There were fewer than 133,000 divorces last year, a 6 per cent fall on 2005 and the lowest number since the mid-1970s. ONE REASON FOR THE DECLINE IS THAT FEWER PEOPLE ARE MARRYING. Only around half of women now have a husband and the ranks of cohabiting couples have grown by two thirds in a decade. THERE ARE NOW 2.3MILLION COHABITING COUPLES.

Last year just over 125,000 children under 16 were from homes with broken-marriages, down from over 153,500 in 2003. Among the most vulnerable children, those aged under five, numbers in families hit by divorce fell from 33,000 to 25,300 over the same period.

HOWEVER, THESE FIGURES COMPARE WITH INCREASING NUMBERS OF CHILDREN SUFFERING AS A RESULT OF BREAK-UPS AMONG COHABITING PARENTS. Each is statistically likely to split up after around three years, compared with 11 years for married couples.

The passing of the resolution by a House committee on Wednesday despite appeals by the Bush administration was denounced by President Abdullah Gul. Turkey accepts there were mass killings in 1915-17 but denies genocide.

Turkey's foreign ministry said the ambassador would return to Turkey for a stay of "a week or 10 days". "We are not withdrawing our ambassador," said ministry spokesman Levent Bilman. US President George W Bush had argued against the resolution, saying its passage would do "great harm" to relations with "a key ally in Nato and in the global war on terror".

Turkey is a regional operational hub for the US military, and some suggest access to Incirlik airbase or other supply lines crucial to US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan could be affected by the row. The US also fears Turkey may make a military incursion into northern Iraq to neutralise Kurdish separatist guerrillas, who continue to cross the border to ambush Turkish troops there.

Armenia alleges that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed in an organised campaign to force them out of what is now eastern Turkey. That is strongly denied by Turkey, which says that large numbers of both Turks and Armenians were killed in the chaos surrounding World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, when there was an uprising by Armenians.

Farmers in areas considered at low risk from both diseases - which excludes parts of SOUTH-EAST ENGLAND AND EAST ANGLIA - can resume exports. FARMERS SAY RESTRICTIONS THEY MUST COMPLY WITH ARE SO COMPLICATED THAT ONLY A MINORITY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE. Exports were banned after the first foot-and-mouth outbreak in August.

All farms outside of an area which takes in south-east England and the Home Counties - deemed a "foot-and-mouth risk area" - and outside of bluetongue control areas - taking in Suffolk, parts of Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire - are now allowed to export meat to the EU. Farmers say the people they supply in Europe are confident that demand for British meat is strong.

BUT INDUSTRY EXPERTS SAY THE REGULATIONS SURROUNDING THE LIFTING OF THE EXPORT BAN ARE SO TIGHT IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR MOST FARMERS TO MEET THEM. Some are angry about what they say was the government's lack of consultation when the EU first made these proposals.

They say that, while British officials are now trying to make the lifting of the export ban workable, it is an uphill struggle. Last week, farmers in areas at low risk of foot-and-mouth disease were allowed to take their animals to market for the first time in almost a month.

Animals cannot be moved outside the zone, which had previously included much of East Anglia. The government's deputy chief vet, Fred Landeg, said the proximity of new cases in livestock to zone boundaries meant that they had to be widened. Farmers cannot move animals outside the control and protection zones.

On Wednesday, the number of confirmed cases of bluetongue disease rose to 34, the Department for the Evironment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said. The protection zone - from Lincolnshire to East Sussex - was set up after government vets confirmed bluetongue disease was circulating in the UK and was classed as an outbreak. Livestock owners within the protection zone are allowed to move animals only within its boundaries.

A stricter 20km (12-mile) control zone was set up in East Anglia around the known bluetongue cases. The control zone has been extended south into Essex and the protection zone extended to the south west, a spokeswoman for Defra said. Mr Landeg urged all farmers to remain vigilant and check their animals twice daily.

He said: "Finding further cases is not unexpected, particularly given the nature of the disease and its spread by midges, and we expect to see more cases before the end of the active midge season this winter. If we are to contain disease within the Control and Protection Zone, we must have an accurate picture of how far the disease has spread."

The majority of cases have been in Suffolk, with a cluster around Ipswich and another case near to Lowestoft.

The disease is transmitted by biting midges and the symptoms, which are most severe in sheep, include swelling and haemorrhaging in and around the mouth and nose.

E coli, Salmonella and Listeria are all susceptible to the effects of red wine, and Helicobacter pylori, a stomach ulcer-causing bug which is spread through food and drink, is particularly vulnerable. The study, carried out at the University of Missouri in the US, showed that Cabernet, Zinfandel and Merlot are particularly effective in fighting food-borne bugs. White wine, however, has no effect.

The researchers told a Chicago conference that their findings added to mounting evidence about the health benefits of a glass or two of red wine. Other recent research has shown that a glass or two of alcohol a day can extend life expectancy by almost four years. Wine was particularly beneficial, with just half a glass a day being enough to slash the risk of death from heart disease.

It is thought that the alcohol's health benefits come from its ability to prevent blood clots from forming and raise levels of HDL cholesterol - 'good cholesterol' which protects against hardening of the blood vessels. Red wine is packed with polyphenols, naturally-occurring compounds which are thought to hinder the build up of dangerous fatty deposits in the arteries.

Previous research has credited red wine with reducing the risk of developing cancer and staving off gum disease.

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."