PA Morning Bulletin: Monday, September 29, 2003

LONDON, UK, 29 September -- From THE PRESS ASSOCIATION at 0820. Visit http://www.mediapoint.press.net/ for our picture diary and more.

COMING UP

Support for Labour has slumped in key marginal seats it needs to defend at the next general election, according to an opinion poll today.

Thousands of workers from across the country were today staging a huge demonstration outside the Labour Party conference to call for the Government's help in halting manufacturing job losses.

The BBC was coming under attack today over alleged anti-Catholic bias. The Archbishop of Birmingham was delivering what a source described as the strongest criticism ever of the BBC from a Catholic bishop at specially convened press conference. 1130 Royal United Services Institute, Whitehall.

Thousands of schoolchildren across southern Iraq were due to go back to school this week in newly renovated classrooms thanks to the work of British forces in the region.

A British television executive has plunged 40 feet to her death in Majorca, it was reported today.

A teenager who went missing after starting to visit Internet chatrooms was being quizzed today by police keen to find out where he has been.

The Government was condemned today for its failure to introduce free personal care for the elderly throughout the UK by the Royal Commission it set up to look at the issue after Labour's 1997 general election victory.

Refugee welfare campaigners called for immediate action today after the Chief Inspector of Prisons warned that a removal centre for asylum-seekers is "unsafe" for both staff and detainees.

The long-awaited inquest into the death of a black man who died after being handcuffed and restrained by eight police officers was reaching its final stages today. Roger Sylvester died eight days after being detained outside his home in Tottenham, north London, in 1999.

A hard-hitting postcard campaign featuring the rotting teeth of a five-year-old child in a bid to build up support for adding fluoride to water supplies was launched today.

Young children who get a lot of vigorous exercise and are highly active reduce their chances of suffering serious joint problems in later life, researchers said today.

British motorists lag way behind drivers abroad when it comes to a fair deal on transport, research today from the AA Motoring Trust revealed.

Many people with serious heart and breathing problems may be putting themselves at risk this winter by not having a flu jab, a survey revealed today.

Veteran Polar adventurer Pen Hadow was giving details today of a two-man Antarctic expedition to raise cash for an Ł11 million Royal Geographical Society projects appeal.

Hollywood superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger is in his strongest position yet in his bid to become the next Governor of California, a poll has revealed.

The Bush administration has hit back at accusations by leaders of the House of Representatives' intelligence committee that the United States went to war in Iraq on the basis of outdated and vague intelligence.

An audiotape attributed to al Qaida deputy Ayman al-Zawahri and broadcast on two Arab satellite channels accused the United States of trying to abolish Islam.

A storm-tossed tree branch that hit Swiss power lines helped trigger a massive blackout covering almost all of Italy, trapping thousands on trains and forcing the Pope to use a back-up generator to proclaim his new cardinals.

Egypt has released a leader of the militant group responsible for the assassination of former president Anwar Sadat after nearly 22 years in jail.

Director Elia Kazan, the hard-driving immigrant's son whose triumphs included the original Broadway productions of Death Of A Salesman and A Streetcar Named Desire, and the Academy Award-winning film On The Waterfront, has died. He was 94.

Car giant Mitsubishi today withdrew its sponsorship of a TV show hosted by controversial New Zealand broadcaster Paul Holmes, following his astonishing racial slur against United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Mobile phones have become a leading giveaway of text-obsessed Italians' secret affairs, with amorous messages and inexplicable call records stored in phone memory for any suspicious spouse to peruse.

NEWS ALREADY IN

Brown set for pay fight with unions -- Unions threaten reform, says CBI chief -- Girl accuses Premiership soccer stars of rape -- Jailbreak asylum seekers on the run in Yorkshire

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CITY ROUND-UP

The housing market showed fresh signs of health this month with prices rising fastest in the North West and Wales, key figures showed today.

How you speak could help decide how well you get on in the business world, a survey of British bosses claims today.

Weak market conditions are acting as a check on workers' pay rises in both manufacturing and service industries, the CBI said today.

British business is losing confidence in the Government's public sector reforms because ministers are allowing pressure from trade unions to "hamper" change, an industry leader warned today.

Calls for a shorter working week with no loss of pay are re-emerging, according to a new report today.

Companies reporting results today include:
Finals: White Young Green
Interims: Bede, Datalex Medical, Hardy Underwriting, Personal Group
Holdings, Severfield-Rowen, Watermark

FINANCE

FTSE 100 Index UP 3.2 points at 4,160.3 by 0815.
Pound buys 1.655 US dollars and 1.447 euros.

SPORT

SOCCER:

Nationwide Division One: Walsall v Gillingham (2000).

Sven-Goran Eriksson faces an anxious wait to see if England skipper David Beckham will be available for the crunch Euro 2004 qualifier with Turkey on October 11.

Kevin Lisbie hopes he has given the perfect reply to the Charlton fans who began the season by jeering him.

David Pleat believes the vacant Tottenham manager's job is made more attractive because of their recent lack of success.

AUTO: Michael Schumacher has vowed to roar into the record books in style by landing his sixth drivers crown with victory in the title decider in Japan next week.

GOLF:

Lee Westwood headed off to Atlanta today for a tournament which six weeks ago there looked a cat in hell's chance of him playing in.

Tommy Armour III claimed his first PGA Tour win in 13 years and set a scoring record at the same time in the Texas Open at San Antonio.

RUGBY UNION:

Welsh legend Jonathan Davies expects Iestyn Harris to see the season out with Cardiff before cutting short his stay in rugby union to return to league.

Scotland winger Nikki Walker has vowed to put his impending court case on hold to concentrate fully on playing for his country in the World Cup in Australia.

RUGBY LEAGUE: Leigh must overcome bogey team Salford if they are to secure a place in the Tetley's Super League.

ATHLETICS:

Debutant Liz Yelling has almost certainly clinched a place in next year's Olympic Games after achieving the qualifying standard in yesterday's Real Berlin Marathon.

Bev Jenkins prepared to compete for the Norwich Union GB team at next weekend's IAAF World Half Marathon Championships by recording the fastest time in the North of England AA Women's 4-Stage Road Relay in Warrington.

MOTORCYCLING: James Toseland remains intent on securing third spot in the World Superbikes Championship despite suffering his "worst weekend of the year" at Imola.

TENNIS: Moscow: Kremlin Cup (to Oct 5). Tokyo: Japan Open (to Oct 5). Metz: Metz Open (to Oct 5).

RACING: Bath. Hamilton. Windsor.

PRESS DIGEST

TIMES: BLAIR STILL IN TROUBLE DESPITE IRAQ VOTE REPRIEVE

Trade Unions and Labour activists were preparing last night to subject Tony Blair to a bruising party conference by defeating him on foundation hospitals and other key domestic policies.

TELEGRAPH: BLAIR IN FIGHTING MOOD AS UNIONS GANG UP

Tony Blair was heading last night for a bruising week at the Labour conference after union leaders embarked on their most sustained challenge to the Government's domestic agenda since he came to power.

INDEPENDENT: BLAIR: I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE DONE IN IRAQ (BUT, COMRADES, YOU CAN'T VOTE ON IT)

An unrepentant Tony Blair defied criticism of his hawkish stance on Iraq yesterday, declaring that he was "proud" to have ousted Saddam Hussein and that he had no regrets about the war.

FINANCIAL TIMES: BLAIR FACES NEW CABINET TENSIONS ON NHS PLANS

Tony Blair was last night facing renewed tensions in his cabinet over the introduction of market mechanisms to the National Health Service as he headed for likely defeat on his flagship NHS reforms at this week's Labour conference.

GUARDIAN: DON'T MENTION THE WAR: ANGER AS IRAQ IS KEPT OFF LABOUR AGENDA

Tony Blair last night sidestepped a public row over the war in Iraq after the Labour conference voted to stage emergency debates on the NHS, employment rights and pensions, rather than skewer the leadership over Iraq.

EXPRESS: NEW TAX HITS HOME OWNERS

Families in Middle Britain face another massive council tax rise to plug a giant hole in police budgets, it emerged yesterday.

MAIL: SUNTAN LOTION 'RAISES RISK OF CANCER'

Sun creams could raise the risk of getting skin cancer experts will warn today.

MIRROR: THE DAILY MIRROR CORDIALLY INVITES THE RT HON TONY BLAIR TO COME BACK TO HIS PARTY

Tony Blair is nothing if not a fighter.

SUN: WE GIVE BLAIR THE YELLOW CARD - NEXT TIME IT'S RED

Sun readers have run out patience with the Labour Government.

STAR: DEN'S BACK WITH BANG

Dirty Den returns to EastEnders tonight - and Britain's electricity bosses are preparing themselves for a massive power surge.

(For a full review of this morning's newspapers visit our dedicated site for journalists and media professionals http://www.mediapoint.press.net/)

MEDIA NEWS

One of New Zealand's top journalists has apologised and insisted he was not a racist after calling UN Secretary General Kofi Annan a "cheeky darkie" on his radio programme.

An Uzbek appeals court has reduced the sentence of a gay journalist convicted of having homosexual sex to four years from 5 1/2 years in a case that has drawn international criticism from human rights groups.

Christian churches in Zimbabwe have demanded the repeal of oppressive media and security laws as nine reporters for the country's only independent daily were charged with violating the laws.

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