Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he will not bow to pressure from cabinet colleagues for a referendum on his Gaza disengagement plan.

Paul Gascoigne was unavailable for comment, however his agent told us that the happy couple were still engaged and “hoped to wed very soon.”

Sharon. Not pulling out from Gazza just yet.

London: Culture Minister Lord McIntosh is to meet MPs on Wednesday to explain the proposed reforms to gambling laws. The minister is expected to explain to a committee of MPs why the government believes tighter controls are needed and why it will be expanding opportunities for gambling at licensed venues across the country.

However, backbench MPs from both sides of the benches have expressed considerable disquiet over the plans fearing that it would create a gambling culture with constant betting becoming commonplace.

One MP, Thomas David Randall, MP for Southwold South, told us “the Government is playing russian roulette with this one, and will be in hot water over these plans if it decides to press on regardless. I’ve £100 on at 10-1 against this proposal being overruled by Parliament.”

Mr Damian agreed with Mr Randall to the tune of £25 at 3-2.

Newcastle, England: Drinking regular cups of tea could help improve your memory, research suggests and prevent the onset of Alzheimer's.

A team from Newcastle University found green and black tea inhibited the activity of key enzymes in the brain associated with memory meaning that, er, um, ah, yes, well, er, sorry, we’ve forgotten…

A typical cup of tea

Posted by damian at October 27, 2004 12:08 PM | TrackBack