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Microsoft sues Motorola over 'excessive' royalties AFP - 35 minutes ago WASHINGTON (AFP) - – Microsoft, which accused Motorola a month ago of violating its smartphone patents, has filed suit against the US telecom giant again, accusing it of demanding "excessive" royalties. Microsoft, in the suit filed in Washington state, where the US software giant has its headquarters, charged that Motorola was demanding "excessive and discriminatory" royalties related to patented technology. A Microsoft spokesman said Motorola was in breach of an agreement to license patents related to wireless and video coding technologies under "reasonable and non-discriminatory terms and conditions." "Those commitments are designed to benefit all parties that rely upon these standards, and Microsoft has been harmed by Motorola's failure to honor them in recent demand letters seeking royalties from Microsoft," the spokesman said. In the lawsuit, Microsoft said "Motorola is demanding royalty payments that are wholly disproportionate to the royalty rate that its patents should command under any reasonable calculus. "Motorola has discriminatorily chosen Microsoft's Xbox product line and other multifunction, many-featured products and software, such as Windows 7 and Windows Phone 7 and products incorporating Microsoft software, for the purpose of extracting unreasonable royalties from Microsoft," the suit said. Microsoft filed suit against Motorola on October 1, accusing the US handset maker of violating nine Microsoft patents in smartphones powered by Google's Android mobile operating system. Microsoft supplies its own mobile operating system to handset makers and a new line of Windows Phone 7 smartphones went on sale in the United States this week.

Premier League - Mancini: Balotelli needs to focus Wed, 03 Nov 10:13:00 2010 Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has told Mario Balotelli to do his talking on the pitch and focus on playing football. Balotelli moved to Manchester from Internazionale over the summer but his City career has yet to really get going due to injury. He played in the 2-1 defeat to Wolves at the weekend before limping out of training on Tuesday with a thigh strain, although he is expected to be fit for the Europa League game against Lech Poznan on Thursday night. The 20-year-old developed a reputation for having a fiery personality during his time in Italy and has so far collected two yellow cards from just three appearances for his new club. Mancini has therefore instructed Balotelli to keep his concentration on performing as well as possible, which he accepts could take some time. Fellow summer recruit David Silva has only recently started showing his best form and Mancini is confident Balotelli will progress in the same way. "It is better that he doesn't talk, just play. He needs to get a focus on the match," Mancini said in the Daily Express. "He has been out for a long time and now just needs to play games. "Maybe he still needs to understand English football, like David Silva when he first arrived. "It took David two months to adapt and maybe it will take Mario the same. But people will see that he is a fantastic player." PA Sport Premier League - City to appeal Balotelli dismissal Sun, 07 Nov 19:33:00 2010 Roberto Mancini confirmed Manchester City will appeal referee Lee Probert's decision to send off match-winner Mario Balotelli in their 2-0 victory over West Brom at the Hawthorns. Balotelli eased some of the pressure on his manager and fellow Italian Mancini by netting two goals in the first half which eventually proved enough to halt City's run of three successive defeats. But the 20-year-old's afternoon turned sour after the break as he received a yellow card for a challenge on Marek Cech and was then given his marching orders within minutes following a tangle with Youssouf Mulumbu - who was also dismissed late on for scything down Carlos Tevez. The straight red card shown to Balotelli left Mancini enraged and demanding an explanation from Probert. "I absolutely do not agree with the referee about this sending-off," Mancini said. "A red card for what? He played a fantastic game, he scored two goals, but the sending off was very strange. I want to know why it was a direct red card. For me this is not correct and the referee must explain." PA Sport

La Liga - Ronaldo wins libel payout Mon, 08 Nov 12:35:00 2010 Cristiano Ronaldo has won substantial damages from the Daily Telegraph after settling a libel case over false claims that he was putting an injured ankle at risk by partying in a Los Angeles nightclub while a Manchester United player. The July 2008 story entitled 'Ronaldo back in the limelight' alleged that the player had arrived in LA for an awards ceremony but "headed straight for" a Hollywood nightclub where he threw his crutches to one side in order to dance with four models before they were served with "£10,000 worth of Cristal champagne". The Portuguese star's solicitor Allan Dunlavy successfully argued that the false accusations caused embarrassment, offence and distress to the player, and that he was right to be concerned. "The truth is that these events did not happen and the claimant did not behave unprofessionally," Dunlavy said. "The claimant was in Los Angeles, having gone there on holiday in the knowledge and with the advance permission of his club, his manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, his surgeon and his physio, and while he did attend the nightclub in question, he did not drink any alcohol at all whilst there, nor at any time whilst in Los Angeles. "He does not, as a rule, drink alcohol because he takes his health, fitness and recovery from injury very seriously. "Nor did he put his crutches down to take to the dance floor despite the risk to his injured ankle. "Instead, he sat in a private corner as arranged in advance, along with friends who had travelled to Los Angeles with him, resting his foot as advised and drinking non-alcoholic energy drinks at all times under the care and supervision of the respected Portuguese national team physio Antonio Gaspar, who had also travelled to Los Angeles at the request of the claimant and with the agreement of Manchester United." The newspaper's solicitor Helen Morris confirmed that her client accepted the allegations were false, and had agreed to pay substantial damages as well as all legal costs, with a scheduled trial being called off while the deal was agreed. "I am delighted with this outcome. I take enormous pride in my professionalism," said Ronaldo. "I treat my training and recovery from injury very seriously and would never have drunk and danced in a nightclub without my crutches as the Daily Telegraph falsely claimed. "I felt I had no choice but to begin and pursue these legal proceedings. "I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sir Alex Ferguson, Roy Keane and the others who were ready to appear as witnesses at the trial which had been due to start today." Ferguson commented in a statement: "The article was entirely false. Cristiano is the consummate professional and he takes his health and fitness very seriously. "He is one of the best players I have ever worked with. I was ready and willing to appear as a witness and I am delighted that he has resolved this issue successfully." A statement issued on behalf of Keane said: "The article was false and misleading in every respect, notably by suggesting that I had criticised Cristiano. "Cristiano is a great football player and is very professional. I am happy to see the record set straight." Eurosport

Premier League - Papers: Chelsea want Busquets Tue, 09 Nov 09:03:00 2010 In the last few seasons we have been inundated by rumours of Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid trying to poach the Premier League's top stars. Therefore, it is quite nice to see the shoe on the other foot for once, as Chelsea are linked with one of the stars of the Barcelona team who also played a key role in Spain's victory at the World Cup. Most Blues fans will probably be slightly disappointed to learn that it is not Xavi or Andres Iniesta, but rather Sergio Busquets although the 22-year-old is still a top quality player who played every minute of Spain's successful World Cup campaign. According to the Daily Star, Chelsea are preparing a £20m bid for the player, although considering they already have Michael Essien, John Obi Mikel and Ramires, you could say they are not exactly lacking in defensive midfield options. Chelsea are in the papers for another big reason too; according to the Guardian they are in talks to quit Stamford Bridge, their home for the last 105 years, in favour of a new 60,000-seater stadium just down the road at Earls Court. The proposed new stadium would be on the site of the Earls Court exhibition centre which will be demolished after it hosts the volleyball at the London 2012 Olympics. Going elsewhere, and reports in the Independent state that Liverpool's new owners are looking to try and commit Pepe Reina and Fernando Torres to the club. The Spanish duo are believed to have agreements in place that they will be allowed to leave Anfield in the summer for a 'reasonable' fee if the team fails to qualify for the Champions League. The Mail reports that Arsenal will look to pounce for Reina in a £20m deal if the keeper sees his future away from Anfield. There is lots of hype floating around about Wednesday's Manchester derby already, and Carlos Tevez has admitted that he would have loved if Wayne Rooney had joined him at Manchester City before signing a new deal at Old Trafford. (Daily Mirror) One man who is set to leave the Red Devils though is reserve team coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who should be named as the new manager of his former club Molde later today. (Mirror) Blackburn, Liverpool and Tottenham are all tracking Stuttgart striker Pavel Pogrebnyak according to the Daily Mail. The Russian nearly joined Blackburn two years ago from Zenit St Petersburg before a late hitch in the deal. Fulham made an unsuccessful bid for Aston Villa's Luke Young during the summer but are set to make a fresh bid for the right-back in January (Mail) and John Carew is also set to be axed by Villa after his public spat with Gerard Houllier. Finally, some transfer gossip involving children. Arsenal are ready to give a trial to 16-year-old Israeli midfielder Omri Altman who has been on trial at Liverpool; despite his age, the youngster has already broken into the first team at Maccabi Tel Aviv. While, Manchester United are close to agreeing a deal for 15-year-old Norwegian midfielder Mats Moller Daehli who plays for Stabaek. Eurosport

Premier League - Evra taunts City; Giggs ruled out Tue, 09 Nov 11:07:00 2010 France defender Patrice Evra claims it will be nothing special for Manchester United to beat Manchester City on Wednesday - because they have bigger ambitions than getting the better of their local rivals. The teams go head to head in the Premier League at Eastlands with the visitors only three points above their wealthy hosts. Quoted in several newspapers, Evra said: "If we win it's a good result for Manchester United. But it will be normal - it will not be so special. We need to win every game now. We don't just need to win against City - we are looking to win the league." He added: "When we start the season we think about winning every game. "I can say it would be nice to beat City because it's a special game. It's the derby and everyone wants to win. "But it's not the priority. The priority is to win the league but make sure we don't lose the derby." Evra claims City are all talk and need to prove themselves on the pitch. "They always say that [they are bigger than us] and they never beat us," added Evra of City, who have spent more than £250million on players since Sheikh Mansour's takeover in September 2008. Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed he expects Owen Hargreaves to be out of action for up to five weeks with the hamstring injury he suffered against Wolves on Saturday - and also ruled Ryan Giggs out of the derby. As soon as Hargreaves came off on Saturday, Ferguson knew he would play no part against City, but the loss of Giggs is a major blow. The veteran Welshman was hoping to make a record 34th derby appearance at Eastlands but after feeling the hamstring injury that has kept him on the sidelines for all but one of United's last nine games in a session just prior to Saturday's win over Wolves, Ferguson has reluctantly ruled Giggs out of his plans. "Ryan is out," said the Scot. The news on Nani was not much better either. Although there is an outside chance the Portugal winger may recover from the groin injury he suffered in last week's Champions League triumph over Bursaspor, Ferguson is dubious about Nani's prospects of facing City. "Nani is doubtful," said Ferguson. "At this stage it doesn't look as if he will make it. "It is not a great position for us to be in. We are counting heads at the moment." PA Sport

Premier League - Fergie: City will buy title Mon, 08 Nov 13:14:00 2010 Sir Alex Ferguson claims Manchester City will keep on spending until they have won something and admits Roberto Mancini's side are genuine title contenders. Ferguson's Manchester United side, the only unbeaten team in the top flight this season, face City at Eastlands on Wednesday with a three-point lead over their rivals. The United manager said the fact both clubs are now challenging for the title will add extra spice to the contest. Ferguson told Inside United: "It does put an edge on (the game). I don't believe there's any question about that. We know the kind of money they're spending - they've bought another five or six players in the summer and they'll keep doing that until they win something. "You know that's going to be the way it is and you have to deal with it as it comes along. They're up there (challenging for the title), and you can't wait until tomorrow when there's something there today. I'm sure they're thinking that way themselves." Ferguson has worries over injuries to Nani (groin) and Ryan Giggs (hamstring) ahead of the match. PA Sport

Premier League - Solksjaer swaps United for Molde Tue, 09 Nov 10:00:00 2010 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been installed as the new manager of Molde, severing a 14-year tie with Manchester United. The ex-Norway international scored 126 goals for United before retiring in 2007 due to a knee injury. He then moved on to the coaching staff at Old Trafford and has been in charge of the reserve team. "I always said I wanted to go home and properly start my career as a manager," said the former "baby-face assassin" who remains youthful-looking at 37. Solskjaer added that he took the job at Molde, where he played for a year and a half in the mid-1990s, with the aim of lifting them from mid-table and eventually winning silverware. "From United I've brought knowledge about how a club should be run including the importance of the youth division," he said. United manager Alex Ferguson said it was the right time for Solskjaer to take the plunge and become a first-team coach. "Ole leaves with our best wishes. He's been a fantastic servant and he's contributed to the development of our young players," said Ferguson. "I think his career as an outstanding professional footballer gave him a foundation to get into coaching. He's had a great introduction with our reserves and this is the right time for Ole to take up his first managerial position. "Ole will do well at Molde. It's a good start for him," added Ferguson. Molde finished 11th in the 16-team top-flight last season, 28 points adrift of champions Rosenborg Trondheim. Reuters

Triads linked to Downtown East murder ??? By Faris November 9th, 2010 Two street gangs with colourful histories are being investigated in connection with the brutal stabbing and murder of a young student at Downtown East last month. The Chinese dialect name Fong Hong San, or Phoenix Mountain in English, is believed to have been uttered during a confrontation with another gang called 369″ that led to the death of 19-year-old Darren Ng Wei Jie on the evening of October 30th. Four teens, aged between 18 and 20 , have been arrested and charged with murder. One of Darrens assailants, Edward Tay Wei Loong, 18, is still under intensive care following his desperate attempt to escape the police. According to The Straits Times, Fong Hong Sans members are said to be active in Pasir Ris and their favourite hangout is Downtown East. An ex-triad leader, 56, who declined to be named, told the same paper that the original Fong Hong San had its roots in Indonesia but moved to Singapore in the 1960s when it began betting, protection and loan shark activities first in Bukit Batok and Circuit Road before re-locating to Geylang. He said: But it was most famous in Circuit Road, where there were a lot of gangs. It won the turf. It was quite a big gang, 200 to 300 people. Meanwhile, police have stepped up patrols at Downtown East and the surrounding neighbourhood. Police spokesman Lau Kian Keong said on Monday that police have been conducting regular patrols in the area and have stepped up patrols following the incident. MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, Dr Ahmad Magad said he and fellow MP Teo Chee Hean, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, have also asked police to intensify patrols and to be particularly on the lookout for people behaving suspiciously, especially with the year-end school holidays and festivites around the corner. A sales promoter who worked at Downtown East and called himself Jonathan was also quoted on ST as saying he has seen gangsters hanging out at the pool hall. Quarrels have escalated into fights, although not necessarily at Downtown East itself. They head to the multi-storey carpark here when they have something to settle each group with about 10 to 20 people, he said. It is said that talks have also taken place at void decks of nearby housing blocks.

Women reveal the pick-up moves that really work Flirting may not be rocket science, but a little research can go a long way. If you want to know what flirting strategies really work on women, ask them. Or better still, let us ask them for you. So, should you be brushing up your chat-up lines, practising your killer eye contact or memorising fistfuls of compliments? Here, according to the women we spoke to, are the flirting tricks that actually work. Move 1: Hot and cold What to do: First, knock her sideways with a volley of adoration. Tell her she's the most beautiful woman you've ever seen and beg for her number. Gaze at her, unsettle her, pocket that number – and vanish without trace. A couple of weeks later, accidentally-on-purpose bump into her. Why it works: She won't know what she's got 'til it's gone. Your initial over-the-top chat-up establishes you as a sure thing, and like all sure things, you'll seem a whole lot more attractive when you've disappeared. Give her a week or so to work up a crush, and she'll be putty in your hands. Manipulative but horribly effective. Move 2: Peachy keen What to do: Interrupt her to say that she has beautiful skin. Sit back, because she may blush with more heat than you can bear. Why it works: A great compliment can do all your chat-up work on its own. If she has good skin, mentioning it will make her tingle with confidence. Don't use it as an opening chat-up line (it sounds a bit stalkerish) but it works a treat when dropped into conversation because it makes her feel sexy without sounding lecherous. Move 3: Death by eye contact What to do: If you spot a woman you'd like to talk to, look at her until she meets your eye. Try to hold her gaze. Let her look away first – you can guarantee she'll look back again a few seconds later. You're communicating loud and clear without saying a word. Why it works: Women are extremely sensitive to body language signals, and intense eye contact forges a powerful emotional connection. It works once you're making conversation, too, so look her in the eye when she talks. She'll like you for it, because it suggests that you respect and value what she's saying – and it's extremely seductive. Move 4: Flatter her babble What to do: Encourage her to talk more. Never underestimate the flirtatious power of the phrase “I could talk to you for hours.” Why it works: The nerves and adrenaline of a flirtatious situation conspire to make most women babble, and they're well aware of it. Don't knock it – it's a sign that she likes you. If you can make her feel good about her babbling, she'll enjoy your company and want to come back for more. Don't be afraid to interrupt, as long as it's on-topic – it shows that you’re engaged in what she’s saying. Move 5: Silent conspiracy What to do: If you're with a group of friends and you spot an attractive girl across the room, stay where you are. Use body language to start a silent conversation with her. Smile in a conspiratorial way, and send signals that'll make her laugh – roll your eyes, shrug your shoulders, make it clear that “you're much more interesting than this lot.” Why it works: Two people, in on a joke that no-one else in the room is party to... it's flirtation at its finest. She feels more important than your friends – what more could a girl want? You're on the same wavelength before you've even said hello. Raise the stakes by disappearing for a few minutes so that she wonders where you've gone. Reappear, smile, and walk over. Move 6: Hello again What to do: Stride confidently up to a woman you've never seen before, and say, “We've met before.” Look her in the eye and maintain that air of confidence. She'll be too intrigued to let you wander off. Why it works: Walk up to a woman and make a confident, non-judgemental, intriguing statement, and she'll want to know more. It's open-ended and invites her opinion – unlike, say, “um sorry um can I buy you a drink?” which invites her rejection (the more “um”s, the greater the likelihood of rejection). Move 7: Funny ha ha What to do: Tell her a joke. The idea is that she'll then tell you a joke. Your task is to make sure that you find her joke funnier than yours. (Look, pretend to find her joke funnier than yours.) Why it works: To a woman, a man with a good sense of humour is a man who shares her sense of humour. You will seduce her by making her feel witty and clever and cool, not by quoting entire episodes of Alan Partridge, unless she starts it. Move 8: Fan mail What to do: Scribble a short note of non-sleazy appreciation (say, “wish I knew your name”) on a piece of paper, and write your phone number on the back. Fold it up very small, walk past her and drop it into her lap. Make sure to catch her eye and smile while you do it. Why it works: Let me count the ways... it's romantic, because it involves actual paper rather than text or email. It's conspiratorial (see Move 5). It flatters her by picking her out from the crowd. It's cheeky, quirky and creative. It may make her laugh, depending on what you wrote, and it's certain to make her smile, provided you didn't write anything sleazy or unintelligible. And it hands control to her, because the next move is up to her. If she's single and you are passably good-looking, we guarantee that she will hang onto your note and, one day, pick up the phone. Every girl knows that life's too short not to dial numbers that land in your lap.

Michael Jackson kids reminisce about their normal dad Reuters - Tuesday, November 9 LOS ANGELES - Michael Jackson's children reminisced on Monday about their "normal dad" in a rare TV interview that marked a transition to a less sheltered life. "I kind of felt like no-one understood what a good father he was. I'd say he was the best cook ever," his daughter Paris Jackson, 12, told TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey. "He was just a normal dad, except for he was, like, the best dad ever," she added. Paris, her older brother Prince Michael, 13, and Prince Michael II, 8, who is also known as Blanket, were filmed with their grandmother and guardian Katherine Jackson and her husband Joe at the Jackson family compound in Los Angeles. The interview was broadcast on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Monday. Paris and Prince said they were adjusting well to school, which they started in September. Katherine Jackson, saying she wanted to give the children as normal a life as possible, said that shy Blanket wants to attend school next year. Jackson kept his children secluded before his death in June 2009, and often had them wear veils in public. Paris, the most talkative of the trio, said the veils were sometimes uncomfortable, but she appreciated that her father wanted to protect them. "He tried to raise us without us knowing who he was, but that didn't really go so well," she said, adding that she hoped to be an actress. "I'd like to be an actress when I'm older. I sometimes do improv. I used to do it with my dad." Prince said he liked videogames and sports and that he wants to produce movies and direct when he grows up. Katherine Jackson said all three kids speak a lot about their father. "Paris, she's very emotional. She talks about him all the time, and she's a strong one. All the pictures on her wall in her bedroom are Michael," she said. Katherine Jackson called the day Jackson died of a prescription drug overdose "the worst day of my life." "You know what broke my heart more than anything else in this world? When people at the hospital told us 'You can leave now' and Paris said 'Grandma, where are we going?'," she told Winfrey. Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, is awaiting trial on a charge of involuntary manslaughter. He has admitted giving Jackson what turned out to be a fatal dose of the powerful anesthetic Propofol to help him sleep. Katherine Jackson told Winfrey that she had tried to stop what she called his addiction to painkillers and to plastic surgery procedures on his nose. Her son's nose got so small that it looked "like a toothpick at one time. I had told him, 'that's enough, why do you keep going?'" she said.

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New Michael Jackson single prompts more controversy Reuters - Tuesday, November 9 By Jill Serjeant LOS ANGELES - The first Michael Jackson single from a new December album was released on the Internet on Monday, sparking a new round of controversy over whether the voice is really that of the dead "Thriller" singer and if the track does him justice. "Breaking News", a new song said by his record label to have been recorded by Jackson in 2007 and "recently brought to completion", opens with clips from old news reports about the more bizarre events in Jackson's life. The song was released at the same time a rare TV interview with Jackson's mother, father and three children was broadcast on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" about their life after the singer's sudden 2009 death at age 50. The "Breaking News" vocals, which feature many of Jackson's signature whoops and hee-hee's, are in a lower-register than the tone usually associated with the "King of Pop", and the lyrics start with the line "Everybody wanting a piece of Michael Jackson." Jackson's Epic record label, part of the Sony Music Entertainment Group, said last week that after extensive research, they had "complete confidence" that the vocals on the new album are Jackson's own. But Jackson's two eldest children are reported to have said they do not believe it is their father singing, and the entertainer's sister LaToya has also expressed doubts. "I listened to it ...It doesn't sound like him," LaToya Jackson was quoted as telling celebrity website TMZ.com. The new album "Michael" -- the first since Jackson's death and the first of new material since "Invincible" in 2001 -- is due to be released on December 14. Jackson's father said last week that his son would never have wanted to release incomplete and unfinished songs. On Monday, fans were divided, with many loving the new single and others expressing skepticism. "So it sounds a bit different. That was the great thing about Michael, he could change the way he sang, the way his music sounded. I would rather hear some of his music than not hear any of it," wrote MJJFAN4LIFE on the Entertainment Weekly comment boards. In one early review, entertainment reporter Ashante Infantry of the Toronto Star website thestar.com called it "a self-referential rehash that spotlights all that was wrong with Mike" and added that the new single's theme of persecution by the media "threatens to diminish the posthumous goodwill afforded the pop star." The "Michael" album has the backing of Jackson's official estate and is the latest commercial venture to capitalize on the singer's renewed popularity in death. A Cirque Du Soleil show, dance videogame and complete DVD set of his pop music videos are also on their way.

Rolls-Royce makes 'progress' on cause of A380 engine failure AFP - Tuesday, November 9 LONDON (AFP) - – Rolls-Royce said Monday it had made progress in understanding the cause of a mid-air engine blow-out that forced a Qantas Airbus A380 superjumbo to make an emergency landing last week. The British group issued only its second statement since Thursday's incident in Singapore involving a Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine. Shares in the company have taken a battering since then. "Rolls-Royce has made progress in understanding the cause of the engine failure on the Trent 900-powered A380 Qantas flight QF32 on 4 November 2010. It is now clear this incident is specific to the Trent 900 engine," the statement said. "As a result, a series of checks and inspections has been agreed with Airbus, with operators of the Trent 900 powered A380 and with the airworthiness authorities," it added. "These are being progressively completed, which is allowing a resumption of operation of aircraft in full compliance with all safety standards." The statement came after Qantas extended the grounding of its Airbus A380 superjumbos for at least three more days on Monday after finding oil leaks in some engines. In Sydney, Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said intensive testing had discovered anomalies on the Rolls-Royce engines on three separate aircraft, pushing back the return to action of the long-haul planes by 72 hours. "The oil leaks were beyond normal tolerances," Joyce told journalists. "All of these engines are new engines. "At this stage, Qantas does not expect to operate the A380 fleet for at least another 72 hours." Qantas's six double-decker A380s, the world's biggest commercial jet, serve lucrative routes from Los Angeles and London to Australia's major cities of Sydney and Melbourne. In a separate incident, a Qantas Boeing 747 had to turn back to Singapore on Friday after another model of Rolls-Royce engine failed in mid-air. Rolls-Royce has been almost silent in the wake of the incidents, issuing only a brief statement last week to say that it had recommended basic precautionary checks to be carried out on its Trent 900 turbofans. Shares in the company closed up 2.71 percent, or 16 pence, at 607 pence Monday on London's benchmark FTSE 100 index, after slumping 4.7 percent to 563 pence in early trade. Before Monday's rally, Rolls-Royce shares had plummeted by 12.5 percent since Thursday, cutting the company's market value by 1.5 billion pounds (2.4 billion dollars). Singapore Airlines said however inspections of its 11 A380 superjumbos had found no problems with their Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines, and it continues flying the planes. In a further boost to Rolls, the group said it had won an order from Egyptair for the long-term maintenance of Trent 700 engines on 12 Airbus A330 aircraft in a deal worth 350 million dollars (251 million euros).

Qantas CEO: Oil leaks in 3 engines of its A380s By KRISTEN GELINEAU, Associated Press - Tuesday, November 9 SYDNEY – Tests have uncovered oil leaks in three Rolls-Royce engines on Qantas' grounded Airbus A380s, the airline's CEO said Monday, as engineers tried to identify the cause of an engine failure on one of the carrier's superjumbo jets last week. Australia's national carrier grounded its six double-decker A380s, the world's newest and largest airliner, after an engine burst minutes into a flight from Singapore to Sydney last week, scattering debris over Indonesia's Batam island. The plane made a safe emergency landing in Singapore. Engineers conducted eight hours of extensive checks on each engine over the weekend. On Monday, CEO Alan Joyce said engineers have discovered oil leaks in the turbine area of three engines on three different A380s. "The oil leaks were beyond normal tolerances," Joyce told reporters. "So Rolls-Royce and our engineers have looked at what we have gathered as an accepted level and they have passed that threshold." "All of these engines are new engines on a new aircraft type," he added. "The engines are not performing to the parameters that you would expect with this." Because of that, he said, all of the airline's A380s will be grounded for at least an additional 72 hours. "We are not going to take any risks whatsoever," Joyce said. "We want to make sure we have a 100 percent safe operation." All three affected engines have been removed from the planes for further testing, and will be replaced with spare engines the airline has on hand, Joyce said. "As a consequence, it's now narrowing our focus on that issue," he said. Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines, the other airlines that fly A380s fitted with Rolls-Royce's Trent 900 engines, also briefly grounded their planes last week but resumed services after completing checks. The Qantas engineers are working with Rolls-Royce, who manufactured and maintains the engines, as well as Airbus. Rolls-Royce issued a statement Monday claiming progress in finding the cause of the engine failure but it did not elaborate. Rolls-Royce Group PLC stock rose more than 2 percent to 603.5 pence ($9.74) on the London Stock Exchange after the news. Still, the company's share price remains about 8 percent lower than it was before the A380's emergency landing Thursday. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is leading an international investigation into the blowout on the A380, appealed for help from residents of Indonesia's Batam island to find a missing piece of a turbine disc. The island was scattered with dozens of pieces of debris _ some as large as doors _ when one of the A380's four engines failed minutes into a flight to Sydney. "The recovery of that disk could be crucial to a full understanding of the nature of the engine failure, and may have implications for the prevention of future similar occurrences," the bureau said in a statement. It released a photograph of a jagged and bent piece of turbine disc from the Trent 900 engine and asked that anyone who might have found a similar piece should hand it to police. It said one piece of the shattered engine that had been found on Batam was being sent to Britain for examination by Rolls-Royce engineers, under the supervision of bureau investigators. Extra experts were being sent from Australia to Singapore to examine other debris. Rolls-Royce Group PLC is a London-based aerospace, power systems and defense company separate from the car manufacturer. John Goglia, a former National Transportation Safety Board member and an expert on aircraft maintenance, said the photo showing the broken turbine disc indicates it was the disc that may have failed. The photo didn't show any signs of discoloration on the disc that would indicate overheating. There are several reasons why a disc might fail, but they usually involve the metal used to make the disc or the manufacturing method, Goglia said. He cautioned that he was looking at one photo, which was not enough information to make a definitive judgment. Qantas passengers stranded by the grounding of the A380s are expected to be flown to their destinations within 24 hours, Joyce said. The airline is adding flights from London and Los Angeles to help clear the backlog. Joyce would not specify how much the airline has lost since the engine explosion, nor would he comment on whether Qantas plans to seek compensation from Rolls-Royce. "We are working with Airbus and Rolls-Royce to fix this issue _ that's our top priority and compensation talks will take place after the aircraft are back in the air," he said.

Torres fires Red revival Mon Nov 08 09:05AM Liverpool's 2-0 win over Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday was very much a tale of two strikers. Fernando Torres turned in a lethal first-half performance for the Reds whilst Didier Drogba looked on from the sidelines. By the time the Ivorian, who was dropped to the bench because he was suffering from a virus, came on after the break, the damage was already done courtesy of Torres's well-taken brace. From being knee-deep in the relegation mire not so long ago, Roy Hodgson's side are now level on points with Tottenham, West Brom, Sunderland and Bolton. That last sentence just about sums up how weird this season's results have been thus far. The defeat has continued a worrying trend for Chelsea this season. Whereas last year they beat each of their 'big four' rivals home and away as they claimed the title, this season their two league defeats have come at Manchester City and Liverpool whilst they could only manage a goalless draw at Aston Villa and also lost to Manchester United in the Community Shield. Yes, you can argue that they beat Arsenal at home, that Liverpool currently don't count as a 'big four' side, or that the traditional Wembley curtain-raiser barely registers as a match at all, but nonetheless the development will have given Carlo Ancelotti food for thought. The Blues' struggles in attack without Drogba can be attributed more than a little to the efforts of Martin Kelly and Raul Meireles disrupting Florent Malouda and Ashley Cole's partnership. But the fact that the champions had such an expensive, talented duo, so key to their fortunes, nullified by a full-back making his full Premier League debut and a midfielder playing out of position shows other managers just how Chelsea can be dealt with. But that's a discussion for another day. Specifically December 12, when they travel to Tottenham with thoughts of the following meetings with United and Arsenal on their minds. Today, though, it's all about Torres. The Spaniard looked sharp and lively from the off at Anfield, and well he might have done. His brace means he has now scored six goals in five games against Chelsea at Anfield. If Torres can stay fit and look as interested for the upcoming trips to the DW and Britannia Stadiums, then we can say for certain that Liverpool have turned a corner.

Time to search for 'Van Gogh' clownies.

Premier League - Papers: City set on Mourinho Sun, 07 Nov 10:40:00 2010 Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour is determined to bring in Jose Mourinho to manage the club, according to the Sunday papers. The Sunday Mirror reports that Mourinho is the club's number one target should manager Roberto Mancini be axed - with City's multi-billionaire owner seeing the Portuguese manager as "the only obvious candidate", according to the paper's source in Eastlands. Barcelona are to launch a £50 million bid for red-hot Tottenham winger Gareth Bale. The Welshman has become the talk of European football after a string of outstanding performances, and the News of the World reports that the Catalan giants have made the player their top transfer target for next summer. Bale has publicly stated that he wants to stay at White Hart Lane, but the paper reports that Barca believe the chance to link up with players such as Lionel Messi and Xavi will convince him to change his mind. Chelsea are to launch a £15 million bid for Newcastle's in-form striker Andy Carroll, according to the Sunday Express, with the striker being seen as a long-term replacement for Didier Drogba. The bid from the Blues could come in January, the paper adds - though it may never come at all if Roman Abramovich believes the News of the World's story alleging that Carroll went on a cocaine and sex binge at the home of Magpies skipper Kevin Nolan last week. After all, it's a new Didier Drogba they want, not a new Adrian Mutu... And finally, Carlos Tevez's reported homesickness has sparked rumours of a move away from Manchester City, but the News of the World reports that the Argentine striker is to be offered a £250,000-a-week deal to stay at Eastlands. Yet the paper adds that even making Tevez the world's best player may not be enough. "It's not about money for Carlos," says a quoted 'source close to the star'. "This will be about the direction City are going. He will certainly need reassurances before he even considers sitting down for talks." Eurosport

Rampant Torres too hot for Chelsea to handle AFP - Monday, November 8 LIVERPOOL (AFP) - – Fernando Torres continued Liverpool's renaissance with two goals that sealed a 2-0 victory over league leaders Chelsea at Anfield and maintained his impressive personal record against the London club. The Spaniard, so disappointing for his country in the World Cup and for his club for much of this domestic campaign, has scored seven times in eight appearances for Liverpool against Chelsea and his latest efforts were particularly timely, with his team having now won three consecutive league games. Torres was little short of astonishing in the first half on Sunday as he helped Liverpool take control of the game. This was a markedly different Liverpool - and a completely different Torres - from the player that had opened the season in such desultory fashion. Torres scored after just 11 minutes although the goal owed much to his team mate Dirk Kuyt, playing for Liverpool for the first time in a month after recovering from injury collected on international duty for Holland. Martin Skrtel's pass from inside the Liverpool half was collected by the Dutchman who, in turn, chipped the perfect, hanging cross into the Chelsea penalty area, one which just eluded the leap of John Terry on its way to Torres who controlled the ball superbly before beating Petr Cech from close range. If that goal was an impressive display of Liverpool's new-found team play, the second goal, a minute before the interval, showcased the Spanish forward's magnificent predatory instincts. Ashley Cole lost the ball in midfield to Raul Meireles, the Portuguese international in turn feeding Torres, who advanced just inside the area before curling a magnificent, right-foot shot past Cech on its way into the back of the Chelsea goal. The two goals took Torres' Liverpool career tally to 60 goals in 79 starts in the Premier League, astonishing figures, especially in the light of his slow start to this season which saw him score just once in his first 10 appearances of the campaign, in all competitions. Chelsea had threatened in the 13th minute with Cole's left-wing cross finding Salomon Kalou who rose above Paul Konchesky but could only steer his header directly at Pepe Reina. The remainder of the first half belonged firmly to Liverpool, however, with Torres' flick finding Maxi Rodriguez for a blast over, the home side appealing for a penalty after an accidental handball by Yuri Zhirkov, and young right-back Martin Kelly capping a strong run with a shot from the edge of the area which John Terry managed to block. At the interval, Carlo Ancelotti introduced Didier Drogba, on the bench due to overnight illness. Drogba placed a disappointing, long-range free-kick wide before Cole's 59th minute cross from the left found the head of Ramires whose effort flew just off target. Finally, two minutes later, Reina was called into serious action for the first time, as he dived at his near post to parry a threatening drive from Zhirkov. If that save was solid, the next, after 65 minutes was magnificent as Reina managed to block a six-yard shot from Florent Malouda, who met Drogba's right-wing cross with an effort that looked a certain goal until the goalkeeper somehow blocked on his line. Cech was equally impressive in keeping Chelsea in the contest after 74 minutes when Kuyt latched onto a deflected Meireles shot and shot goalwards from eight yards, only to be denied by the outstretched right leg of the Chelsea goalkeeper. Nicolas Anelka looked to have given Chelsea a lifeline five minutes from time only for his strike to hit the Liverpool bar, via Reina's save, with Jamie Carragher making an astonishing tackle to prevent Drogba tapping in the rebound.

Wenger gives thumbs-up to Newcastle hero Carroll AFP - Monday, November 8 LONDON (AFP) - Arsene Wenger endorsed Andy Carroll's England claims after the Newcastle striker consigned Arsenal to a surprise 1-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium. Carroll, who was watched by England coach Fabio Capello on Sunday, headed his sixth goal of the season to secure victory and proved a constant threat to the Gunners backline. The performance was timely, coming as it did six days before Capello names his squad for the international friendly with France and just hours after lurid newspaper allegations about the player's off-field activities. Carroll, 21, recently appeared in court on assault charges, but his display against Arsenal helped divert attention away from his private life and helped convince Wenger he is good enough to play at a higher level. "Carroll is a handful," admitted Arsenal manager Wenger. "I believed our two centre backs handled their strikers well. I believe the two centre backs were our best players today because they did very well. But Carroll is a handful." Asked if Carroll was ready to make the step up, he added: "I think so, yes." Newcastle manager Chris Hughton was more circumspect, claiming Carroll is still improving as a player. "He is a player who is developing," he said. "Apart from having a prowess in the air as we saw, there are others aspects of his game that he is very much developing. "He is giving us a mobility that can stretch defenders. He has still got a fair way to go, he is working on all aspects of his game and going in the right direction. "I would like to see him picked for Newcastle United that is the most important thing. Anything that comes from that will mean that he has earned it." The defeat was Arsenal's second home league defeat of the season and Wenger admitted his side's failure to break down opponents at the Emirates Stadium is giving him cause for concern. "I think against West Brom we were complacent," said Wenger. "Not today. In fairness the two teams who have beaten us here are good teams, they have shown that before and when we met them. "I believe that today we were never in full flow. But we played against a good Newcastle team who is a team of men, strong physically, mature. "And overall I still believe we were very unlucky to lose the game. They had one shot on target and apart from that they defended well and we were not sharp enough to get them out of position quickly enough. "Our home form is a concern because against Birmingham and West Ham they were struggling wins. "Everybody comes here and plays very tight and when we are not in top form we have problems to play through the lines. "When you score the first goal it is alright because teams have to come out but as long as they can sit deep we have a problem to play through when we are not on full power." Robin van Persie made his first appearance since August when he was introduced as a second half substitute although Wenger insisted the Dutchman is still short of full fitness after an ankle problem. "You can see he is not ready," he added. "We pushed him in too early because I had to do something. You saw it was very difficult for us to score a goal and there is always a set-piece or a cross or a pass where he can make a difference."

Feisty Spanish women top flirting league table: study AFP - Wednesday, November 3 MADRID (AFP) - – Step aside sleek Parisiennes, fun-loving Britons and sultry Italians: Spanish women are the world's greatest flirts, according to an online study released by a dating website on Tuesday. Spanish women are the most likely to "make the first move" with a man , according to the social network Badoo.com, which studied "flirtation behaviour" based on 90 million romantic contacts made on its site in a month. The resulting "World Flirtation League" ranked 20 countries by the number of contacts with a man initiated by the women in each country. Forget Spain's conservative Catholic traditions: Spanish women topped the table by a comfortable stretch, making an average of 1.33 contacts per month. Just behind came Poland, the Dominican Republic, Italy and Argentina -- with Latin countries, speaking either Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese, holding eight of the top 10 places. Canada was the highest-ranking English-speaking country, in ninth place, and the only non-Catholic country in the top 10. Germany ranked 12th in the table, Britain 14th, France 17th and the United States a lowly second from last, according to Badoo, which claims some 80 million registered users in Europe, Latin America and elsewhere. The Spanish figure was almost double that for British women -- who made 0.78 "moves" towards men on the site -- France, where the figure was 0.69, or the United States at 0.63. Overall, Badoo found that men were still far more likely than women to make the first move, both in Spain and elsewhere. "But we wanted to know whether women in some countries were more likely to take the lead than those in others -- and what this said about those societies," the site's marketing director Lloyd Price said in a statement. And if Spanish women are the world's biggest flirts, the study authors suggested, then their menfolk also win an honorary title: that of "the world's luckiest" men.

Are You One of Them ??? Obesity getting the better of Singaporeans By Faris November 8th, 2010 A new survey conducted by the Health Promotion Board (HPB) found that one in 10 Singaporeans are obese. According to the latest National Health Survey, this means that 10.8 per cent of the population is obese, which is an increase from the previous 6.9 per cent in 2004. The findings of the survey conducted every six years were revealed on Sunday at the launch of the annual National Healthy Lifestyle Campaign. The growing rate of obesity is attributed to two main factors Singaporeans are not exercising enough, and poor eating lifestyles. The bad news comes despite many efforts over the years to promote healthy living through exercise and proper diet. Although the obesity figure is not as high as in other developed countries such as in the United States, where one in three people are obese, the HPB still sees cause for concern. HPB chief executive officer, Mr Lam Pin Woon was quoted by The Straits Times as saying, This is a very worrying trend for us. Singapores obesity trend a 0.65 per cent increase a year is similar to that seen in the US and Britain 30 years ago. Obesity in these countries has become a major problem. Mr Lam highlighted the need to take immediate actions to curb obesity or the consequences might be perilous. We have to do something now. Otherwise, 30 years down the road, well be where the US and Britain are now, he said. However, judging from other findings of the survey, it will be an uphill battle. The survey noted that although more people are exercising, more than half of Singaporeans still do not exercise at all. Six in 10 Singaporeans eat out, a trend which worries nutritionists. Home-cooked meals on the other hand are deemed healthier as one can exercise control over the amount of salt and seasoning used. If you ask me: Am I happy? My answer is no, even though there is improvement, said Mr Lam, referring to the number of Singaporeans who do not exercise. This is of special concern, given that we are now more sedentary in our lifestyles. In order to counter the growing obesity in the country, HPB is rolling out new programmes. This would include encouraging expectant mothers to cultivate good eating habits since evidence shows that chronic conditions, including obesity, have their origins when one is still in the mothers womb. There is some evidence to show that the rate of weight-gain of the foetus impacts the subsequent risk for developing obesity, said Dr Annie Ling, director of the HPBs adult health division. General practitioner Alvin Tan, 30, also highlighted weight issues among the young in Singapore as a special area for concern. He said, Children who are obese tend to develop other health problems such as high blood pressure and diabetes earlier in life. To encourage better eating habits among the young, the HPB will be introducing guidelines to protect children from the indiscriminate advertising and marketing of unhealthy food and beverage choices. The health campaign launch was held at VivoCitys amphitheatre, where the guest-of-honour, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, sweated it out to the Great Singapore Workout with a 1,000-strong crowd. Mr Goh also shared with the audience his exercise regime, which includes playing tennis and going to the gym twice a week, and golf once a week. It is known that VivoCity is also the first of 50 shopping centres to sign up as a Health promoting Mall. Such malls are encouraged to host activities which encourage a healthy lifestyle. For instance, the food courts and restaurants could provide healthier meal choices, and the pharmacies could provide counselling to help smokers kick the habit.

Rescued Chilean miner shows 'yes you can' in NYC Marathon AFP - Monday, November 8 NEW YORK (AFP) - – Proving his point that "yes, you can," Chilean miner Edison Pena ran the New York City Marathon Sunday, just weeks after emerging relatively unscathed from two months' captivity underground with 32 fellow miners. Pena, one of 43,000 participants in the 26-mile (42 kilometer) foot race, was feted as a hero here as one of the running world's most celebrated events got under way. "I want to show that it can be done," Pena told reporters on the eve of the fabled event. Pena, 34, battled a knee injury and some pain but finished in 5 hours and 40 minutes a bit under the six hours he said he expected. In his dark glasses, wearing a knee support due to an injury in the mine, and carrying a Chilean flag, Pena crossed yet another daunting finish line. Organizers piped in some music by his favorite, Elvis Presley, over loudspeakers and the crowd cheered him on wildly. Pena said he ran up to six miles (9.7 kilometers) a day through a series of tunnels in the mine during his 69-day ordeal -- an achievement that inspired race director Mary Wittenberg to invite him to compete. "Runners, New Yorkers, are going to want to celebrate this guy," Wittenberg said. "It really speaks to what running is, what a stabilizing force it can be for somebody. And to have the strength actually to run during that time in the mine was amazing. So we invited him." Pena and his wife traveled here at the expense of the New York Road Runners' Club, which organizes the annual event. His dramatic rescue from the mine was televised worldwide on October 13, more than two months after an August cave-in trapped him and the other mine workers. "I never thought I would make it to this marathon," Pena told a packed press conference after arriving in New York ahead of the big race. "I wanted to show that yes, you can." Pena's determination to keep jogging in his work boots and in sweltering temperatures deep underground must make for the most unusual training preparations in the history of the race. And the man who cheated death and who lives for running had asked not to be criticized if it turned out he could not finish: "I hope the press will not destroy me if I can't stand the pain in the knee," he had said. Upon arriving in New York, he was met at the airport by Ethiopian long-distance running legend Haile Gebrselassie, whose leg injury forced him to pull out of Sunday's race. "I could have come just to watch, but I decided to take part, to feel the emotion," Pena said. "I have a strong desire to motivate others. This is the most important thing for me."

Democracy icon Suu Kyi locked up for rare Myanmar vote AFP - Monday, November 8 YANGON (AFP) - – A heroine trapped in her own home, Aung San Suu Kyi is an icon of Myanmar's struggle for democracy and a beacon of hope for many, but her name is not on the ballot for the first election in 20 years. The Nobel Peace Prize winner has long been a thorn in the side of the ruling generals, so fearful of the petite and softly-spoken 65-year-old's popularity that they have kept her off the political scene for the rare poll. She swept the National League for Democracy (NLD) party to a landslide win in the country's last election in 1990, winning over the crowds with her steely resolve, charisma and eloquent speeches that called for peaceful change. But the regime never accepted the result and for most of the two decades since, she has been locked up in jail or under house arrest -- only enhancing her image at home and abroad as a symbol of democracy and dignified resistance. She remains detained at her lakeside residence in Yangon, largely cut off from the outside world with just two female aides for company. The controversial decision to shun the vote has bitterly split the opposition, between those in agreement and others who saw a window of opportunity to instigate reform, albeit through a deeply flawed process. Suu Kyi herself has said she will refuse to cast a ballot and suggested her supporters consider doing the same, although she stopped short of an outright call for a voter boycott, which the junta deems a prisonable offence. But some observers see her resolve as intransigence that has contributed to Myanmar's political stalemate. "I've never questioned her integrity, I've never questioned her honesty and her courage, but I've questioned all along her strategy. I don't think she has one," said Myanmar analyst Aung Naing Oo, based in Thailand. "If she continues the way she has, she won't go anywhere." Whatever her plan, "The Lady" -- as she is widely known in Myanmar -- remains idolised by many in a country that has been repressed by military rule for almost five decades. "After 22 years since she entered politics, she has become an institution and so the public will rally around her as long as she's alive," said Maung Zarni, a Myanmar research fellow at the London School of Economics. Oxford-educated Suu Kyi entered Myanmar's political arena at a relatively late stage, after spending much of her life abroad in India and then Britain, but politics was always in her blood. The daughter of Myanmar's liberation hero General Aung San, who was assassinated in 1947, she returned to Yangon in 1988 to nurse her sick mother, as protests erupted against the military and were brutally crushed. She was quick to take on a leading role in the pro-democracy movement, petitioning the government to prepare for elections and delivering speeches to hundreds of thousands of people at the city's glittering Shwedagon Pagoda. Alarmed by the support she commanded, the generals ordered her first stint of house arrest in 1989. Her most recent stretch of forced isolation began in May 2003 after a deadly attack on her convoy by supporters of the junta. Her many years in detention have seen her live a spartan existence of early meditation, spy novels and rare chocolate treats -- said to be her only "vice" by diplomats who have been in contact with her. Her struggle for her country has also come at a high personal cost: her husband, British academic Michael Aris, died in 1999, and in the final stages of his battle with cancer the junta refused him a visa to see his wife. Suu Kyi refused to leave Myanmar to see him, certain she would never have been allowed to return. She has not seen her two sons for about a decade and has never met her grandchildren. Her youngest son Kim Aris, 33, arrived in Bangkok ahead of the election as his mother awaits possible release. Her current sentence is due to expire a week after the widely criticised polls. If she is freed, observers believe her defiant stance is unlikely to see her cooperate with an army-backed government. Many also think the generals will restrict her political activities, aware she is the only figure who is capable of unifying the opposition. "To achieve democracy the people should be united. that is very clear. It is a very plain fact," she told a mass rally at Shwedagon in August 1988. "If there is no unity of purpose we shall be unable to achieve anything at all."