disaster claims  less than $10bn  insurers have sought to calm fears that they face huge losses after an earthquake and giant waves killed at least 38 000 people in southern asia.  munich re and swiss re  the world s two biggest reinsurers  have said exposure will be less than for other disasters. rebuilding costs are likely to be cheaper than in developed countries  and many of those affected will not have insurance  analysts said. swiss re has said total claims are likely to be less than $10bn (£5.17bn). swiss re believes that the cost would be substantial but that it is unlikely to be in double-digit billions  the financial times reported. munich re  the world s largest reinsurance company  said that its exposure is less than 100m euros (£70m; $136m).  at least 10 countries have been affected  with sri lanka  indonesia  india and thailand among the worst hit. the region s resorts and western tourists are expected to be among the main claimants.  lloyds of london told the financial times it expected its exposure to be limited to  holiday resorts  personal accident  travel insurance and marine risks . a spokeswoman for hanover re  europe s fifth-largest reinsurance firm  estimated tsunami-related damage claims would be in the low double-digit millions of euros. the company has paid out about 300 million euros (£281m; $400m) to cover damage caused recently by four major hurricanes in the us.  but insurers have not had long to assess the economic impact of the damage and reports of more casualties and destruction are still coming through.   so many things are unclear  it is just too early to tell   said serge troeber  deputy head of swiss re s natural disasters department.  you need very complicated processes to estimate damages. unlike the hurricanes  you can t just run a model.  he anticipated that his own company s total claims would be less then those from the hurricanes  which the company put at $640m. allianz  a leading german insurer  said it did not know yet what its exposure would be. however  it said the tidal waves were unlikely to have a  significant  impact on its business. zurich financial said they could not yet assess the cost of the disaster.  the impact on us insurance companies is not expected to be heavy  analysts said.  most us insurers have relatively little exposure to asia and those that do  pass on a lot of the risk to reinsurance companies or special catastrophe funds. insured damage could be a fraction of the  billions of dollars worth of destruction in sri lanka  india  thailand  indonesia  the maldive islands and malaysia   said prudential equity group insurance analyst jay gelb.  us insurers are likely to have only minimal to no exposure. it s more likely the bermuda-based reinsurance [companies] might have some exposure   said paul newsome  an insurance analyst at ag edwards & co.  many of the affected countries  such as indonesia  sri lanka or the maldives  do not usually buy insurance for these kinds of disasters  said a us-based insurance expert. early estimates from the world bank put the amount of aid needed for the worst affected countries including sri lanka  india  indonesia and thailand  at about $5bn (£2.6bn)  similar to the cash offered to central america after hurricane mitch.  mitch killed about 10 000 people and caused damage of about $10bn in 1998. but the cost of the tsunamis on the individuals involved is incalculable.  we cannot fathom the cost of these poor societies and the nameless fishermen and fishing villages ... that have just been wiped out. hundreds of thousands of livelihoods have gone   said jan egeland  head of the un office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs. tourists cutting short their holidays in affected areas may suffer a financial impact too. the association of british insurers warned that travel insurance does not normally cover cutting short a holiday. it said loss of possessions will usually be covered  but the association stressed the importance of checking the wording of travel policies.


stallone evicted from big brother jackie stallone  mother of actor sylvester  has become the first star to be evicted from celebrity big brother.  she and john mccririck faced the public vote on friday - 67% of people voted to keep the racing pundit in the house. stallone  71  appeared not to have enjoyed her time in the house saying:  i m a total wreck  i need a vacation  this was a nightmare . but she was pleased to have patched things up with actress brigitte nielsen  her former daughter-in-law.  that alone was worth $1m   she said. stallone joined the channel 4 show on monday as a surprise for nielsen. she was hot favourite to be evicted first  with odds of 1/4 to leave.  but mccririck has made some enemies with his outspoken views about women. ladbrokes spokesman warren lush said:  we may have underestimated the power of the anti-mccririck brigade  but it s so hard to call with him  there are people out there who either love him or hate him  there is no middle ground.  the bookmakers have made former happy mondays dancer bez favourite to win the show at 7/4  while blazin  squad singer kenzie is second at 2/1.  bez has wooed the viewers and looks the one to beat  he s kept his nose clean and doesn t take anything too seriously   mr lush said. earlier on friday 15 protesters from the fathers 4 justice campaign group were arrested after entering the big brother compound at 0300 gmt and throwing fireworks. feminist icon germaine greer quit the show earlier in the week over what she called  bullying  tactics used by the programme s producers. the show is currently attracting an average audience of about 4.2 million viewers a night.


kenya lift chepkemei s suspension kenya s athletics body has reversed a ban on marathon runner susan chepkemei after she made an official apology.  athletics kenya (ak) had suspended the two-time london marathon runner-up for failing to turn up to a cross-country team training camp in embu.  we have withdrawn the ban. chepkemei has given a reason for her absence   said ak chief isaiah kiplagat.  she explained she had a contract with the organisers of the race in puerto rice and we have accepted her apology.   the kenyan coaching team will now decide whether chepkemei can be included in the team for this month s world cross country championships. the 29-year-old would be a strong contender at the event in france and is hopeful she will be granted a place in the 32-strong squad.  i am satisfied that the whole saga has been brought to an end   chepkemei said.  i am ready and prepared to represent my country.  i will be disappointed if i am not given a chance to compete at the world cross country championships.  ak had insisted it was making an example of chepkemei by banning her from competition until the end of 2005. but the organisation came under intense international and domestic pressure to reverse its decision. the 29-year-old took part in the 2002 and 2003 london marathons and was edged out by radcliffe in an epic new york marathon contest last year.  the two-time world half-marathon silver medallist will be back to challenge radcliffe at this year s london event in april. ak also dropped its harsh stance on three-time world cross country 4km champion edith masai. masai missed kenya s world cross country trials because of an ankle problem but ak insisted it would take disciplinary action unless she could prove she was really injured.  subject to our doctor s confirmation  we have decided to clear masai   added kiplagat.


ukip candidate suspended eurosceptic party ukip have suspended a candidate for allegedly suggesting the criminally insane should be killed.  john houston  54  was due to stand in the east kilbride seat in lanarkshire at the next election. but he was suspended after his reported views  including the return of the british empire  were sent to two scottish newspapers. ukip spokesman mark croucher said those who selected mr houston knew nothing of his views. the episode comes at a difficult time for ukip  soon after the high-profile departure of mep robert kilroy-silk. mr houston is alleged to have said that the organs of the criminally insane should be  made available to law-abiding members of the community  and proposed the legalisation of drugs and the sex trade. the document reportedly said:  we re looking for the resurrection of the british empire.  the problems for the human race - environmental and others - can only be dealt with on a global scale  and that calls for a radical alliance of the english-speaking nations  which they are uniquely able to do.  mr croucher said the main issue would be that mr houston s reported views had been presented as ukip policy  which they were not. he said they might have been submissions to a committee working on the party s manifesto  but would not have been matched to mr houston when he was standing to become a candidate. he told bbc news:  he appears to have said these things. we have suspended him as a member and as a candidate.  by all accounts none of this was mentioned at his selection meeting.  it is simply a distraction from the task in hand  the eu constitution  not individual idiocies.  mr houston was quoted in the herald newspaper saying:  i feel ukip have over-reacted and overshot the runway.   peter nielson  who is ukip scotland chairman  said he had suspended mr houston on friday night.  he will remain suspended while the matter is being investigated and then we will decide if and what further action will be taken.  he said that any evidence would be looked into and mr houston may be interviewed by the party. he added:  i can t comment too much at the moment  i have one version from him but i haven t seen the papers yet.


cabinet anger at brown cash raid ministers are unhappy about plans to use whitehall cash to keep council tax bills down  local government minister nick raynsford has acknowledged.  gordon brown reallocated £512m from central to local government budgets in his pre-budget report on thursday. mr raynsford said he had held some  pretty frank discussions  with fellow ministers over the plans. but he said local governments had to deliver good services without big council tax rises.  the central government cash is part of a £1bn package to help local authorities in england keep next year s council tax rises below 5%  in what is likely to be a general election year.  mr raynsford said nearly all central government departments had an interest in well run local authorities. and he confirmed rows over the issue with ministerial colleagues.  obviously we had some pretty frank discussions about this   he told bbc radio 4 s the world at one. but he said there was a recognition that  a good settlement for local government  was important to health  education and  other government departments . ministers had to be sure local government could deliver without  unreasonable council tax increases   he added. mr raynsford dismissed a suggestion the move was designed to keep council taxes down ahead of an expected general election.   this is a response to the concerns that have been voiced by local government about the pressures they face.  mr raynsford also plans to make savings of £100m by making changes to local government pensions schemes. these would raise the age from which retiring workers could claim their pensions and limit how much they received if they retired early. he insisted the changes were  very modest  and designed to tackle the problem of workers retiring  very early . but general secretary of the public services union unison dave prentis criticised the plans.  if you want world class public services you don t get that by hitting people as they approach retirement.


animation charms japan box office oscar-winning director hayao miyazaki s latest film has set a new japanese box office record  with 1.5bn yen ($14.3m) in two days  according to reports.  howl s moving castle is the follow-up to miyazaki s spirited away  which won best animation at last year s oscars. it is based on the children s book by english writer diana wynne jones. it has registered the highest opening weekend takings of any japanese film in the country  according to trade publication screen daily.  the film is about an 18-year-old girl who is trapped in an old woman s body after being put under a spell by a witch. its two-day takings represented 1.1 million cinema admissions  screen daily said. the film s distributor toho expects 40 million people to see it in total - almost one third of the country s population - it added. the film won the golden osella for outstanding technical contribution at this year s venice film festival.


o driscoll saves irish blushes two moments of magic from brian o driscoll guided ireland to a workmanlike victory against italy.  a pair of classic outside breaks from the ireland captain set up tries for geordan murphy and peter stringer. italy led 9-8 early in the second half but stringer s try gave ireland a lead they never lost. the hosts cut the gap to 18-12 with 10 minutes left and nearly scored through ludovico nitoglia  but denis hickie s try ensured an irish victory. italy came flying out of the blocks and took the lead through a luciano orquera penalty after seven minutes.  it could have been better for the hosts but the fly-half missed two kickable penalties and ireland drew level with a ronan o gara penalty midway through the first half. the italians were driving at the heart of the irish defence and  for the first quarter  the irish pack struggled to secure any ball for their talented backs.  when they finally did  just before the half-hour mark  o driscoll promptly created a sparkling try for murphy. the ireland captain ran a dummy scissors and made a magical outside break before drawing the full-back and putting the diving murphy in at the corner. o gara missed the twice-taken conversion and the visitors found themselves trailing once again. roland de marigny took over the kicking duties for italy from the hapless orquera  and he landed a penalty either side of the break to edge italy into a 9-8 lead.  the only ireland player offering a real threat was o driscoll  and it was his break that set up the second try for the visitors. shane horgan threw an overhead pass as he was about to be forced into touch and stringer scooted over  with o gara landing the tricky conversion. a penalty apiece saw ireland leading 18-12 as the game entered the final quarter  but they were lucky to survive when italy launched a series of attacks. winger nitoglia dropped the ball as he reached for the line and italy nearly rumbled over from a driving maul.  an o gara penalty put ireland more than a converted try ahead and they made the game safe when hickie latched onto an inside pass from murphy and crossed for a converted try. o driscoll limped off late on  joining centre partner gordon d arcy on the sidelines  and the final word went to italy. prop martin castrogiovanni powered over for a try which was fitting reward for an italian pack which had kept the irish under pressure throughout.  de marigny; mi bergamasco  canale  masi  nitoglia; orquera  troncon; lo cicero  ongaro  castrogiovanni; dellape  bortolami; persico  ma bergamasco  parisse.  perugini  intoppa  del fava  dal maso  griffen  pozzebon  robertson.  murphy  horgan  o driscoll  d arcy  hickie  o gara  stringer  corrigan  byrne  hayes  o kelly  o connell  s easterby  leamy  foley.  sheahan  horan  o callaghan  miller  g easterby  humphreys  dempsey.  p o brien (new zealand)


us interest rates increased to 2% us interest rates are to rise for the fourth time in five months  in a widely anticipated move.  the federal reserve has raised its key federal funds rate by a quarter percentage point to 2% in light of mounting evidence that the us economy is regaining steam. us companies created twice as many jobs as expected in october while exports hit record levels in september. analysts said a clear-cut victory for president bush in last week s election paved the way for a rise. another rise could be in store for december  some economists warned.  the fed s open market committee - which sets interest rate policy in the us - voted unanimously in favour of a quarter point rise. the fed has been gradually easing rates up since the summer  with quarter percentage point rises in june  august and september.  the central bank has been acting to restrain inflationary pressures while being careful not to obstruct economic growth. the fed did not rule out raising rates once again in december but noted that any future increases would take place at a  measured  pace. in a statement  the fed said that long-term inflation pressures remained  well contained  while the us economy appeared to be  growing at a moderate pace despite the rise in energy prices . financial analysts broadly welcomed the fed s move and shares traded largely flat. the dow jones industrial average closed down 0.89 points  or 0.01%  at 10 385.48.  recent evidence has pointed to an upturn in the us economy. us firms created 337 000 jobs last month  twice the amount expected  while exports reached record levels in september. the economy grew 3.7% in the third quarter  slower than forecast  but an improvement on the 3.3% growth seen in the second quarter. analysts claimed the fed s assessment of future economic growth was a positive one but stressed that the jury was still out on the prospect of a further rise in december.   let s wait until we see how growth and employment bear up under the fourth quarter s energy price drag before concluding that the fed has more work to do in 2005   said avery shenfeld  senior economist at cibc world markets.   i think the federal reserve does not want to rock the boat and is using a gradual approach in raising the interest rate   said sung won sohn  chief us economist for wells fargo bank.  the economy is doing a bit better right now but there are still some concerns about geopolitics  employment and the price of oil   he added. the further rise in us rates is unlikely to have a direct bearing on uk monetary policy. the bank of england (boe) has kept interest rates on hold at 4.75% for the past three months  leading some commentators to argue that rates may have peaked. in a report published on wednesday  the bank said that with rates at their current level  inflation would rise to its 2% target within two years. however  boe governor mervyn king warned only last month that the era of consistently low inflation and low unemployment may be coming to an end.


french consumer spending rising french consumers increased their spending by 1.5% in january  a figure which bodes well for the country s economic growth  figures revealed.  the national statistic institute (insee) added that consumer spending in january rose 3.8% on a year-on-year basis. rising sales of household equipment were behind the increase. the insee also said that french consumer prices fell 0.6% in january  but were up 1.6% on an annual basis.  despite the general increase in spending in january  french households bought fewer cars in january. according to the insee  car sales fell 2.8% in january  following a fall of 0.6% in december. but on a year-on-year basis  the sector still saw a sales increase of 6.5%. consumer spending fuelled france s economic growth in the last quarter of 2004 and analysts expect that it will continue to support the economy.  it s a growth that will remain fragile and vulnerable to risks like a strong rise in long-term interest rates  tension in the oil price   emmanuel ferry  from exane bnp paribas told reuters news agency.  meanwhile in italy  consumer confidence rose to its highest level since october 2004. economic research group isae has said that italian consumer confidence rose to 104.4 from 103.3  despite a slight deterioration in short-term sentiment.


indian oil firm eyes yukos assets india s biggest oil exploration firm  oil & natural gas corp (ongc)  says it is in talks to buy the former assets of troubled russian crude producer yukos.   we are in touch with the concerned russian entities about the yukos assets and other opportunities in russia   said ongc chairman subir raha. local press had reported that ongc was looking to buy 15% of yukos  former key oil production unit for $2bn (£1bn). yukos is being broken up by russian authorities to pay a massive tax bill.  it was forced to sell its key production unit yuganskneftegas (yugansk) last month after being hit with a bill of $27bn in unpaid taxes and fines.  state-owned rosneft now owns yugansk and russia has said it will turn the oil producer into a stand-alone firm. indian oil minister mani shankar aiyar discussed ongc s plans during a trip to moscow last year  and the topic came up again during russian president vladimir putin s recent visit to new delhi.  it would make great sense for us to build on that   said mr aiyar. india s oil production has stagnated over recent years  and it is having to look abroad to secure future supplies. india imports about 70% of its total oil consumption. at the same time  india s economy is booming and the country s thirst for oil is so strong that it has helped pushed up the price of crude worldwide.  india produces about 793 000 barrels of oil per day (bpd)  little changed since the start of the 1990s  according to oil industry analysts douglas-westwood. consumption  meanwhile  has jumped to 2.4 million bpd  compared with 474 000 bpd in 1973.   for countries to develop  they have to have access to energy   said john westwood  managing director of oil industry analysts douglas-westwood. india is a  dramatically growing economy that must have access to oil . by buying into yugansk  ongc would be able to reduce its dependence on gulf states for oil imports  mr westwood explained  especially as the chances of finding and exploiting resources within india are slim.  we forecast that indian production will go into significant decline   mr westwood said.  by 2020  production may only be at half of today s levels.  ongc  which is majority-owned by the indian state  already has bought petroleum assets in countries including vietnam  sudan and russia. the company is a partner with rosneft in the sakhalin-1 oil field off russia s siberian coast.  ongc is  however  not the only firm interested in yugansk.  chinese crude company china national petroleum has also been mentioned as a possible investor  while on thursday  italy refused to rule out an interest. ongc s interest is the latest twist in a saga that has seen one of the world s biggest oil producers brought to its knees. the dispute is partly driven by president putin s clampdown on the political ambitions of ex-yukos boss mikhail khodorkovsky  who is currently in jail on charges of fraud and tax evasion. yukos has been battling the russian authorities for more than a year and has filed for bankruptcy protection in the us. analysts have questioned how long it can continue to survive without yugansk. on thursday  a us court said it will hear arguments for yukos  bankruptcy claim to be thrown out on 16 february. should that happen  yukos will have little chance of clawing back its assets  analysts said.


ferguson rues failure to cut gap boss sir alex ferguson was left ruing manchester united s failure to close the gap on chelsea  everton and arsenal after his side s 1-1 draw with fulham.  premiership leaders chelsea and the gunners endured a 2-2 stalemate on sunday  giving united the chance to make up some ground in the league. but ferguson said:  i think what makes it so bad is that both our rivals dropped points at the weekend.  it was a great opportunity - and we haven t delivered.  united went ahead through alan smith in the 33rd minute before bouba diop s superb 25-yard strike cancelled out the visitors  lead in the 87th minute. ferguson described the result as an  absolute giveaway  after united had earlier missed a host of opportunities to finish off the encounter. he said:  it was a good performance - some of the football was fantastic - but we just didn t finish them off.  in fairness  it s a fantastic strike from the fulham player.  the result leaves ferguson s side fourth in the league on 31 points - four points behind arsenal and a further five back from chelsea.


radcliffe proves doubters wrong this won t go down as one of the greatest marathons of paula s career. but as a test of character  it was the toughest race she s ever taken part in.  a win in the new york marathon doesn t make up for the disappointment of athens in any shape or form  but it will offer hope and reassurance for next year. if paula s last experience of the year had been athens  it would have been very difficult to look forward with any optimism. she can now draw a line under this year and make plans about her future. even if she d lost this race  there would have been a lot of positives to take out of it. she knows she can dig deep if she needs to. it was a strong field  with a number of the girls going into the race with expectations of winning. and although two hours 23 minutes wasn t one of paula s best times  it wasn t far off the record on a difficult course.  i was speaking to paula in the lead-up to this race and she said that in many ways she was facing a no-win situation. she thought that if she won  people would say  why couldn t she do that in athens   and if she lost  people would say her career was over. and a lot of people were wondering what would happen if paula was forced to drop out of this race  as she did in the marathon and 10 000m in athens. but that was never on the cards. she might have been beaten  but she would have kept running. the reasons she was forced to pull out in athens - the niggling injuries  her lack of energy and the oppressive conditions - weren t at play here. the only question was what position she could finish in. most important of all  despite all the hype in the media ahead of this race  there were never doubts in paula s mind. if she wasn t confident  she wouldn t have run. after all  if you re the best in the world at an event  you ll always have expectations of winning.  now paula will take part in the run london 10km race in london at the end of the year  have a well-earned rest over christmas and go into next year with a lot of optimism.


original exorcist to be screened the original version of horror prequel exorcist: the beginning  dropped by producers over claims it was not scary enough  is to have its world premiere.  the film  directed by paul schrader  will be screened on 18 march at the international festival of fantastic film in brussels. the psychological drama stars stellan skarsgard and foreruns the 1973 film. schrader was replaced by director renny harlin who made a new version of the film which debuted in 2004. the prequel project was originally announced in 2001  with actor liam neeson in the lead role and john frankenheimer as director. however frankenheimer pulled out in 2002  a month before he died.  skarsgard then replaced neeson in the role of father merrin  made famous by max von sydow in the 1973 film. principal footage was shot in morocco and rome at a reported cost of $32m. however  in august 2003 it emerged that producers morgan creek were shelving schrader s version of the film  having complained it was not scary enough. as well as replacing schrader with harlin - the director behind die hard 2 and cliffhanger - the producers also changed most of the cast  but swedish star skarsgard stayed in the merrin role. harlin s film  released in the uk in october 2004  received lukewarm reviews but went on to make over $76m (£40.7m) worldwide. the festival screening will be the first time that schrader s film has been seen in public. reports that it will be released either in cinemas or on dvd have yet to be confirmed. other films at the festival in the belgium capital  which runs from 11-26 march  include the us horror hit boogeyman and the forthcoming sequel ring 2  as well as a selection of films adapted from the works of jules verne.


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


chancellor rallies labour voters gordon brown has issued a rallying cry  telling supporters the  stakes are too high  to stay at home or protest vote in the forthcoming general election.  the chancellor said the vote - expected to fall on 5 may - will give a  clear and fundamental  choice between labour investment and conservative cuts. speaking at labour s spring conference in gateshead  mr brown claimed the nhs was not safe in conservative hands. he said tory plans to cut £35bn tax would  cut deep into public service .  to a packed audience at gateshead s sage centre  the chancellor said the cuts proposed by shadow chancellor oliver letwin were the equivalent of sacking every teacher  gp and nurse in the country  he told activists. laying into the conservative s record in government he said:  i give you this promise - with labour  britain will never return to the mistakes of erm and 10% inflation  15% interest rates  £3bn in lost reserves  250 000 repossessed  one million in negative equity and three million unemployed.  never again tory boom and bust.   this will be the central dividing line at the election  between a conservative party taking britain back and planning deep cuts of £35bn in our services  and a labour government taking britain forward  which on a platform of stability will reform and renew our hospitals  schools and public services and  i am proud to say  spend by 2008 £60bn more.  turning to the economy  the chancellor pledged to continue economic stability and growth in a third term in power.  he said after seven years labour had transformed from a party not trusted with the economy to  the only party trusted with the economy . it was now a  party not just of employees  but of employers and managers   he said. in the speech - which prompted a standing ovation from an audience clearly  warm  to mr brown - he also promised to end teenage unemployment within the next five years. he also highlighted plans for 100% debt relief for the world s poorest countries  a national minimum wage for 16 and 17-year-olds and the creation of a network of children s centres and flexibility in maternity leave. the prime minister is to take part later on saturday in an interactive question and answer session  fielding queries sent in by e-mail  text message and telephone as part of labour s attempt to engage the public in their campaign.


borussia dortmund near bust german football club and former european champion borussia dortmund has warned it will go bankrupt if rescue talks with creditors fail.  the company s shares tumbled after it said it has  entered a life-threatening profitability and financial situation . borussia dortmund has posted record losses and missed rent payments on its westfallen stadium. chief executive gerd niebaum stepped down last week and creditors are now pushing for greater control. shares in borussia dortmund  germany s only stock-market listed football club  dropped by almost 23% to 2.05 euros during early afternoon trading.  fund manager florian hamm - borussia dortmund s largest investor - said he would only invest more money in the company if he got a greater say in how it is run.  i demand better transparency   he is quoted as saying by germany s manger magazin. the club has also faced calls to appoint executives from outside the club.  borussia dortmund posted a record loss of 68m euros ($89m; £47m) in the 12 months through june. it made a loss of 27.2m euros in the first half of the current fiscal year and said that total debts will increase to 134.7m euros by the middle of 2006 unless a restructuring plan is pushed through.  this is the bill for their mismanagement over the past years   said hvb analyst peter-thilo halser. the club appointed an auditor  who has recommended a number of steps  including deferring the rent due on the stadium and suspending debt repayments until at least the 2006-2007 fiscal year. stephen schechter  a uk investment banker who has held talks with borussia dortmund over a possible bond sale  said the club needs a capital injection of 35m euros.  they need strong people on the board who do not have a history with the club   he said.


us casino  tricks  face ban in uk controversial new uk casinos will be banned from using american tricks of the trade to ensure they are  socially responsible   it has been suggested.  culture secretary tessa jowell said proposed super-casinos will be different from their us counterparts. in america  pheromones have reportedly been released from machines to encourage aggressive gambling and clocks are often removed from walls. eight super-casinos are proposed from 2010 if the gambling bill becomes law. ms jowell said the legislation would ban psychological trickery.  she told the times:  british casinos will be quite different to those overseas.   they will have to act in a socially responsible way and will be tightly regulated.  they will be run according to british rules and we ll simply not allow any tricks which people are subjected to unawares and which increase the risk of problem gambling.  one tactic used in the us is simulating daylight during night-time to lull players into remaining at the tables and slot machines. casinos also frequently offer free food  drink and hotel accommodation to keep punters betting. a spokesman for the british casino association  which represents the uk industry  said the government was trying to allay fears over a  uk las vegas . he said the way the licences were being awarded meant uk firms were at a massive disadvantage and foreign companies would be certain to win the contracts.  the uk industry is one of the world s most respected   he said.  we have the lowest level of problem gambling in the world.  we certainly don t use pheremones.  the uk gambling industry is being totally frozen in time  and the foreign companies will take over.


friends fear  with lost mobiles people are becoming so dependent on their mobile phones that one in three are concerned that losing their phone would mean they lose their friends.  more than 50% of mobile owners reported they had had their phone stolen or lost in the last three years. more than half (54%) of those asked in a poll for mobile firm intervoice said that they do not have another address book. a fifth rely entirely on mobiles. about 80% of uk adults own at least one mobile  according to official figures. it is estimated that 53% of over 65s own a mobile  according to intervoice  but the figures are higher for those aged between 15 and 34.  most 15 to 24-year-olds (94%)  and 25 to 34-year-olds (92%)  own at least one. nineteen percent of mobile owners were more concerned about how long it would take to find their contacts  information again if the phone was lost  stolen or replaced.  the survey showed that extent to which people have become reliant on their phones as address book. many mobile owners do not bother to make back-ups of their contact details  and with people changing their phones once a year on average  it becomes a problem. they also are becoming less likely to remember numbers by heart  relying on the mobile phone book instead.  we re a nation of lazy so-and-sos   david noone from intervoice said.  we put the numbers in our phones so we can call a friend at the touch of just one or two buttons and we certainly can t be bothered to write them down in an old fashioned address book.  the mobile phone plays such a key role in modern relationships; take the phone away and the way we manage these relationships falls apart.  one in three women  the survey said  thought if they lost their phones  it would mean they would lose touch with people altogether. most (62%) said they had no idea what their partner s number was. mr noone said it should be up to mobile operators to provide back-up services on the network itself  instead of relying on mobile owners to find ways themselves.  generally  information from sim cards can be backed up on physical memory cards  or can be copied onto computers via cables if the phone is a smartphone model with the right software. sim back-up devices can be bought from phone shops for just a few pounds.  but some operators offer customers free web-based back-up services too. orange told the bbc news website that those with orange smartphones could use the my phone syncing service which means back-ups of address books and other data are created online. for non-smartphone users  a memory mate card could be used to back up data on the phone. o2 also offers a free  web-based syncing service which works over gprs and gsm. neither vodafone or t-mobile currently offer a free network service for back-ups  but encourage people to use sim back-up devices. it is thought that about 10 000 phones are lost or stolen every month and 50% of total street crime involves a mobile. mobile phone sales are expected to continue growing over the next year. globally  more than 167 million mobile phones were sold in the third quarter of 2004  26% more than the previous year  according to analysts. it is predicted that there will be two billion handsets in use worldwide by the end of 2005.


what high-definition will do to dvds first it was the humble home video  then it was the dvd  and now hollywood is preparing for the next revolution in home entertainment - high-definition.  high-definition gives incredible  3d-like pictures and surround sound. the dvd disks and the gear to play them will not be out for another year or so  and there at are still a number of issues to be sorted out. but when high-definition films do come out on the new format dvds  it will profoundly change home entertainment. for rick dean  director of business development for digital content company thx  a high-definition future is an exciting prospect. he has worked on the star wars dvd trilogy  finding nemo  the incredibles and indiana jones.  there was a time not so long ago when the film world and the video world were two completely separate worlds   he told the bbc news website.   the technology we are dealing with now means they are very much conjoined.  the film that we see in theatres is coming from the same digital file that we take the home video master   he says. but currently  putting a master feature film onto dvd requires severe compression because current dvd technology cannot hold as much as high-definition films demand.  as much as you compress the picture data rate wise  you also take qualities away from the picture that we fight so hard to keep in the master   he explains.  i would love to be able to show people what projects that we worked on really look like in the high-def world and i find it very exciting.   high-definition dvds can hold up to six times more data than the dvds we are used to. it will take time though to persuade people who spent money on dvd players to buy the different players and displays required to watch high-definition dvds in 18 months  time. mr dean is confident though:  i think if they see real hd [high-definition]  not some heavily compressed version of it  there is such a remarkable difference.  i have heard comments from people who say the images pop off the screen.   high-definition will mean some changes for those working behind the scenes too. on the whole  producing films for high-definition dvds will be easier in some ways because less compression is needed. equally  it may mean hollywood studios ask for more to be put onto the average dvd.  when we master movies right now  our data rates are running at about 1.2 gigabits per second   says mr dean.  our dvds that we put out today have to be squashed down to about five or six megabits per second.  that s a huge amount of compression that has to be applied - about 98%. so if you have anything that allows more space  you don t have to compress so hard.  studios could fit a lot more marketing material  games  and features  onto high-capacity dvds. currently  an entire dvd project can take up to three months  says mr dean. although the step of down-converting will be bypassed  this will realistically only save a day s work  says mr dean. one of the most time consuming elements is building dvd navigation and menu systems. on the fairly complex star wars disks  making sure the menu buttons worked took 45 human hours alone. if studios want to cash in on the extra space  it could mean extra human hours  for which someone has to pay.  if the decision on the studio side is that they are going to put a lot more on these disks  it could be more expensive because of all the extra navigation that is required.  and if studios do focus on delivering more  added value content   thinks mr dean  ultimately it could mean that they will want more money for it. those costs could filter down to the price ticket on a high-definition dvd. but if the consumer is not willing to pay a premium price  studios will listen  thinks mr dean.  high-definition throws up other challenge to film makers and dvd production alike. more clarity on screen means film makers have to make doubly sure that attention to detail is meticulous.  when we did the first hd version of star wars episode i  everybody was very sun-tanned  but that was make-up.  in the hd version of episode i  all these make-up lines showed up   explains mr dean. the restoration of the older star wars episodes revealed some interesting items too.   there are scans of a corridor [on the death star] and fairly plainly in one of those shots  there is a file cabinet stuck behind one of the doorways.  you never used to be able to see it because things are just blurred enough during the pan that you just didn t see it.  what high-definition revolution ultimately means is that the line between home entertainment and cinema worlds will blur. with home theatre systems turning living rooms into cinemas  this line blurs even further. it could also mean that how we get films  and in what format  will widen.  in the future we are going to look towards file delivery over ip [internet protocol - broadband]  giving a dvd-like experience from the set-top box to the hard drive   says mr dean. but that is some time off for most  and for now  people still like to show off something physical in their bookshelves.


collins banned in landmark case sprinter michelle collins has received an eight-year ban for doping offences after a hearing at the north american court of arbitration for sport (cas).  america s former world indoor 200m champion is the first athlete to be suspended without a positive drugs test or an admission of drugs use. collins  ban is a result of her connection to the federal inquiry into the balco doping scandal. the 33-year-old was found guilty of using performance-enhancing drugs. the us anti-doping agency (usada) decided to press charges against collins in the summer. the sprinter has consistently protested her innocence but the cas has upheld usada s findings.  the usada has proved  beyond a reasonable doubt  that collins took epo  the testosterone/epitestosterone cream and thg   said a cas statement.  collins used these substances to enhance her performance and elude the drug testing that was available at the time.  so far a total of 13 athletes have been sanctioned for violations involving drugs associated with the balco doping scandal. world record holder tim montgomery is also facing a lifetime ban after being charged by the usada. his hearing before the csa has been rescheduled for june next year.  drug enforcement chiefs in the us have vowed to crack down on cheats. usada chief executive officer terry madden said the action taken against collins was further proof of that.  the cas panel s decision confirms that those who violate the rules will be sanctioned as part of usada s ongoing efforts to protect the rights of the overwhelming majority of us athletes that compete drug-free   said madden. the usada has built its cases on verbal evidence given to the federal investigation into balco rather than test results. the san francisco-based balco laboratory faces steroid distribution and money laundering charges. the trial is expected to open next march.


santini resigns as spurs manager tottenham manager jacques santini has resigned for  personal reasons .  the former france manager moved to white hart lane this summer but now wants to return to france. santini said:  my time at tottenham has been memorable and it is with deep regret that i take my leave. i wish the club and the supporters all the best.  private issues in my personal life have arisen which caused my decision. i very much hope that the wonderful fans will respect my decision.  he added:  i should like to thank (sporting director) frank arnesen and (chairman) daniel levy for their understanding.  assistant coach martin jol has been put in temporary charge and will take care of team affairs for saturday s premiership match against charlton.  arnesen said the club were sad to see santini go:  we are obviously disappointed that jacques is leaving us. we fully respect his decision.  i can assure you that the club will act swiftly to minimise the impact of jacques  departure.  our priority is to ensure that this season s performance remains unaffected by this move.  i shall make a further statement on monday  clarifying our position. we wish jacques well.


chelsea sack mutu chelsea have sacked adrian mutu after he failed a drugs test.  the 25-year-old tested positive for a banned substance - which he later denied was cocaine - in october. chelsea have decided to write off a possible transfer fee for mutu  a £15.8m signing from parma last season  who may face a two-year suspension. a statement from chelsea explaining the decision read: we want to make clear that chelsea has a zero tolerance policy towards drugs.  mutu scored six goals in his first five games after arriving at stamford bridge but his form went into decline and he was frozen out by coach jose mourinho. chelsea s statement added:  this applies to both performance-enhancing drugs or so-called  recreational  drugs. they have no place at our club or in sport.  in coming to a decision on this case  chelsea believed the club s social responsibility to its fans  players  employees and other stakeholders in football regarding drugs was more important than the major financial considerations to the company.  any player who takes drugs breaches his contract with the club as well as football association rules.  the club totally supports the fa in strong action on all drugs cases.  fifa s disciplinary code stipulates that a first doping offence should be followed by a six-month ban. and the sport s world governing body has re-iterated their stance over mutu s failed drugs test  maintaining it is a matter for the domestic sporting authorities.  fifa is not in a position to make any comment on the matter until the english fa have informed us of their disciplinary decision and the relevant information associated with it   said a fifa spokesman. chelsea s move won backing from drug-testing expert michelle verroken. verroken  a former director of drug-free sport for uk sport  insists the blues were right to sack mutu and have enhanced their reputation by doing so.  chelsea are saying quite clearly to the rest of their players and their fans that this is a situation they are not prepared to tolerate.  it was a very difficult decision for them and an expensive decision for them but the terms of his contract were breached and it was the only decision they could make.  it is a very clear stance by chelsea and it has given a strong boost to the reputation of the club.  it emerged that mutu had failed a drugs test on october 18 and  although it was initially reported that the banned substance in question was cocaine. the romanian international later suggested it was a substance designed to enhance sexual performance. the football association has yet to act on mutu s failed drugs test and refuses to discuss his case.


hunt ban support is  in decline  support for a ban on hunting has fallen in the past six years  a poll suggests.  less than half the uk wants a ban compared to almost two-thirds in 1999  the mori survey of 2 000 adults for bbc one s countryfile programme suggests. the number opposed to a ban remains constant  but those  neither supporting nor opposing  has increased by 11%. most city-dwellers support the ban but rural people were evenly split between supporters  opponents and undecided.  polling company mori carried out both surveys. in july 1999 they asked 801 adults if they supported the ban for the mail on sunday. for countryfile they asked 2 234 adults across the country the same question. the mail on sunday survey found that 63% supported a hunting ban compared with 24% against. in the countryfile survey  47% said they supported the legislation  with 26% against. but the programme makers suggest the british public are becoming  increasingly neutral  to the issue because around one quarter said they  neither support nor oppose  a ban.


swap offer for pirated windows xp computer giant microsoft has launched a pilot scheme to replace counterfeit versions of windows xp with legal ones.  the first-time initiative is restricted to the uk and to users with pre-installed copies of the operating system in pcs bought before november. until december microsoft said software can be sent to it for analysis if there are doubts about its legitimacy. the company aims to detect illegal traders and turn users of fake versions of windows into legitimate ones.  the windows xp counterfeit project will mean that software that is found to be counterfeit will be replaced for free  subject to certain conditions  until the end of the year. it is the first time microsoft has launched a counterfeit product replacement scheme in the world  the company told the bbc news website. in june  the software giant said that the major security update to windows xp  service pack 2  would not work with the most widely pirated versions of its operating system. the upgrade closed security loopholes in xp and added features that made it easier to keep machines safe from viruses and other types of malicious computer code.  the us company invited anyone who had suspicions about their version of windows xp to submit it for testing as soon as possible. the procedure consists of a series of computer checks  collating documents  and filling out a witness statement.  this is a great opportunity for users to confirm the authenticity of windows xp software whilst helping gather vital information about illegal traders   said alex hilton  licence compliance manager at microsoft. the scheme has also been welcomed by the technology and commerce industry.  it is important that users ensure that they are legally licensed to avoid the risks of purchasing and using counterfeit products   said david frost  director general of the british chambers of commerce. the plan would enable microsoft to gather intelligence about illegal traders in a prompt way  which would allow it to take action against software pirates. microsoft said it would evaluate the results of the uk programme before setting up similar schemes in other countries.


dollar hits new low versus euro the us dollar has continued its record-breaking slide and has tumbled to a new low against the euro.  investors are betting that the european central bank (ecb) will not do anything to weaken the euro  while the us is thought to favour a declining dollar. the us is struggling with a ballooning trade deficit and analysts said one of the easiest ways to fund it was by allowing a depreciation of the dollar. they have predicted that the dollar is likely to fall even further.  the us currency was trading at $1.364 per euro at 1800 gmt on monday. this compares with $1.354 to the euro in late trading in new york on friday  which was then a record low.  the dollar has weakened sharply since september when it traded about $1.20 against the euro. it has lost 7% this year  while against the japanese yen it is down 3.2%. traders said that thin trading levels had amplified monday s move.  it s not going to take much to push [the dollar] one way or the other   said grant wilson of mellon bank. liquidity - a measure of the number of parties willing to trade in the market - was about half that of a normal working day  traders said.


uk debut for kevin spacey movie hollywood stars kevin spacey and kate bosworth attended the british premiere of new film  beyond the sea  in london s leicester square on thursday.  spacey  45  wrote  directed and starred in the film  inspired by the life of 1950s croooner bobby darin.  this is my tribute to someone i think was a remarkable talent   said spacey  who  as darin  sings all 18 songs on the film soundtrack. bosworth  21  plays darin s wife - real life hollywood actress sandra dee.  i knew absolutely nothing about bobby darin before this film  but now i m a huge fan   said bosworth  who attended the premiere with british boyfriend orlando bloom.   there is darkness and tragedy in the story  and it was a dream for me to land this part.  actress sandra dee continues to live in los angeles as a virtual recluse  but has given her approval to the biopic.   she called me last week and said she loved it   said spacey  who was joined at the premiere by members of the boy band westlife. spacey  a double oscar-winner  has long been fascinated by the story of singer bobby darin. the voice behind mack the knife  dream lover and beyond the sea  fought childhood illness to become one the biggest stars of the 1950s  but died aged 37 from the heart condition that had troubled him all his life.  bobby darin was one of the greatest entertainers the world has ever known  and yet  because he died young  he s been kind of forgotten   said spacey at the premiere.  making this film was the most fun i ve ever had in my entire life.  the movie also stars british actors bob hoskins and brenda blethyn  as darin s mother.


benitez joy as reds take control liverpool boss rafael benitez was satisfied after his team s 3-1 win over bayer leverkusen despite conceding a goal in the last minute.   before the game if you had said the score will be 3-1 i would have happily accepted that   said benitez.  but you must realise that you have to concentrate right to the very last seconds of a game at this level.  i have confidence that we can complete the task in germany. i am always confident and we must be positive.   benitez defended goalkeeper jerzy dudek  whose failure to hold on to dimitar berbatov s weak drive allowed franca to score with the last kick of the game - and give the german team a lifeline for the second leg.  for me it was not jerzy dudek s fault   added benitez.  he had played a very good game - and had we scored our other chances  nobody would be talking about about their goal. it would not have mattered.  if we had scored our other chances it would not have been worth remembering that last goal.  in my opinion jerzy played well  made two very fine saves - and i am happy with him.  if we lose 2-0 we are out but i think we can score in germany - certainly one  and that will make all the difference.  and the liverpool boss is looking forward to having skipper steven gerrard  who was suspended for the anfield leg  back for the return in germany.   steven gerrard is a key player for us   said benitez.  when he is on the pitch he makes everyone else play better - and the opposition pay special attention to him - which gives space for others.  steven is one of the best players in the world  but i need a team that is not about just one player. there must be 11 players on the pitch all doing well.


glazer makes new man utd approach malcolm glazer has made a fresh approach to buy manchester united  which could lead to a bid valuing the premiership club at £800m.  the us tycoon  who has been wooing the club for the last 12 months  has approached the united board with  detailed proposals   it has confirmed. mr glazer  who owns the tampa bay buccaneers team  hopes this will lead to a formal bid being accepted. his new offer is expected to contain substantially less debt. mr glazer has already had one takeover attempt turned down by the red devils and responded by using his 28.1% shareholding to vote off three board members last november.  man united had turned down the bid because it was based on a high level of borrowing. but newspapers have speculated recently that the tycoon had gained the support of leading banks to come up with a stronger and less debt-laden bid. last week  however  mr glazer issued a statement to the stock exchange distancing himself from a new bid.  meanwhile  united s chief executive david gill said in december that talks would not resume unless glazer came up with  definitive proposals . now the board has confirmed that the us bidder is back  with a statement issued on sunday reading:  the board can confirm it has now received a detailed proposal subject to various preconditions which may form the basis of an offer.  a further announcement will be made in due course.   to succeed malcolm glazer will still need the approval of major shareholders john magnier and jp mcmanus  who own 28.9% of the club. but the irish duo have cut off talks with glazer over the proposed sale of their stake and have so far made no comment on his latest approach. united fans have reacted with anger at the announcement. they have vehemently opposed any proposed takeover by glazer since he first showed interest in the club in september 2003 and after sunday s announcement they vowed to fight on.  we will fight tooth and nail to stop him whatever his offer says. we do not want him or anybody else taking over united   said mark longden of the independent manchester united supporters  association.  the campaign against this proposed takeover will continue as it has done since glazer first showed interest in the club.


smith aims to bring back respect scotland manager walter smith says he wants to restore the national team s respectability in world football.  smith has joined his first squad for a three-day get-together near manchester in preference to playing a friendly. while qualification for the 2006 world cup appears to be beyond scotland  smith is anxious that the remainder of the campaign should be positive.  i think we have got to try to get a bit of respectability back in whatever way we can   he said.  we will have to approach each game differently. obviously we will have to approach the italian game away from home in a different manner to moldova at home.  we have to meet the challenge of each match.  smith  meeting a number of his squad for the first time  brought them together on monday to outline his ideas for improving the nation s fortunes.  he said:  i pointed out how i see the international team going forward and that was the main topic.  this is a relaxed gathering and i don t think there is a lot of doom and gloom about the squad that a lot of people think exists.  a 25-man squad will spend the next three days based at the mottram hall hotel in cheshire and will train at manchester united s nearby carrington complex. smith will be absent for the final sessions  however  as he is due to fly out to sardinia on wednesday to watch italy s friendly with russia.


middlesbrough 2-2 charlton a late header by teenager danny graham earned middlesbrough a battling draw with charlton at the riverside.  matt holland had put the visitors ahead in the 14th minute after his shot took a deflection off franck queudrue. but middlesbrough peppered the charlton goal after the break and chris riggott stroked home the equaliser. shaun bartlett s strike put charlton back in front but that lead lasted just six minutes before graham rushed onto queudrue s pass to head home. the match burst to life from the whistle and charlton defender hermann hreidarsson had sight of an open goal after just six minutes. hreidarsson received danny murphy s free-kick from the right but he crashed his free header wide of the far post. the iceland international looked such a danger the boro bench could be heard issuing frantic instructions to mark him.  charlton s early pressure paid off when bartlett received a long ball from talal el karkouri in the box and laid it off to holland who buried his right-footed strike. szilard nemeth  recalled in place of joseph-desire job  was twice denied his chance to get middlesbrough back on level terms by dean kiely. the striker played a great one-two with jimmy floyd hasselbaink only to see kiely get down well to smother his shot before directing a header straight into the keeper s arms. boro had plenty of time on the ball but the addicks comfortably mopped up the pressure - with kiely tipping a hasselbaink header over the bar - to take their lead into half-time.  it was all one-way traffic after the break at the riverside as middlesbrough poured forward and kiely even saved hreidarsson s blushes when he palmed the ball away to prevent a charlton own goal. but the addicks keeper could do nothing about riggott s equaliser in the 74th minute. the boro defender looked suspiciously offside as he got on the end of gareth southgate s misdirected effort  but despite the charlton protests his goal stood. the addicks did not let their heads drop and bartlett left the boro defence standing  picking up hreidarsson s cross to easily sink his right-footed strike. but substitute graham was on hand to grab a share of the points for the home side. the 19-year-old striker nodding home the equaliser - and his first premiership goal - with five minutes left on the clock.   i felt we did enough to win the game even though the first half was lacklustre.  we dominated after the break  the players showed a fantastic response and we should have gone on to win.  but for (charlton goalkeeper) dean kiely  who made three tremendous saves  we could have scored five or six.    to take the lead and then to get penned back  it feels a little bit like a defeat   admitted kiely.  we were winning but middlesbrough kept knocking on the door. but we stood up and credit to us we didn t capitulate.  we ll kick on now. our short-term ambition is to progress from the seventh place finish from last year.   nash  reiziger (graham 82)  riggott  southgate  queudrue  parlour (job 86)  doriva  nemeth (parnaby 87)  zenden  downing  hasselbaink.  subs not used: cooper  knight.  riggott 74  graham 86.  kiely  hreidarsson  perry  el karkouri  young  konchesky  murphy (euell 78)  holland  kishishev  thomas (johansson 72)  bartlett.  subs not used: fish  jeffers  andersen.  konchesky  hreidarsson  perry.  holland 14  bartlett 80.  29 603  m riley (w yorkshire).


kilroy launches  veritas  party ex-bbc chat show host and east midlands mep robert kilroy-silk said he wanted to  change the face of british politics  as he launched his new party. mr kilroy-silk  who recently quit the uk independence party  said  our country  was being  stolen from us  by mass immigration. he told a london news conference that veritas - latin for  truth  - would avoid the old parties   lies and spin . ukip leader roger knapman says he is glad to see the back of mr kilroy-silk.  mr kilroy-silk promised a  firm but fair  policy on immigration and said they hoped to contest most seats at the forthcoming general election. he said veritas would also announce detailed policies on crime  tax  pensions  health and defence over the next few weeks. labour campaign spokesman fraser kemp said veritas was joining  an already crowded field on the right of british politics . on thursday mr kilroy-silk is due to announce which constituency he will run in at the next general election - that will come amid speculation he has his sights set on defence secretary geoff hoon s ashfield seat. he was joined in the new venture by one of ukip s two london assembly members  damien hockney who is now veritas  deputy leader. ukip s chairman petrina holdsworth has said the group will just be a parody of the party the men have left.  mr kilroy-silk quit ukip last week after months of tension as he vied unsuccessfully for the leadership of that party. he said he was ashamed to be a member of a ukip whose leadership had  gone awol  after the great opportunity offered by its third place at last june s european elections.  while ukip has turned its back on the british people  i shall not   he said.  i will be standing at the next general election. i shall be leading a vigorous campaign for the causes i believe in.  and  unlike the old parties  we shall be honest  open and straight.   mr hockney also left ukip saying mr kilroy-silk would  deliver better  as the leader of a eurosceptic party. a spokesman for ukip called on mr hockney to quit the london assembly. the party asserts that mr hockney  has a moral obligation  if not a legal one  to stand down. its leader  roger knapman  has said he is glad to see the back of mr kilroy-silk.  he has remarkable ability to influence people but  sadly  after the [european] election it became clear that he was more interested in the robert kilroy-silk party than the uk independence party so it was nice knowing him  now  goodbye    he said. ukip officials also argue mr kilroy-silk has not been  straightforward  in attacking the party he once wanted to lead.  veritas  it s the bnp in an expensive suit!  it s all well and good robert kilroy-silk claiming  that  veritas  is a party that doesn t believe in  lies and spin   but the truth of the matter is  its completely useless  due to proportional representation  there is no chance that  veritas  will have any chance in claiming power  and change the two-horse race trend. in my opinion this is just a publicity stunt which has just been used as a smoke-screen for his anti-islamism slurs which got him sacked from the television.  i think that his views regarding immigration are shared by many. it really is time that the uk government ceased to be a paper tiger on this issue. in addition as an ashfield constituent i would be more than interested in kilroy -silk opposing geoff hoon!!  good to see the parties of the right splintering in the way the parties of the left have always done. let s hope kilroy-silk  ukip and the euro-sceptic wing of the tory party all fade further into obscurity so we can have some truth in the debate about europe. we benefit enormously from our membership of the eu  we need to be at the heart of europe  leading it and driving it to where we as a country want to go  not running away from it.  all mouth and trousers. a clown. trouble is  any votes he collects may just end up helping new labour into a third term.  whatever kilroy-silk and ukip do  none of their anti-european policies have any relevance outside middle england. this new party might gain support from right-wing england  but will have little impact in wales or scotland.  hopefully this all this fighting within euro-sceptic parties will allow them to slip out of the way and get people voting for real political parties which address more than one issue. england needs europe to survive and as soon as people realise this the better  we can t rely on the usa forever!  at last an impetus for increasing the likely 40% turn out for the election. the electorate is disillusioned with british politics. kilroy has one agenda - the uk - and i ll be voting for him.  both ukip and rk-s are representatives of small-mindedness and a lack of vision for the whole of humankind. the interests of humanity and the world lie so much beyond the scope of these people s bickering that who  in the overall scheme of things  really cares about their petty tiff   many people believe you kilroy. you may even believe yourself but switching horses midstream and then bad mouthing the steed that got you halfway seriously diminishes your credibility.  the very idea of political parties born out of such negative feelings as euroscepticism or british supremacy is nauseating. one can only hope the public recognise these extremists for what they are and shun them at the polls.  i ve always thought that kilroy-silk was a self-publicising  egotist and this news does absolutely nothing to alter my opinion.  brilliant  about time this country had a plausible party!  having seen the recent bbc 3 documentary and witnessed the thoroughly disgraceful chauvinistic behaviour of a number of senior ukip figures i can well understand why kilroy-silk feels embarrassed to be associated with such people. hopefully the ukip members who are interested in the political debate will support his action.  fantastic news. pro-europeans now have far less to worry about from the right. the conservatives are as confused as they have been since the mid-1990s  and the extreme anti-europeans are fracturing themselves into splinter groups that split any votes they might get in local  european and general elections. robert kilroy-silk s ego and vanity are his own (and his supporters ) worst enemy.  as a euro-enthusiast i could not be more delighted by kilroy-silk s behaviour. he took a party that was just building up a head of steam  and having exposed it to ridicule by attempting a coup-d etat  he is now setting about the serious business of dividing it in two. the closer to straight-down-the-middle the better  as far as i am concerned  but in any eventuality  the two sceptic parties will exhaust their energies fighting each other.  if every politician with ambitions to lead their party resorted to forming their own for that purpose  we d have ballot papers a mile long! you ve got to hand it to kilroy-silk for his sheer arrogance and supreme self-belief.  whilst not being a great fan of kilroy i do agree with his comments about the ukip leadership  and like him i am also leaving ukip. i believe countless opportunities have been lost to discredit the eu and to show our people what belonging to the eu really means. the eu s comments last week about michael howard s plans to reform immigration show how little we govern our own country when they can turn round and say immigration is a matter for the eu and not individual member states. the sooner we leave this corrupt super-state the better  does anyone else think that it is ironic that euro-sceptic kilroy-silk has used a latin name for his new party  rather than a  good old british  name  is this indicative of the man - contradictory  vain and pompous   i think mr kilroy-silk has got a very good point. british politics has become too pc and as a result has no straight talking honest strong politicians. they are all interested in their own careers and not the people who put them in power. as a result i feel our democracy is being abused and i want it stopped. if mr kilroy-silk lives up to half his promises he will get my vote.  honestly  who really cares  man with tan leaves party with no plan  to set up party with no idea.  as one of kilroy-silk s east midlands constituents i hope those who voted for him are proud to have been taken in by such charming vacuity. i feel insulted by having him represent me in the european parliament.  ukip tried hard to accommodate robert kilroy silk  but he made it clear that only control of it would satisfy him. someone so keen on complete control was bound to fall foul of ukip s democratic nature.  kilroy is an able communicator and a capable politician  in exactly the way those who lead ukip are not. he tried to make it work  but they didn t seem to want to grow up. he was left in the position of having to defend their gaffes to the media. this new party seems a logical next step for kilroy. good luck to the man  i say.  oh please! this is an amusing irrelevance. there is absolutely no chance of either of these parties communicating a sensible and constructive  eurosceptic  argument. they will play a key part in winning the country round to the idea of a reformed  more democratic  more dynamic europe union. future generations will thank him for his ridiculousness.  the refreshing thing about robert is that he is open  honest and straight. what other politician can claim this. i have a suspicion that he talks for a larger part of the electorate that his critics would like. i shall be voting for him.  the electorate of the east midlands voted not for kilroy-silk but for the ukip. kilroy-silk was made an mep because of his position on the ukip s party list. he has no mandate to represent the area and should resign from the european parliament.  i wouldn t write off kilroy-silk. while he s a clown and a one man band at the moment  he s a populist and that s always dangerous.the man clearly has an enormous ego and looking at our current political masters  that seems to be one of the factors in success.  good luck to kilroy though i think he is doing more harm than good for both his new party and ukip because their vote base is not strong enough for both parties to be successful and at the moment ukip have the upper hand while veritas are starting from square one and fighting a somewhat uphill battle.  the man i once found cringe worthy on day time tv  could well turn out to be my country s knight in shining armour. he expresses views which are now more than common amongst society today - but people are almost too scared to express them. kilroy silk has secured my vote  and many more like me. what s more  i look forward to the day when he claims victory  wrecks the eu  and rescues my great nation... without a hair out of place and his tan as perfect as ever!  great stuff. the longer the uk dithers over europe  the richer we in ireland become  as the only english-speaking country fully committed to europe. oh and send us over those hard-working immigrants - our economy needs them.  this is just what the europhiles pray for. as the main eurosceptic party  ukip should try to resolve its differences with kilroy to show a united front and give the uk public a serious political voice against europe. having multiple parties with the same view point just splits the vote further.  thank goodness that kilroy-silk has gone - now ukip at least has a chance in the election!  it is very sad to see the cause of britain regaining its proper relationship with europe damaged by this split within ukip. robert kilroy-silk could have a lot to offer. instead we have a split party and a damaged cause. under the present electoral system  people must work together  and small parties have no hope of representation. last summer  ukip achieved a major advance  partly and only partly due to kilroy-silk. it is a great shame this has been dissipated in in-fighting.  ukip has a wide platform of policies  not just withdrawal from the eu. this kilroy-silk conveniently ignores in the comments surrounding the launch of his own party. neither the english democrats nor the new party were interested in letting him join them and take over their leadership speaks volumes. veritas is the beginning of the end for kilroy-silk.  if he believes in truth and democracy then he and the two assembly members should resign and force a by-elections to stand on their own platform rather than this backdoor approach to politics of being elected for one party then defecting to another.  so ukip was good enough for him to lead  not good enough for him to follow!  interesting that a party committed to plain speaking should have a latin name!  every opinion poll points to an overwhelming anti-europe feeling in this country. kilroy-silk could be on the verge of something huge if he can broaden his appeal beyond this one issue. he is an extremely able communicator with years of political experience. we wants quality schools  top hospitals  clean and efficient public transport  punishments that fit the crime  limited asylum  a purge on bureaucracy and less taxes. it needs courage and honesty  two qualities sadly lacking in our politicians. kilroy-silk may just have those very qualities. recruit the right colleagues  robert  and your time may have come!  well if you cannot get enough limelight being an ordinary mp then go out and start up your own party. it s all flash and no real policy here  let s hope this is the start of both ukip and kilroy-silk slipping into obscurity.  veritas  the name will doom it. but perhaps i am wrong for surely all modern schoolchildren will understand it since they do still learn latin in the classroom do they not  the whole essence of what rks represents is euroscepticism  so explain to me how the too-twee label of veritas symbolises that


klinsmann issues lehmann warning germany coach jurgen klinsmann has warned goalkeeper jens lehmann he may have to quit arsenal to keep his world cup dreams alive.  lehmann is understudy to oliver kahn in the german squad  but has lost his place to manuel alumnia at highbury. klinsmann said:  it will be difficult for any of our players if he is not a first-choice at his club.  if jens is not arsenal s number one keeper  that is a problem for me. he must be playing regularly.  lehmann is desperate to keep his place in the germany squad when the country hosts the world cup in 2006. klinsmann added:  if he is not playing regularly he cannot be germany s number one keeper  or even number two keeper.  the situation for jens is that he is currently the number two keeper at arsenal. this could be critical if it remains the same during next season.


usher leads billboard nominations r&b singer usher is leading the race for the billboard awards with nominations in 13 categories  including best male.  alicia keys has 12 nominations for the awards  which will be held on 8 december at the mgm grand in las vegas. other multiple nominees include maroon5  outkast  kanye west  r kelly  gretchen wilson  hoobastank and jay-z. soul singer stevie wonder will receive billboard s century award  the magazine s highest honour for creative achievement  at the ceremony.  the awards will be hosted by american idol presenter ryan seacrest  and will feature performances by usher  gwen stefani  nelly and green day. usher and keys will be battling it out for prizes including artist of the year  hot 100 songwriter of the year and billboard 200 album of the year for their respective albums confessions and the diary of alicia keys. maroon5 and outkast are also up for artist of the year  while outkast s speakerboxxx/the love below is a finalist for billboard 200 album of the year  alongside josh groban s closer. the awards honour the year s leading artists and songs as determined by their performance on billboard s weekly charts.


crisis  ahead in social sciences  a national body designed to tackle skills shortages in key subjects should be set up  a committee of mps has said.  there was an  absolute crisis  in the recruitment of statisticians and other social science experts  the commons science and technology committee added.  major problems  are expected over the next 10 years as the social science workforce continues to age  it said. the committee was reporting on the work  strategy and spending plans of the economic social research council.  the council aims to promote and support strategic research for social science postgraduates and provide social scientists to meet the needs of the country. it also liaises with the government and industry over their social science needs. in its report on the council s work the committee said:  we are deeply concerned by the skills shortages afflicting  in particular  the qualitative branches of social sciences. this mirrored previous concerns the committee had expressed on shortages in the fields of maths and chemistry  it said.  it is hard to see how significant progress towards rectifying these shortages can be made through the deployment of economic and social research council s limited resources.  if the government is serious about addressing skills shortages in key subjects it needs to find a more effective mechanism to achieve this.  a national  strategic capabilities fund  to address shortages in key areas should be set up in response  the committee added.


south bank awards honour hit soap coronation street has become the first soap to triumph at the south bank show awards  which traditionally reward highbrow and groundbreaking culture.  the soap beat fellow itv1 show filthy love and channel 4 s shameless to win the best tv drama prize on thursday. little britain was named best comedy while franz ferdinand beat morrissey and the libertines to the music award. shane meadows  dead man s shoes picked up the best film award  beating shaun of the dead and my summer of love. the two award ceremonies reflect the achievements the industry believes have been made in the last year.  in 2004  coronation street pulled away from its bbc one rival eastenders in the ratings and dominated other tv awards. last year  the south bank award for best tv drama went to steven poliakoff s period piece the lost prince  while bloody sunday  about the 1972 killings in northern ireland  won in 2003. in other south bank categories  little britain s second series beat nighty night and the green wing to the comedy trophy while alan bennett s the history boys won in the theatre category. author david mitchell made up for losing out in the booker prize to alan hollinghurst by beating him to the literary award with his book cloud atlas. shameless  state of play and clocking off creator paul abbott got a lifetime achievement award while former grange hill actress amma asante won the breakthrough award for writing and directing her first film  a way of life.


fa decides not to punish mourinho the football association will take no action against chelsea boss jose mourinho following his sending-off in sunday s carling cup final.  mourinho  who was sent from the touchline for appearing to taunt liverpool fans  has been  reminded of his responsibilities to the game . but the fa confirmed:  there will be no further action taken in this matter.  mourinho claimed his  silence  gesture was aimed at the media  although they were on the other side of the ground. the former porto coach was forced to watch the climax of his side s 3-2 victory over liverpool on television after being ushered away from the touchline by fourth official phil crossley. his gesture came after chelsea s equaliser on 79 minutes courtesy of a steven gerrard own goal. mourinho still faces an fa investigation into his allegation that manchester united s players  cheated  during january s carling cup semi-final at stamford bridge.  and uefa could also launch disciplinary action following mourinho s failure to attend a compulsory post-match press conference after chelsea s champions league defeat at barcelona last week. in addition  some time this month  chelsea must also answer a charge of failing to control their players during the premiership win at blackburn in february. and a charge of failing to control their supporters following a carling cup meeting with west ham earlier this season is still to be heard. the premier league is also continuing investigations into allegations chelsea officials tapped up arsenal defender ashley cole in january.


irish markets reach all-time high irish shares have risen to a record high  with investors persuaded to buy into the market by low inflation and strong growth forecasts.  the iseq index of leading shares closed up 23 points to 6661.89 on thursday  fuelled by strong growth in banking and financial stocks. a fall in the rate of inflation to 2.3% in january gave a fresh boost to shares which have advanced 4% this month. the economy is set for strong growth in 2005 while interest rates remain low.  several of ireland s biggest companies saw their market value hit recent highs on thursday. allied irish banks  ireland s biggest company by capitalisation  touched a five year peak while bank of ireland shares rose to their highest level since august 2002.  telecoms firm eircom  which recently revealed that it would re-enter the irish mobile phone market  hit a yearly high. analysts said that economic conditions were benign and irish shares were still trading at a discount to other european markets.  ireland ticks all the boxes as far as international investors are concerned   roy asher  chief investment officer of hibernian investment managers  told reuters.  buoyant economic conditions are set to continue in ireland over the next few years and irish equities continue to offer quality growth at a reasonable valuation.   bernard mcalinden  head of equity research at ncb stockbrokers  said equities represented good value compared to other investments.  it is still looking good   he told reuters.  we have seen good economic data on ireland which benefits the financial stocks.  ireland s economic  miracle  is enjoying a second wind  with 5% growth forecast for 2005 and 2006. the economy cooled markedly between 2001 and 2003 after enjoying spectacular growth of more than 10% in 2000. however  it has bounced back strongly with growth of just under 5% expected in 2004.


hunt demo at labour meeting pro-hunt supporters are set to protest at labour s spring conference.  the countryside alliance says it expects up to 4 000 supporters to demonstrate against the hunting ban. they have agreed to keep to a demonstration site on the other side of the river tyne from the conference venue in gateshead. a bid to overturn the law banning hunting with dogs in england and wales has begun in the court of appeal. the ban comes into force on 18 february. the court of appeal is expected to rule early next week on whether the alliance s challenge has succeeded. richard dodd  regional director of the countryside alliance  said he expected between 2 000 and 4 000 supporters in tyneside to make their protest  with hunt horns and placards.  campaigners have been asked not to bring any animals or alcohol.  mr dodd said he did not believe there would be any repeat of the trouble which marred the pro-hunt demonstration outside parliament in september.  we are holding a static demonstration  just to remind labour that we are not going away   he said. northumbria police said the pedestrian millennium bridge  by the demonstration site  will be shut if necessary. but assistant chief constable david warcup has liaised with several protest groups and said all negotiations had gone well. fathers 4 justice  pensioners  rights activists and stop the war campaigners were also expected to demonstrate during the three-day conference which starts on friday. pro-hunt campaigners claims the 1949 parliament act - which extends the right of the house of commons to overrule the house of lords - was itself invalid because it was never passed by peers. the high court last month ruled the act was valid and the proposed hunting ban was lawful. pro-hunt supporters formally launched their second legal challenge to the ban in london s high court on thursday. the countryside alliance has lodged papers seeking a judicial review on human rights grounds. animal welfare groups have welcomed the ban  many of whom have campaigned for a ban for decades saying hunting is cruel and unnecessary.


sony psp console hits us in march us gamers will be able to buy sony s playstation portable from 24 march  but there is no news of a europe debut.  the handheld console will go on sale for $250 (£132) and the first million sold will come with spider-man 2 on umd  the disc format for the machine. sony has billed the machine as the walkman of the 21st century and has sold more than 800 000 units in japan. the console (12cm by 7.4cm) will play games  movies and music and also offers support for wireless gaming. sony is entering a market which has been dominated by nintendo for many years.  it launched its ds handheld in japan and the us last year and has sold 2.8 million units. sony has said it wanted to launch the psp in europe at roughly the same time as the us  but gamers will now fear that the launch has been put back. nintendo has said it will release the ds in europe from 11 march.  it has gaming at its core  but it s not a gaming device. it s an entertainment device   said kaz hirai  president of sony computer entertainment america.


cole refuses to blame van persie ashley cole has refused to blame robin van persie for leaving arsenal with no fully-fit strikers for the fa cup fifth round replay at sheffield united.  van persie is suspended alongside dennis bergkamp and jose antonio reyes after being sent off at southampton when arsenal had a numerical advantage. thierry henry is ruled out with an achilles tendon injury but cole said:  no-one is putting the blame on robin.  it s just something that happens on the spur of the moment.  cole added:  i ve done it before and i hope they didn t blame me for anything.  of course he ll learn. i ve been sent off a couple of times now and it s just one of those things when you go a bit crazy for one or two seconds. freddie ljungberg is likely to be used in an emergency striking role and will be partnered by either arturo lupoli  quincy owusu-abeyie or jeremie aliadiere. gunners boss arsene wenger said:  freddie is an option but we need a second striker.  i have to decide whether it will be aliadiere  quincy or lupoli who will start with him up front. those three will be involved.  arsenal are also without winger robert pires  who sustained an ankle injury at st mary s. wenger added:  it doesn t look like anything is fractured  but it is a good ankle sprain.  it does not look like pires will be ready for two to three weeks.


economy  strong  in election year uk businesses are set to prosper during the next few months - but this could trigger more interest rate rises  according to a report.  optimism is at its highest since 1997 and business will reap the benefits of a continuing rise in public spending  say researchers at bdo stoy hayward. the bank of england is expected to keep rates on hold this week - but they could go up later in the year. rates are likely to rise after the anticipated general election in may. the bdo optimism index - a leading indicator of gdp growth two quarters ahead edged up in january to 102.5  from 102.2 in october. the rise is due  in part  to an increase in public spending and increased merger and acquisition activity.  the only thing blighting business optimism this year will be uncertainties associated with the general election  bdo said. its bdo s output index - which predicts gdp movements a quarter in advance - remained at 100.8 for january  implying gdp growth at 2.9% in the second quarter of 2005. however  the output index is being held back by recent interest rate rises  sterling s strength against the dollar and high oil prices  the group noted. its inflation index  which has risen continuously over the last 8 months  climbed to 110.0 in january from 108.0 in october last year.  the uk is looking strong going into the general election  but businesses need to prepare themselves for a jolt ahead as the bank of england reacts to growth and inflationary pressures   said peter hemington  partner at bdo stoy hayward.  growth will probably slow by the end of 2005 and it is likely that we will see higher interest rates or a sharp drop in demand for products and services.


godzilla gets hollywood fame star movie monster godzilla has received a star on hollywood s walk of fame  honouring both his 50th birthday and the launch of his 28th film.  an actor dressed as the giant creature breathed smoke over photographers on monday as godzilla received the 2 271st star on hollywood boulevard.  godzilla should thank you for this historical and monumental star   said final wars producer shogo tomiyama.  but unfortunately  he cannot speak english   he added. hollywood s honorary mayor  johnny grant  said:  i do hereby proclaim this godzilla day in hollywood.   he s loose  he s wild  and i m getting the hell out of here   he added. the premiere of godzilla: final wars at grauman s chinese theatre followed the ceremony on hollywood boulevard. the monster was joined by co-stars including japanese pop star and actor masahiro matsuoka. director ryuhei kitamura said it may not be godzilla s final outing  as it has been billed.  that s what the producers say. but the producer s a liar   he said.  [godzilla s] been working for the last 50 years. so  i think godzilla just deserves a vacation.  and producer shogo tomiyama added:  so long as godzilla can fascinate people  i believe he will be resurrected by new generations of filmmakers in the future.  godzilla first appeared in 1954 as a prehistoric lizard woken by atomic bomb tests.


ocean s twelve raids box office ocean s twelve  the crime caper sequel starring george clooney  brad pitt and julia roberts  has gone straight to number one in the us box office chart.  it took $40.8m (£21m) in weekend ticket sales  according to studio estimates. the sequel follows the master criminals as they try to pull off three major heists across europe. it knocked last week s number one  national treasure  into third place. wesley snipes  blade: trinity was in second  taking $16.1m (£8.4m). rounding out the top five was animated fable the polar express  starring tom hanks  and festive comedy christmas with the kranks.  ocean s twelve box office triumph marks the fourth-biggest opening for a december release in the us  after the three films in the lord of the rings trilogy. the sequel narrowly beat its 2001 predecessor  ocean s eleven which took $38.1m (£19.8m) on its opening weekend and $184m (£95.8m) in total. a remake of the 1960s film  starring frank sinatra and the rat pack  ocean s eleven was directed by oscar-winning director steven soderbergh. soderbergh returns to direct the hit sequel which reunites clooney  pitt and roberts with matt damon  andy garcia and elliott gould. catherine zeta-jones joins the all-star cast.  it s just a fun  good holiday movie   said dan fellman  president of distribution at warner bros. however  us critics were less complimentary about the $110m (£57.2m) project  with the los angeles times labelling it a  dispiriting vanity project . a milder review in the new york times dubbed the sequel  unabashedly trivial .