Jenjie

A hospital has lost £2.5m in funding for treating patients too quickly. Ipswich Hospital, in Suffolk, which is more than £16m in the red, accidentally breached an agreement to ensure all patients had similar waiting times. Ipswich Hospital agreed with the East Suffolk Primary Care Trusts, which fund treatment, that patients should wait at least four months for treatment. However, doctors had treated patients inside that time and the trust refused to pay the £2.5m cost of treatment. This will now have to come from the hospital's own budget, adding to its financial difficulties. An Ipswich Hospital spokeswoman described the incident as a "local glitch". The government has said patients should wait no longer than six months before treatment. The trusts agreed that patients should wait at least four months. The hospital spokeswoman said it was thought the agreement would be the best way to ensure that no-one jumped queues and that everyone was waiting a similar length of time. 'Crazy accounting' During the past two years, hospital doctors had breached the agreement as they treated a number of patients inside four months, and the trusts refused to pay. The hospital spokeswoman said: "In a number of cases we had breached the agreement - for understandable reasons, because we had spare capacity - and treated patients too quickly. "The trusts refused to pay, as they were entitled to." A Department of Health spokesman said: "All areas, including Suffolk and Ipswich, have had massive increases in NHS funding. This has allowed the NHS to bring waiting times down from over 18 months to the current maximum of six months. "Nationally the average wait for non-urgent inpatient treatment is around eight weeks. Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust is meeting our current target for inpatient treatment within a maximum of six months." Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Steve Webb MP said the case was a result of "crazy accounting rules". He said: "It is a complete nonsense for one part of the NHS to be penalising another for treating patients too quickly. "The government is paying over the odds to buy in capacity from the private sector, yet crazy accounting rules mean that spare capacity in the NHS itself cannot be used." http://www.bbc.co.uk

Teachers should stop calling bright pupils "clever" for fear they might not be considered "cool" by classmates, a union has been told. Instead they should refer to academic high-achievers as "successful", the Professional Association of Teachers' conference in Oxford heard. Simon Smith, a teacher from Essex, said it was important to avoid a culture which "mocks being clever". A government spokesman said it was "not the brightest idea we have heard". 'Semantic debates' He added: "The education system is about ensuring that every child is supported and also challenged to achieve the very best that they can. Semantic debates will not achieve this." Last year, the union voted to replace the word "failure" with "deferred success". Mr Smith said: "Change the language we use; change something. "If we were to use the word 'successful' rather than 'clever' we could all achieve it at our own level and in our own way. "With a few exceptions, including sport, academic prowess is in many eyes not 'cool'." Shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said: "In this information age, where an increasing number of jobs are in the creative industries, it is vital that all children aspire to academic excellence, whatever their background or ability." Last month, an "excellent" student revealed she had had a mark taken away in a mock GCSE exam for giving an answer which a teacher deemed "too sophisticated". Katie Merchant, 16, of Brighton College, missed a "key word" in a Latin test, although she showed more than enough knowledge for a full mark. Headmaster Richard Cairns said the OCR exam board's assessment scheme, which the school used, was "too mechanistic". http://www.bbc.co.uk

Children in the US could be banned from using social networking sites in schools and libraries by a new law. The Deleting Online Predators Act tries to limit the access paedophiles have to the networking sites which have become hugely popular with minors. The act has already been approved by a large majority in the House of Representatives. Critics say the act is too broad and could mean a huge number of websites are cut off from users. Net ban The DOPA Act was introduced into the US legislative system by Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick. It passed 410 votes to 15 in a vote on 26 July. Speaking before the vote was taken, he said: "The social networking sites have become, in a sense, a happy hunting ground for child predators." The act covers federal institutions that received funding for computers and net access via the US E-Rate scheme - primarily schools and libraries. The American Library Association (ALA) estimates that two-thirds of US libraries receive this funding. It requires these organisations to put in place filters to stop children viewing social networking sites where they might be subject to "unlawful sexual advances". Children will only be allowed to use the social networking sites if adults are present. Social networking sites such as MySpace, Bebo, Facebook, Friendster and many others count large numbers of children among their users. In both the UK and US many schools have already banned pupils from using these networks over fears that the children are taking risks with the amount of information they are posting. The DOPA Act leaves the final definition of what counts as a social networking site to the Federal Communications Commission. Critics say the act's broad description of what the FCC should take into account in its definition could mean a huge number of sites will be blocked by libraries. The act says the FCC should consider any site that allows users to create and modify a profile, chat to other users and post personal information. Those criticising the Act said this could mean that a huge number of websites, such as Slashdot, Amazon, blogging sites, wikis and news organisations could be cut off. "DOPA is redundant and unnecessary legislation," said Leslie Burger, president of the ALA in a statement. She pointed out that the Children's Internet Protection Act already requires libraries to block net content that is harmful to children. Some MySpace users have created an online petition to gather support for protests about the act. The petition, called Save your Space, aims to gather more than one million signatures in a month. The act now passes to the Senate and a vote on its approval is likely to take place in early August. http://www.bbc.co.uk

A series of hidden texts written by the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes are being revealed by US scientists. Until now, the pages have remained obscured by paintings and texts laid down on top of the original writings. Using a non-destructive technique known as X-ray fluorescence, the researchers are able to peer through these later additions to read the underlying text. The goatskin parchment records key details of Archimedes' work, considered the foundation of modern mathematics. The writings include the only Greek version of On Floating Bodies known to exist, and the only surviving ancient copies of The Method of Mechanical Theorems and the Stomachion. In the treatises, the 3rd Century BC mathematician develops numerical descriptions of the real world. "Archimedes was like no-one before him," says Will Noel, curator of manuscripts and rare books at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland and director of the imaging project. "It just doesn't get any better than re-reading the mind of one of the greatest figures of Western civilisation." 'Eighth wonder' Revealing Archimedes' writings presents a huge challenge to the imaging team. The original texts were transcribed in the 10th Century by an anonymous scribe on to parchment. Three centuries later a monk in Jerusalem called Johannes Myronas recycled the manuscript to create a palimpsest. Palimpsesting involves scraping away the original text so the parchments can be used again. To create a book, the monk cut the pages in half and turned them sideways. To create a book Myronas also used recycled pages from works by the 4th Century Orator Hyperides and other philosophical texts. Mr Noel describes the palimpsest as "the eighth wonder of the world". "You never get three unique palimpsested texts from the ancient world together in one book," he told the BBC News website. "That's just completely unheard of." The monks filled the recycled pages with Greek Orthodox prayers. Later, forgers in the 20th Century added gold paintings of religious imagery to try to boost the value of the tome. The result was the near total obliteration of the original texts apart from faint traces of the ink used by the 10th Century Scribe. Bright light Previously the privately-owned palimpsest has been investigated using various optical and digital imaging techniques. However, much of the text remained hidden behind paint and stains. The researchers have now turned to a technique known as X-ray fluorescence to tease out the final details of the writings. The method is used in may branches of science including geology and biology. It has previously been used by other researchers to decode ancient texts. In August 2005 a team from Cornell University successfully deciphered a series of 2,000-year-old worn down stone inscriptions. The X-rays are formed in a synchrotron - a particle accelerator that uses electrons travelling at close to the speed of light to generate powerful "synchrotron" light. The light covers a wide range of the electromagnetic spectrum, including powerful X-rays, a million times more intense than a transmission X-ray used in medical imaging. "In fluorescence it's like looking at the stars at night whereas in transmission it's like looking during the day," explains Dr Uwe Bergmann of the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lab in the US, where the work is being done. The light enables scientists to look inside matter at the molecular and atomic scale. Glowing words The technique is particularly useful for probing the palimpsest because the ink used by the scribe to record Archimedes' work contains iron. "When the X-rays hit an iron atom it emits a characteristic radiation, it glows," says Dr Bergmann. "When you record the glow you can reconstruct an image of all of the iron in the book." The glowing words are displayed on a computer screen, giving the researchers the first glimpse of the text in nearly 800 years. "It's like receiving a fax from the 3rd Century BC," said Mr Noel. "It's the most sensational feeling." Each page takes 12 hours to reconstruct as the highly focused beam of X-rays, the width of a human hair, sweeps across the page. The team have until the 7 August this year to scrutinise the palimpsest, before the synchrotron is switched off for maintenance. During that time they hope to scan between 12 and 14 pages, paying particular attention to the areas covered with the forged paintings. The public can watch the researchers as they reveal the glowing ancient text during a live webcast at 2300 GMT on 4 August. BBC Technology

Marie Osmond has been in hospital following a bad reaction to medication, a spokeswoman has said, denying reports that the singer attempted suicide. Publicist Amy Hawkes said the 1970s star spent a few days in hospital after the incident but was now "doing fine". She told the Associated Press: "She's vacationing with her family right now." US magazine National Enquirer reported that Osmond was in hospital as a result of a failed suicide attempt. 'Blacked out' Marie Osmond's manager Karl Engemann said: "We deal with those tabloids all the time. You get tired of responding. It's like punching Jell-O." The singer spent a few days recovering at Timpanogos Regional Medical Center in Utah, Ms Hawkes said. "She basically had an adverse reaction to some medication she was taking and she blacked out," she added. The manager would not confirm what type of medication Osmond was taking. In 1999, the singer revealed she suffered from severe postpartum depression after the birth of her son. Hit career Osmond found fame in the 1970s when she appeared alongside her brothers at several concerts before releasing her own single Paper Roses in 1973. It became the first number one for a female on the country charts and her success grew when she joined her brother for the 1976 variety show Donny and Marie. After years of TV work, she returned to country music in the mid-1980s but last charted in 1990 with the single Like a Hurricane. She currently has her own company selling porcelain dolls, inspired by the dolls she collected when the Osmonds went on tour. http://www.bbc.co.uk

Harry Potter author JK Rowling says she will miss writing the series when she finishes work on the final novel. "I will go through a mourning period, then I will have to think of something else to write," the 41-year-old author told an audience in New York. However, she said writing the final book was "fun in a way it hasn't been before" because "the pressure is off". Rowling read extracts from the most recent Potter novel at a charity event organised by author Stephen King. The benefit performance, which also featured World According To Garp novelist John Irving, was held at New York's Radio City Music Hall. Money was being raised for Doctors Without Borders and The Haven Foundation, which helps artists who are unable to support themselves after falling ill. It was Rowling's first US appearance for six years. The author told the audience she had been unwilling to take long flights with two young children. 'Fingers crossed' King said he was looking forward to reading the next Potter novel, while Irving added: "I have my fingers crossed for Harry." "I don't want him to go over the Reichenbach Falls," said King - referring to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's attempt to kill off Sherlock Holmes in the novel The Final Problem. Sir Arthur later resurrected the character after being deluged with letters of protest from fans. Rowling has said two characters will perish in the final Harry Potter novel, but told her New York audience she was not looking forward to writing their deaths. "I didn't enjoy killing the character at the end of book six," she said, "but I had been planning that for years, so it wasn't quite as poignant as you'd imagine. "I'd already done my grieving when I actually came to write it." Film role As Rowling completes the last Harry Potter book, filming has begun on the fifth instalment of the movie franchise. Helena Bonham Carter has been announced as the latest addition to the all-star cast for Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix. The actress, who last appeared in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, will play the evil Bellatrix Lestrange in the film, which is due out next year. Film studio Warner Brothers has already announced that Imelda Staunton will play dark arts teacher Dolores Umbridge in the film. http://www.bbc.co.uk

Rock band Korn have appealed for information after a fan died following a fight at their concert in Atlanta, according to music magazine Billboard. Andy Richardson, 30, died in hospital after being attacked by two men in the mosh pit at the HiFi Buys Amphitheatre. The band are headlining the 30-city Family Values Tour in North America. The group said they were "appalled at the actions of these men" and encouraged witnesses to contact the local authorities, Billboard reported. In a statement, they said they were "imploring anyone who witnessed this senseless act or has any information about the attack to please immediately come forward". Mother's plea Mr Richardson's mother Gloria is also calling for the men to turn themselves in. "It's not right that someone could go a concert for a good time and wind up dead," she said. "I want justice. Those two people need to be caught." Police have not made any arrests and say they only have a vague description of the attackers. Mr Richardson's friend Edgar Arellano said one man hit the victim on the head with his fist, knocking him head first onto the concrete. http://www.bbc.co.uk

Religious leaders in Rome have united against the mock-crucifixion featured in US pop star Madonna's latest show. In the sequence, Madonna appears on a giant cross wearing a crown of thorns. Father Manfredo Leone of Rome's Santa Maria Liberatrice church told Reuters news agency it was "disrespectful, in bad taste and provocative". Muslim and Jewish leaders have also raised objections. Madonna performs in Rome on 6 August ahead of six further dates at London's Wembley Arena. The 47-year-old received similar complaints during the American leg of her Confessions world tour, with one critic accusing her of "blatant insensitivity". The singer has defended the imagery by saying it forms part of an appeal to her audience to donate to Aids charities. "Being raised on a cross with a crown of thorns like a modern Christ is absurd," continued Father Leone. "Doing it in the cradle of Christianity comes close to blasphemy." Mario Scialoja, head of Italy's Muslim League, told Reuters Madonna would "do better to go home", a sentiment echoed by a spokesman for Rome's Jewish community. Madonna has invited controversy before, notably with her 1989 Like a Prayer video, which featured a black Christ-like figure and burning crosses, and a 1993 tour in which she simulated masturbation on stage. http://www.bbc.co.uk

I very much liked the jin & Sun episode this week. Lots of happy bits, and a few sad bits. I don't trust the balloon man at all

whose justifying anything? I asked a question, because the way the opening post comes across is that you have to either agree with what Israel is doing or you're anti-semitic. The point I'm making is that the world isn't that black and white. You can quite easily disagree with the Israeli response to the situation without hating all Jews. Just as easily as disagreeing with the Lebanese response doesn't make you anti-lebanese; disagreeing with the american or british response in Iraq doesn't make you anti-british or anti-american. To disagree with the Israeli governments decision, is just that. Not all Israelis are Jews, and not all Jews are Israelis. How can you hate an entire race for a decision made by a governemnt who doesn't represent all that race? Do you hate all the people in England because of the decisions Tony Blair has made? Do you hate all the people in Zimbabwe because of the action's Mugabe's government has taken?

So to disagree with the actions of the Israeli forces makes you anti-semitic? In which case, by the same logic, all germans are nazis. That's far too black and white a look at things. Nothing in this world is clear cut, its all shades of grey. You can disagree with an action taken by people without it being anything to do with race, creed, colour or religion.

A penniless pensioner from west London paid for a life-saving heart operation with a fake cheque. Retired painter and decorator Roy Thayers was facing a nine-month wait on the NHS to get an angioplasty. Instead, the 77-year-old wrote out a cheque for almost £9,000 for a private operation at Hammersmith Hospital - despite only having £10 in the bank. He is now paying back the remaining amount of £6,481 in £25 instalments. He will be 99 by the time it is repaid. Severe pain The pensioner suffered from terrible pain for more years "than I can remember." It left him a virtual cripple. "It was like putting a knife inside my ribs and twisting it all up," he said. "I couldn't move my legs and had to sit down after a few steps until the pain went. Truly terrible." Doctors told the father of two he risked a fatal heart attack at any time. Then he was told there was a nine-month wait. He was left with the choice of either waiting out the nine months and risk having a fatal heart attack or writing out a "Mickey Mouse cheque" and going private. The decision was easy. "The idea came on the spur of the moment. I love life, I love my dogs, I love fishing - why should I die for the sake of money?" "I wasn't going to worry about the law until it came to me," he said. "I paid into the NHS for years to look after me but now the doctors were telling me they wouldn't so who's robbing who?" Bailiff threat He wrote out a cheque on the day of the operation in December 2003. It was only days afterwards that the hospital realised what had happened. The NHS threatened to send bailiffs to his address to recover the money. All sides however finally agreed on a payment plan of £25 a month. A spokeswoman for Hammersmith Hospital NHS Trust said Mr Thayers' health was of the utmost importance and insist he would have been seen on the NHS earlier if his condition was thought to be urgent. Married twice, his first wife died of cancer 40 years ago. After divorcing his second wife and becoming estranged from his two children who live in Bournemouth, he now lives alone. But the pensioner has no regrets. Happy to be alive, he spends his days watching old black & white westerns in-between looking after his two Jack Russells and his canaries. "I did nothing wrong," he insisted. "I took back what was rightfully mine. I've been paying into the national health all my life, it's about time I got some payback. I did the right thing - I did what any man who do." http://www.bbc.co.uk

The parents of a teenage girl who went missing with her aunt's 18-month-old baby have urged her to tell them they are both safe and well. Ellie Johnson was taken from her home in Fulham, west London, by her 17-year-old cousin Amy Jones during a family visit last Thursday afternoon. Police say they are growing concerned for their safety and are treating the case as suspected abduction. They were last seen at 1700 BST on Monday on King's Street, Hammersmith. In a statement, Amy's parents said: "Amy, we are all very worried for you and Ellie. "We know that you love her and want the best for her. If you can, please contact anyone who can get the message to us that you are safe and well. We want to help you." The girls were in the house in Lindrop Street, Fulham, with their grandmother, when Amy took Ellie out, saying she was going round to a neighbour's house. Ellie has blonde hair and was last seen in a blue vest top, white skirt, white socks with blue bows and trainers. Her cousin Amy, of Northolt, west London, is described by police as very light skinned black girl, 5ft 3ins, of slim build with long dark hair which is usually tied back. She was wearing a short denim skirt and yellow T-shirt. Ellie, who lives with her mother and father and her elder sister Cloe, was on foot, not in a pushchair. Amy has gone missing before and has also disappeared with Ellie before, but only for two or three hours. http://www.bbc.co.uk

Viewers who are offended by jokes on motoring show Top Gear must accept such remarks will remain "an integral part of the programme", the BBC has said. The corporation has issued a statement on its complaints website after receiving 500 objections in six months. "Provocative comments" by hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May must not be taken seriously, it said. The BBC said the audience should be "familiar enough" with Top Gear's tone to be able to cope with the jibes. Sarcasm was part of Top Gear's appeal, the statement stressed, and members of the public and participants were never immune "from the team's acerbic comments and observations". Last month, BBC governors rejected one viewer's objection to a Nazi salute by Clarkson on an edition broadcast last November. They did admit there had been "a real potential to offend" but said most viewers would have known Clarkson often used "the most exaggerated stereotypes to support or defend his opinions". They would not have taken his comments seriously for that reason, the governors added. A BBC spokeswoman said there had also been "a number of calls" about a report on caravans broadcast on 16 July from "viewers who were taking issue with various aspects" of the feature. The statement on the complaints website said Top Gear's format would not be changed. But it reassured viewers that the corporation would continue to monitor the tone of the show. "Were the presenters' comments and pranks carried out with any degree of seriousness, rather than being clearly tongue-in-cheek or adopting the deliberate overstatement that is the programme's trademark, we would of course take issue with them," it added. http://www.bbc.co.uk

a pizza hut, a pizza hut well, until they altered the menus and made it overly expensive and not the greatest value for money

don't think they've extended much beyond the north-west

..... and ladders and chairs oh my!, tables and ladders and chairs!!

I'm quite intrigued by it too!! I found them on another forum. there are five eggs every month, and you have no way of knowing what they will turn into. they hatch, and then get bigger. am intrigued to find out what my ickle egg is

The southern Lebanese town of Qana is believed by some to be where Jesus performed his first miracle, at the wedding in Cana of Galilee mentioned in the Gospel of St John. But in modern times it is blood - not water and wine - that is indelibly linked with the town, the blood of Lebanese civilians killed in Israeli bombing. In 1996, one of the deadliest single events of the whole Arab-Israeli conflict took place there - the shelling of a UN base where hundreds of local people were sheltering. More than 100 were killed and another 100 injured, cut down by Israeli anti-personnel shells that explode in the air sending a lethal shower of shrapnel to the ground. Ten years later, the town is again in the headlines, this time because of a single massive bomb dropped by an Israeli aircraft, causing a building to collapse on top of dozens of civilians - many of them children - taking cover in the basement. Both incidents took place during sustained Israeli military operations against the Hezbollah militant group for firing rockets at Israel. It remains to be seen if the "Qana Massacre No 2" - as it's being called in Lebanon - will have the same result as the 1996 tragedy - enormous pressure on Israel to curtail its operations, leading to a ceasefire. Israeli denials Israel still insists the 18 April 1996 shelling was an accident and that its forces had aimed at a legitimate militant target - a Hezbollah military unit firing mortars and rockets from near a base housing Fijian troops belonging to the UN observer force Unifil. Then, as now, Israel accused Hezbollah of using the civilian population as human shields when they launched their attacks. However, a UN investigation reported in May 1996 that the deaths at the Qana base were unlikely to have been the result of an accident, as claimed by the Israelis. The UN report, by Maj-Gen Franklin van Kappen of the Netherlands, cited a shift in the fire patterns and the repeated use of shells with so-called proximity fuses over the small UN compound as evidence of an intent to kill people there. The report also noted the presence of two Israeli helicopters and a drone in the skies over Qana, "contrary to repeated [israeli] denials", which must have witnessed the bloodbath. "The pattern of impacts is inconsistent with a normal overshooting of the declared target (the mortar site) by a few rounds, as suggested by the Israeli forces," Gen van Kappen's report said. "While the possibility cannot be ruled out completely, it is unlikely that the shelling of the United Nations compound was the result of gross technical and/or procedural errors," the report concluded. Strategic location In the current round of Israeli bombardments, Qana has already been the scene of several controversial incidents, such as the bombing by Israel of two Lebanese Red Cross ambulances and the death of a young Lebanese photojournalist, Layal Nejib, also in an air strike on her car. Looking at the map, it is not hard to see the strategic of importance Qana in relation to Israel and its adversary, Hezbollah. The town lies at the northern edge of the Lebanon's southern uplands which border Israel and at the confluence of the five main roads running south-east of the southern city of Tyre. Qana and the villages surrounding it are a strong pro-Hezbollah area and Israel says it has repeatedly been used to fire rockets over the border about 10km (six miles) to the south. Israeli officials say leaflets had been dropped in the area warning civilians to leave their homes, so it could step up its anti-Hezbollah operations. However, with the number of civilian cars and convoys which have been bombed on the roads heading to Tyre, many residents were too scared to take the Israeli warnings or were unable to flee because they had no means of transport. http://www.bbc.co.uk

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said Israel is not ready to stop its offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon. "The fighting continues. There is no ceasefire and there will not be any ceasefire in the coming days," he said. Mr Olmert apologised "for the pain caused" to Lebanese civilians, but said Hezbollah had suffered a severe blow. Israel and Hezbollah meanwhile continued to trade fire, less than a day after Israel declared a partial halt to air strikes on south Lebanon. Israeli warplanes struck several targets, killing a Lebanese soldier near the city of Tyre. Israel expressed regret over the death, saying it believed the vehicle was carrying a senior Hezbollah official. The Israeli military said the suspension, to allow an inquiry into civilian deaths at Qana, did not prohibit it from continuing to target those who threatened Israeli civilians or troops. Fighting has also continued on the ground in southern Lebanon, with the villages of Taibe, Kila and Adasya coming under Israeli artillery fire. Hezbollah fired two shells which landed on the outskirts of the Israeli border town of Kiryat Shmona, causing no injuries. The Israeli military said Hezbollah also hit an Israeli tank near Taibe, wounding three soldiers. In other developments: The UN Security Council extended the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) for one month New York-based group Human Rights Watch accused Israel of committing war crimes by carrying out what it called an indiscriminate bombing campaign in Lebanon Thousands of protesters in the Syrian capital Damascus joined a demonstration against Israel's military offensive, with many declaring their support for Hezbollah Lebanon observed a national day of mourning following the deaths in Qana, with many banks and public buildings closed 'Fighting terrorists' Speaking in Tel Aviv, Mr Olmert said Israel's campaign would continue until it achieved its goals. "We will end it when the threat over our heads is removed, when our kidnapped soldiers return to their homes and when we can live in security," he said. Israel began its offensive in Lebanon after Hezbollah militants captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border attack on 12 July. It is also fighting Palestinian militants in Gaza to secure the release of an Israeli soldier held captive there since 26 June. Mr Olmert said Israel was "not fighting against the Lebanese people. We do not want to topple their government. "We are fighting the terrorists without holding back and we will continue until we have pushed them from our borders." The prime minister's comments came hours after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the US would seek a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire this week. US President George W Bush meanwhile said on Monday that the UN had to address the "root causes of the problem". "We want there to be a long-lasting peace, one that is sustainable," he said after meeting Cuban-American business leaders in Miami, Florida. 'Ghost village' Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz described the 48-hour cessation of air strikes, from 0000 Monday (2100 GMT on Sunday) as a "humanitarian gesture". At least 54 people, many of them children, were killed in Qana on Sunday when the house in which they were sheltering was hit by Israeli war planes - the deadliest such raid since hostilities began. The BBC's Jim Muir in Qana says the scene is one of utter desolation. He says Qana has become a ghost village like many others on the road up from the southern city of Tyre, with women and children now a rare sight. After nearly three weeks of fighting, about 750 people - mainly civilians - have been killed by Israeli action, according to Lebanon's health minister. A total of 51 Israelis, including at least 18 civilians, have also been killed in attacks by Hezbollah. http://www.bbc.co.uk

British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has protested to the US about its use of Prestwick Airport in western Scotland to transport bombs to Israel. Amid the Lebanon crisis, she said it seemed the US was ignoring procedure, and she registered her concerns with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. SNP leader Alex Salmond claimed the UK government must decide whether to "be an aircraft carrier" for the US. The Lib Dems suggested the Americans were taking the UK for granted. Mrs Beckett was asked about the controversy after discussing the Middle East crisis with fellow foreign ministers in Rome. "We have already let the United States know that this is an issue that appears to be seriously at fault, and we will be making a formal protest if it appears that that is what has happened," she said. Opposition parties have reacted angrily to a report in the Daily Telegraph newspaper that two chartered Airbus A310 cargo planes filled with laser-guided bombs landed at Prestwick en-route to Israel from the US. The Israelis have requested the munitions to attack bunkers being used by Hezbollah militants in Lebanon Mr Salmond said that "with an escalating Middle East conflict", it was ill-advised to send bombs "to arm one side in that conflict to the teeth, at a time when hundreds of civilians, many children, United Nations observers, have already been eliminated, killed, by similar weapons". He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that for the UK to stand up to the Americans, it "would require an independent foreign policy, as opposed to merely acquiescing everything the United States chooses to do". According to BBC Two's Newsnight programme, the US has lodged requests to bring two more planes through the UK carrying bombs and missiles for Israel in the next two weeks. A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We have procedures in place for flights carrying arms. "It's important that they are followed. If they are not, we will raise it with the US but we are not going to comment on US flights transiting through the UK. "The foreign secretary has discussed this issue with Condoleezza Rice." 'Real annoyance' Gordon Corera, the BBC's security correspondent, said there was "clearly some concern within the Foreign Office". "There's embarrassment about the fact Britain might have been used as a staging post and annoyance at the fact procedures don't appear to have been followed. "'Disquiet' was the word one official used to me but for that, read real annoyance," he told the BBC's One O'Clock News The UK's Civil Aviation Authority said it followed a series of procedures set out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation "to facilitate the international movement of civil aircraft". These "apply to everyone who may be involved in putting or taking dangerous goods on an aircraft", its website stated. Countries must "hold permission to carry dangerous goods" and submit to "audit-style inspections" to "check for compliance". If insufficient information was supplied then all available evidence would be gathered to try to inform the originating state "so that action can be taken there", it said. A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority was unable to confirm whether it had been informed of the contents of the flight to which Mrs Beckett referred. A Downing Street spokeswoman refused to comment on the matter, saying it was being dealt with by the Foreign Office. The US State Department said it would not respond either, while Strathclyde Police insisted the matter was "for the owners of the airport and/or central government", as long as "no offence has been committed". Prestwick - which lies 30 miles south of Glasgow - had supplied logistical aid for military flights since WWII in "moving troops and cargo", an airport spokesperson said. "That support involves allowing crew to rest, refuelling aircraft and providing food and water. "The airport is obliged to allow aircraft from any CAA-registered country to land here." 'Special relationship' Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell called for the UK government to respond. "If these reports are true, it is particularly provocative for the United States to have acted in this way," he said. "It can only reinforce the belief of many that Britain is taken for granted in the so-called special relationship. "Who knows how many of these munitions may be used to cause the kind of damage to Lebanon which the prime minister of that country described in Rome as cutting his country to pieces." Meanwhile one of Tony Blair's former foreign policy advisers has criticised the prime minister's approach to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. "There are times, such as the past two weeks, when a British prime minister should have been thinking less about private influence and more about public advocacy," Sir Stephen Wall wrote in the New Statesman. "Could the Prime Minister really not speak up for the simple proposition that the slaughter of innocent people in Lebanon, and the destruction of their country and the ruin of half a million lives, were wrong and should stop immediately?" http://www.bbc.co.uk

by Katie Ledger Computer literacy is increasingly seen as an essential skill for children. But what is the best age to introduce them to computers and does it give them a head-start? There are plenty of so-called "kids computers" on the market, aimed primarily at the "three years and over" market. Most of them offer educational games and interaction but no internet connection. The benefit is that they introduce your child to a keyboard and a feeling they have a direct influence over their environment. Every Saturday morning at a north London school, a class meets to hone their computer skills and prepare for upcoming exams. The oldest child is seven years old and the youngest is four and a recent class had children learning how to input data into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. The young age of the participants and the complexity of the tasks they are performing raises questions about the use of computers by children. Teacher Mike Ryde says: "We have children as young as 18 months on the courses. "I must admit, though, a lot of those children tend to use computers in only a very small part of the lesson, it's not normally the major part of the lesson. "But normally by about 18 months to two-and-a-half-years we're having a lot of children starting to use the keyboard and mouse." Worldwide research on very young children and their use of IT is limited, but one recent report from Sheffield University in the UK called Digital Beginnings makes for interesting reading. For instance by the age of four, 45% of children have used a mouse to point and click, 27% have used a computer on their own at home, rising to 53% for six-year-olds, and 30% have looked at websites for children at home. The Child Computer Interaction Group (ChiCI) studies the dynamic relationship between children and computers and feel that children should not start using computers too early in their development. ChiCI's Janet Read says: "My own opinion is that 18 months isn't a good age. "It's a little bit ridiculous to think of an 18-month-old child sat in front of a traditional computer. "That's not to say there might not be technologies that are adapted to them in the future, but the traditional keyboard, box, monitor and mouse doesn't seem to fit a child very well." Co-ordination So where do the techno tots like to go online? Not surprisingly, the most popular sites are based on children's TV shows. Many offer the opportunity to play games with different levels of difficulty, watch video clips, interact with a story or print out your favourite character. BBC Cbeebies online producer Olivia Dickinson says: "They use fine motor skills when they use the mouse or keyboard. So they can go up to using the spacebar, to using the arrow keys, to using the mouse. "They also learn some gross motor skills, in terms of some of the bigger movements of the mouse, but also in terms of physical development, when we give them activities to do in front of the computer, like dance and music. "We've got a few games where if you keep hitting the spacebar the Teletubbies appear, and that just gets them into what a computer is." If your child starts to use a computer around two or three, does it mean they will do better at school? Mike Ryde says a group of six and seven year olds have already taken an information and communications technology GCSE. He says: "90% of those children had started when they were 18 months to two-and-a-half-years-old." Janet Read says: "I wouldn't say that children who use computers would definitely get a head start. "Some of these children would have been pushed in front of a computer like they would be pushed in front of a TV and so they're getting either the wrong sort of stimulation or no stimulation of any value, because it's quite easy to be entertained on a computer and not necessarily gain any value." Staying safe There has been a lot of debate recently about keeping kids safe online, and the earlier children start to use computers the earlier parents need to think about protecting them. Microsoft has completely revamped its parental controls on forthcoming operating system Vista to make it easier to limit and monitor your child's online activities. Users will be able to specify exact days and times of access, block specific content and file downloads, set rating limits on games and print out an activity report which tells you exactly what your little angels have been up to. Symantec's Enrique Salem says: "It's a dangerous world out there. You really are in a situation where you don't know who that other person is. "There are many incidents that have happened where somebody has been lured to take some kind of action. I've got two kids, I'm not interested in my kid interacting with some freak on the other end of an IM [instant Messaging] session." http://www.bbc.co.uk

of course it could have been democratic elections. the german people voted in Hitler and the nazis in a democratic election. they saw them as a way to end the suffering that they were enduring as a result of the sanctions put into place after World War I. it was only once they were in power that Germany became a dictatorship. If the Lebanese saw having Hesbollah on their government as a way to make their lives better then they could quite easily have voted for them. exactly the same way that people in the Uk vote for the British National Party. They believe that those people will bring about a better way of life for them and their families.

Police in Los Angeles are beginning an investigation into an incident in which filmmaker Mel Gibson is alleged to have made anti-Semitic comments. Mr Gibson, 50, was alleged to have made the comments after being arrested for drink-driving in Malibu, California. He later apologised for his outburst, admitting saying things "that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable", but did not give details. His apology was "unremorseful and insufficient", campaigners have said. On the Anti-Defamation League's website, national director Abraham Foxman said the statement released by Mr Gibson did not constitute "a proper apology". The New South Wales Board of Jewish Deputies, in Australia, said about Mr Gibson's alleged outburst that "one can only shake one's head in dismay and think where does that come from". Mr Gibson was stopped by police at about 0235 local time (0935 GMT) on Friday after allegedly driving at 87mph in a 45mph zone. The star was charged with drink-driving and freed on bail. However, entertainment website tmz.com links to what it says is a copy of a suppressed police report which notes a series of anti-Semitic comments from the actor during the arrest. In a statement on Saturday, Mr Gibson said: "I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. "I am deeply ashamed of everything I said and I apologize to anyone who I have offended." He added: "I have battled the disease of alcoholism for all of my adult life and profoundly regret my horrific relapse." The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is to begin investigating the incident. The Office of Independent Review, a Sheriff's Department watchdog panel, is investigating whether officers covered up the alleged outburst, chief attorney Mike Gennaco told the Associated Press news agency. Sheriff Lee Baca denied that his department were trying to cover up Mr Gibson's alleged behaviour. "There is no cover-up. Our job is not to (focus) on what he said. It's to establish his blood-alcohol level when he was driving and proceed with the case," Sheriff Baca told the Los Angeles Times. Steve Whitmore, a spokesman for the department, also would not comment on what Mr Gibson said but he added that the department would eventually release details of the arrest, the New York Times reported. "Nothing will be sanitised," Mr Whitmore said in a statement. Controversial film Mr Gibson won a best director Oscar for his 1995 film Braveheart, in which he also starred. His 2004 biblical epic, The Passion of the Christ, was recently named the most controversial movie to date by US magazine Entertainment Weekly. A devout Catholic, Mr Gibson shot the film depicting the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus Christ in Aramaic and Latin. It took more than $600m (£337.5m) worldwide His new film Apocalypto is set 3,000 years ago in central America and features dialogue spoken in an obscure Mayan dialect. Mr Gibson is also known for several other works, including the Lethal Weapon and Mad Max series of films in which he starred. http://www.bbc.co.uk -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mel Gibson statement in full: "After drinking alcohol on Thursday night, I did a number of things that were very wrong and for which I am ashamed. "I drove a car when I should not have, and was stopped by the LA County sheriffs. "The arresting officer was just doing his job and I feel fortunate that I was apprehended before I caused injury to any other person. "I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. "I am deeply ashamed of everything I said and I apologize to anyone who I have offended. "Also, I take this opportunity to apologize to the deputies involved for my belligerent behaviour. They have always been there for me in my community and indeed probably saved me from myself. "I disgraced myself and my family with my behaviour and for that I am truly sorry. "I have battled the disease of alcoholism for all of my adult life and profoundly regret my horrific relapse. "I apologize for any behaviour unbecoming of me in my inebriated state and have already taken necessary steps to ensure my return to health."

Bond film stage 'will be rebuilt' The James Bond stage destroyed by fire at the weekend "will need to be demolished and rebuilt", according to a statement from Pinewood Studios. The cause of the blaze at Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, which left the celebrated stage completely gutted, has yet to be confirmed. However, Pinewood said the rest of its studios would be fully operational "by the end of today". The stage was housing sets built for Casino Royale, the next Bond movie. No filming was taking place at the time and there were no casualties. "The production had completed shooting and was in the process of removing its film sets," said Pinewood. Explosions It said the studio had "well established procedures" to deal with fires which had proved effective. "The Board has not been able to assess the full effects of this incident," the statement continued. "However, its preliminary view is that this is unlikely to have any material impact on the financial performance of the company for the full year." Buckinghamshire Fire Brigade were alerted at 1118 BST on Sunday. At least eight fire engines tackled the blaze, the smoke from which was visible from up to 10 miles away. The roof covering the stage caved in through fire damage and firefighters required special equipment to reach it. Witnesses heard two explosions, later attributed to welding kits including acetylene cylinders. Smoke inhalation It is the second time the stage, originally built for the 1977 Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, has been destroyed by fire. The building was previously rebuilt following a fire in 1984 that left six people needing treatment for burns, smoke inhalation and shock. Since its reopening, when it was christened the Albert R Broccoli 007 Stage after the long-time producer of the series, it has been used in five James Bond films. Other films to have used its facilities include Mission: Impossible, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the Tomb Raider movies. The building also housed the Fortress of Solitude set used in the first two Superman films and the replica of the Louvre gallery seen in The Da Vinci Code. Measuring 102m (334ft) long, 41m (136ft) wide and 12.5m (40.5ft) high, it was one of the world's largest "silent" stages - so named because it lacked the acoustic insulation required for sound recording. According to specifications taken from Pinewood's website, the building was not equipped with sprinklers. http://www.bbc.co.uk