London was the area with the highest number of ceremonies, about 4,000, followed by the South-East, which accounted for about 2,700. There have been no gay "divorces" - formally known as a partnership dissolution - since the new law came in, although this is largely explained by the fact that a couple must have been married for a year before this can be legally approved.

The falling dollar led more foreigners to buy American in August, helping to push the trade deficit down to the lowest point in seven months. That was welcome news for the Bush administration as it tries to deal with A CONGRESS UNHAPPY OVER HUGE TRADE IMBALANCES AND 3 MILLION LOST MANUFACTURING JOBS.

President Bush also got good news Thursday on his other deficit headache. The budget deficit declined in 2007 to the lowest level in five years, dropping to $162.8 billion, an $85 billion improvement over 2006. Bush said the declining budget deficit was a sign that his economic strategy of cutting taxes to grow the economy was working. BUT DEMOCRATS POINTED TO THE SOARING NATIONAL DEBT UNDER BUSH AS EVIDENCE OF HIS FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY.

The Commerce Department reported that the trade deficit declined to $57.6 billion in August, down 2.4 percent from the July imbalance. It was the lowest gap between exports and imports since January and a much better showing than had been expected. A weaker dollar makes the cost of imports and foreign trips more expensive for Americans, but MAKES AMERICAN PRODUCTS CHEAPER ON OVERSEAS MARKETS.

THE BOOM IN U.S. EXPORTS IS HELPING TO CUSHION THE U.S. ECONOMY FROM THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF THE HOUSING BUST AND A SEVERE CREDIT CRUNCH. Analysts said about one-third of overall economic growth in the July-September quarter is likely to come from the improved trade showing.

THROUGH THE FIRST EIGHT MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, THE TRADE DEFICIT IS RUNNING AT AN ANNUAL RATE OF $708 BILLION, DOWN 6.7 PERCENT FROM LAST YEAR'S IMBALANCE OF $758.5 BILLION, WHICH HAD BEEN THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE RECORD DEFICIT.

"The global value of the dollar is really helping us," said Frank Vargo, vice president for international affairs at the National Association of Manufacturers. "U.S. manufactured goods exports are the strongest element in our economy now."

Even with the third straight monthly decline in the deficit, Bush's critics contended that the imbalance remains at harmfully high levels and the string of record deficits has contributed to the loss of 3 million manufacturing jobs since 2000. They linked the high trade deficits to the high budget deficits, which increase the country's dependence on foreigners to hold U.S. debt.

"UNLESS THE ADMINISTRATION REINS IN SOARING BUDGET AND WIDENING TRADE DEFICITS, ITS LASTING LEGACY WILL BE SELLING THE FUTURE OF OUR ECONOMY TO OUR TRADING PARTNERS AROUND THE WORLD," SAID SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER, D-N.Y.

The White House had previously announced that Bush and his wife, Laura, would attend the award ceremony on Capitol Hill. China views the Dalai Lama, who fled his homeland in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese Communist rule, as a separatist. The Nobel Peace Prize winner says he only wants greater autonomy for the predominantly Buddhist Himalayan region.

China reacted angrily when the U.S. Congress decided to give the Dalai Lama the medal, denouncing the decision as interference in its internal affairs. "The Chinese government strongly opposes the U.S. Congress giving the Dalai Lama a so-called award," said government spokesman Liu Jianchao. The award ceremony will be the first time Bush will have appeared in public with the Dalai Lama, who has visited the White House before but always for private meetings.

White House press secretary Dana Perino defended Bush's decision to attend the award ceremony. "This is a spiritual leader who is fighting for freedom and democracy, which the president is supporting as well," she said. "(Bush) understands that the Chinese have concerns about this. We would hope that the Chinese leader would get to know the Dalai Lama as the president sees him, as a spiritual leader and someone who wants peace."

Gold prices leapt as high as 748.10 dollars per ounce on the London Bullion Market. Platinum, meanwhile, hit 1,399.25 dollars an ounce on the London Platinum and Palladium Market. That was close to its record high 1,402.50 dollars hit in November 2006. The high points came as the European single currency bounced back above 1.42 dollars, rising close to its record high 1.4283 dollars that was struck on October 1.

Gold tends to rise when the US unit weakens because it makes commodities that are priced in dollars cheaper for buyers using stronger currencies, analysts say. "Gold prices strengthened again as US dollar weakness underpinned solid gains," noted analysts at Barclays Capital. The precious metal is also supported by strong crude oil prices, which in turn spark inflationary concerns. However, gold is regarded as a safe bet in times of rising inflation.

Platinum, already beset with tight supplies, took another hit on Thursday from fresh concerns in South Africa. "The rise in (platinum) prices has been supported by concerns over supply following news of electrical power shortages in South Africa -- the world's largest producer of platinum," added Barclays Capital analysts.

"The power supply to smelters owned by Anglo Platinum was disrupted and reignited fears that the power situation could worsen over the next few years."

In an unprecedented open letter signed by 138 leading Muslim scholars from every sect of Islam, the MUSLIMS PLEAD WITH CHRISTIAN LEADERS "TO COME TOGETHER WITH US ON THE COMMON ESSENTIALS OF OUR TWO RELIGIONS." The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and Pope Benedict are believed to have been sent copies of the document which calls for greater understanding between the two faiths.

The letter also spells out the similarities between passages of the Bible and the Koran. The Muslim scholars state: "As Muslims, we say to Christians that we are not against them and that Islam is not against them - so long as they do not wage war against Muslims on account of their religion, oppress them and drive them out of their homes."

The phrasing has similarities to the New Testament passage: "He that is not with me is against me" - a passage used by President George Bush when addressing a joint session of Congress nine days after 9/11. The Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, a non-governmental organisation based in Amman, Jordan, has organised the letter.

The Institute said: "This historic letter is intended by its 138 signatories as an open invitation to Christians to unite with Muslims over the most essential aspects of their respective faiths - the principles of love of one God and love of the neighbour.

"It is hoped that the recognition of this common ground will provide the followers of both faiths with a shared understanding that will serve to defuse tensions around the world." It continues: "Finding common ground between Muslims and Christians is not simply a matter for polite ecumenical dialogue between selected religious leaders.

"Together they (Muslims and Christians) make up more than 55 per cent of the population, making the relationship between these two religious communities the most important factor in contributing to meaningful peace around the world. IF MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS ARE NOT AT PEACE, THE WORLD CANNOT BE AT PEACE."

Armed conflict cost African countries an estimated $284 billion over 16 years, roughly equal to the amount of aid that major donors gave to the continent during the same period, according to a study released Wednesday by the aid agency Oxfam International and two nonprofit arms-control groups, Saferworld and the International Action Network on Small Arms.

The study found that the economies of 23 African nations shrank by an average of 15 percent a year during conflicts. The losses amount to about $18 billion annually, which the researchers said was enough to address the entire continent's shortfalls in education, clean water and sanitation, and to prevent the spread of tuberculosis and malaria, which kill millions in Africa every year.

It's the box-office sensation credited with confronting the world with the "honest reality" of climate change. But yesterday, a High Court judge in London made some distinctly inconvenient criticisms of An Inconvenient Truth, the Oscar-winning documentary on global warming made by Al Gore.

Mr Justice Burton was pondering whether the film should be shown in classrooms after criticism from a politically active school governor in Kent, who had accused the Government of "brainwashing" children.
Yesterday, the judge found that the "broadly accurate" film can indeed be screened - as long as it is accompanied by material from the climate change-denial fraternity. But, in a somewhat more damaging move,
THE JUDGE FORENSICALLY EXAMINED THE DOCUMENTARY'S "ONE-SIDED" CASE AND FOUND "AT LEAST NINE SCIENTIFIC ERRORS" IN ITS CONTENT.

The "errors" highlighted by Mr Justice Burton were detailed. He described the assertion that a sea-level rise of up to 20 feet would be caused by ice melting in West Antarctica or Greenland "in the near future", as "distinctly alarmist". This would happen only "after, and over, millennia", the apparently expert judge said.

Meanwhile, it was countered that the disappearance of snow on Mount Kilimanjaro in East Africa could not be directly attributed to global warming. The judge also said of the idea that polar bears were drowning while "swimming long distances - up to 60 miles - to find the ice": "The only scientific study that either side before me can find is one which indicates that four polar bears have recently been found drowned because of a storm."

This is not the first time Mr Gore's environmental credentials have come under scrutiny. In February, the right-wing Tennessee Centre for Policy Research said he deserved a "gold statue for hypocrisy" for his 20-room mansion in Nashville, which reportedly consumes more electricity in a month than the average American household does in a year.

The Catholic Church was quick to condemn Christian Von Wernich's involvement in kidnapping, torture and killing during the 1976-1983 dictatorship after he was found guilty at trial on Tuesday. But human rights groups want a broader mea culpa for what they describe as the hierarchy's support for the military junta and its silence on dirty war atrocities, which contrasted with church opposition to repressive military rule in Chile and Brazil.

"The Church wants us to seek forgiveness when we commit sins. Well, I'm waiting for the Church to ask for forgiveness," said Estela de Carlotto, head of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, a group that searches for babies born in detention centers during the dictatorship and given away in clandestine adoptions.

The diocese to which Von Wernich belongs, in northern Buenos Aires province, also condemned his actions. But the bishop in the town of Nueve de Julio did not immediately revoke his right to give communion or lead mass. "We lament that there has been so much division and hatred in our nation, which the Church neither knew how to prevent nor cure," the bishop said in a statement.

It says 69 children in the north have caught the paralysing disease from others who had already been immunised. The WHO says such rare outbreaks have occurred where immunisation campaigns did not reach enough of the population.

In 2003 Islamic leaders brought a temporary halt to the vaccine campaign in the north saying it was a Western conspiracy to sterilise Muslim women. The WHO says this rare outbreak of vaccine-derived polio demonstrates the need for more vaccination, not less.

But the concern is that the cause of the outbreak could be misinterpreted by people here and reinforce their scepticism of the whole vaccine campaign. The WHO says the outbreak occurred when some of those who had received the oral polio vaccine excreted a mutated form of the virus which infected those who were not immunised.

It says the outbreak is ongoing but slowing because of the continuing vaccination campaign, and the last reported case was in August.

The area is the sum of territory of the West Bank and Gaza, which Israel conquered in 1967 and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation has argued should be set aside for their state. Mr Abbas's declaration, in a television interview, was the first time he has given a precise number for the amount of land he is seeking. "We have 6,205 square kilometres [2,400 square miles] in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. We want it as it is," he said.

Mr Abbas said his claim is backed by UN resolutions. "This is our vision for the Palestinian independent state with full sovereignty on its borders, water and resources," he said. Mr Abbas often makes the point that the 2,400 squares miles relates to just 22% of the British-controlled Palestine out of which Israel emerged in 1948. The Palestinians, he says, have already given up 78% to Israel.

The Palestinians insist that refugees who left Israel in 1948 and 1967 should be allowed to return, but Israel says that this concession would damage the Jewish nature of Israel.

Yossi Alpher, an Israeli analyst, said that the dry figures of Mr Abbas's territorial demands would be the easiest item for both sides to agree on. "The difficulties are in issues like the right of return and Jerusalem, which will be harder to bridge. But beyond all this, I don't think that Abbas has a mandate to negotiate and I am not sure that Olmert does either and Bush is not really committed - so its very unlikely Annapolis can be a success."

In a homeland security strategy released Tuesday, the Bush administration warned that help from U.S. allies and the public is needed to thwart an attack on American soil being planned by a reconstituted Al Qaeda.

Frances Fragos Townsend, assistant to the president for counter-terrorism and homeland security, said Osama bin Laden's terrorist network continues to plot, recruit and organize from a haven in lawless tribal regions of Pakistan. Townsend said Al Qaeda is intent on infiltrating the United States to launch attacks, possibly with weapons of mass destruction.

"There's no question they're not only underway; they're ongoing and have been," Townsend said of such infiltration efforts in a conference call with reporters.

The Indian rupee has risen to its highest level against the dollar since 1998 on the back of continuing foreign support for its booming economy. India's spectacular recent growth and its buoyant economic outlook is attracting investors in their droves, with foreigners snapping up $15.3bn worth of Indian shares this year.

At the same time, the number of British-born residents living in the country has fallen by 500,000. The result, according to the Office for National Statistics, is that one in every ten people living in Britain was born overseas - up from one in 12 in 2001. Migrants who have moved here are also having significantly more children - an average of 2.5 per woman, compared to 1.7 for British mothers.

Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch UK, said: "This, by any standards, amounts to mass immigration. We simply cannot go on like this. The public is deeply concerned, and looking to the political leadership to address this issue openly. We really must tackle it, and without being constrained by political correctness."

Separate projections, published by the ONS last month, suggest the pace of change shows no sign of slowing. Over the next decade, migrants will swell the population by almost two million.

Gordon Brown has so far rejected demands for a vote on the treaty, claiming it was different to its predecessor. But in an extraordinary U-turn, No10 conceded for the first time that the two documents are virtually identical.

Downing Street's comments came in the wake of a report by the Commons European Scrutiny Committee which said the treaty was 'substantially equivalent' to the constitution, thrown out by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

In a line-by-line study, it found only two of 440 provisions were different - on symbols, including a flag, and an anthem. It also warned the red lines were worthless because the Government had no legal protection in the treaty preventing it being forced to surrender key powers to Brussels 'bit by bit'.

Neil O'Brien, of the Eurosceptic think-tank Open Europe, said the warning was a 'big turning point', adding: "The Government's case against the referendum is unravelling. The red lines will not protect Britain." On Monday, Mr Brown promised to hold a referendum if Britain's safeguards failed, saying: "If our red lines are not achieved, we will either veto it or say there has to be a referendum."

"If we take into account inflation from 1972 to the present day, the real and fair price for oil should be more than 100 dollars," Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah said in remarks aired by Al-Jazeera television on Tuesday.

He said such a price was justified by rising inflation, a fall in purchasing power and the weakness of the dollar, which has dropped about 10 percent in value against the euro over the past year. Attiyah, whose gas-rich nation is an OPEC member, said the dollar could remain the unit of reference for oil despite its slump. "But I cannot predict what will happen in future. Anything is possible," he said.