LONDON, England (CNN) -- The death of actress Natasha Richardson, who sustained a fatal head injury while skiing, has reignited the perennial debate around the safety of the sport.

Head injuries are the most common cause of death among skiers

The 45 year-old died Wednesday, two days after falling on a beginners slope while having a private lesson at Canada's Mont Tremblant resort.

While full details of the circumstances surrounding Richardson's death are not yet known, head injuries are the most common cause of fatalities among skiers worldwide.

"A typical death is a high speed collision with a static object after losing control -- a tree or a person," Dr Mike Langran a GP who works in Aviemore, Scotland and runs Ski-injury.com told CNN.

"Most ski deaths involve multi-trauma, but a head injury is by far the most common reason.

"There might be injuries to the abdomen or the chest or the neck but there nearly always is a head trauma as well."

However, Langran, along with many other industry experts, maintains that skiing is a relatively safe sport.

"I don't regard skiing and snowboarding as a dangerous sport," he said. "It's like many activities in life -- there are people who do silly things but in general these sports are safe."

There are an estimated 200 million skiers in the world, and in the U.S. (one of the few countries to keep reliable data on skiers and ski injuries) an estimated 55 million people ski.

Each year there are 39 deaths, which equates to about 2 deaths per million skiers.

While children and beginners are most at risk of being injured while skiing, it's those more experienced on the slopes who are most likely to be involved in a fatal accident.

"When you look at fatalities it does tend to be younger males and often of better skiing ability who are maybe pushing limits a little bit harder, traveling a little bit faster," Langran said.

In Austria, earlier this year a huge debate over the safety of skiing was sparked by a high-profile incident on the slopes, which involved a German politician.

Deiter Althaus, minister-president of Thuringia state was charged with manslaughter after colliding with another skier, Beata Christandl, a 41 year-old Slovakian mother of four, who later died from multiple head injuries.

He was accused by Austrian prosecutors of entering onto a slope against the direction of traffic while skiing at high speed.

Althaus was left with a fractured skull and has no recollection of the accident.

Althaus' accident may be typical of the kind that cause deaths in skiers but, The Austria Ski Federation says Althaus' case is very unusual.

Each year, an estimated 10 million people ski in Austria's resorts and there are between 10 and 50 deaths during this time, according to Thomas Woldrich, Head of Leisure Skiing at the federation.

"There's a minimal risk to get hurt when skiing," Woldrich told CNN. "When you're skiing approximately 14 days a year, the risk of having an injury is one in 55 years."

Even so, a law was recently passed in Austria making it compulsory for children to wear helmets on Austrian ski slopes.

"We do have an extraordinary trend towards wearing helmets," said Woldrich. "We have, especially among children, almost 100 percent of skiers wearing helmets on Austrian ski slopes."

Whether or not skiers should be forced by law to wear helmets is a debate that continues energetically in many countries.

The big question is do they make skiers safer.

Langran says that while there is evidence to suggest that helmets will provide a moderate degree of protection for low speed impacts, there is no evidence for high speed collisions.

"As far as I'm aware there is no evidence that for high speed impacts -- you're talking about 30 mph plus impacts, which sounds a lot but that's the average speed of a good intermediate skier on the slopes -- there's no evidence that if you hit a

What are the most common causes of death?

Are head injuries common causes of death in skiing?

What is the most common cause of death among skiers?

Answer: Head injuries

Answer: are the most

Answer: Natasha Richardson,

Answer: Head injuries

Answer: The death of actress Natasha Richardson,

Answer: is a relatively

Summary:
The death of Natasha Richardson on the slopes has reignited skiing safety debate .
Head injuries are the most common cause of deaths among skiers .
Industry experts maintain that skiing is a relatively safe sport .
Awareness, good training and well-fitted equipment can help keep skiers safer .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The debate about using technology to help referees has been re-ignited following a number of controversial decisions in the Champions League semi-final between Chelsea and Barcelona. The Hawk-Eye system is already widely used in tennis and has transformed the game. Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA, the game's governing body, has consistently opposed the use of in-game video replays, but goal-line technology, to determine if the ball has crossed the goal line, has received more support. The Hawk-Eye system is extensively used in tennis, using cameras to calculate the trajectory of the ball. The system then uses the trajectory data to determine exactly where the ball has hit the ground, making it invaluable for marginal line calls. Using similar technology, Hawk-Eye Innovations, based in England, has developed a football system to determine if a goal has been scored. It again uses cameras to track the ball and computers to calculate its position. If the system detects that the ball has crossed the goal line a central computer transmits a signal to the referee via either a watch or earpiece. The system was tested at Premier League football club Fulham in 2006 and then at Reading's training ground in 2007. It was backed by the British Football Association and funded by the Premier League. Another goal-line technology, a microchipped football, was developed by Adidas and German firm Cairos Technologies. A microchip built into the football detects a magnetic field generated by underground cables in the penalty area. Like the Hawk-Eye system it uses a computer to send a signal to the referee's watch when a goal is scored. The system was tested at the World Under-17 Championships in 2005 and the 2007 World Club Championship in Tokyo. The International Football Association Board (IFAB), which decides the laws of the game, discusses new rules at an annual general meeting consisting of four representatives from FIFA and one each from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Explaining the IFAB's decision, Blatter said the microchipped ball had failed in one of the seven World Club Championship matches because of interference to the signal sent to the referee and that it would be difficult to implement the chip technology in the many types of football used around the world. He added that it was not possible to ensure that the Hawk-Eye system worked in a crowded goalmouth, where players might block the cameras' view of the ball. "FIFA are of the opinion that the systems are very costly, would not add anything to the game and would harm the position of the referee," the UK's Press Association reported at the time. Do you think goal-line technology should be used? Share your thoughts in the Sound Off box below. But Hawk-Eye managing director Paul Hawkins told CNN that he believes FIFA has decided that it doesn't want technology in football. "I saw FIFA last week and told them that we can provide a system if they want it, but it's very clear they don't want the system," he said. Hawkins said his company cannot develop the technology any further without more testing in real stadiums, but that kind of testing requires FIFA's consent. The idea that football's governing bodies are opposed to more technology in football has been supported by statements from the sport's governing bodies. In March 2009, Blatter said in a statement: "The IFAB believes that football is a game for human beings and, as such, we should improve the standard of refereeing - and not turn to technology." Michel Platini, President of UEFA, European Football's governing body, has expressed similar views. Instead of pursuing goal-line technology, the IFAB chose to trial the idea of having two extra match officials, one behind each goal. A FIFA spokesman told CNN that while the use of goal-line technology hasn't been ruled out forever, even after recent refereeing controversies, the IFAB's current position is to continue to experiment with extra officials. The IFAB

What is the name of the system that microchipped footballs?

Who is opposed to video replays but has considered goal-line technology?

Answer: the use of in-game video replays,

Answer: The Hawk-Eye

Answer: about using technology to help referees

Answer: Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA,

Summary:
Debate over whether technology should be used to help referees .
FIFA is opposed to video replays but has considered goal-line technology .
Hawk-Eye system and microchipped footballs were rejected by IFAB .
Some feel it will take a big-match controversy to re-open the debate .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The decision to make "Che" was an easy one, Benicio Del Toro says. Filming the movie was anything but. Benicio Del Toro stars as Latin American revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara. "I have to say it probably is the most difficult movie I've ever made, and I've made a few," Del Toro says of his starring role in director Steven Soderbergh's Spanish-language biopic. One of Hollywood's most bankable stars, Del Toro has made a name for himself playing dark and brooding characters in movies like "21 Grams," "The Usual Suspects," and "Traffic," for which he won an Oscar. He now adds to that list the role of revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, an Argentine doctor whose role in the Cuban Revolution in the 1950s vaulted him to cult status where he remains today. To play the Latin American revolutionary, Del Toro says he had to start with the man himself rather than invent a character. He read what Che wrote and interviewed a range of people, including those who knew him when he was a child, as well as those who were there in his last days. And then there were the countless photos of the iconic and controversial leader which he pored over. Looking at the pictures, seeing the attitude that he had in the photographs," he says, "I learned a lot from the photographs." The meticulous study pays off on screen. Del Toro delivers a soulful performance that has earned him accolades. He won the Best Actor award at Cannes this year and he is being hotly tipped for another Oscar nod. Which films and actors do you think are contenders for this year's Oscars? Share your picks in the SoundOff below. Che's life "is what movies are made of," Del Toro told CNN. The incredible story, along with the opportunity to work with Soderbergh, who directed him in 2000's "Traffic," for a second time drew him to the project. The 41-year-old bilingual actor was born in Puerto Rico but grew up in Pennsylvania. It wasn't until he was in his early 20s and wandered into a bookstore in Mexico City that he discovered Che. "I bought a compilation of his letters that he had written to his family and I read that book. I didn't know anything about this guy, so that started my journey," he recalls.  See how the movie was received in Cuba » "Che" is split into two parts -- "The Argentine" and "Guerrilla." When shown in its entirety, the movie clocks in at a staggering 257 minutes. Part one charts Che's rise from young idealist to revolutionary hero during the Cuban Revolution. Part two depicts his efforts to bring change to all of Latin America and focuses on his campaign in Bolivia, where he died. Shot in various locations ranging from the jungles of Bolivia to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, filming was grueling. "In this film, we went pretty fast," Del Toro says. "We went really fast." Soderbergh wanted to film using only natural light, and production moved rapidly. On some days, Del Toro recounts, they only had 15 or 30 minutes to capture a scene. One day of filming felt like a whole week of work, he says. "The way I felt on a Monday in this movie is the equivalent to how I felt at the end of the week of another movie." Del Toro, who also co-produced the movie, isn't complaining though. He speaks with pride about the effort the cast and crew put in to the moviemaking process, which he describes as "hit and run." "Che" is being released in two parts, but the epic is best viewed in its entirety, Del Toro says. "You'll get the full experience of what we went through, of the two movies together as one." The full-length version of "Che" will have a limited opening in

What is generating Oscar buzz in Hollywood?

Answer: Guevara.

Answer: "Che"

Answer: "Che"

Answer: Benicio Del Toro

Answer: 257 minutes.

Answer: Steven Soderbergh's

Answer: Steven Soderbergh's

Answer: Benicio Del Toro

Answer: Steven Soderbergh's

Summary:
Benicio Del Toro stars in "Che," a biopic of the Latin American revolutionary .
His performance is generating Oscar buzz in Hollywood .
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the two-part film is more than four hours long .
Del Toro on Che: His life "is what movies are made of"


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The designers behind a "thinking" yacht are hoping to break a world record by sending it across the Atlantic Ocean without any human assistance. The autonomous yacht Avalon is hoisted to have her keel put in place before launching The four-meter boat, "Avalon", was designed and built by an eight-strong team of third-year engineering students at Swiss science university ETH Zurich. The students are planning to take the boat to a robotic sailing regatta in July, before launching it into the Microtransat Transatlantic challenge in early September. Using sensors to detect the speed and direction of the wind, the boat is programmed to reach a given co-ordinate and will attain it by automatically adapting to the changing conditions. One of the "Students Sailing Autonomously" (SSA) team's project managers, Hendrik Erckens, told CNN that if the Atlantic crossing succeeds it will be a world record as an unmanned boat has not previously made the voyage. It is planned the crossing will begin from the west coast of Ireland and finish in the Caribbean. "For us the Microtransat challenge is the big goal. I'm pretty confident we can do it. This week in testing it is pretty much doing what it's supposed to do. And it is water tight. "Over the last couple of days we tried some autonomous tacks and jibes and now we are testing the navigation," he said. See photos of the autonomous yacht from construction to launch » The team has been working on the project since September 2008, and are currently at the on-water testing stage, having designed and built the boat. While the team will be able to track the boat through an onboard global positioning system (GPS) during the transatlantic voyage, Erckens said as long as the challenge is active they won't have any control over the vessel. "We will set it out and it will be completely autonomous. There are solar cells on the back for power and extra power supplies on board. "There is a satellite communication system on board and the boat can download weather information by itself so it can calculate the best route to travel," he said. Erckens said the team is positive that the carbon-fibre boat will survive the rough Atlantic seas -- an issue that has stopped many manned crossings before -- including Richard Branson's attempt at the fastest transatlantic crossing aboard the 99-foot Virgin Money last fall. "We feel our advantage over other teams is that we are mechanical engineers. We have designed this boat ourselves and exactly for this purpose." Erckens said the idea could one day offer a new autopilot option for large yachts. "The idea came as there are autopilots for boats out there, but currently the commercially available autopilots only steer the rudder. We are looking to control the sails as well."

What have students at ETH Zurich designed and built?

Answer: a "thinking" yacht

Answer: break a world record

Answer: sensors

Answer: across the Atlantic Ocean without any human assistance.

Answer: an eight-strong team of third-year engineering students at Swiss science university ETH Zurich.

Answer: break a world record

Summary:
University students at ETH Zurich have designed and built a robotic boat .
The boat needs no sailors and uses sensors to sail in changing conditions .
It is hoped the yacht will sail autonomously across the Atlantic Ocean .
If it succeeds it would be the first Atlantic crossing by an unmanned boat .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The dominance of England's Premier League has been built on its clubs' ability to lure the world's best players with high wages.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes the UK's tax rate rise will hurt the Premier League's competitiveness.

But that could all be about to change after last month's decision by the British government to raise the level of top-rate income tax from 60 cents in every $1.50 to 75 cents.

The rate rise, which takes effect from April of 2010, will mean that some well-off people -- including Premier League footballers -- will pay half of any income over $226,000 in tax.

And given the average basic salary for a Premier League player is $1.8m, it will make a difference to a lot of players, not just the foreign superstars like Brazil's Robinho and Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo.

English premiership managers such as Arsenal's Arsene Wenger believes the tax hike will hurt the Premier League's ability to attract the best players while potentially driving out those players unhappy at paying out more in tax.

Wenger was asked if the success of English sides was overly reliant on having the best foreign players.

"That time will soon be over because with the new taxation system, with the collapse of sterling, the domination of the Premier League on that front will go, that is for sure," he told the UK's Sunday Times newspaper in a recent interview.

Pete Hackleton, who works for accountancy firm Deloitte's sports business group, believes Wenger could be proved right.

"An increase in the tax rate and the decline of the pound against the Euro over the last year to 18 months does put the Premier League at a disadvantage," he told CNN.

"I'd say it will have a sizable impact upon the Premier League's competitiveness against other countries. Clubs are going to have to think about how they react to it."

The Premier League's ability to remain the most marketable league in the world has been built on the ability to attract the best talent.

But if that talent is unhappy at seeing half or less of their salaries, other leagues in countries with more generous tax bands may become more enticing.

Spain's top division, La Liga, is one of the Premier League's biggest rivals in terms of the quality of its product, and it is likely to be best placed to capitalize should England drop the ball.

The reason -- aside from the weather -- is the so-called "Beckham Law." The country's government introduced legislation four years ago which effectively caps non-Spanish nationals' tax at 24 percent. David Beckham was among the first foreigners to take advantage of it while he was playing for Real Madrid.

English clubs desperate to keep hold of their best players without breaking the bank undoubtedly have a challenge on their hands going into the off-season. But there is a little room for maneuver.

One area is in a player's image rights, which can be hugely lucrative. If a player is aligned to an image rights company, payments into those companies are income of the image rights company, and the player is not taxed on them. Additionally, the club does not need to make UK social security contributions on those payments.

So will the tax rise, married to a falling pound, prompt an exodus of players from England?

"I suspect some of the top players will want to continue to be paid what they're paid at the moment and it's up to clubs to decide if they can afford to pay that," continued Hackleton.

"And it's a call for the players to make if they believe they can receive more money elsewhere."

Highest-paid players and top rates of tax per country

Italy 43 per cent

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Internazionale), Ricardo Kaka (AC Milan) $12m each

Spain 43 percent (24 percent for non-nationals)

Lionel Messi (Barcelona) $11.2m

England 50 percent

John Terry, Frank Lampard (

What is the average Premier League footballer's annual salary?

How much is the annual salary of an average Premier League footballer?

Who believes rate rise plus weakened pound will hurt Premier League?

Answer: tax rate rise

Answer: 75 cents.

Answer: $1.8m,

Answer: $1.8m,

Answer: $1.8m,

Answer: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger

Summary:
Top rate of UK tax set to be 50 percent, the fourth highest in the developed world .
The average Premier League footballer's annual salary is $1.8m (£1.2m)
Tax expert believes rate rise plus weakened pound will hurt Premier League .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The driver of the limousine in which Princess Diana and her lover Dodi Fayed were killed spent time in a bar shortly before the 1997 Paris crash, a jury at an inquest into her death has heard. But the jury also watched video from security cameras at the Ritz that gives no outward sign that Henri Paul was drunk when the Mercedes he was driving crashed in an underpass while being chased by paparazzi, as both French and British police have concluded. Paul is seen squatting in the lobby of the hotel to tie his shoe laces, shifting his weight from one foot to another and rising steadily. He is also shown bounding up stairs two at a time. The jury has already heard that Paul ordered two Ricards - an aniseed spirit - that night after arriving at the hotel. The father of the princess's lover Dodi Fayed, Ritz owner Mohamed al Fayed, says Paul was not drunk and that the samples were switched after the tragedy.  Watch footage of Diana's last hours » The purpose of the inquest, which is taking place in London, must decide whether the deaths of Diana and Dodi on August 31, 1997 was an accident or murder. It is expected to be a six-month process. Al Fayed says Diana and his son were murdered because the British royal family "could not accept that an Egyptian Muslim could eventually be step-father to the future king of England," referring to Prince William, the son of Diana and her former husband, Prince Charles. The elaborate efforts of Diana and Dodi to give the paparazzi the slip in the minutes before the tragedy in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel were also shown in a new video. Jurors were shown second-by-second security footage of the couple's efforts to escape the Ritz Hotel undetected. The images show how security staff choreographed a decoy exit in an effort to distract a swelling pack of press photographers and onlookers. But even as Diana and Dodi are led through the bowels of the hotel and out through a service doorway, paparazzi lie in wait. The security footage shows Diana, Dodi's arm around her, standing for 10 minutes behind one exit, waititng for the all-clear to sprint to a car. At one point the princess delivers what appears to be a mock salute as she receives instructions from bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones -- the sole survivor of the crash -- and Paul. The wait over, Diana, Dodi, Paul and Rees-Jones run to a awaiting Mercedes and are immediately surrounded by photographers. But as they leave the paparazzi give chase in cars and on motorcycles. Intriguingly, Paul was earlier seen waving to two photographers who had uncovered the plan to leave by the rear service entrance of the Ritz. On Wednesday previously unseen footage of Diana was shown to the jury. Images taken from a security camera at the Ritz show the 36-year-old smiling as she and Fayed, 42, step into an elevator and later walk out of the hotel. Further footage shows Fayed visiting a jeweler's shop, images that could lend support to claims that he was buying an engagement ring. Earlier, the coroner at the inquest said it may never be known for certain whether Diana was pregnant when she died. Lord Justice Scott Baker told the jury that scientific evidence might be unable to demonstrate "one way or the other" whether she was in the early stages of pregnancy. But he said they would hear "intimate" details of her personal life. Baker told the 11 members of the jury -- six women and five men -- Diana may have been on the contraceptive pill and that evidence she was poised to get engaged to Dodi on the night she died was contradictory. On Tuesday the judge, who is acting as coroner in the case, told the jury that a famous image taken in summer 1997 showing Diana wearing a swimsuit could not be proof she was pregnant with Dodi's child as she had not started a relationship with him at that stage. Next week, the jury is scheduled to travel to Paris to

What famous person is being discussed in this exerpt?

What was the name of Princess Diana's driver during the crash that killed her?

What will court make the final decision about?

How long ago was the car crash that killed Princess Diana?

Where was the driver of Diana's car before the crash?

What technology helped exonerate Henri Paul?

Where was the Driver of Princess Diana's car before the crash?

Answer: Princess Diana

Answer: that Henri Paul was drunk

Answer: Henri Paul

Answer: 1997

Answer: must decide whether the deaths of Diana and Dodi on August 31, 1997 was an accident or murder.

Answer: August 31, 1997

Answer: in a bar

Answer: security cameras

Answer: in a bar

Summary:
Driver of car in which Diana was killed was in bar before crash, jury hears .
CCTV gives no indication though that Henri Paul was drunk, as officials say .
Inquest jury also shown new footage of Diana taken hours before her death .
Court will make final decision on what happened in car crash 10 years ago .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The election of 736 members from 27 member countries to the European Parliament in June will be the biggest transnational electoral contest there has ever been.  Between them they will represent more than 500,000,000 people. About 375 million EU citizens aged 18 or over are entitled to vote. But few understand how the low-profile Parliament affects the lives of EU citizens. Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions about the contest. Who will be voting, when and where? About 375 million EU citizens aged 18 or over are entitled to vote in the election of the parliament members for a five-year term. The elections will be held on Thursday, June 4 in the UK and the Netherlands. There will be voting on Friday, June 5 in Ireland and the Czech Republic. And it will begin on Saturday, June 6 in Cyprus, France, Italy, Latvia, Malta and Slovakia. The other countries will conduct their voting on Sunday, June 7. Elections will take place in all 27 member countries of the EU, with the citizens of Bulgaria and Romania included for the first time. How many MEPs are there and how many does each country elect? There will be 736 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in the new assembly. The number each country has varies according to its population. Germany, with a population of 82 million, the biggest among EU states, will have 99 members. Malta, with a total population of just 410,000, will have only 5. Will that number stay the same if the Lisbon Treaty comes into effect? No. The Lisbon Treaty, designed to give the EU a new streamlined constitution for the EU (and to increase the powers of the European Parliament,) has been put on ice following its rejection in a referendum in Ireland, the only country to give electors a direct voice. But the Irish are due to vote again in the autumn. If they then vote Yes and all remaining EU states ratify the treaty, then the Parliament will be increased from 736 to 751 members on a different distribution formula. That means that 15 'ghost MEPs', will be elected on June 7, entitled to attend the Parliament but not to vote in it until the Lisbon Treaty goes through. What election system is used? That varies according to the individual states represented, but all will be using some variant of proportional representation. In some countries candidates will all be on a single national list, making the entire country a constituency. Others elect MEPs from regional constituencies. Many countries set a threshold, insisting that parties have to gain an overall proportion of the vote -- 5 per cent in France and Germany, 4 per cent in Sweden or Austria -- to qualify for any allocation of seats. Whom do the MEPs represent? Most would-be MEPs contest the elections with the endorsement of national political parties. National parties such as the Christian Democrats in Germany or the Labour Party in Britain put up approved lists of candidates. But when they are in the European Parliament the MEPs mostly operate in wider groups of left or right such as the Socialist Group (PES), the Liberal Group (ELDR) or the European Greens. The main conservative grouping is the European Peoples Party (EPP). However, David Cameron, the national leader of Britain's Conservatives, has withdrawn his members from the EPP, regarding it as too federalist in its approach. The groups work as a bloc when they can and have "whips" designed to make them as cohesive as possible. What powers do the MEPs have? Much legislation in member states actually originates at a European level. National legislatures pass laws which have begun life as directives from the European Commission, the EU executive arm, which the MEPs have helped to shape. They are the only elected part of the European apparatus which is otherwise dominated by European Councils (meetings of the prime ministers or finance or trade or interior ministers from the 27 nations) or the European Commission. Do MEPs really make much difference to ordinary people's lives? It

How many EU citizens are entitled to vote?

What will be the biggest transnational electoral contest ever?

How many EU countries will hold the election?

How many citzens will be entitled to vote in the election.

Answer: Lisbon

Answer: in the UK and the Netherlands.

Answer: About 375 million

Answer: 27

Answer: of 736 members from 27 member countries to the European Parliament

Answer: The election of 736 members from 27 member countries to the European Parliament

Answer: 27

Answer: About 375 million

Answer: About 375 million EU citizens aged 18 or over are

Summary:
Election will be the biggest transnational electoral contest ever .
About 375 million EU citizens aged 18 or over are entitled to vote .
Elections will take place in all 27 member countries of the EU .
Much legislation in member states actually originates at a European level .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The ever budget-conscious boss of Ryanair has suggested the discount airline may start charging passengers for using the toilet on board its flights.

Whatever you do, don't drink too much before your flight. Ryanair's investigating onboard fees for flushing.

Michael O'Leary said the airline had revived inquiries into whether the airline could install coin-operated toilets on its fleet.

"People might actually have to spend a pound to spend a penny in future," he said in a BBC interview, adding "We're always in Ryanair looking at the ways of constantly lowering the costs of air travel and making it more affordable and easier for passengers to fly with us."

Asked by the incredulous presenter what passengers would do if they found themselves without money mid-flight, O'Leary replied: "I don't think there is anybody in history that has got on board a Ryanair aircraft with less than a pound." Sound Off: Is it fair to charge a fee for a flush?

The Irish airline is renowned for its cheap flights and regularly advertises competition-crushing deals to boost capacity on its short-haul routes.

The company has made no secret of its quest to boost revenue by any means possible. It already charges for food and each bag checked into the hold is subject to a fee.

Last week Ryanair announced plans to remove all its check-in counters in an effort to encourage travelers to take just one piece of hand-luggage.

Ryanair's latest revenue-raising proposal has surprised few in the industry who are accustomed to its method of business.

"It seems Ryanair is prepared to plumb any depth to make a fast buck and, once again, is putting profit before the comfort of its customer," said Rochelle Turner, Head of Research at Which? Holiday.

The consumer group also warned that move might hit Ryanair where it hurts.

"Charging people to go to the toilet might result in fewer people buying overpriced drinks on board, though -- that would serve Ryanair right," Turner said.

What kind of toilets were being considered for Ryanair flights?

What effect is the Ryanair boss hoping coin-operated toilets will have on their passengers?

What might passengers on board Ryanair flights need to take?

What was the rationale for making these changes to the toilets?

What necessity is Ryanair considering turning coin-operated?

What might passengers spend less on as a result?

What is the airline boss thinking of doing?

On what airline do passengers need to carry plenty of spare change?

Answer: coin-operated

Answer: making it more affordable and easier for

Answer: money

Answer: lowering the costs of air travel

Answer: toilets

Answer: charging passengers for using the toilet on board its flights.

Answer: overpriced drinks

Answer: may start charging passengers for using the toilet on board its flights.

Answer: Ryanair

Summary:
Passengers on board Ryanair flights may need to take plenty of spare change .
Airline boss says he's considering installing coin-operated toilets on fleet .
Which? Holiday says it may encourage passengers to spend less on drinks .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The family of a British soldier serving in Afghanistan has been forced from their home after a poisonous spider hitched a ride back with him and apparently killed their pet dog. The camel spider's bite is not deadly to humans but can kill small animals. Lorraine Griffiths and her three children, aged 18, 16, and 4, moved out of their house in Colchester, southeast England, and are refusing to return until the spider is apprehended, the UK Press Association reported. Griffiths told the East Anglian Daily Times that the spider appeared after her husband, Rodney, returned from a four-month tour of duty in Helmand province, the arid southern Afghan frontline in the fight against Taliban extremists. "My son Ricky was in my bedroom looking for his underwear, and he went into the drawer under my bed, and something crawled across his hand," she told the paper. She said their pet dog Cassie confronted the creature, which they identified on the Internet as a camel spider, but ran out whimpering when it hissed at her.  Watch the family that has been terrorized by the spider » "It seems too much of a coincidence that she died at the same time that we saw the spider," she said. The desert-dwelling camel spider, actually an insect rather than an arachnid, can run up to 25 kilometers (15 miles) an hour and reach 15 centimeters (6 inches) in length. Its bite is not deadly to humans but can kill small animals.

Who does the family blame for the death of pet dog Cassie?

Whyy was the UK family forced from their home?

What is the family accusing the creature of?

What kind of spider is believed to have stowed away in soldier's luggage?

What forced an UK family from their home?

What stowed away in the soldiers luggage?

What did the family blame the spider for?

Answer: a poisonous spider

Answer: poisonous

Answer: desert-dwelling camel spider,

Answer: poisonous spider

Answer: pet dog.

Answer: family of a British soldier

Answer: killed their pet dog.

Answer: family of a British soldier

Answer: pet dog.

Answer: Afghanistan

Answer: not deadly to humans but can kill small animals.

Answer: poisonous spider

Answer: spider

Answer: poisonous spider

Answer: killed their pet dog.

Answer: drawer

Answer: Cassie

Answer: camel

Answer: camel

Answer: poisonous spider

Answer: poisonous spider

Answer: Cassie

Answer: killed their pet dog.

Summary:
UK family forced from home as poisonous insect hitches in from Afghanistan .
Camel spider believed to have stowed away in soldier's luggage .
Family blames creature for death of pet dog Cassie .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The first child in Britain known to have been screened as an embryo to ensure she did not carry a cancer gene was born Friday, a spokesman for University College London told CNN.

Genetic screening allows lab-fertilized embryos to be tested for genes likely to lead to later health problems.

Her embryo was screened in a lab days after conception to check for the BRCA-1 gene, linked to breast and ovarian cancer.

People with the gene are known to have a 50-80 percent chance of developing breast or ovarian cancer in their lifetimes.

British newspapers have dubbed the girl the "cancer-free" baby.

"This little girl will not face the specter of developing this genetic form of breast cancer or ovarian cancer in her adult life," said Paul Serhal, a consultant at University College London Hospital and Medical Director of the Assisted Conception Unit.

"The parents will have been spared the risk of inflicting this disease on their daughter. The lasting legacy is the eradication of the transmission of this form of cancer that has blighted these families for generations."

Yet not everyone is thrilled with the idea of testing embryos for genes that could cause health problems later in life, a process known as preimplanatation genetic diagnosis.

"This is not a cure for breast cancer," said Josephine Quintavalle, co-founder of Comment on Reproductive Ethics, which describes itself as group that focuses on ethical dilemmas related to reproduction.

What do you think about testing embryos for gene defects?

"This is simply a mechanism for eliminating the birth of anybody (prone to) the disease," she said. "It is basically a search-and-kill mechanism."

She opposes the procedure because embryos found to carry disease-causing genes often are discarded. She says that is essentially murder.

"They will be destroyed," she said. "They will never be allowed to live."

Doctors in Britain and elsewhere increasingly test embryos for genes that are certain to cause illnesses such as cystic fibrosis or Huntington's Disease.

What's different about the girl born Friday is that she is the first infant known to have been tested in Britain as an embryo for a gene that is merely likely -- not certain -- to cause disease.

In the United States, geneticists are free to test for any condition for which they can develop a probe -- and they're free to look for genes that are certain to cause diseases as well as genes that merely may pose problems later in life.

Quintavalle opposes any form of in-vitro fertilization where embryos are "killed," she said. But she is particularly troubled by the idea of screening an embryo for the BRCA-1 gene because carriers of the gene do not always develop the disease, and the disease is not always fatal.

"The message we are sending is: 'Better off dead than carrying (a gene linked to) breast cancer,'" she said. "We have gone very much down the proverbial slippery slope."

Peter Braude, one of the top British experts on the genetic testing of embryos, said he understands the ethical objections but focuses on the benefits.

"There has always been a vociferous group in opposition," he said. But "there are people who can benefit and I think they should be allowed to do so."

In fact, he argues that the procedure actually prevents abortions because it takes place on a three-day old embryo in a lab. Only embryos that lack the defective gene are implanted.

"I don't think you can equate eight cells in a dish to an embryo or a child," said Braude, head of the department of women's health at the King's College London School of Medicine.

For many couples, the alternative to testing an embryo is to conceive a child naturally and test the fetus weeks or months into a pregnancy. Some couples opt for an abortion when such testing reveals a defect.

Diagnosing an embryo genetically typically involves fertilizing an egg with a sperm in a lab, testing the

Where was the first person to be screened for cancer from?

Who was the first to be screened for cancer gene?

Answer: cancer

Answer: Britain

Answer: Britain

Answer: Her embryo

Answer: Britain

Answer: BRCA-1 gene,

Answer: child in Britain

Summary:
"Cancer-free baby" born; baby girl is first in UK to be screened for cancer gene .
Embryo was screened to check she didn't carry gene linked to breast, ovarian cancer .
Ethicists criticize screening for genes that could cause later health problems .
Doctors say cost of screening makes it unlikely all embryos will ever be tested .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The first child in Britain known to have been screened as an embryo to ensure she did not carry a cancer gene was born Friday, a spokesman for University College London told CNN. Genetic screening allows lab-fertilized embryos to be tested for genes likely to lead to later health problems. Her embryo was screened in a lab days after conception to check for the BRCA-1 gene, linked to breast and ovarian cancer. People with the gene are known to have a 50-80 percent chance of developing breast or ovarian cancer in their lifetimes. British newspapers have dubbed the girl the "cancer-free" baby. "This little girl will not face the specter of developing this genetic form of breast cancer or ovarian cancer in her adult life," said Paul Serhal, a consultant at University College London Hospital and Medical Director of the Assisted Conception Unit. "The parents will have been spared the risk of inflicting this disease on their daughter. The lasting legacy is the eradication of the transmission of this form of cancer that has blighted these families for generations." Yet not everyone is thrilled with the idea of testing embryos for genes that could cause health problems later in life, a process known as preimplanatation genetic diagnosis. "This is not a cure for breast cancer," said Josephine Quintavalle, co-founder of Comment on Reproductive Ethics, which describes itself as group that focuses on ethical dilemmas related to reproduction. What do you think about testing embryos for gene defects? "This is simply a mechanism for eliminating the birth of anybody (prone to) the disease," she said. "It is basically a search-and-kill mechanism." She opposes the procedure because embryos found to carry disease-causing genes often are discarded. She says that is essentially murder. "They will be destroyed," she said. "They will never be allowed to live." Doctors in Britain and elsewhere increasingly test embryos for genes that are certain to cause illnesses such as cystic fibrosis or Huntington's Disease. What's different about the girl born Friday is that she is the first infant known to have been tested in Britain as an embryo for a gene that is merely likely -- not certain -- to cause disease. In the United States, geneticists are free to test for any condition for which they can develop a probe -- and they're free to look for genes that are certain to cause diseases as well as genes that merely may pose problems later in life. Quintavalle opposes any form of in-vitro fertilization where embryos are "killed," she said. But she is particularly troubled by the idea of screening an embryo for the BRCA-1 gene because carriers of the gene do not always develop the disease, and the disease is not always fatal. "The message we are sending is: 'Better off dead than carrying (a gene linked to) breast cancer,'" she said. "We have gone very much down the proverbial slippery slope." Peter Braude, one of the top British experts on the genetic testing of embryos, said he understands the ethical objections but focuses on the benefits. "There has always been a vociferous group in opposition," he said. But "there are people who can benefit and I think they should be allowed to do so." In fact, he argues that the procedure actually prevents abortions because it takes place on a three-day old embryo in a lab. Only embryos that lack the defective gene are implanted. "I don't think you can equate eight cells in a dish to an embryo or a child," said Braude, head of the department of women's health at the King's College London School of Medicine. For many couples, the alternative to testing an embryo is to conceive a child naturally and test the fetus weeks or months into a pregnancy. Some couples opt for an abortion when such testing reveals a defect. Diagnosing an embryo genetically typically involves fertilizing an egg with a sperm in a lab, testing the

What will prevent all embryos from being tested?

What was screened to check for the gene?

Can Cancer be detected in a person's genes?

Answer: a cancer gene

Answer: Genetic screening

Answer: The first child in Britain

Answer: Genetic screening allows lab-fertilized embryos to

Answer: Josephine Quintavalle,

Answer: in a lab

Summary:
"Cancer-free baby" born; baby girl is first in UK to be screened for cancer gene .
Embryo was screened to check she didn't carry gene linked to breast, ovarian cancer .
Ethicists criticize screening for genes that could cause later health problems .
Doctors say cost of screening makes it unlikely all embryos will ever be tested .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The first photos of Tiger Woods cradling his new baby boy have been released amid speculation the injured world number one could announce a return to competitive golf "any day now." Tiger Woods poses with his family including new son Charlie and dogs Yogi and Taz. Charlie Axel Woods was born on Sunday, February 8, and is the second child for Woods and his wife Elin. He is pictured here with his 20-month-old sister Sam their dogs Yogi and Taz, who is seen planting a well-timed lick on Tiger's face. Woods had been waiting for the birth of his second child before making public any decision about a return to the Tour in 2009. His long-time caddie Steve Williams told Television New Zealand an announcement could come "any day now," and that Woods could return to competitive golf "in the next few weeks." "He's probably 95 percent of the way there. He was waiting for the birth of his second child which came about last week so he's ready to go, just needs a little bit more walking," Williams told TVNZ. "He hasn't been able to walk too well. But anytime in the next few weeks he's going to tee it up." Williams said Woods "definitely" wants to play a couple of tournaments before the U.S. Masters at Augusta in early April. The world number one has been out of the game since winning his 14th major title at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines last June. He underwent reconstructive surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and a week later ruled himself out for the rest of the 2008 season. Williams told TVNZ that Tiger had been practicing six hours a day, and that the only concession he has made to his injury was to adjust his swing. "He's had to modify his swing a little bit to accommodate his knee but the guy always finds a way," Williams said. He added: "Nine months out of the game after a major operation is a long time. But he's a hell of a competitor and one of the best we've ever seen in this game so I would suspect that he'll carry right on, but time will tell that." Last month, Woods issued a statement saying that he was practicing and making progress towards at a return to the PGA tour. He said after January 1, he started hitting longer irons and his driver, although was not swinging as hard as he could, adding "I'm working towards that goal." Earlier this month he predicted the new addition to the family would make it a "hectic Spring" and said that he'd be taking it "tournament-to-tournament."

What had Woods been waiting for?
Does Charlie have a brother?
What is the name of Tiger's new son?
When was the baby born?
What sidelined Tiger Woods?
Who did Woods pose with?
What type of surgery did Tiger have?
When was Charlie Woods born?
When was Tiger sidelined?

Answer: the birth of his second child

Answer: sister Sam

Answer: Charlie

Answer: Sunday, February 8,

Answer: reconstructive surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee

Answer: his family including new son Charlie and dogs Yogi and Taz.

Answer: reconstructive

Answer: on Sunday, February 8,

Answer: 2008 season.

Summary:
Golfing legend Tiger Woods poses with his family, including new son Charlie .
Charlie Axel Woods was born on February 8, a brother to 20-month-old Sam .
Woods had been waiting for his son's birth before announcing a return to golf .
World No.1 has been sidelined since June 2008 after undergoing knee surgery .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The future of Manchester United's on-loan Argentina striker Carlos Tevez is causing quite a stir at the champion English club. Should they sign him? The future of Carlos Tevez at Manchester United is uncertain. Facing the question of whether to sign Tevez on a permanent basis, Manchester United fans appear to be saying "yes," while the player has talked of leaving. The Argentina international, fondly nick-named "El Apache" by his supporters, is in his second season at Old Trafford, where he has scored 34 goals in 97 appearances. Do you think United should sign Tevez permanently? Tell us what you think and why in the Sound Off box below. The 25-year-old scored another vital goal for United to help them beat Wigan and all but seal their successful defense of the English Premier League. And though Ferguson remains defiant that Tevez is still his player at present who is to say what will happen in the future. Manchester United fans have certainly let their manager know what they think. Following the Argentine's goal chants of "sign him up" were heard from the travelling faithful. Discussion groups have also been set up on the Manchester United page of social networking site Facebook, with the United faithful declaring their support for the striker. Among the comments were: "We need Tevez. He always influences the game while he is on the pitch." While another wrote: "It would truly be a mistake if Fergie lets Tevez go". Would it be a mistake if Tevez went? Tell us what you think below.

What is Tevez' record playing with Manchester United?

Answer: he has scored 34 goals in 97 appearances.

Answer: Manchester United

Answer: "We need Tevez.

Summary:
Carlos Tevez' loan deal at Manchester United ends at the close of the season .
Tevez says he has not been offered contract and does not feel 'wanted'
Tevez is a favorite of many United fans who hope to see him signed .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The global economy is in the doldrums but the market for merchandise featuring the world's new mega-star shows no sign of tailing off.

Obama T-shirts and merchandise are flying off the shelves at the moment.

At the inauguration ceremony for U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington on Tuesday, thousands wore T-shirts, caps and watches featuring his image and even popping bottles of Barack bubbly.

Pens, pin badges and $5 cookies emblazoned with Obama's image are hugely popular in the U.S. while the Internet is helping to satisfy demand for other items around the world. Here are some pieces of merchandise available online:

Barack Obama action figure: 15-centimeter (6-inch) tall, electroplated statue in a gold suit could be yours for $39. However, the seller says that due to high demand the action figure is sold out.

Barack Obama thimble: If you're curious, then these are made out of porcelain so would be unsuitable for conventional sewing.

Obama face masks: These flew off the shelves when they first hit the markets in Japan in December and could be a hit at a fancy dress party.

Barack Obama earrings: To symbolize Barack Obama's African heritage, these earrings have a photograph of the president on a tiny map of the continent made from wood.

Replica inauguration tickets: The government printed 250,000 tickets for the inauguration in Washington, but some were reportedly sold online for $40,000. Pick up a framed replica then for just a few dollars. Have you purchased any Obama merchandise? Share your stories with us

Obama campaign poster: A set of six Obama campaign posters are on sale for $3,000.

New York Times inauguration newspaper could be yours for $10.50, plus $12.80 to post it from the U.S. of course.

"RUN DC" T-shirt: Was Obama in the 1980s hip-hop band? He certainly looks like it when dressed in geeky glasses, trilby hat and chain.

what is a big hit among Obama supporters

Answer: Obama face masks:

Answer: T-shirts and merchandise

Answer: Pens, pin badges and $5 cookies emblazoned with Obama's image

Answer: Pens, pin badges and $5 cookies emblazoned with Obama's image

Answer: Obama T-shirts and merchandise

Answer: Obama T-shirts and merchandise are flying off the shelves at the moment.

Summary:
Barack Obama merchandise is a big hit among new president's supporters .
T-shirts, earrings, champagne and cookies are popular items .
Obama face masks and Spiderman comic featuring Obama fly off shelves .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The head of Britain's intelligence services has warned that children as young as 15 are becoming involved in terrorist-related activity.

Jonathan Evans, the chief of MI5, also said that at least 2,000 people in Britain pose a threat to the country's security because of their support for al Qaeda-inspired terrorism.

"As I speak, terrorists are methodically and intentionally targeting young people and children in this country. They are radicalising, indoctrinating and grooming young, vulnerable people to carry out acts of terrorism," he told a gathering of newspaper editors in Manchester.

Evans said the figure of 2,000 -- an increase of 400 since November 2006 -- only included those the intelligence services knew about and that the actual number could be double.

He said there had been 200 terrorist convictions in Britain since the September 11 attacks.

The MI5 head added that over recent years much of the command and inspiration for attack planning in the UK had come from al Qaeda's remaining core leadership in the tribal areas of Pakistan.

However, he said in the last 12 months terrorist plots on British soil were increasingly inspired by al Qaeda cadres in other countries, including in Iraq and East Africa.

"There is no doubt now that al Qaeda in Iraq aspires to promote terrorist attacks outside Iraq. There is no doubt that there is training activity and terrorist planning in East Africa -- particularly in Somalia -- which is focused on the UK," he told the Society of Editors meeting.

According to Evans, there had been "no decrease" in the number of Russian covert intelligence officers operating in Britain since the end of the Cold War.

He said that resources that could be devoted to counter-terrorism were instead being used to protect Britain against spying by Russia, China and others.

"A number of countries continue to devote considerable time and energy trying to steal our sensitive technology on civilian and military projects and trying to obtain political and economic intelligence at our expense," he said. E-mail to a friend

What's the number of people in Britain who post a threat?

What is the number of people in britian who pose a threat to security?

What number does the MI5 chief say that is?

Who said that the actual number could be double that?

What is the approximate number of people that pose a security threat?

people from where pose threat to security?

Who said people pose threat to security?

What is the young age of children involved in this activity?

Who said that at least 2,000 people in Britain who pose threat to security?

who says that a children no older than 15 was involved in terrorist activity?

What did the UK intel chief say about children?

Answer: terrorists

Answer: terrorists are methodically and intentionally targeting young people and children in this country. They are radicalising, indoctrinating and grooming young, vulnerable people to carry out acts of terrorism,"

Answer: Britain

Answer: 2,000

Answer: Jonathan Evans,

Answer: at least 2,000

Answer: at least 2,000 people

Answer: Evans

Answer: that at least 2,000 people in Britain pose a threat to the country's security because of their support for al Qaeda-inspired terrorism.

Answer: as young

Answer: 2,000

Answer: that at least 2,000 people in Britain pose a threat to the country's security because of their support for al Qaeda-inspired terrorism.

Answer: terrorist-related activity.

Answer: in Britain

Answer: the chief of MI5,

Answer: Jonathan Evans,

Answer: as 15

Answer: Jonathan Evans,

Answer: The head of Britain's intelligence services has warned

Answer: involved in terrorist-related activity.

Summary:
UK intel chief says children as young as 15 involved in terrorist-related activity .
Jonathan Evans: At least 2,000 people in Britain who pose threat to security .
MI5 chief said the actual number could be double that .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The high speed, high-rolling world of Formula One is not a sport you would associate with something as mundane as the boiler tucked away in a dusty cupboard in your house.

The Fast Forward exhibiton shows how F1 technology can improve all our lives.

If you thought that motor racing and the real world are poles apart then an exhibition currently running at the Science Museum in London, England might change your mind.

The "Fast Forward" exhibition has put together 20 examples of how Formula One technology and innovation has helped improve the wider world.

It is testimony to all the hard work, intelligence and ingenuity of the engineers who make the sport what it is today, according to Katie Maggs, one of the exhibition's curators.

"Rather than treating it as a traditional design exhibition, we wanted to look at how the engineers in Formula One use technology in ways that can be experienced in other industries, in the home or in hospitals."

The "Boiler Buddy" is a good example of Formula One technology that can be found in the home. Designed to help improve the efficiency of home heating systems, the technology uses the magnetic principles which informed the filter that keeps F1 engines free of particles of dirt and dust. The filter device can be found on the shelves of many hardware stores.

There is an impressive variety of objects on display. A bicycle fitted with sensors to monitor wheel speed, angles of lean, heart rate and humidity while riding, is a direct descendant of the sensors attached to Formula One cars which track the performance.

The Carbon fibre composite chassis design first introduced into Formula One by McLaren engineer John Barnard in the 1984 has found its way into a range of products outside the sport.

Lightweight and incredibly robust, technology using carbon fibre composites are being used to create state-of-the-art furniture. An elegant table on show at the exhibition has a carbon fibre surface that is just two millimeters thick.

But it is perhaps in the healthcare sector where Formula One is making its most impressive and important contributions.

Inspired by the monocoque cockpit which keeps drivers safe, the BabyPod II is allowing paramedics to transport newborns quickly and safely. The Ovei -- a pod-like structure designed to help capture healthcare data and transmit results to doctors and therapists around the world -- is also made from carbon-fibre composites.

A wheelchair, designed by Formula One engineer Mike Spindle, improves not only the safety of a user, but also their comfort and mobility thanks the monocoque structure at its heart.  View a gallery of the F1 innovations »

"The one-piece carbon fibre seat can be molded to fit the user," Maggs said.

"Because it is carbon fibre the wheels can be fixed further forward and at an angle which makes it easier for the user to get around."

Some of the sport's innovations aren't necessarily tangible, but are delivering improvements to hospital patients all the same.

Using the expertise of McLaren and Ferrari's pit stop crews, Great Ormond Street Hospital in London has been able to improve the efficiency of patient handovers from one department to another by up to 40 percent.

When the exhibition was officially opened by former McLaren team principal, Ron Dennis earlier this year it attracted the sort of media scrum usually witnessed on the grid prior to a race.  Watch CNN's coverage of the exhibition opening »

As the exhibition shows, Formula One is about improving performance. If that eventually filters down into products and services that we can all benefit from then that can't be a bad thing.

What is London's Science Museum hosting?

who is hosting a exhibition about f1 desing?

Answer: "Fast Forward" exhibition

Answer: The Fast Forward exhibiton

Answer: The Fast Forward exhibiton

Answer: monocoque cockpit

Answer: carbon fibre

Summary:
Science Museum, London hosting a exhibition of innovations inspired by F1 design .
Monocoque wheelchair uses lightweight and robust carbon fiber seat .
Ferrari and McLaren pit stop expertise help hospital speed up transfer of critically ill .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The humble mobile phone is driving a new revolution which some experts hope could bring fairer elections and democracy to some African states. During the 2006 local government elections in Senegal, Radio Sud used reporters and correspondents with cell phones to call in what they saw. Many African countries have struggled against rigged elections and authoritarian rule since gaining independence last century. However, African observers say the growth of simple communication technologies like cell phones are assisting many states to progress towards open and fair elections in increasingly democratic systems. Senegal is one of a number of African countries to hold successful elections by keeping voting and counting in check through independent communication. Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said many African nations now had a "very open society" and the increasing success of elections owed a lot to the existence of mobile phones. "With communication and cell phones, this is where it is difficult to cheat in elections now. You are announced at the district level and cell phones go wild so by the time you go to the capital, if you have changed the figures, they will know and you will be caught out." According to experts, cellphones are particularly important for Africa due to a lack of some other technologies. Visiting African political expert at Indiana University, Sheldon Gellar, said cellphones were much more accessible than the internet in most parts of Africa, and therefore had greater potential to influence transparency. "Internet provides groups in society with means to communicate, organize and obtain good information which is not controlled by government -- but, only a tiny percentage of African populations have access to internet." Just this month CNN reported dramatic increases in cell phone usage in African nations. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, there are just 10,000 fixed telephones but cellphone subscribers have soared to more than a million in the last five years. Gellar told CNN the key benefit of cell phones was that they allowed independent media, especially radio, to provide accurate coverage of elections and make it more difficult for ruling parties to cheat and get away with it. "During the 2006 local government elections in Senegal, Radio Sud used reporters and correspondents with cell phones to call in what they saw. I remember hearing one reporter describing how a local party boss was illegally taking a ballot box on his truck from the polling station. This was reported live as it was happening." Civilians and independent election observers outside the media have also taken advantage of cell phones to monitor elections. Bob LaGamma, executive director of Council for a Community of Democracies, said the 2007 Nigerian election was another example of technology being used effectively. LaGamma described a technique of "parallel reporting", whereby independent observers spread news of local vote counts and any irregularities. This technique was also used in the Zimbabwe elections this year, which he said caused Robert Mugabe to delay announcement of election results. "Parallel reporting was important in Zimbabwe. It kept them from coming straight out and reporting a false result. "All of this technology is very important and gives a powerful new tool that cuts the ability for cheating," LaGamma said. Gellar said other computing technology, though more sparse, could also have a positive impact towards building democracies. He told CNN computers could be used to ensure parliament has access to national budget information and spending patterns, and in urban and rural communities they could provide citizens with data concerning the functions of the government and offer people an opportunity to contact their elected representative. Despite the positive developments brought by cell phones and other communication technology, there have still been problems with numerous elections in recent years. Leonardo Arriola, Associate Professor at University of California, Berkeley, is wary about the potential of the technologies to make some situations worse. He said there could be both good and bad aspects to it. "The more transparency and the more information that can be circulated outside the hands of government is a good thing ... but the other side of that is that a lot of misinformation can get out that way also,

What model could technology help to push more countries towards?

What technology can help election processes?

With what piece of technology are they checking election processes?

What is being helped with check of cell phone.?

What technologies are not very accessible to Africans?

What can push more countries towards democratic models?

Which is more accessible to Africans, Cell phones, the internet or telephones?

What device are changing the election process?

Answer: open and fair elections in increasingly democratic systems.

Answer: mobile phone

Answer: mobile phones.

Answer: elections

Answer: internet."

Answer: communication technologies like cell phones

Answer: cellphones

Answer: cellphones are particularly important for Africa due to a lack of some other technologies.

Answer: cell phones

Summary:
Election processes are being checked with the help of cell phones .
Cell phones are more accessible to Africans than the internet and telephones .
Technology could help push more countries towards democratic models .
Experts agree more than technology will still be required to see change .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The international race among sailors, kite surfers and wind surfers to be the fastest wind-powered boat on the planet is rapidly gaining momentum as speeds reach all-time highs.

Quick sailor: French trimaran l'Hydroptere is one of the boats battling for the outright world sailing speed record.

The outright world sailing speed record -- which did not change hands for 11 years after 1993 -- has been bettered four times this year alone.

The new holder of the record, Alexandre Caizergues, of France, claimed it with an average speed of 50.57 knots (almost 60 miles per hour) over 500 meters on his kite board off the coast of Namibia last month.

Caizergues' attempt was eventually ratified by the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC) this month, when it was decided that kite boards would be eligible for the outright record.

Meanwhile, another Frenchman, Alain Thebault, has also been closely challenging for the record on his vessel l'Hydroptere. Thebault's crew hold the 500m speed record in the boat class, and also have the overall speed record in the one nautical mile category.

Then there is the Australian sailor hoping to spoil the party for the French .

Paul Larsen, aboard British yacht Vestas SailRocket, has unofficially nabbed the fastest boat record from l'Hydroptere with an average speed of 47.4 knots. Larsen achieved the speed in 22 knot winds, and shortly before his unusual "boat" became airborne and flipped.

Larsen's speed is just awaiting formal approval from the WSSRC. Thebault held the record with a speed of 46.88 knots.

Even the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race has had a speed record of its own with current leader Ericsson 4 claiming the world record for the most distance sailed in a 24-hour period during the event's first leg.

According to a spokesman from the WSSRC, interest in speed sailing is steadily building, and the close competition has been giving it a boost.

"Certainly towards the end of the year it's been very hectic. I think what has happened is that a number of competitors have been at the top end and they have all been competing against each other at the same venues.

The development of new technologies is one factor that has increased interest in trying to break these records.

"The fact that kite boards have developed has helped ... but there is still a lot of people out there that want to achieve these records," the spokesman said.

He said that a lot of syndicates had been involved in speed sailing for some time, and that many were only now starting to feel the benefits of their developmental work.

"It does seem if you are going for a specially designed boat it takes a few years before you get the design right," he said.

The spokesman said the WSSRC had received about 50 formal applications for speed attempts during 2008. He said the council's job was not to promote the attempts but simply to oversee them in a fair and independent manner and ratify successful efforts.

The WSSRC had a number of commissioners based around the world, he said.

Who holds the world sailing speed record?

Answer: sailing

Answer: kite surfers

Answer: Alexandre Caizergues,

Answer: 50

Answer: 2008.

Answer: Alexandre Caizergues,

Answer: WSSRC had received about 50 formal applications for speed attempts

Answer: speed attempts

Summary:
Kite boarder Alexandre Caizergues, of France, holds the world sailing speed record .
The World Sailing Speed Record Council oversees and ratifies record attempts .
The WSSRC had about 50 formal applications for record attempts in 2008 .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The killer of "Harry Potter" actor Rob Knox has been given four life sentences and told he will be behind bars for at least 20 years. The parents of Robert Knox read a statement outside the Old Bailey after Karl Bishop was found guilty of his murder. A judge at the Old Bailey court in central London sentenced 22-year-old Karl Bishop on Thursday, the day after he was convicted of the attack on Rob Knox and four of his friends in southeast London last May. Bishop stabbed them 10 times in less than two minutes, the court heard. Knox, 18, had rushed out of the bar after he heard that Bishop had threatened his younger brother Jamie but he ended up being stabbed five times, once in a main artery. He died in hospital later that night. The judge, Mr Justice Bean, told Bishop: "You are at present a highly dangerous man," the Press Association reported. "There is plainly a very significant risk to the public of serious harm caused by your committing further offences of violence. "Because you had threatened his younger brother, Rob Knox was among those who tried to disarm you. He paid for his bravery with his life. "The truth is that you simply could not care less whether you killed him or not. When you learned that you had killed Rob your only response was to say 'Yeah, sweet.'" Days before the attack, the actor had finished filming on "Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince," due for international release in July, in which he played the role of Marcus Belby. He was set to reprise the part in future "Harry Potter" films. Knox's father Colin told mourners at his funeral, including co-star Rupert Grint, that his son had been "living the dream," PA said. The Knox family left the court without commenting, but earlier Rob's mother Sally said of Bishop: "Once he's got his sentence and he's gone, I will not waste my time thinking about him. "I just think maybe somebody like him may have some kind of disturbed mind, which may not be due to the life he's had, it just may be something in him." Knife crime in Britain is a political hot topic due to a spate of recent killings of mainly young people in major cities. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has urged tougher sentences for those caught carrying knives. He told the Daily Telegraph last month: "By carrying a knife you are not only endangering the lives of others, but you are more likely to be killed, or end up in jail. "We need to change the way young people think about knives, we need families and communities working together ... to get this message across and help stamp out knife crime and get weapons off our streets."

What was the name of the harry potter actor?

What is a political hot topic in Britain?

What type of weapon was used in the killing?

Years the killer must at least serve in jail?

Answer: Rob Knox

Answer: Karl Bishop

Answer: Knife crime

Answer: four life

Answer: at least 20 years.

Answer: Karl Bishop

Answer: Rob Knox

Answer: Karl Bishop

Answer: southeast London

Answer: Knife

Answer: 22-year-old

Answer: 20

Answer: "Harry Potter"

Answer: Rob Knox

Answer: Knife crime

Answer: Karl Bishop

Summary:
The killer of "Harry Potter" actor jailed for life, must serve at least 20 years .
Karl Bishop, 22, attacked Rob Knox with 2 knives in southeast London last May .
Knife crime in Britain is political hot topic due to spate of recent killings .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The last British soldier to serve in World War I was buried Thursday, marking "the passing of a generation," the British veterans minister said. The coffin draped in a Union Jack flag is taken away from Well Cathedral. Harry Patch died July 25 at the age of 111, a week after fellow British World War I veteran Henry Allingham died at the age of 113. A party of pallbearers escorting his coffin was made up of two Belgian, two French, and two German infantrymen, while his coffin was carried by six soldiers from a unit that incorporated the one he served in during World War I. Patch was buried in the cathedral in the city of Wells, southwest England, where he lived. He joined the army at the age of 18 and fought in the Battle of Passchendaele at Ypres, Belgium, in 1917. He was seriously wounded in the battle, in which more than 70,000 of his fellow soldiers died -- including three of his close friends. "Today marks the passing of a generation, and of a man who dedicated his final years to spreading the message of peace and reconciliation," Veterans Minister Kevan Jones said. "Active participation in the Great War is now no longer part of living memory in this country, but Harry Patch will continue to be a symbol of the bravery and sacrifice shown by him and those he served with," he said. "In his passing we have lost our last living link to the fighting in the trenches of the Western Front and a member of a generation that stood firm in the face of extraordinary adversity and unimaginable suffering," said Gen. Richard Dannatt, the head of the British army. "But today above all else we give thanks for the life of a brave and inspirational man whose message of reconciliation and peace has reached and touched so many," he said. The funeral was attended by the acting head of the British government and the wife of Prince Charles, among thousands of others, the Ministry of Defence said. Patch was the last British man living in the United Kingdom to have served in the trenches on the Western Front, the Ministry of Defence said. Born in 1898, Patch became a plumber before being conscripted to the army in 1916. His unit, The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, was rushed to the front-line trenches of Ypres, where soldiers were urgently needed to replace those who were wounded and dying by the thousands. He fought in the trenches between June and September of 1917 and was involved in some of the fiercest fighting of the war. In late September he was wounded when a light shell exploded above his head, bringing an end to his military service. He received battlefield treatment without anesthetic. After the war ended in 1918, Patch returned to his work as a plumber and later became a sanitary engineer. He married Ada Billington, a young woman he met while convalescing after the battle. They married in 1919 and had two sons. In World War II, Patch joined the Auxiliary Fire Service and helped tackle the fires caused by heavy German raids on the English cities of Bath and Bristol. At one point he was sent to organize sanitary arrangements for soldiers at a camp near Yeovil, in southwest England, where he became friendly with some of the men. Patch remembered the shock of finding the camp deserted, with coffee still hot and meals half-eaten, on the morning that the soldiers had gone off for the invasion of France, the Ministry of Defence said. His wife, Ada, died in 1976, and their two sons also later died. Patch remarried in 1980, but he became a widower for the second time four years later. Patch didn't speak about the war until he turned 100, the Ministry of Defence said. "He tried to suppress the memories and to live as normal a life as possible; the culture of his time said that he was fortunate to have survived and that he should get on with his life," a Ministry of Defence biography

What was held for WWI veteran Harry Patch?

Answer: joined the army at the age of 18 and fought in the Battle of Passchendaele at Ypres, Belgium, in 1917.

Answer: funeral

Answer: Harry Patch

Answer: World War I

Answer: The funeral

Answer: World War I

Answer: acting head of the British government and the wife of Prince Charles,

Summary:
Funeral service held for WWI veteran Harry Patch .
Patch fought in Battle of Passchendaele in 1917 .
Soldiers from Germany, Belgium, France and Britain attended funeral service .
Friend said Patch's message was "settle disputes by discussion, not war"


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The last survivor of the Titanic, 97-year-old Millvina Dean, is auctioning off her remaining mementos of the doomed ship to pay nursing home bills. Millvina Dean, 97, is trying to raise money so she can stay in the nursing home she prefers. The auction, which is expected to raise up to $50,000 for her, is set to take place Saturday near her home in England. It is the second auction in less than a year for Dean, who was a 9-week-old when the ship sank on its maiden voyage in 1912. Among the items going under the hammer at Henry Aldridge & Son is a canvas bag that might have been used to lift the infant Dean from a lifeboat to a rescue ship, said Alan Aldridge of the auction house. "Historical documents say she was lifted from the lifeboat onto Carpathia, the rescue ship, in a mail sack," Aldridge said. After her rescue, Dean, her mother and her brother returned to England with a canvas sack, among other possessions. "There is speculation that this would have been the bag. It's a leather and canvas bag. You would easily get a child or infant in it," Aldridge said, though he added that research by the Smithsonian, the British Postal Museum and the Liverpool Maritime Museum showed no proof that Dean had been taken off the lifeboat in that particular bag. Given that the auctioneer cannot prove Dean was rescued in the bag, "we expect it to fetch £3,000 ($4,480). If it was the bag she was rescued in, it would be £30,000 to £40,000, ($44,800 to $60,000), but we can't prove it. It depends on what people are prepared to believe." Aldridge said he was eager to raise as much for Dean as possible. "She's in a residential nursing home. She's 97 years of age. She's paying £3,000 a month in nursing home fees," he said -- the amount he hopes her canvas bag will sell for. "As she said, £3,000 a month is £36,000 a year, which is a lot of money," he said. "When she runs out of money, the state will pay fees for her, but while she can pay her fees, she decides where she gets her care. When the state pays, they decide." Dean's previous sale, in October, raised just over £30,000, Aldridge said. "It's made a lot of people aware of her plight; a lot of people have sent her funds," he said. Dean never married and had no children. "There are cousins, but there is no one directly to support her," Aldridge said. "The property she lived in [before she moved to the nursing home] was not hers. She's just an ordinary little old lady. "If she's lucky, she'll get another four or five years; she's quite a fit lady," he said. Dean was not available to speak to CNN herself because of a throat infection, Aldridge said. The auction will include 17 items from her collection, most of them memorabilia related to the Titanic and signed by her but not from the ship itself. The auction, in Devizes, southwest England, will also include a collection of letters from the estate of Titanic survivor Barbara Dainton-West, estimated to fetch £40,000 to £60,000 ($60,000 to $90,000). The letters include descriptions of her family's trip to board the Titanic and the immediate aftermath of the sinking. Dainton-West, who was 10 months old when the ship went down, died in October 2007, the auctioneer said.

What age was the 97 year old when the Titanic sank?

Answer: $50,000

Answer: Barbara Dainton-West,

Answer: 9-week-old

Answer: 1912.

Answer: Barbara Dainton-West,

Answer: lifted from the lifeboat onto Carpathia, the rescue ship, in a mail sack,"

Answer: $50,000

Summary:
97-year-old was 9 weeks old when Titanic sank in 1912 .
Saturday's auction is expected to raise up to $50,000 for her .
Letters from estate of another survivor will also be on the block .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The most eagerly anticipated animated film this year hits big screens this weekend, as "The Simpsons Movie" opens worldwide. The Screening Room spoke to creator Matt Groening and writer Al Jean in London about everyone's favorite two-dimensional yellow family. Simpsons supremo Matt Groening with his creations at the film's premiere in Springfield, Vermont Matt Groening told the Screening Room that fans had driven the demand for the movie. "We've had fans clamoring for a movie for the past 18 years," he said. The film has taken four years to come to fruition, as writer Al Jean explained. "What really held us up for a long time was to have enough people to do the show and the movie," he said. "We talked for a while about doing the movie after the show is done, but the show is never done! So it really started in earnest in 2003, when we started working on this story that became the movie." Technology has also played its part. Jean continued, "The technology to do this film really wasn't even around five years ago. For example, there was this joke I once pitched and David Silverman, the director, started drawing and as I was pitching it, it went into the film and it was cut a day later. To go from pitch to cut in two days is pretty impressive." Its creators hope that "The Simpsons Movie" will both satisfy long-term fans and bring Homer and Marge's family to a new audience. Groening told the Screening Room, "This movie is designed to both honor the people who have loved the show all this time, so there's lots of little details for them in the movie, little characters and stuff who they know and love, but we also want people who don't know the family to not be completely confused. It is a complete movie experience, but again, we have a lot of little details that only the really, true die-hard fans are going to get." And fans can expect to be entertained by plenty of cartoon mishaps. Groening said, "When you see somebody fall off the roof in a live-action film, it's funny -- we all love it. But it's not as funny as when Homer falls off the roof. I don't know what that says about humanity, but we do like to see cartoon characters hurt themselves and there's quite a bit of that." But how have Springfield's finest led the field for so long? Groening believes that a large part of the Simpsons' success is down to the traditional animated techniques used to create it -- and that its hand-drawn charm puts the movie ahead of its CGI rivals. He told CNN, "The difference between our film and these other films is that we have no penguins, okay? So that's the big difference. (Although we do have one penguin.) "But the other thing is, our film is done the old fashioned way. It's got a lot of errors and flaws in it. These computer-animated films -- and I love them -- are perfect. They're spooky, they're so good. Ours is a way for us to honor the art of traditional animation." Al Jean thinks that the series' success is also down to its wide appeal. He says, "I have a two year old and she loves the Simpsons already, just because of the way it looks and the family. And then on the other hand, we do satirical references that only an adult would get." A large part of the appeal of "The Simpsons" comes from its ability to portray the more touching moments in family life, like Jean's favorite moment in the movie. "It's a scene where Bart is really mad at his father," he told CNN. "He's sitting in a tree outside the Simpson house at night. He looks over and sees the Flanders house and thinks how wonderful it would be if he lived there

What did Simpsons creator Matt Groening say?

Answer: traditional animated

Answer: "We've had fans clamoring for a movie for the past 18 years,"

Answer: "We've had fans clamoring for a movie for the past 18 years,"

Answer: explained. "What really held us up for a long time was to have enough people to do the show and the movie," he said.

Summary:
Simpsons creator Matt Groening: Movie is culmination of 20 years' hard work .
Writer Al Jean says success is down to show's universal appeal .
Movie uses traditional hand-drawn animation techniques .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The much-maligned symbol of motoring in Communist East Germany, the Trabant, is set to make an unlikely comeback as a concept car at this year's International Motor Show in Frankfurt. The old-style Trabi is a common sight in Germany where tourist operators use the car for local tours. Designers have replaced the car's smoke-belching two-stroke engine with electric fuel cells and solar-powered air-conditioning. This, they promise, is not the four-wheeled object of ridicule that rolled off production lines in East Germany from 1957 until 1991. This is the new Trabant, or Trabi as they're known, an energy-efficient city car for modern drivers. "I think the market will be people who say the old Trabant was a cool car, and people who want to have a stylish car, and want to have a green car," Daniel Stiegler, of Herpa Miniaturemodelle, told CNN. Herpa is not a carmaker, at least not in the traditional sense. It makes model cars and airplanes, of the type that sit in display cabinets, not garages. Two years ago, a member of its management team, Klaus Schindler, decided it was time to make a miniature model of the Trabant. Herpa took it to the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in 2007 and were stunned by the response. "We had a special folder where people at the fair could fill out and give it back to use. We had about 14,000 reactions on that, and most of them, 90 percent, said 'Yes, the Trabant is a really cool car, let's bring it back,'" Stiegler said. Herpa teamed up with German auto parts maker IndiKar, which has designed a prototype to be unveiled at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in September. They hope to attract enough interest to put the car back into production. The early response of Trabi enthusiasts to an electric version of their much-loved cars has been encouraging. "This will be an ideal vehicle to try it on," Geoff Armitage, who had been the president or chairman of the Wartburg Trabant IFA Club UK on and off for some 18 years. "If they go for the same type of cladding of duroplast, or western-style glass fibre, you have a light body which obviously will be an advantage for an electric car." The original exterior of the cars was made from duroplast, a blend of cast-off cotton fibers from Russia mixed with glue. Armitage bought his first Trabant in the Netherlands in 1987, two years before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Over the years, he's owned around 20 of the German cars, adding "we have several restoration projects in the yard at the moment." Like many admirers, he appreciates the Trabi's simplicity. "They are basic technology. There is absolutely nothing that we can't repair ourselves. If we can't get the parts we can usually make them," he laughed. "If they can do the electrical conversion, for want of a better term, in a relatively low-tech way so they keep it simple I think it could be a success," he said. German filmmaker Maximilian Spohr spent four years making a documentary about the Trabant. He became fascinated about the car's origins as a child growing up in the East where residents faced up to a fourteen-year wait for delivery of their vehicles. "There was only a certain contingent, a certain amount, allowed every year, because they didn't have enough screws, they didn't have enough parts," he said. For his documentary, "A Car For A Dollar," he interviewed former Trabant engineers and owners and found an abundance of nostalgia for the old-style vehicles, despite their association with Communist repression. "People remember it as their only partner in crime," Spohr said. "It was the one and only thing that brought them around the country. They weren't allowed to go far. This

What is to be  revived as eco-friendly car?

What do Trabi enthusiasts admire about it?

What is to be revived as an eco-friendly city car?

Answer: Geoff Armitage,

Answer: the Trabant,

Answer: prototype

Answer: International Motor Show in Frankfurt.

Answer: at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in September.

Answer: simplicity.

Answer: Trabant,

Summary:
Relic of Communist East Germany to be revived as eco-friendly city car .
New electric Trabant to be unveiled at International Motor Show in Frankfurt .
Car was once the only vehicle available in East before fall of Berlin Wall .
Trabi enthusiasts admire the car's simplicity, ability to make running repairs .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The negotiations are over. The treaty has been signed. The skies across the Atlantic are now open for free movement of flights between European and U.S. cities. Now the battle commences between airlines as they prepare for their new-found commercial freedom when the Open Skies agreement comes into action in March 2008. The choice of transatlantic routes is set to increases with the advent of the Open Skies agreement. The main beneficiaries of increased competition between airlines are likely to be business travelers. And while they may not see a dramatic reduction in ticket prices, they can look forward to a greater choice of flights from a greater number of airlines as well as an increase in business-only services. Airlines with the strongest brands and best quality products are likely to lure passengers away from European rivals by launching flights from other major European cities. British Airways has confirmed it will launch its first transatlantic flights from continental European cities once the agreement comes into place next year. And while it is not ready to confirm branding, types of aircraft, or even final routes, a BA spokesperson said likely contenders for new transatlantic routes will be from business destinations such as Paris, Frankfurt, Brussels and Milan. She also confirmed that, contrary to expectations, these flights would not be exclusively business class. Though they will offer premium cabins for business customers. Virgin Atlantic is expecting to place a greater focus on its business customers and has established a team to work towards the launch of business-only flights in 2009. These will fly from airports such as Paris, Frankfurt, Milan and Zurich and the airline is currently in discussion with Airbus and Boeing to place orders for between 10 and 15 aircraft. Virgin and BA are both confident they can entice customers away from European national carriers due to the strength of their brands and service offering. As Paul Charles, director of corporate communications at Virgin Atlantic says, "we are seen as a truly global brand and well-placed to compete with the quality of business services currently coming out of cities such as Paris and Milan." Open Skies will put an end to the exclusive arrangement granted to British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines and American Airlines to fly transatlantic out of Heathrow. As a result, airlines including BMI, Continental Airlines and Northwest Airlines are all lined up to launch direct transatlantic flights from Heathrow from next year. But with the airport currently operating at almost-maximum capacity, it is likely that new flights will be limited. Airlines operating from other airports, in particular the new business-only players such as Eos, Silverjet and Maxje, will, however, see an opportunity to expand their own services across the Atlantic. Joshua Marks, executive vice president for planning and development at U.S. business-class airline, Maxjet, says it expects to "strengthen its position at Stansted" as a result of the Open Skies agreement. "With more flights moving from Gatwick to Heathrow, three major airports will become two in London." As such, he adds, Stansted could become the default airport for travelers coming from and to the east of the city. Now that the U.S. Department of Transport has given approval for Maxjet to launch flights from Stansted to other countries with open skies agreements with the U.S., business travelers in London should also be able to pick up Maxjet flights to destinations such as India. Maxjet has confirmed that it will not fight for slots at Heathrow, which Marks says has become an "operational nightmare." Yet, other premium-only services are not ruling out the move. Silverjet, currently operating out of Luton, has been in discussion with (un-named) airlines interested in striking deals to launch flights out of Heathrow. Opportunities have been offered for flights to U.S. cities such as Los Angeles, says Lawrence Hunt, Silverjet's chief executive. "This is an ongoing dialogue," he says. But before they make the move, they would need to see major changes to facilities at Heathrow in order for it to offer the "personalized, discreet and carefree" travel experience Silverjet

What airlines will launch flights from European capitals?

Which airports will transatlantic flights be available from?

Which airlines are involved in Open Skies?

Open Skies agreement lifts restrictions on what?

What business -only services set to expand across London airports?

Answer: British Airways

Answer: Paris, Frankfurt, Brussels and Milan.

Answer: BMI, Continental

Answer: for free movement of flights between European and U.S. cities.

Answer: Eos, Silverjet and Maxje,

Summary:
Open Skies agreement lifts restrictions on transatlantic air services .
British Airways and Virgin will launch flights from European capitals .
Business-only services set to expand across London airports .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- The number of stray and abandoned dogs in the United Kingdom jumped by 11 percent in the past year -- the biggest surge in a decade -- possibly because of the financial crisis, a British dog charity said Wednesday. A dog looks through the door of its kennel at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London. Dogs Trust said local authorities picked up 107,228 stray and abandoned dogs from British streets in the past year. It called on the government to make microchipping compulsory for all dogs to help reunite owners with pets, whether lost or abandoned. "The latest stray dog survey is very disappointing," said Clarissa Baldwin, chief executive of Dogs Trust. "Even more tragically is the number of dogs that are being put down, which has gone up from 7,000 to just below 10,000, a very worrying trend." Has recession hit your pet? Send us your thoughts The 11 percent rise is the highest yearly increase since recordkeeping began in 1997, Dogs Trust said. The rise may be due to the financial crisis, Dogs Trust said. Some households tighten their belts by giving up the dog. Another possible reason for the jump: England and Wales last year changed the law to make local councils, not police, responsible for taking in stray dogs, Dogs Trust said. Cash-strapped councils might lack resources to pick up or temporarily shelter dogs. "You've got a lot of latchkey dogs that are just left to wander the streets," said Natalie Dexter, who works at the education center at Dogs Trust. "Their homes aren't secure, gardens aren't secure, and so they're just left to wander around." Local authorities handle an average of 12 dogs each hour, Dogs Trust said. Only five are reunited with their owners -- a number that could increase if more dogs were microchipped, Dogs Trust said. A microchip is an electronic device, coated in plastic, that is the size of a grain of rice. It is implanted just under a dog's skin, beneath its shoulder blades, which causes no harm to the animal and cannot be felt, veterinarians and campaigners say. The microchip carries the owner's information, which can be updated. The information can be read by a scanner that works through a radio frequency.

What did the charity urge the government to do?

By how much did the number of stray dogs jump?

Answer: microchipping

Answer: make microchipping compulsory for all dogs

Answer: 11 percent

Answer: London.

Answer: Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London.

Answer: 107,228

Summary:
Number of stray and abandoned dogs in UK jumps by 11 percent in past year .
Charity urges government to make microchipping compulsory for all dogs .
Some households tighten their belts by giving up the dog, charity says .