Shortlisted authors await Booker
The winner of the prestigious Man Booker Prize, the UK's best known literature prize, is to be announced. Bookmakers have installed Julian Barnes as favourite to win with his novel Arthur and George.
Also on the shortlist are Zadie Smith and Kazuo Ishiguro, who won the prize in 1989 for Remains of the Day.
Ali Smith, Sebastian Barry and John Banville are also in contention for the £50,000 prize.
Bookmaker Ladbrokes has given Barnes odds of 6/5 to win the prize, followed by Ishiguro at 4/1 for Never Let Me Go.
A panel of judges whittled down a longlist of 17 books, which featured four previous winners. But of that quartet only Ishiguro made it to the final stages.
BOOKER SHORTLIST
Julian Barnes - Arthur and George
Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go
Zadie Smith - On Beauty
Sebastian Barry - A Long Long Way
John Banville - The Sea
Ali Smith - The Accidental
Booker author profiles
Zadie Smith is nominated for On Beauty, a homage to EM Forster's Howards End.
Her first two works, White Teeth and The Autograph Man, made previous Booker longlists but this is her first appearance on a shortlist.
However, White Teeth did win a clutch of awards, including the Whitbread first novel award in 2000.
Novelist and playwright Sebastian Barry is nominated for A Long Long Way, about an Irish soldier fighting in the British Army during World War I.
John Banville, another Irish writer, is in the running for The Sea, about a man who confronts his past in a town where he spent a childhood holiday.
And The Accidental by Ali Smith tells the story of a mysterious girl who turns a family upside down when she arrives on their doorstep.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertain...ts/4319734.stm
Hair-raising surprise for baboon
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Baby baboon bald and beautiful
A new baby at a Devon zoo has been attracting a lot of attention - for all the wrong reasons. The bald truth is that Reggie the hamadryas baboon has had his hair licked off with some excessive tender loving care by his mother.
Reggie was born at Paignton Zoo three weeks ago, weighing 18oz (510g) with a normal covering of hair.
A zoo spokesman said: "Mostly they're born hairy and stay hairy, but in this case the mother has been over-zealous."
Phil Knowling added: "It will grow back and he will be fine, but he is a baboon curiosity at the moment."
The idea of changing Reggie's name is being toyed with.
The youngster was initially named after the late Reggie Kray, but after a lot of head scratching and hair pulling, keepers think the baboon with the shiny pink head looks more like Gollum from Lord of the Rings.
The zoo has about 60 hamadryas baboons, which are native to north-east Africa and were considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/4334440.stm
Missing Beethoven score for sale
An 80-page handwritten manuscript by Beethoven which was missing for 115 years has been put up for auction. The score of Grosse Fuge, which has the composer's changes, was found by a librarian at a US religious school.
It is expected to fetch up to £1.5m when it goes on sale at Sotheby's auction house in London on 1 December.
Sotheby's says the score, which was last seen at an auction in Berlin in 1890, is "the most important Beethoven manuscript to appear in recent memory".
The buyer at the 1890 Berlin auction is now believed to have been an industrialist from Ohio who took the manuscript to the US.
The German composer wrote Grosse Fuge while contending with deafness.
The score dates from 1826, the year before he died.
Dr Stephen Roe, head of Sotheby's manuscript department, said the discovery was "an amazing find".
Chance find
"It has never before been seen or described by Beethoven scholars," he said.
"Its rediscovery will allow a complete reassessment of this extraordinary music."
The script, which contains multiple deletions and corrections, was found by librarian Heather Carbo at the Palmer Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.
Ms Carbo was conducting an inventory of the seminary's archives when she came across the manuscript in a basement cabinet.
Manuscripts by Mozart were discovered at the seminary in 1990.
President Dr Wallace Charles Smith said: "At the time, we called it 'the Mozart miracle'. It seems appropriate that this time we are thankful for the 'Beethoven blessing'."
The last missing Beethoven manuscript to be discovered was found in Cornwall in 1999 and sold by Sotheby's for £166,500.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertain...ic/4337858.stm
US school cancels 'decadent' prom
The head of a US Catholic school has cancelled prom night because of objections to a "bacchanalian" culture of "financial decadence". Kenneth Hoagland, of Kellenberg Memorial High in Long Island, took action via a letter to parents.
"[Kellenberg] is willing to sponsor a prom, but not an orgy," he wrote, after consultations that began last year.
Prom night is a rite of passage for US students and there have been passionate reactions for and against the move.
'Emotionally traumatic'
"It is not primarily the sex, booze, drugs that surround this event, as problematic as they might be," Brother Hoagland wrote.
"It is rather the flaunting of affluence, assuming exaggerated expenses, a pursuit of vanity for vanity's sake. In a word, financial decadence," he added.
"Each year it gets worse, becomes more exaggerated, more expensive, more emotionally traumatic.
"We are withdrawing from the battle and allowing the parents full responsibility."
The principal began looking into the future of the prom last Spring after it was discovered that 46 Kellenberg seniors made a $10,000 down payment on a $20,000 house rental in the Hamptons for a post-prom party.
When school officials found out, they forced the students to cancel the deal.
But Mr Hoagland said some parents went ahead and rented a Hamptons house anyway.
The school says it is open to prom alternatives and says most parents support the move.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4350764.stm
Can fingerprints wear away?
People could apparently be misidentified by hi-tech scanners developed for national ID cards because their fingerprints have been worn away. Could this really happen?
Manual work has never been good for the hands, but now it seems it could get a person in trouble with authorities.
Labourers and builders could find their fingerprints are not recognised by new high-tech equipment, an internal report for the government has reportedly warned.
They are not alone - typists, pianists, violinists and guitarists also face inaccurate readings.
The problem is that fingerprints can be severely worn down, particularly among people who work with abrasive materials.
Skin grafts
"The ridges that make up fingerprints are like a ploughed field," says fingerprint expert Raymond Broadstock.
"Work such as labouring and typing wears down those ridges and affects the smoothness of the skin. It can make fingerprints very hard to read. Certain vitamin deficiencies can also do the same."
The damage is not permanent as the skin rejuvenates within days. But for those who work in such professions there is little chance for their fingers to get a long enough rest for the ridges to rebuild - except on holiday.
"Prisoners have been known to rub their hands against the rough walls of prison cells to try and wear away the ridges," says Mr Broadstock. "They are just placed in cells with smooth walls for a few day until the skin rejuvenates itself."
Government's trials are said to have suggested that worn away fingerprints - along with problems with face and iris scans - could identify one in 1,000 people as someone else.
One possible way round the problem would be to develop machines that also scan palms, as they have the same unique ridges, says Mr Broadstock.
"One criminal in the US obliterated his fingerprints by taking skin from other parts of his body and grafting it onto his fingertips. It worked but he still got caught because he had forgotten about his palms. He was surprised to say the least."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4349232.stm
Greenpeace fined for reef damage
Environmental group Greenpeace has been fined almost $7,000 (£4,000) for damaging a coral reef at a World Heritage site in the Philippines. Their flagship Rainbow Warrior II ran aground at Tubbataha Reef Marine Park, in the Sula Sea, 650km (400 miles) south-east of Manila.
Park officials said almost 100 sq m (1,076 sq ft) of reef had been damaged.
Greenpeace agreed to pay the fine, but blamed the accident on outdated maps provided by the Philippines government.
"The chart indicated we were a mile and a half" from the coral reef when the ship ran around, regional Greenpeace official Red Constantino told AFP news agency.
"This accident could have been avoided if the chart was accurate," he said, adding, however, that Greenpeace felt "responsible" for the damage.
'Immediate action'
The accident happened while the Rainbow Warrior was on a four-month tour of the Asia-Pacific region to promote environmentally-friendly energy sources.
Greenpeace divers were at the Tubbataha park, off the coast of Palawan island, to inspect the effect of global warming on the coral reef.
Mr Constantino said the reef appeared to be healthy, with no evidence of bleaching which is believed to be caused by warmer sea temperatures.
The Rainbow Warrior II escaped serious damage and was towed into deeper water by its own rubber boats.
Tubbataha park manager, Angelique Songco, praised the work Greenpeace was doing to protect the environment.
"We also appreciate the immediate action they took to get the full assessment of the damage," she said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/4395572.stm
'Body of Copernicus' identified
Scientists say they have probably solved the mystery of where the father of modern astronomy was buried. Nicolaus Copernicus' 16th century theory that the Earth orbits the Sun was a key scientific development.
A skull and partial remains were discovered two months ago in Frombork Cathedral in north-eastern Poland.
A computer-generated reconstruction of the man's face bears a strong enough resemblance to portraits of Copernicus to convince the scientists.
Piercing eyes
The remains were examined by specialists at the central crime laboratory in the Polish capital, Warsaw.
They found it was the skull of a man who had died aged 60-70. Copernicus died in 1543 aged 70.
Their computer-generated reconstruction shows a white-haired man with a large nose and a small scar above one of his piercing eyes.
Copernicus lived and worked at Frombork cathedral. For many years he was canon there and only carried out his astronomical studies in his spare time.
But despite several archaeological searches, his grave was never located - until last summer's apparent breakthrough.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4405958.stm
Woman auctions home - and herself
A US woman selling her house in Denver, Colorado over the internet has decided to throw in a little extra - herself. The house is 95 years old. The bride who comes with it is 48.
Deborah Hale, a jewellery designer who runs her own business, says she set up her House with Bride website because she "had not met that special someone to share this house with".
She is asking $600,000 (£343,000) for the house and furnishings.
She herself is "priceless", she says many of her girlfriends advised her.
"I hope to find that special man who wants to build a life with me and share this special home with me," her website says.
Her ideal candidate is between 40 and 60 years old, educated, well-spoken, professional and "spiritual".
Ms Hale's business is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but because her life there "revolved solely around my work", she bought the house in Denver in order to "make some changes to improve my social life and hopefully meet my 'soul mate' ", she writes.
She says she was unsuccessful using dating agencies and going on blind dates.
Ms Hale invites bidders to send videos or DVDs of themselves, plus "information about why you are interested either in this house and/or Deborah" and "any additional information you would like to provide".
The auction - which is also listed on eBay - closes on Valentine's Day 2006.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4409364.stm
Ancient church found on jail site
Israeli officials say they have discovered what may be the oldest Christian Church in the Holy Land - on the site of a maximum security prison. Israel's Antiquities Authority said the church at the Megiddo jail dated back to the third or fourth century AD and was "a once in a lifetime find".
It contained a mosaic bearing the name of Jesus Christ in ancient Greek, fish murals and an altar, officials said.
The dig took place near the biblical site of Armageddon in northern Israel.
'Great discovery'
"This is a once in a lifetime find and the inscriptions are very rare," excavation supervisor Jotham Tefer told Israel's Channel Two television.
"This is a very ancient structure, maybe the oldest in our area," he said.
Mr Tefer added that the discovery could help shed new light on an important period of Christianity, which was banned by the Romans until the fourth century.
"Normally we have from this period in our region historical evidence from literature, not archaeological evidence," he said.
"There is no structure you can compare it to, it is a very unique find."
The Vatican's ambassador to Israel, Pietro Sambi, described the find as a "great discovery".
Megiddo is Hebrew for Armageddon, the site which Christian teachings say will herald the final battle before the coming of the messiah.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/mid...st/4411286.stm
Sozzled elks hound old folks home
An old people's home in Sweden found itself under siege from two drunks. But these were no ordinary drinkers - the tipsy pair were elks who had come upon some fermented apples outside the home in Sibbhult, southern Sweden.
The cow and her calf developed such a taste for the intoxicating fruit they refused to bow to police attempts to chase them away from the home.
Police officers were forced to take tougher measures to make them leave, bringing in a hunter with a dog.
The elks did not need telling twice, and left without protest.
The only thing police needed to do to ensure the pie-eyed pair did not return was remove the remaining apples, police chief Bengt Hallberg said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4419876.stm
Fears for Indian 'marathon tot'
By Sandeep Sahu
BBC News, Bhubaneswar
Officials in India's eastern Orissa state fear a three-year-old who has become famous for running marathon distances is being exploited. Budhia Singh, who recently ran 60km (33 miles) in six and a half hours, has appeared in a spate of TV commercials.
The state government says it also fears the long distances may be damaging the boy's heart and lungs.
His mentor, Biranchi Das, dismissed the fears, saying Budhia had regular medical check-ups.
Orissa's sports minister, Debashis Nayak, said the government would not be a mute spectator to the exploitation and would intervene, if necessary, to "save his future".
Budhia recently ran non-stop from the holy town of Puri to Bhubaneswar, a distance of 60km (37 miles).
A few days before that, he ran non-stop from Bhubaneswar to Cuttack - 35km.
During a recent visit to Orissa, former top Indian runner, PT Usha, also said running for 50 to 60km so frequently could have disastrous long-term consequences for Budhia's health.
Scolded
But Budhia's mentor, Mr Das, is undeterred by the criticism.
"A team of three doctors conducts regular check-ups on Budhia to find out if anything is wrong with him.
"I don't know why these people are so concerned."
The state government has announced a monthly stipend of 500 rupees ($12) for Budhia but Mr Das said: "The amount would not be enough to meet the expenses for even two days."
Mr Das, a judo coach, noticed Budhia's talent when scolding him for being a bully.
"Once, after he had done some mischief, I asked him to keep running till I came back," Mr Das said.
"I got busy in some work. When I came back after five hours, I was stunned to find him still running."
Budhia had been sold by his poverty-stricken mother to a man for 800 rupees.
Mr Das summoned the man who had bought Budhia and paid him his money back.
He then started a strict diet and exercise regimen that saw Budhia adding a few kilometres to his running every few days.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4421446.stm
US high school teen elected mayor
An 18-year-old American is about to combine high school with politics - by becoming mayor of his home town. Michael Sessions - who last year ran for his school council and lost - has been elected mayor of Hillsdale, a town of 8,200 in the US state of Michigan.
He ousted the 51-year-old incumbent in a campaign costing $700 (£400) paid for by a summer job selling toffee apples.
Mr Sessions says he intends to carry on studying through his four-year term and will go to town meetings after class.
He is due to take up the part-time position, which offers a $3,600 (£2,070) stipend, on 21 November.
Homework
Since beating incumbent Douglas Ingles, he has become an overnight celebrity, giving media interviews and appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman.
He seems to have won over voters with his enthusiasm, despite his obvious youth.
"They'd look at me and say 'How old are you again?'," he said, explaining he went on to tell them his ideas for attracting money and jobs to the town.
To make matters harder, the teenager had not turned 18 before the deadline for filing his name for the ballot paper had passed.
Undeterred, he went to the town hall to register as a voter on his birthday and a week later declared he would run a write-in campaign.
This meant spending the next month going door-to-door with business cards and a sample ballot to show people where to write in his name on polling day.
Although the day-to-day running of the town will continue to fall to the city manager, Mr Sessions will have to attend two meetings a month after school.
Peter Beck, principal of Hillsdale High, is quoted by the Los Angeles Times as saying: "I told him that if he wins, he'll still need to finish his homework... I'd hate to have to suspend a city official."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4429192.stm
175th birthday bash for tortoise
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A zoo in Australia has held a 175th birthday party for one of the world's oldest known living creatures, a Giant Galapagos tortoise. Australia Zoo, where the tortoise has lived for the last 17 years, marked the day with a pink hibiscus flower cake.
Although the animal's exact date of birth is not known, DNA testing has indicated its approximate age.
Some people believe the tortoise, known as Harriet, was studied by British naturalist Charles Darwin.
Darwin took several young Giant Galapagos tortoises back to London after his epic voyage on board HMS Beagle.
DNA testing has suggested the giant creature was born around 1830, a few years before Darwin visited the Galapagos archipelago in 1835.
However, Harriet belongs to a sub-species of tortoise only found on an island that Darwin never visited.
Plate to table
At the time of Darwin's visit, Harriet would have been about as big as a dinner plate. She now weighs 150kg (23 stone) and is roughly the size of a dinner table.
According to the BBC's Phil Mercer, in Sydney, Harriet has become somewhat of a celebrity at the Australia Zoo on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
She receives a thorough wash every morning and is fed a vegetarian diet that includes green beans and celery.
Her keepers believe she has survived for so long because she has enjoyed a stress-free life.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/4438448.stm
Time up for cross-dressing cop?
The authorities in India's Uttar Pradesh state are trying to work out what to do with a senior police officer who likes dressing up in drag.
Things came to a head last week when inspector general Devendra Kumar Panda turned up in court in a yellow dress and dark red lipstick.
TV news channels flocked to his home to film him worshipping Hindu deity Lord Krishna in the form of a tree.
Mr Panda says he is the reincarnation of Goddess Radha, Lord Krishna's beloved.
His wife takes a different view - she has filed for separation because he is not behaving like a husband.
The court in Lucknow ordered Mr Panda to pay 7,000 rupees ($150) a month in maintenance allowance.
Wife's fears
Mr Panda's wife, Veena, fears he may lose his job - and she her maintenance allowance.
"Please keep my future in mind," she told reporters. "I am a 51-year-old lady and a graduate. I should not suffer due to any action against him."
The couple have been married for 33 years and have two sons, but Mr Panda now pays his family no attention.
He has been spending his time embracing a peepal, or holy fig, tree in his garden, chanting mantras to his beloved Lord Krishna.
One room in his house is kept sacred and secret.
"That is my private bed room. Only Krishna can enter there," he says.
'Strange behaviour'
There is nothing unusual in a Hindu ascetic getting up early and quoting from scriptures, as Mr Panda does.
Nor is it uncommon for Hindu sects to worship deities as lovers, or for men to live like women devotees.
But Mr Panda's position is a tricky one, seeing as he is a senior police officer.
Colleagues kept his penchant for ladies' clothes a secret for years, but must now decide what to do with a man who has become a figure of ridicule.
"The appearance and behaviour of Mr Panda is strange," admits director general of police, Yashpal Singh.
"But maybe he is suffering from some mental problem and any disciplinary action may precipitate things."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4440504.stm
