for Iran's responsibilities to the IAEA”
China, a close economic ally of Iran, has confirmed it was among the invitees, but foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei did not say whether any of its diplomats would go.
Asked specifically whether a US representative would be invited, Mr Mehmanparast said in Tehran: "The list of the countries invited for the visit will be unveiled when it is finalised."Washington, which has been spearheading the campaign for sanctions against Iran, swiftly dismissed the offer.
"It's a clever ploy, but it's not a substitute for Iran's responsibilities to the [International Atomic Energy Agency] IAEA," Mr Crowley told the New York Times.
Rare visit Tehran is already subject to inspections by the IAEA, but it would appear that this tour may be aimed at diplomats, not inspectors, says the BBC's Iran correspondent James Reynolds.
The last such trip which Tehran arranged was in February 2007.
Mr Mehmanparast said the visit would take place ahead of a second round of talks on Tehran's nuclear programme, scheduled for late January in Istanbul, Turkey, although no date has been confirmed.
Iran is set to hold talks with the five permanent UN Security Council members - the US, Russia, China, the UK and France - plus Germany.
The talks will follow a two-day meeting in Geneva early last month which EU foreign affairs chief Baroness Ashton described as "substantive", though little was agreed beyond a commitment to meet again. Those were the first talks in over 14 months.
Nuclear sites Mr Mehmanparast did not say which nuclear facilities the envoys would travel to, but the AP news agency said Bushehr and Natanz were on the list, citing a diplomat accredited to the IAEA.
While Bushehr has been built under IAEA supervision, the uranium enrichment plant at Natanz is at the heart of Iran's dispute with the UN Security Council.
Last year, Iran told the IAEA that Natanz would be the venue for new enrichment facilities - construction of which would start around March 2011.The UN is concerned because the technology used for producing fuel for nuclear power can be used to enrich the uranium to a much higher level to produce a nuclear explosion.
The IAEA has voiced growing frustration at what it sees as lack of Iranian co-operation with its inspectors.
The UN Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions on Iran and demanded that it stops its uranium enrichment programme.
Iranian negotiators have flatly ruled out discussing such demands at the Istanbul meeting.
Ivory Coast: Africa mediation fails to end stalemate
Ivory Coast's political crisis remains deadlocked despite a mediation attempt by African leaders, President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria has said.
"There is still a stalemate," Mr Jonathan, who heads the West African bloc Ecowas, told reporters after talks with envoys who on Monday met the two men claiming Ivory Coast's presidency.The UN regards Alassane Ouattara as the winner of November's poll but incumbent Laurent Gbagbo refuses to cede power.
The envoys who travelled to Ivory Coast were Presidents Boni Yayi of Benin, Pedro Pires of Cape Verde and Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone - representing the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).
It was their second trip to Abidjan in less that a week. On Monday they were joined by Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, representing the African Union (AU).
End Quote Goodluck Jonathan President of NigeriaDon't expect that if there's a major crisis in a country that we just jump in... and the matter is resolved”
During their latest talks, they were reported to have offered Mr Gbagbo a legal amnesty as well as a guarantee that his financial assets would be secure, if he left office.
Dialogue 'over' After being briefed by the leaders on Tuesday, Mr Jonathan said they had been sent "to discuss with the two presidents - kind of; the former president, Gbagbo, and the elected president, Ouattara. There is still a stalemate."But he added that Ivory Coast's election dispute would take time to settle.
"Don't expect that if there's a major crisis in a country that we just jump in... and the matter is resolved. It takes a lot of international pressure to convince people like that."
But they did this without apparently taking into account the fact that many of the states which would be expected to contribute soldiers to such a force have citizens living here in Ivory Coast as expatriate workers or settlers.
There are estimated to be up to two million Nigerians resident here for example, and three million citizens of Burkina Faso.
If either of these countries contributed soldiers to any military intervention force designed to overthrow Laurent Gbagbo it is quite possible there would be reprisals against their compatriots here in Ivory Coast.
There are estimated to be up to two million Nigerians resident here for example, and three million citizens of Burkina Faso.
If either of these countries contributed soldiers to any military intervention force designed to overthrow Laurent Gbagbo it is quite possible there would be reprisals against their compatriots here in Ivory Coast.
Mr Ouattara - who is staying at a hotel protected by UN peacekeepers - said after his meeting with the envoys that the time for dialogue was now "over" and urged Ecowas "to use all the means at its disposal including the use of legitimate force".
The grouping has been drawing up plans for a military intervention force.But some doubt the region's willingness to carry out its threat given the unpredictable response of the Ivorian army, which publicly continues to support Mr Gbagbo.
The 28 November election was intended to reunify the country - the world's leading cocoa producer - which has been divided since a 2002 conflict.
Mr Ouattara was initially proclaimed the winner by the country's election commission - a verdict backed by the UN, which helped organise the poll.
The north is controlled by the New Forces, a former rebel movement that supports Mr Ouattara.
Both men have been sworn in as president.
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