Disgraced US financier Bernard Madoff's lawyer has said his client deserves 12 years in prison for his crimes.
In March, Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 charges that he masterminded a $50bn (£35bn) investment fraud.
He will be sentenced on 29 June and could be jailed for up to 150 years. Madoff is 71 years old now.
New York District Judge Denny Chin has received more than 100 letters from angry victims of Madoff's fraud, with some calling him a "monster".
'Hysteria'
Madoff's lawyer, Ira Lee Sorkin, urged Judge Chin to "set aside the emotion and hysteria" that surrounds the case.
"We seek neither mercy nor sympathy," Mr Sorkin wrote in court papers.
But victims of Madoff - who admitted operating a massive Ponzi scheme for decades - were unmoved by the plea.
"If he was hung by his toes for 12 years then maybe that sentence would be acceptable," said Candace Newlove of Colorado, who said her family was ruined by Madoff.
Judge Chin received 113 letters and e-mails from people who had lost money in the Madoff scandal.
Many urged him to sentence Madoff to the maximum 150 years in prison.
Brazil superstar Kaka has suggested Andrea Pirlo could be joining him a the Bernabeu.
At the completion of the Confederations Cup match between Brazil and Italy, which the Selecao won 3-0, Kaka spoke to the press and intriguingly suggested that Pirlo could move to Madrid.
"If Pirlo is leaving, I will have to advise Real Madrid to buy him," the Brazilian said smilingly.
With speculation rife that the Milan midfielder will leave the San Siro this summer, and numerous press reports linking him with Chelsea, Kaka's comments may indicate a different direction for the Italian.
Kaka also spoke about the game, expressing his delight at Brazil's victory.
"The 3-0 result is a massive shock for me, but it shows that we had a great game."
"We are very happy about this result and about our qualification. Now we need to think about the next round, and not about what would be a beautiful final against Spain."
"I'm sorry for Italy, because no one would have expected them to suffer two defeats at the Confederations Cup, but they are still an extremely strong team and everyone knows that they are the world champions."
The US and European Union (EU) have filed complaints that China is unfairly limiting its raw material exports.
In the trade cases filed with the World Trade Organization (WTO) the US and EU said China was giving its domestic industry access to cheap materials.
China said it was meeting its WTO obligations and would contest the case.
The case may be the first of many between the world's largest nations as countries have sought to protect their industries amid the global recession.
The cases concern the export of materials such as coke used to make steel, for which it is one of the largest producers, as well as bauxite and magnesium.
Consultation period
"The United States believes that China is unfairly restricting exports of raw materials," US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said.
"These actions are hurting American steel, aluminium and chemical manufacturers, among other industries, that desperately need these material to make their products."
Mr Kirk said the US had decided to pursue a WTO case after two years of talks between the Chinese and the previous administration of former President George W Bush had failed to reach a resolution.
China responded that its goal was to "protect the environment and natural resources, and the Chinese side considers the relevant policy to be compliant with WTO regulations".
China has also responded by launching a complaint over a US ban on the imports of Chinese poultry, which has been in place since the bird flu scare in 2004.
The US and EU complaints now trigger a 60-day consultation period. If the dispute is still not resolved, they can formally request a hearing panel, which could hear the case for up to a year.
If they win, the US and EU would then be given the go-ahead by the WTO to impose economic sanctions on China.
AC Milan have reiterated that no offer has been made by Chelsea or any other club for Italy international Andrea Pirlo.
Reports in England had strongly linked the World Cup-winning playmaker with a move to Chelsea this summer where he would play under former Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti.
"We have not received any offers for Pirlo, not from Chelsea or any other club," said AC Milan club administrator Adriano Galliani.
Galliani also brushed aside rumours in the Spanish press that they are eyeing Real Madrid midfielder Fernando Gago as the ideal replacement for Pirlo.
"Pirlo is a Milan player," said Galliani. "Hence, Gago cannot be our aim.
"If Pirlo leaves then we will see."
However, Galliani revealed the Rossoneri outfit turned down a tempting offer for Brazilian forward Alexandre Pato.
"Milan this year has resisted a monumental offer for Pato," he said. "But I will not say which club made the offer."
Pato had been a reported target of Chelsea but Milan have stated that the player is not for sale.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development says the world economy is near the bottom of the worst recession in post-war history.
The body that represents the 30 most industrialised nations said that those economies would shrink 4.1% this year.
But it adds that recovery is likely to be "weak and fragile" for some time.
The UK is in "a sharp recession", it says, with output set to decline by 4.3% in 2009. worse than its previous forecast of a 3.7% fall.
The OECD predicts zero growth in the UK economy in 2010, and says the UK budget deficit will reach 14% next year - both worse than UK government estimates.
It says the pace of the global downturn is now moderating after the sharp drop in the six months to March, but it still expects world output to shrink by 2.2% this year.
However, this is the first time for two years it has revised upwards its overall economic forecasts, especially for 2010, with the economies of Japan and the US now expected to decline less sharply than projected in its previous report.
Signs of hope
It says the advanced economies will return to weak growth of 0.7% in 2010, compared with its previous forecast of a contraction of 0.1%.
"It looks like the worst scenario has been avoided," the OECD said.
"Even if the subsequent recovery may be slow, such an outcome is a major achievement of economic policy."
The OECD adds that there are already signs of recovery in the large non-OECD countries such as China, and that in the US activity could bottom out in the second half of 2009.
However, it is more pessimistic about the prospects for the UK and the eurozone.
It says that "signs of impending recovery in the euro area are not yet clearly visible" because of housing bubbles, damage to the financial sector, and export setbacks.
And it warns that in the UK, rising public sector deficits will need to be reined in as recovery takes hold, and urges the government to develop a "concrete and comprehensive plan" to ensure debt is on a declining path.
It also warns that unemployment could still rise to above 10% in the UK, the eurozone, and the US.
The collapse in world trade, which is projected to fall by 16% this year, has hit major exporting countries such as Germany and Japan particularly hard.
Policy measures
The OECD says that not only have its growth projections been revised, but the risks that things might be worse than expected are lower.
It says financial conditions might improve more quickly that it has assumed, although there is still a risk of an adverse reaction in bond markets to the high levels of government debt.
"A really disastrous outcome has become more of a remote risk," said OECD chief economist Jorgen Elmeskov.
He told the BBC that "this was a policy-driven upturn", but it was still not clear when private demand would be able to replace public demand, and he urged governments to "stay the course".
The OECD says that "it would be tempting but wrong" to relax the extraordinary policy effort of the last nine months.
It says there is still more that policy can do to ensure a faster and more robust recovery, especially by removing the uncertainty over impaired bank assets.
The OECD adds that there are major challenges in eventually rolling back the range of government interventions to stabilise the financial system - in particular, it calls for coordination across countries to avoid fear of competitive disadvantage blocking progress.
And it says that tough measures will be needed to eventually reduce government budget deficits that have been stretched by the crisis. It urges governments to begin planning for such adjustments now even if they cannot be fully implemented until the economy improves.
One of China's most prominent political activists has been formally arrested for inciting subversion.
Liu Xiaobo is accused of spreading rumours and defaming the government, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency.
Mr Liu's arrest comes six months after he was taken into custody.
He was detained just before the publication of a document that he co-authored calling for political change in China.
Political reform
There has been constant speculation about Mr Liu's fate ever since he was taken from his home late at night last December.
That has now ended with the announcement from Beijing's public security bureau that the activist has been formally arrested.
"[Mr] Liu has been engaged in agitation activities, such as spreading of rumours and defaming of the government, aimed at subversion of the state and overthrowing the socialism system in recent years," the bureau told Xinhua.
It added that Mr Liu, a writer as well as an activist, had confessed to the charge in an initial police investigation.
Mr Liu's wife, Liu Xia, has been informed of the arrest, the detained activist's lawyer Mo Shaoping told the BBC.
The lawyer has not been able to see his client since his arrest, but hopes to do so within the next 48 hours.
"According to the law, the public security bureau must allow us to see him," he said.
Mr Liu was detained on the eve of the publication of Charter 08, a document signed by hundreds of Chinese artists, academics and political activists.
It was published on the 60th anniversary of the promulgation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
It called for political reforms in China, such as a new constitution, judicial independence and the freedom to assemble.
Many of those who signed the document were subjected to harassment from the Chinese government after its publication.
Mr Liu has been a political activist for more than two decades. He took part in the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 - for which he spent two years in prison.
After his release he continued to push for political change.
Human rights organisations, such as Amnesty International, have called for Mr Liu's release.
"This use of state security charges to punish activists for merely expressing their views must stop," said Amnesty's Roseann Rife after Mr Liu's arrest was announced.
"This is another act of desperation by a regime that is terrified of public opinion."
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has defended his decision to pay over the odds for right-back Glen Johnson.
The Portsmouth defender yesterday agreed to move to Anfield and he is expected to formally sign a contract in the next couple of days.
Reports suggest the transfer is costing £17million, although much of that will be written off because of money still owed by Pompey after Peter Crouch's move to Fratton Park last summer.
Chelsea tried to take their former player back to Stamford Bridge but Benitez was always confident the England international would choose Anfield - even if it was at a premium.
"Sometimes you have to spend a little bit more," said the Liverpool boss.
"You can't compete in the top four of the Premier League unless you spend some money.
"We were looking for a player of quality and also somebody who is British because of the new Champions League rules.
"Glen Johnson fits both categories."
The fact Benitez has been able to make his first summer signing will help fend off claims the club are in financial trouble.
Kop Holdings, the club's parent company, posted a £42.6million loss in the year to August 2008 but concerns over the £350million loan taken out by American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to buy Liverpool appear to have lessened after reports today suggested a refinancing package had been agreed.
Benitez is confident he will make other signings, although he may spend more of his time trying to hang on to the likes of Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa and Javier Mascherano who have all been linked with moves to Real Madrid and Barcelona.
"We have a plan. We can sign one more player if necessary, but that's without any players leaving," he told the Liverpool Echo.
"Alvaro Arbeloa has had a very good season but he has one year left on his contract.
"If he signs that will be good because we will have more competition, but if we get a good offer we will have to consider it."
Benitez is also hoping Sebastien Leto and Andriy Voronin - who both were loaned out last season - will bring in more funds along with left-back Andrea Dossena, who could return to Italy after just one season at Anfield.
Leto is on the verge of a move to Panathinaikos after he became impatient waiting for Olympiacos, where he was on loan last season, to make their move.
"I think that the possibilities to play at Panathinaikos next season right now are more than 90%," said the Argentinian winger.
"I have been waiting for something from Olympiacos all these weeks but they didn't make a move to buy me so far."
Gordon Brown would be willing to give evidence in public to the Iraq inquiry if national security considerations are met, his spokesman has said.
The comments came ahead of a Commons debate on the issue in which the Tories are calling for him and Tony Blair to appear in public before the inquiry.
The Tories tabled the debate after Mr Brown told MPs it would be in private.
Mr Brown has since said some hearings could be open but the opposition has pressed him to give further assurance.
"If those considerations concerning national security are met, then of course the prime minister would have no difficulty in giving evidence in public," the prime minister's spokesman said.
The Commons debate is now under way and is expected to conclude with a vote at about 1900 BST.
'Complete mess'
Announcing the long-awaited inquiry into the run-up, conduct and aftermath of the 2003 invasion last week, Mr Brown told MPs it would be held in private for national security reasons.
But, amid criticism from some military figures and Lord Butler, the author of the last report into Iraq, he wrote to Sir John and told him he could hold some public sessions if he chose to.
Sir John replied that he felt it was "essential" to hold as much as possible in public - while protecting national security and the need to get "candour" from witnesses.
Mr Cameron said his party had been pushing for an inquiry for three years and when the government had finally announced it, they had made a "complete mess of it".
"The government have only made some changes because of the pressure from the Conservatives but they are doing this hand to mouth and making it up as they go along," he told the BBC.
"They need to come to the House of Commons and say it is predominantly public, they need a wider membership, they need military experience and they need to guarantee that Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Alastair Campbell [Tony Blair's former press secretary] give evidence in public."
Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said Mr Brown, in his correspondence with Sir John Chilcot, had made concessions on the public aspects of the inquiry but he now wanted to hear the government reaffirm this in Parliament.
"We want to hear what the guidelines are going to be," he told the BBC.
A Downing Street spokesman said Mr Brown would cooperate fully with the Iraq inquiry, including giving evidence in public if required but he said it would be up to Sir John to decide who to call as witnesses.
Earlier Mr Brown denied making a U-turn in accepting some of the inquiry could be held in public.
He told the BBC he wanted the inquiry to have "all evidence that is necessary" including confidential material.
'National interest'
"I'm trying to find a way of getting an inquiry that can satisfy people that we're doing everything in our power to get to the truth while at the same time I think everybody understands ... you've got to take into account national security considerations and that you've got serving military who will want to give evidence .. sometimes in private."
He pointed out the Conservatives had been asking for a Franks-style inquiry - a reference to the committee that reviewed the Falklands War - which was partly held in private.
Mr Cameron and the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg have met Sir John to discuss the format of the inquiry.
Mr Clegg was told Tony Blair would be asked to give some evidence in public and that witnesses would not be made to give evidence under oath as it was a non-judicial inquiry, but an equivalent format would be found.
Former Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell said there should be a "presumption" that Mr Blair and other key figures in the decision to go to war should give evidence in public unless national security interests dictated otherwise.
"The important thing is not to confuse government embarrassment with the national interest," he said.
Allegations of abuse and neglect at a US detention facility in Afghanistan have been uncovered by the BBC.
Former detainees have alleged they were beaten, deprived of sleep and threatened with dogs at the Bagram military base.
The BBC interviewed 27 former inmates of Bagram around the country over a period of two months.
The Pentagon has denied the charges and insisted that all inmates in the facility are treated humanely.
All the men were asked the same questions and they were all interviewed in isolation.
Ill-treatment
They were held at times between 2002 and 2008 and they were all accused of belonging to or helping al-Qaeda or the Taliban.
None were charged with any offence or put on trial; some even received apologies when they were released.
Just two of the detainees said they had been treated well.
Many allegations of ill-treatment appear repeatedly in the interviews: physical abuse, the use of stress positions, excessive heat or cold, unbearably loud noise, being forced to remove clothes in front of female soldiers.
In four cases detainees were threatened with death at gunpoint.
"They did things that you would not do against animals let alone to humans," said one inmate known as Dr Khandan.
"They poured cold water on you in winter and hot water in summer. They used dogs against us. They put a pistol or a gun to your head and threatened you with death," he said.
"They put some kind of medicine in the juice or water to make you sleepless and then they would interrogate you."
The findings were shown to the Pentagon.
Lt Col Mark Wright, a spokesman for the US Secretary of Defence, insisted that conditions at Bagram "meet international standards for care and custody".
Col Wright said the US defence department has a policy of treating detainees humanely.
"There have been well-documented instances where that policy was not followed, and service members have been held accountable for their actions in those cases," he said.
'Legal black hole'
Bagram has held thousands of people over the last eight years and a new detention centre is currently under construction at the camp.
Some of the inmates are forcibly taken there from abroad, especially Pakistanis and at least two Britons.
Since coming to office US President Barack Obama has banned the use of torture and ordered a review of policy on detainees, which is expected to report next month.
But unlike its detainees at the US naval facility at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, the prisoners at Bagram have no access to lawyers and they cannot challenge their detention.
The inmates at Bagram are being kept in "a legal black-hole, without access to lawyers or courts", according to Tina Foster, executive director of the International Justice Network, a legal support group representing four detainees.
She is pursuing legal action that, if successful. would grant detainees at Bagram the same rights as those still being held at Guantanamo Bay.
But the Obama administration is trying to block the move.
Last year, the US Supreme Court ruled that detainees at Guantanamo should be given legal rights.
Speaking on the presidential campaign trail, Barack Obama applauded the ruling: "The court's decision is a rejection of the Bush administration's attempt to create a legal black hole at Guantanamo.
"This is an important step toward re-establishing our credibility as a nation committed to the rule of law, and rejecting a false choice between fighting terrorism and respecting habeas corpus."
Ms Foster accuses the new administration of abandoning that position and "using the same arguments as the Bush White House".
In its legal submissions, the US justice department argues that because Afghanistan is an active combat zone it is not possible to conduct rigorous inquiries into individual cases and that it would divert precious military resources at a crucial time.
They also argue that granting legal rights to detainees could harm Mr Obama's "ability to succeed in armed conflict and to protect United States' forces" by limiting his powers to conduct military operations.
A US federal appeals court judge is expected to rule soon.
These revelations come at a time when Mr Obama is trying to re-set Washington's relationship with the Muslim world and trying harder than ever to win the war in Afghanistan.
It is a controversy that threatens to damage the image of the new administration in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Manchester City ace Robinho has urged Blues boss Mark Hughes to sign Samuel Eto'o.
With Carlos Tevez's arrival from Manchester United set to be confirmed shortly, the Brazil international has revealed that he is already delighted with the fact that City have acquired the services of Gareth Barry from Aston Villa and, earlier this week, Roque Santa Cruz from local rivals Blackburn Rovers.
However, Robinho now wants the club's wealthy Arab owners to dip into their pockets once again to land Eto'o in a further bid to outdo bitter city rivals United.
"We want to make City the biggest club in Manchester and win titles, as many as possible," he told The Sun newspaper.
"If Eto'o comes too he will add even more talent to the squad.
"We need four top-quality forwards because the season is so tough in England.
"I hope the club keep signing players with that quality. If so, we will be almost unbeatable.
"A player like Santa Cruz is more than welcome and I've heard a deal for Carlos will be sorted very soon.
"That would be great because Tevez is a world-class talent and I would be happy to play alongside him.
"It is very good to know my club is going for top-quality players like these. Now I hope we can get Eto'o as well.
"Is the club chasing too many strikers? No, I don't think so - Manchester City wants to be among the top teams in the Premier League and in Europe.
"To do that they must have at least three or maybe four top-quality strikers.
"The season in England, with the league and the cups, all the games we play is very demanding.
"But I'm not scared of the competition. If Santa Cruz and Eto'o come to City, they are talented players and I will work as always to make sure of my spot in the team."
Reports in England are claiming that Manchester City-bound Carlos Tevez decided to leave Old Trafford over two weeks ago.
The Mirror newspaper has reported that City will announce a £25.5 million move in the coming days, something that seems increasingly likely to be validated after United announced over the weekend that Tevez had rejected a five-year contract offer from the Red Devils.
A statement on United's website said that despite an offer that would make him one of the highest earners at Old Trafford," his advisers informed the club that, despite the success he has enjoyed during one of the club's most successful periods, he does not wish to continue playing for Manchester United."
Speculation is rife that Tevez was upset by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's reluctance to give him a starting spot, and the Argentine has earlier claimed he did not feel like "part of the family" in Manchester.
Tevez apparently made his decision to leave since he felt he was not valued enough at the Theatre of Dreams, despite being a fan favourite, with cries of "Sign him up, sign him up" often erupting in the stands whenever he appeared toward the end of the season.
At Eastlands, Tevez is apparently set to sign a £100,000 a week contract, and will be the third signing for City after they snapped up Gareth Barry and Roque Santa Cruz.
Manager Mark Hughes, backed by the club's Arab owners, is looking to revamp a City side that looking attackingly listless last season, and Tevez will join fellow new signing Santa Cruz as well as Robinho and Craig Bellamy up front for them.
After losing both Cristiano Ronaldo and Tevez early in the summer, Ferguson will certainly be under pressure to bring in new players, but United have so far been quiet in the market, despite being linked with Antonio Valencia, Douglas Costa and Karim Benzema among others.
Hull manager Phil Brown has revealed the club intends to speak to Michael Owen's representatives "within the week".
Owen confirmed yesterday he will be leaving Newcastle at the end of his contract with the former England striker available on a free transfer.
He is expected to command considerable interest from the Premier League and abroad but Brown believes the Tigers can pull off a notable coup by snapping up the 29-year-old former Liverpool and Real Madrid star.
"We will be speaking to Michael's representatives within the week," Brown told the Hull Daily Mail.
"I would think he would have a number of offers and we'll have to be competitive.
"But I wouldn't sit down with him if I thought I was wasting my time. Anything is possible in football."
Owen claimed yesterday the link with Hull was a "new one" to him when asked about the possibility of moving to the KC Stadium.
But Brown is adamant the lure of first-team football could tempt Owen to Humberside.
He added: "I don't think Michael will go for the best financial offer, I don't think it's about that for him at this stage of his career, he'll want the best offer for his future.
"He needs to spend a high percentage of next season's games at the highest possible level and that's where we can come in."
Brown acknowledged a player with Owen's record would not come cheap, adding on talkSPORT: "Breaking the bank is not a term the chairman would be keen on. But he's certainly someone that you would push the boat out for. He's a world-class international footballer.
"There's been a lot of documentation about injuries and being unable to fulfil contracts because he can't get on the field of play.
"But as far as I'm concerned, with a good pre-season under his belt, he's still a quality player and if I could sit around the table with Michael Owen I would be interested in doing that.
"It would be exciting to get someone through the door that could possibly score you 15 or 20 goals a season. That would be a fantastic achievement."
Airbus has officially delivered its first Chinese-made plane.
The aircraft, one of the firm's A320 mid-range models, was unveiled at a ceremony at the firm's factory outside the northern Chinese city of Tianjin.
The plane has been delivered to leasing firm Dragon Aviation, and will be used by Chinese carrier Sichuan Airlines.
BBC Beijing correspondent Quentin Sommerville said Airbus hopes its Chinese factory will give it a big advantage over US rival Boeing.
While Boeing makes components in China, Airbus is the first of the world's big-two aircraft-makers to have a full production facility in the country, as it aims to meet fast-growing Chinese demand for commercial aircraft.
'Historic day'
"We will build a strong future with the China aviation industry, and for the China aviation industry," said Airbus chief executive Thomas Enders.
Tianjin mayor Huang Xingguo said the delivery of the first Chinese-made Airbus was "a historic day" for Sino-European cooperation.
"We will further cooperate to write a new chapter in Chinese and European cooperation," he added.
Airbus' Chinese plant will now delivery a further nine planes by the end of this year, with production expected to increase to four aircraft per month before the end of 2011.
The facility is 51% owned by Airbus, with the remaining 49% owned by a Chinese aviation consortium.
China is now the world's second-largest market for commercial aircraft, and is expected to buy up to 2,800 passenger planes over the next 20 years.
The former media mogul Conrad Black has appealed to a Chicago federal judge to release him ahead of a Supreme Court appeal against his fraud conviction.
The Supreme Court agreed in May to hear the challenge, but refused to grant him bail ahead of the hearing.
His bail request has gone to US District Judge Amy St Eve, who presided over his trial. She has scheduled a hearing for 10 July.
His papers said there was a "substantial question" about his guilt.
Black was jailed for six-and-a-half years for fraud and obstruction of justice in 2007.
He argues that he did not commit fraud because he did no harm to newspaper company Hollinger International, which once owned the Daily Telegraph.
Once one of the UK's wealthiest and most influential media figures, he became a British lord in 2000 after giving up his Canadian citizenship.
Black is currently being held in the Florida Coleman Federal Correctional Facility.
Toyota has appointed the grandson of the company's founder as its new president, as the Japanese carmaker aims to turnaround its fortunes.
Akio Toyoda, 53, faces a tough job, as like most global car companies, Toyota has seen its sales slump in the face of the continuing global recession.
Last month, Toyota reported the biggest annual loss in its history, and it has already warned of worse for this year.
For the year to 31 March, it made a net loss of 437bn yen ($4.6bn; £2.8bn).
'Continued hardships'
Mr Toyoda will lead a new management team that includes four new executive vice presidents.
Like many rivals, Toyota has cut production, including at its UK plants, as sales have declined.
Its loss for the year to 31 March was its first since 1963.
"We expect to face continued hardship in our business environment for the near term, despite signs of recovery in some areas," outgoing Toyota president Katsuaki Watanabe told the firm's annual shareholder meeting.
Analysts said that Mr Watanabe, who had led Toyota since 2005, had paid the price for the firm's recent problems.
However, he will remain on the board, taking up the position of vice chairman.
Name change
Toyota was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda in 1937. He chose the name Toyota for the business rather than his surname, because Toyota was considered luckier when written in Japanese.
Car industry analyst Masaaki Sato, who has written a number of books on the company, said that the success of Japan's largest carmaker was considered important for the economy as a whole.
"We can say that if Toyota fails, then the Japanese economy will surely fail," he said.
"If Toyota can properly do its job, then the economy can recover."
Israel has released Hamas parliamentary Speaker Aziz Dweik at the end of a three-year prison sentence.
Mr Dweik and other Hamas politicians were detained in the West Bank in 2006. He was charged with belonging to an illegal organisation.
His detention followed Hamas's capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in a cross-border raid.
Hundreds of Israelis are protesting at check-points to the Gaza strip, calling for Sgt Shalit's release.
Demonstrators blockaded two crossings at Karni and Kerem Shalom on Tuesday morning, but attempts to halt lorries carrying supplies into the Gaza strip were stopped by Israeli police.
The protesters are calling for the release of Sgt Shalit, the Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian militants, including some from Hamas's armed wing.
Two other soldiers and two militants were killed in the raid.
Mr Dweik - Abu Hashem to his followers - became the Speaker of the Palestinian parliament in January 2006. He was arrested at his house in Ramallah in August 2006, two months after Israeli troops also arrested 20 Hamas MPs in response to the capture of Sgt Shalit.
According to Mr Dweik's lawyer, he "was freed from the Hadarim prison [near Tel Aviv] and he is on his way toward the Shaer Ephraim check-point".
His release comes after a military tribunal near the West Bank city of Ramallah rejected an application by prosecutors to keep Mr Dweik behind bars when his sentence ran out.
The BBC's Middle East correspondent Paul Wood said the Israeli military had presumably wanted to keep Mr Dweik in jail because holding such a senior Hamas politician would have been useful in the ongoing negotiations for the release of Sgt Shalit.
But Mr Dweik had been in bad health and has now been freed two months before the end of his existing sentence.
Earlier, his wife told a Palestinian news agency that she was surprised by the decision to release him but hoped other Palestinian prisoners would also now be freed.
Unacceptable demands
Egypt has been brokering indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
Talks broke down in March 2009 when out-going Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that Hamas had made additional demands that were unacceptable.
Hamas had demanded the release of more than 400 of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Among them are senior militants who have been involved in deadly attacks on Israeli civilians.
The Israeli blockade of Gaza's Palestinian population was tightened following the abduction of Cpl Shalit.
Inter Milan are readying a 25 million pounds bid for Arsenal's Robin Van Persie.
The Dutch striker has one of the sweetest left foot in the business and Inter boss Jose Mourinho is keen to bring him to the San Siro.
Van Persie who is currently negotiating a new contract with the English giants may be tempted to join the Mourinho revolution and try his luck in Italy.
Fellow Gunner, Emmanuel Adebayor has also been targeted by AC Milan in recent weeks.
If Milan sell Kaka to Real Madrid, they could very well move in with a firm offer for Adebayor.
Arsene Wenger will loathe the idea of seeing his two star strikers leaving the Emirates stadium for Milan.
Iran's legislative body, the Guardian Council, has said there were no major polling irregularities in the 12 June election and ruled out an annulment.
Opposition supporters called for the vote to be set aside and the elections re-run amid claims of vote tampering.
But Guardian Council spokesman Abbas Ali Kadkhoda'i said there was "no major fraud or breach in the election".
Meanwhile, opposition candidate Mehdi Karoubi urged Iranians to mourn for dead protesters on Thursday.
Mr Karoubi, who is among those asking for the election to be set aside, wants mourning ceremonies to be held around the country, his aide Issa Saharkhiz said.
His call echoed an earlier one from cleric Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, who has called for three days of national mourning for those killed in the street protests.
English-language Press TV reported the Guardian Council's rejection of an annulment on Tuesday.
On Monday, it had conceded there had been voting irregularities in 50 districts, including local vote counts that exceeded the number of eligible voters.
However, it said they were not enough to affect the overall result and incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had indeed won by a landslide.
The council's spokesman said most of the irregularities happened before the election, not during or after voting.
In a letter to the council, Mr Karoubi said: "Instead of wasting time on recounting some ballot boxes... cancel the vote."
On Monday, some 1,000 people gathered in Haft-e Tir Square in the capital Tehran despite a warning from Iran's Revolutionary Guards, an elite armed force, against holding unapproved rallies against the election results.
And Basij militiamen wielding clubs were brought in to reinforce the police.
The protests in the last 24 hours are smaller than they have been over the past 10 days, amid the strong security presence on the streets.
BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen said the protesters are talking about finding other ways to show their opposition, including strikes or civil disobedience.
A spokesman for the American government said it "would not endorse" general strikes.
But he added: "We've seen the beginnings of change in Iran."
On Friday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei banned protests, prompting street violence in which at least 10 people died.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for an end to the street violence, and threats of violence.
Mr Ban urged the authorities in Iran to respect fundamental civil rights, "especially the freedom of assembly and expression", and end arrests.
A spokesman for Mr Ban said he had been following the situation in Iran with "growing concern" and was dismayed by the use of force against civilians.
He called on Iran's government and opposition to resolve their differences peacefully through dialogue and legal means.
"He urges an immediate stop to the arrests, threats and use of force. The secretary general reiterates his hope that the democratic will of the people of Iran will be fully respected," a statement read.
A pro-government rally proposed by students to be held outside the British Embassy has been called off after they were denied a permit.
Severe reporting restrictions placed on the BBC and other foreign media in Iran mean protest reports cannot be verified independently.
Election results show Mr Ahmadinejad won the 12 June election by a landslide, taking 63% of the vote, almost double that of Mir Hossein Mousavi, his nearest rival.
An independent British analysis of the disputed election results has found irregularities in the reported turnout, as well as "implausible" swings in the vote in favour of Mr Ahmadinejad.
Analysts from St Andrew's University and the Chatham House think-tank said votes in favour of Mr Ahmadinejad in a third of the provinces would have required an "unlikely scenario" of voting patterns.
Bomb attacks in the capital Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq have killed at least 29 people and wounded 75, police say.
In the latest attack, a roadside bomb killed four people in a marketplace in Baghdad's Husseiniya district.
Other victims included three students on their way to sit exams and a child of four. More than 70 people died in a truck bombing in Kirkuk on Saturday.
The attacks come days before US troops are scheduled to pull out of Iraq's towns and cities.
With so many attacks in such a short space of time, it appears insurgents are determined to make things look as unstable as possible as the pull-out deadline approaches, the BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad says.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki urged Iraqis on Saturday: "Don't lose heart if a breach of security occurs here or there."
He said the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq's towns and cities by the end of this month would be a "great victory".
Ending operations
Police reported at least half a dozen bomb explosions in different parts of Baghdad and outlying areas with the number of people killed in each ranging between two and seven, with many others injured.
Monday's deadliest attack was caused by a suicide car bomb at municipal offices in Abu Ghraib, just west of Baghdad. Seven people died and 13 were wounded, police said.
A roadside bomb tore through a minibus carrying students to sit their exams in Baghdad's Shia neighbourhood of Sadr City.
Three students died and 12 others as well as the driver were wounded in the rush-hour attack.
Another roadside bomb killed three people and wounded 30 near a market in the Shaab district of north Baghdad. A woman and a four-year-old child were among the dead, the AFP news agency reports.
Five people were killed and 20 wounded by a parked car bomb in central Baghdad's Karrada district.
Gunmen killed at least four people in separate attacks in the northern city of Mosul.
Three soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in Diyala province, north-east of Iraq.
Most of the 133,000 US troops are due to have moved from Iraq's cities and towns to military bases by 30 June.
The withdrawal is part of an agreement that will see combat operations across Iraq end by September 2010 and all US troops out of the country by the end of 2011.
The Pakistan cricket team who won the World Twenty20 in the UK have returned home amid tight security, disappointing fans waiting to welcome them.
Hundreds of fans greeted the captain, Younis Khan, who arrived in Karachi, separately from the rest of the team,
But the remaining members of the team arrived in Lahore and were driven away in a bus before waiting fans had had a chance to show their appreciation.
The last major cricket competition Pakistan won was the 1992 World Cup.
Police official Umar Virk told Aaj Television: "We changed the plan due to security reasons and drove players and team officials in a bus to the National Cricket Academy."
'Unfortunate'
Fans who had gathered at the Lahore airport early on Tuesday beat drums and chanted slogans before realising the cricketers had departed from another terminal.
"Our hearts are broken as we could not greet our heroes," Danish Shams, a fan, said.
"We came here only to have a glimpse of them, but now the police officials are saying that they [players] have already left in a bus."
Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam said it was "unfortunate" that the waiting fans could not greet the cricketers.
"People have not slept for the last two days, but unfortunately such things do happen and I want to thank them," Mr Alam said.
"We should win more laurels for the country and I don't think we can give a better gift than this to the whole nation."
Many Pakistanis see the win as a boost for the country at a time when the army is locked in combat with the Taliban after a wave of suicide and other attacks.
Foreign teams have refused to play in Pakistan because of security concerns.
A tribal leader who opposed the head of the Taliban in Pakistan has been shot dead in the north-western Pakistani town of Dera Ismail Khan, police said.
Qari Zainuddin, 26, who often criticised Taliban head Baitullah Mehsud, was killed by a gunman in his office early on Tuesday.
Separately, reports say six people have been killed in a missile strike by a US drone aircraft in South Waziristan.
They say at least one missile struck a known stronghold of Baitullah Mehsud.
Mehsud's group is blamed for a number of deadly attacks in Pakistan.
Earlier this month, Zainuddin hit out at Mehsud for recent attacks in which civilians have been killed.
The fresh violence comes as the Pakistani army is preparing to launch a new offensive against Taliban fighters under Mehsud's command.
An aide of Zainuddin who was also wounded in the attack that killed the tribal leader said a guard entered the room at Zainuddin's office after morning prayers and opened fire.
"It was definitely Baitullah's man who infiltrated our ranks, and he has done his job," Baz Mohammad told the Associated Press news agency.
Zainuddin was taken to the hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.
'Not a jihad'
Earlier this month, Zainuddin criticised Mehsud after an attack on a mosque which killed 33 people.
He told Associated Press: "Whatever Baitullah Mehsud and his associates are doing in the name of Islam is not a jihad, and in fact it is rioting and terrorism".
"Islam stands for peace, not for terrorism," he had said.
Zainuddin's killing is being seen in Pakistan as a setback for the government in its efforts to isolate Mehsud as the security forces prepare for the next phase of their anti-Taliban offensive in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, says the BBC's Mike Wooldridge in Islamabad.
Earlier this month a prominent Muslim cleric who was outspoken in his opposition to the Taliban was killed in a suicide blast at his seminary in Lahore.
Correspondents say Mehsud is thought to head the most powerful group of militants in the country, with a network of alliances with other militants.
His stronghold in South Waziristan, bordering Afghanistan, is an area considered by many to be the hide-out of Osama Bin Laden.
Senior Tory William Hague has said the Conservatives' new "anti federalist" bloc in the European Parliament will be "good for European democracy".
The new European Conservatives and Reformists Group includes 55 MEPs from across eight member states.
Former Tory MEP Caroline Jackson warned it would create "bad blood" with traditional centre-right allies.
But Mr Hague said it would still work with the EPP group but differed from it on the extent of European integration.
He told BBC Radio 4's World at One the way the Conservatives had left the European People's Party grouping had been been "perfectly amicable".
However, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the Tories "have dragged themselves from Euro-scepticism to Euro-extremism".
'Federal Europe'
Mr Hague said: "We do work, on a regular basis, with President Sarkozy's party, with Chancellor Merkel's party - that doesn't mean we have to be in the same group in the European Parliament.
"These groups will often work together but clearly we differ with those parties about the extent of European integration.
"We don't believe in the so-called federal Europe and it has got to be good for European democracy and diversity to have a grouping in the European Parliament with which we agree and can put an alternative point of view."
The Conservatives will be the biggest party in the new group with 26 MEPs, including Northern Ireland's Jim Nicholson of United Conservatives and Unionists - New Force.
Others who have signed up include 15 MEPs from the Poland's Law and Justice Party (PiS), nine from the Czech Civic Democratic Party (ODS), and one each from the Dutch ChristenUnie, Latvian National Independence Movement (TB/LNNK), Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) and Belgian Lijst Dedecker (LDD).
One member of Finland's Centre Party will also join the group, although the remainder of the party's MEPs will remain in the liberal ALDE bloc.
Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman Ed Davey said the Tories had chosen "ideological isolationism" over influence.
He added: "This announcement confirms that the Tories have left the mainstream of European politics and joined forces with a rag-bag of parties with extreme views."
'Odds and sods'
But Mr Hague disagreed. He said the ODS - the party of former Czech PM Mirek Topolanek, who lost a confidence vote in May - were still the "leading party of the Czech Republic".
The PiS were "the party of the president of Poland", he said. Poland is governed by the centre-right Civic Platform.
Other allies in Finland, the Netherlands and Latvia were part of ruling coalitions, he added.
"These are no marginal parties they are mainstream parties that we are very happy to work with," he said.
All members of the new group have signed up to the "Prague Declaration", negotiated in the Czech Republic, which argues for EU reform and opposes federalism.
To form a group in the European Parliament and access EU funding, the Conservatives had needed to attract a minimum of 25 MEPs from at least seven states.
Mr Cameron pledged to cut the Conservatives' ties with the EPP grouping during his 2005 Conservative leadership campaign.
The Tories have also been criticised for joining forces with the PiS, who in the past have tried to ban gay marches in Poland. Mr Hague told the BBC that the PiS's attitudes to gay rights had changed.
Robert Oulds, director of the Eurosceptic Bruges Group, said: "The Conservative Party's federalist rump, both at Westminster and Brussels, should now recognise that the tide has turned."
Delays in defence projects have left front-line troops in Afghanistan serving with almost obsolete equipment, a cross-party committee of MPs says.
Twenty of the Ministry of Defence's biggest projects are a total of 40 years late, the Public Accounts Committee said in a critical report.
Bills rose by more than £200m over the past year making forecast costs £28bn.
Defence Equipment Minister Quentin Davies strongly denied the delays had led to gaps in frontline capability.
The delays have meant a 12% increase in the estimated total cost of the projects.
The committee's chairman, Edward Leigh MP, said there were serious consequences for troops fighting in Afghanistan.
'Same old failings'
"What lies behind this are the same old failings: including, at the start of projects, both a lack of realism and unjustified optimism about what can be achieved, at what cost and by when.
"Delays to projects have led to gaps in our present front-line capability.
"For example, the MoD [Ministry of Defence] has had to use in Afghanistan interim vehicles and kit approaching obsolescence."
Projects hit by the delays include the Terrier armoured vehicle and the Soothsayer electronic warfare system.
BBC Defence Correspondent Caroline Wyatt said one of the most seriously delayed projects is the A400M aircraft.
This is due to replace the ageing Hercules fleet, which the committee says is now under tremendous pressure in Afghanistan.
Milan are ready to rekindle their interest in Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, as their move for Wolfsburg’s Edin Dzeko looks to have collapsed.
The Bosnian star had earlier said he would be honoured to join the Italian side, but Wolfsburg's reluctancy to sell may mean Milan have to look elsewhere.
Milan have been struggling to agree terms for Dzeko after they apparently did not match Wolfsburg's asking price, and a move that seemed close to complete seems to have fallen apart.
Il Corriere Dello Sport reports that the Rossonieri may instead shift their attention back to Arsenal's Togolese star Adebayor.
The Italians were linked with Adebayor last summer, but were rebuffed by Arsenal. However, reports have now speculated that the player's Italian agents, Giuliano Terraneo and Claudio Vigorelli, were in Milan on Monday to discuss a possible transfer.
Despite the rumours, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has claimed he has no intention to sell his top players this summer.
If the Dzeko and Adebayor moves both fail to materialize, another possibility up front at the San Siro could be Didier Drogba.
The English press has claimed that Chelsea's Drogba may be moving to Milan as part of a swap deal for Alexandre Pato - reports that so far seem unfounded but could be negotiated considering Chelsea's financial clout.
R&B singer Chris Brown has pleaded guilty in the US to one count of assault on his former girlfriend, pop star Rihanna.
Brown, 19, was sentenced to five years' probation and ordered to do six months of community service.
Brown had faced charges of assaulting Rihanna, 21, during a row in February.
The last-minute plea deal came before a hearing at a Los Angeles court at which Rihanna was due to give evidence. She said the sentence was "fair".
Brown had been facing a potential jail sentence of four years.
His sentence involves five years of supervised probation and six months of community labour, such as picking up litter or removing graffiti.
He will also have to attend courses on domestic violence.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg told him: "I think it's commendable that you took responsibility for your conduct, sir."
Speaking outside the court, Brown's lawyer Mark Geragos said: "He embraces this as a chance to get the message out that domestic violence will not be tolerated. He wants to get his life back on track."
After Brown left the courtroom, Rihanna entered and was addressed by Judge Schnegg who explained to the Barbados-born singer that she had issued a stay-away order.
The singer had not been seeking such an order, but the judge imposed one anyway.
The order requires that Brown and Rihanna stay at least 50 yards (45m) from each other, except at entertainment industry events when the distance is reduced to 10 yards (9m).
The judge also told Rihanna it is not a one-way order - and that she, too, should not get any closer to Brown than the order allows.
Rihanna's lawyer, Donald Etra, said the singer believed it was a "fair and just resolution" to the case.
Brown will be formally sentenced on 5 August.
Brown, whose hits include With You and No Air, was questioned by police on 8 February over a complaint of assault.
Police said he had been in an argument with an unidentified woman in a parked car in the Hancock Park area of Los Angeles, which escalated after they left the vehicle.
Both Brown and Rihanna pulled out of that night's Grammy awards, where they had been due to perform.
He has since said he was "sorry and saddened" by the incident and was seeking counselling.
After reports of the assault emerged, a photograph was posted on a US gossip website which purported to show Rihanna with welts, scratches, bruises and swelling on her face.
After it appeared, the Los Angeles Police Department launched an internal investigation and asked for the public's help in finding the person who leaked it.
Iker Casillas believes that Real Madrid have made the right decision to splash the cash on Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Casillas is confident that the world class pair can have a similar impact on the club the way Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham had on the club.
Although Los Blancos have broken the bank to sign a couple of players to the tune of €161 million, the Spanish keeper is pleased that the club has brought in reinforcements after a disastrous season.
"I think it's fantastic to sign great players because the best should play for Real Madrid," the club's official website quote him as having said.
"Such an amount of money was paid in the past for men like Zidane, who was an amazing player and a great person. The same goes for [David] Beckham. I don't know Kaka, but I'm told he is a great guy and that's important."
Casillas may have won plenty of silverware with Real Madrid, but his focus is now on winning the Confederations Cup to go with the European Championships medal he won in 2008.
"I will always have the chance to win something every year with Real Madrid, but a Euro only comes every four years. Winning in Vienna was a childhood dream come true," he added.
"I didn't want to retire without winning a title with the national team. Great players like [Andoni] Zubizarreta, [Emilio] Butragueno, [Diego] Camacho and [Josep] Guardiola played for Spain in the past, but they had only won a silver medal in the Euros and an Olympic gold medal."
"The problem is we now want more. We are playing to win the Confederations Cup and the World Cup is around the corner. We are hungry for titles."
Man United are currently monitoring the situation of Nilmar at Internacional, and are keen on signing the striker.
United are allegedly in the midst of raising the £20 million needed to purchase the 24-year-old hitman.
Sir Alex Ferguson has reportedly singled out the Brazilian forward as Carlos Tevez's successor, after the Argentine international ruled out a return to Old Trafford.
Rumours from England have claimed that the Premier League champions sent more than a handful of scouts to the Confederations Cup to have a good look at Nilmar, but he has only made a substitute appearance for Brazil in the tournament so far.
Nilmar began his career with Internacional, hauling in 16 goals in 42 games in his rookie campaign. The Bandeirantes-born hitman then joined Olympique Lyonnais in 2004, but struggled to make the grade at the Stade Gerland.
The Brazil international then moved to Corinthians in 2005, scoring eight goals in 32 games.
Nilmar has now rediscovered the rich vein of form that once made him such a prized asset, scoring 15 goals in 31 games since returning to Internacional in 2007.
Seven police officers have been killed in an ambush by Farc rebels in the south-western province of Cauca, authorities in Colombia say.
Officials said the attack was part of a wider battle in which at least 25 rebels were killed when the Colombian airforce bombed their base.
A regional Farc commander accused of several car bombings in the city of Cali is thought to be among the dead.
President Alvaro Uribe has weakened the Farc since he took office in 2002.
But the left-wing rebel movement is still active in large areas of rural Colombia.
Police said a local rebel commander known as "El Enano", or "The Midget", appeared to be among the guerrillas killed in the fighting near the town of Buenos Aires, in the province of Cauca.
Government security forces continued battling members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as Farc, into Monday night around the town, authorities said.
The Marxist Farc rebels have been waging a 44-year-long guerrilla war against the Colombian government.
Hull City chairman Paul Duffen has confirmed the club's interest in signing Newcastle United striker Michael Owen.
Owen's contract at St James' Park expires at the end of the month and his representatives have sent out a brochure to several Premier League clubs outlining his credentials.
Everton have been linked with a swoop for the former Liverpool star, but now ambitious Hull have thrown their hat into the ring.
Reports claim the Tigers are willing to offer Owen a one-year deal, with the option of a further 12 months and the terms will be heavily incetivised.
Duffen revealed Hull, who finished 17th in their debut season in the Premier League, are interested in taking the 29-year-old to the KC Stadium.
And Duffen is optimistic that he can persuade the England international to join the Tigers providing the 'right deal' can be agreed.
"We're interested in Michael Owen on the right terms," Duffen told the News of the World.
"He's a fantastic footballer. He's had a few injury problems, but we would have to be interested in him.
"If the right deal can be done then we would definitely be keen to sign him. We are an ambitious football club and we want to show that.
"It would be an enormous move for us, but the deal can be done if it is on the right terms."
A case against the British government brought by veterans of Kenya's independence struggle will be heard at London's High Court later.
Three men and two women have launched a compensation claim for alleged human rights abuses in the 1950s and 1960s.
Thousands of people were rounded up and forced into camps by the British during what was known as the Mau Mau uprising.
The UK says the claim is not valid because of the amount of time since the abuses were alleged to have happened.
Independence movement
The five Kenyans - aged in their 70s and 80s - are the lead claimants in the reparations case.
They want the British government to acknowledge responsibility for atrocities in the pre-independence era and to compensate them.
The government has indicated that the claim is invalid because of the time that has passed and that any liability rested with the Kenyan authorities after independence in 1963.
An armed movement began in central Kenya during the 1950s with the aim of getting back land seized by British colonial authorities.
Veterans of the war say they suffered barbaric treatment, including torture, as the British suppressed the rebellion.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission has said 90,000 Kenyans were executed, tortured or maimed during the crackdown, and 160,000 were detained in appalling conditions.
Historians say the Mau Mau movement helped Kenya achieve independence.
Michael Owen has confirmed he will leave Newcastle when his contract expires at the end of the month.
The 29-year-old, who rejected a new deal at St James' Park at the turn of the year, is to end his stay on Tyneside four years after making a club record £17million switch from Real Madrid.
Owen's decision comes as no surprise as the Magpies attempt to slash their wage bill in the wake of a disastrous relegation from the Barclays Premier League.
His availability has been made known to a series of clubs both at home and abroad by his representatives in recent weeks, and he has admitted he is looking to stay in the Premier League, or to play at a comparative level in another country.
Owen told Sky Sports News: "I'm still obviously contracted to Newcastle. I've still got weeks, a month or whatever left, I'm not sure, so that's where I am at the minute.
"I don't think I'm going to be re-signing at Newcastle. I don't think they are going to offer me a contract and I would prefer to play in the Premier League or a top division somewhere else.
"I'm still a Newcastle player, but I think it will only be for a matter of weeks.
"There are plenty of clubs who would interest me, but we will see where that is, whether that's home or abroad.
"There has been a lot of interest from abroad, and quite a bit from at home as well.
"Obviously, the Premier League is where I feel I belong. I played a year out in Spain and enjoyed it at Real Madrid, but it definitely confirmed to me that I prefer the Premier League.
"So if it was to be a good English club, that would be my preference, but I have had quite a lot of interest from abroad, so I wouldn't rule that out."
Owen's capture was hailed as a coup back in August 2005 when then chairman Freddy Shepherd, with the help of skipper Alan Shearer, managed to persuade the England striker to return home in an effort to keep himself in the frame for the 2006 World Cup finals.
However, a succession of injuries, including the fractured metatarsal which almost denied him his trip to Germany and the ligament damage which ended it prematurely, have limited him to just 79 appearances.
Those 79 appearances, 65 of which were starts, brought him 30 goals, 10 of them last season.
However, his last strike came on January 10 in a 2-2 draw with West Ham and the man the club hoped would help bring them silverware was ultimately unable to keep them in the top flight.
Owen has been linked with a series of potential purchasers since it became apparent that his future did not lie on Tyneside, with Everton and Hull among those to have been mentioned most prominently.
Tigers boss Phil Brown has confirmed his interest in the striker, but has insisted no offer has been made, and Owen admits he is not aware of an approach from the Humberside club.
He said: "I haven't been made aware of that. That's quite a new one.
"I suppose I have been linked to virtually every team over the last few months. But I will sit down over the next couple of weeks.
"I don't think it's quite fair to Newcastle [to talk about possible destinations]. As I said, I can't see me staying at Newcastle.
"I have had four enjoyable years and I'm very sorry, obviously, to leave them when they are going to be in Championship, so I wouldn't like to be talking about specific clubs I could be joining while I'm still a Newcastle player."
Owen has found himself at the centre of an ongoing debate over his ability to cut it at the highest level after losing his place in the England squad as Newcastle's fortunes have dwindled.
However, he insists he can cope with the criticism.
He said: "I suppose I have got skin thicker than 99.9% of the population, so I have got used to it.
"I don't know why I should get used to it, but I suppose I have.
"People write you off - but when I scored a goal in the World Cup as an 18-year-old, people six months later were writing me off saying, 'It's a one-off'.
"Then you score a hat-trick against Germany in Munich and win five trophies in a year with Liverpool and a year later, they will write you off.
"I will come back, I will play well and score goals and do all these things once more.
"Everyone will keep quiet for six months, and then I will have two or three bad games and they will say, 'He's about to turn 30, his legs are going'.
"There will be something, there always is - this country is renowned for it. Someone will always criticise you, no matter what.
"If I let that affect me, I would never be where I am today. Yes, I would prefer people to say nice things about me because it's not like I've murdered anyone or something."
Theo Walcott came off the bench in Gothenburg to help send England into the semi-finals of the European Under-21 Championship.
Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce controversially dropped the Arsenal winger at Gamla Ullevi but England were ahead five minutes after he came on, with Fraizer Campbell netting.
Walcott then set up the second goal for James Milner, who had a penalty saved in the first half.
The result means England are now in the semi-finals, with a Group B match against Germany to spare.
As he admits himself, Pearce is still learning as a manager and his decision not to train at the ground almost cost his youngsters an early goal.
Nedum Onuoha overhit a backpass, misjudging the pace of the turf, with Joe Hart racing back and clearing on the line. Even then, it required England to hack away as the Spaniards closed in.
Hart also sent a clearance along the floor straight to Javi Martinez, but the Spain midfielder could not direct his finish.
Milner's crosses appeared England's most likely route to goal.
The Aston Villa midfielder put one on Gabriel Agbonlahor's head which was deflected over, then from the corner Onuoha and Martin Cranie had close-range efforts blocked.
Milner earned and took England's penalty just after the half-hour mark. Spain lost possession in their own half and Adam Johnson fed through Milner, who twisted his way past Javi Garcia before getting brought down.
It was a well-struck penalty but Sergio Asenjo was down sharply to his right to palm away.
Worse was to follow for England as Agbonlahor had to be taken off six minutes before the break but it was Campbell, not Walcott, who came on.
Hart had a rush of blood to the head 10 minutes after the restart, racing out to meet Martinez even though there was little danger. The Spain midfielder rolled the ball towards goal and Cranie was needed to clear off the goalline.
There were jeers when Barcelona's Bojan Krkic was taken off for Diego Capel just before the hour mark, with two of the biggest stars of the tournament on the bench at that stage. That lasted until the 62nd minute, when Walcott was introduced for Johnson.
Five minutes later, England were ahead. Milner won the ball in Spain territory and poked the ball through for Campbell, who cut inside Garcia before planting his finish in the bottom corner.
Smoke then came out of the stand at the end Campbell scored in, but the situation appeared to be in control.
Pearce danced down the touchline when Walcott set up the second goal, racing behind the Spain defence by outpacing Garcia, then cutting the ball back for Milner to smash home.
The only sour point was Milner's booking, which rules him out of the Germany game.
Moderate Muslim preachers are leaving the Netherlands and being replaced by more extreme clerics, senior Dutch Muslim officials have warned.
Nasr Joemann of the Netherlands' Muslim Contact Group (CMO) said imams felt discriminated against and were leaving for France and Spain.
Of 450 Dutch mosques, 180 had no imam, leaving a vacuum that uncertified clerics were filling, he told BBC News.
The Dutch government said it had planned a meeting on the matter.
The CMO will be among the organisations present at the talks on 31 January with Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk.
The justice and immigration department said it would not comment on the matter until then.
There are about one million Muslims in the Netherlands - about 6% of the population.
Tensions have risen in recent years, since the popularity of anti-immigration politician Pim Fortuyn and the murder of film-maker Theo Van Gogh by a Muslim extremist.
'Situation critical'
The Deputy Chairman of the Association of Dutch Imams, Mohamed Ousalah, has accused the government of doing little to remedy the situation.
"The situation is critical. In Amsterdam, The Hague and Utrecht dozens of imams have left," he told the Dutch newspaper de Telegraaf.
He said imams were becoming disillusioned and leaving because since the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US, they were increasingly being linked to terrorism and facing discrimination.
Mr Joemann explained that while the Netherlands' Turkish community could recruit imams from Turkey, because of agreements between the Dutch and Turkish governments, there were much tighter restrictions on Moroccan imams.
"The mosques are forced to appoint people who are sometimes not qualified," he said.
"They are not always Moroccan or Turkish - sometimes they are from Somalia, Syria or Jordan - and they have a different concept of Islam."
Some, he said, followed the Wahhabi doctrine - a strictly conservative form of Islam previously absent from the Netherlands.
"They are creating problems and propagating new views in the mosques. Young people are quite open to this teaching. This is creating tension and clashes in the community," he said.
While the government had helped set up a scheme to train Dutch-born Muslims to be imams, it would be some years before the graduates could be posted to mosques, he said.
In the meantime he urged the government to relax restrictions on imams coming from Morocco, but said the government "has not responded positively yet".
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has spoken out strongly against the wearing of the burka by Muslim women in France.
In a major policy speech, he said the burka - a garment covering women from head to toe - reduced them to servitude and undermined their dignity.
Mr Sarkozy also gave his backing to the establishment of a parliamentary commission to look at whether to ban the wearing of burkas in public.
In 2004, France banned the Islamic headscarves in its state schools.
'Not welcome'
"We cannot accept to have in our country women who are prisoners behind netting, cut off from all social life, deprived of identity," Mr Sarkozy told a special session of parliament in Versailles.
"That is not the idea that the French republic has of women's dignity.
"The burka is not a sign of religion, it is a sign of subservience. It will not be welcome on the territory of the French republic," the French president said.
But he stressed that France "must not fight the wrong battle", saying that "the Muslim religion must be respected as much as other religions" in the country.
A group of a cross-party lawmakers is already calling for a special inquiry into whether Muslim women who wear the burka is undermining French secularism, the BBC's Emma Jane Kirby in Paris says.
The lawmakers also want to examine whether women who wear the veil are doing so voluntarily or are being forced to cover themselves, our correspondent says.
Mr Sarkozy's speech was the first a French president has made to parliament since the 19th century - made possible by a constitutional amendment he introduced last year.
Later on Monday, Mr Sarkozy was expected to meet the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifah al-Thani.
In 2004, France banned the Islamic headscarf and other conspicuous religious symbols from public schools, triggering heated debate in the country and abroad.
Members of the French government have been divided over the issue.
The immigration minister, Eric Besson, has said a full ban will only "create tensions" while the junior minister for human rights, Rama Yade, said she would accept a ban if it was aimed at protecting women forced to wear the burka.
France's official Muslim council has criticised the debate.
"To raise the subject like this, via a parliamentary committee, is a way of stigmatising Islam and the Muslims of France," said Mohammed Moussaoui, head of the French Council for the Muslim Religion.
France is home to about five million Muslims.
Nigeria's central bank has indicated that it is prepared to lift a ban on foreign ownership of its banks.
Restricting outside investment was "not a sustainable policy" the Bank's new governor Lamido Sanusi has said.
Most international banks left Nigeria in the 1970s after military rulers imposed a law part-nationalising banks.
Although there has liberalisation in the sector, only Standard Chartered and Citigroup have re-established large operations in the country.
'Skills'
Currently the central bank must approve the acquisition of more than 5% of a Nigerian bank by a foreign firm.
Mr Sanusi said that the previous governor had also imposed a rule that no foreign bank could own more than 10% of a Nigerian one, but that this was "unnecessary" and should change.
Encouraging outside investment is part of a wider plan to shore-up confidence in the country's financial system which had suffered losses during the collapse of local stock markets last year.
"We do need the capital to come in, we do need the skills on...risk management and secondly at this time we may need to recapitalise banks.
"What you want to do is open up all the possibilities," Mr Sanusi said, adding that there was no timeframe for easing the restrictions.
Earlier, in an interview with the Financial Times he said that Nigeria wanted to "try to encourage the foreign banks that are coming, not just with money, but with management and systems, to come in and acquire".
"Why wouldn't I be comfortable with a bank owned by Barclays, of HSBC or China Construction Bank who I know?" he added.
England Under-21s battled to victory in their European Championships opener despite playing for an hour with 10 men.
Micah Richards grabbed the winner for Stuart Pearce's side at Orjans Vall after they had Michael Mancienne sent off for a professional foul after Lee Cattermole had given them the lead.
Tim Sparv levelled from the penalty spot before seeing Theo Walcott, his former Southampton team-mate, replaced at the interval in the Arsenal forward's first appearance at a major championship after going to the World Cup with the seniors three years ago but not playing.
Richards' header after the break earned England a vital win as their other Group B opponents are Spain and Germany, who are expected to provide sterner tests.
Sparv, who was Walcott's housemate when they were both Saints youngsters, suggested England would be laughing at the clubs Finland's youngsters played for, but the underdogs were deadly serious when play got under way.
It was against the run of play when England took the lead in the 15th minute with their first serious attack.
James Milner's ball over the top looked simple enough to deal with but Gabriel Agbonlahor muscled his way past Jonas Portin and cut the ball back for Cattermole to sidefoot home off left-back Jukka Raitala.
It did not dampen the spirit of the Finns and they were level after Mancienne was sent off on the half-hour mark.
Another ball over the top from Sparv caused problems and the Chelsea defender bundled over Berat Sadik, grappling him to the ground.
Either Mancienne or Joe Hart should have dealt with it but it resulted in Sparv sending the Manchester City goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot and sparked manic celebrations where every Finnish outfield player jumped the hoardings and celebrated with fans.
Walcott was replaced by Fraizer Campbell at the break, with Agbonlahor heading out to the flank.
And England were ahead again eight minutes after the restart. Milner's free-kick had been tipped over the crossbar and it was the Aston Villa midfielder who swung over the corner.
Richards escaped Sparv's attentions and guided his header between the post and Kasper Hamalainen's attempted diving clearance.
Substitute Pukki Teemu went wide with one effort but the Finns could not make their extra man count, although Jussi Vasara hit the side-netting late on with a header from a corner.
Mining giant Anglo-American has rejected an approach from Swiss-based rival Xstrata about a possible merger as "totally unacceptable".
Anglo said that the proposals - which would have created a group worth more than £40bn lacked "strategic merit".
Xstrata had claimed a union "of equals" between "these two world-class companies" was "highly compelling".
Industry observers suggest a merger would make sense because of the vast cost savings that could be made.
But Anglo said that its current business strategy was already set to make "substantial savings".
It added that a merger with Xstrata would "profoundly impact" the nature of the group's interests in a way that was not beneficial - citing a negative effect on its position in the platinum, iron ore and diamond markets.
Anglo and Xstrata both have coal mines and infrastructure in Australia and South Africa, as well as copper mining operations.
The combined firm would be worth about £41bn based on their stock market value on Friday.
Sector consolidation
Mining firms have been hit by falling demand for metals amid the downturn.
They have also had problems raising cash because of the credit crunch, which last year led Xstrata to abandon its £5bn bid for its rival Lonmin.
And Anglo-American is cutting 19,000 jobs this year after a 29% fall in 2008 net earnings because of sliding demand for raw materials.
Last month Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton agreed a joint venture - a deal struck after Rio scrapped a planned tie-up with Chinalco, a state-controlled Chinese company.
Stuart Pearce's decision to make 10 changes paid off as Jack Rodwell's equaliser against Germany ensured England finished top of Group B in the European Under-21 Championships.
After falling behind to Gonzalo Castro's opener at Orjans Vall, Pearce's fringe players put in the type of performance he was wanting and Everton youngster Rodwell was the outstanding player in a decent team performance.
Rodwell's maturity in midfield was rewarded when he headed the equaliser, meaning England play their semi-final in Gothenburg later this week.
In the night's other game, Spain were eliminated but finished the tournament strongly with a dominant 2-0 victory over Finland.
Strikes in each half from Escudero Raul Garcia and Sanchez Pedro Leon wrapped up the win, but Spain finished third in Group B - and like Finland, failed to make the semi-finals.
Stock markets have seen large falls as weaker oil and metal prices weighed on commodity stocks, and a World Bank report dampened sentiment.
In the US, the Dow dropped 2.4%, while German and French markets both shed 3%.
London's FTSE 100 fell 2.6%, with mining shares weighing on the index. Oil giants BP and Shell also saw falls after oil dropped below $67 a barrel.
The World Bank said it expected the economic growth of developing countries to slow this year.
It expects GDP in developing countries to grow by just 1.2% this year, compared with 5.9% in 2008 and 8.1% in 2007.
"The World Bank's forecast is certainly playing a role," said Luc Van Hecka, chief economist at KBC Securities.
"People were becoming perhaps a bit too complacent that most of the difficulties with the financial crisis were behind us. I see some cautious forces here and there."
Falling commodities
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones index closed 200.7 points lower at 8,339.
Russia's main stock index, the Micex, fell 8% as it felt the impact of falling oil prices, which make up a large part of Russia's economy.
US light, sweet crude oil dropped $2.62, settling at $66.93 a barrel.
In the UK, BP shares declined 3.8% while shares in Royal Dutch Shell lost 4.7% of their value.
The FTSE 100 index closed down 2.6% at 4,234.
Mining stocks also saw heavy falls, pushed down by lower metal prices. Vedanta was the biggest faller, dropping 8.4%.
In France, steelmaker ArcelorMittal fell 6.9%, while in the US, aluminium firm Alcoa was down 8.9%.
Two rush-hour subway trains have collided in Washington DC, leaving at least six people dead and 76 injured.
Carriages of one train came to rest on top of the other after hitting it from behind as it was stationary, although the cause is unclear, officials said.
The female driver of the moving train was among the dead.
The crash - the worst in 33 years of the Metro system - happened above ground between Fort Totten and Takoma Park at 1700 local time (2200 BST).
President Barack Obama said in a statement: "Michelle and I were saddened by the terrible accident in north-east Washington DC. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy.
"I want to thank the brave first responders who arrived immediately to save lives."
Washington fire chief Dennis Rubin said approximately 200 firefighters were at the scene of the accident.
He said 76 people were treated at the scene and six of those were sent to hospital with critical injuries.
He said the majority were walking wounded.
Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty described it as "the deadliest accident in the history of our Metro train transit system".
He added: "We have to at this time continue to act and behave as a rescue scene."
BBC correspondent Richard Lister said it was possible people were still trapped in the lower of the two train carriages.
He said Mr Rubin had reported that parts of that carriage were 70 to 80% compressed.
The general manager of the Washington subway, John Catoe, confirmed the second train had crashed into the back of the first train as it was stationary.
He said: "The next train came up behind it and for reasons we do not know ploughed into the back of the train.
"We are committed to investigate this accident until we determine why this happened and what must be done to ensure it never happens again."
Passenger Jodie Wickett told CNN she had been sitting on one of the six-car trains, sending text messages on her phone, when she felt the impact.
She said: "From that point on, it happened so fast, I flew out of the seat and hit my head."
Ms Wickett said she stayed at the scene and tried to help.
She added: "People are just in very bad shape. The people that were hurt, the ones that could speak, were calling back as we called out to them.
"Lots of people were upset and crying, but there were no screams."
Another unnamed passenger said: "I was on the train that got hit. We stopped and then it felt like an explosion... when we were hit it seemed like at full speed by the train behind us.
"It was horrible. The second train - the first car was just absolutely shredded, the second car, the seats were out the window. It was awful."
Our correspondent added the accident had happened at the peak of rush hour, on what is a popular and busy commuter line.
The accident is the Metro network's first crash with a passenger fatality since 1982 when three people were killed in a derailment.
