THE pop group Take That are bowing out after six years at the top. Gary, Jason, Mark and Howard plan to make one final farewell tour and then go their separate ways.
The former Barings trader, Nick Leeson, who brought down the merchant bank a year ago with 51.4 billion in bad trades, said that it had been easy to deceive his employers. Because he had a reputation as a superstar, the bank's directors were willing to let him do anything he wanted, Leeson says in his book Rogue Trader.
The ex trader, who confessed to his crimes, is serving a 61/2 year prison term in Singapore for his part in the affair.
Michael Jackson is to perform at next week's Brit Awards, his first public performance since his collapse in December. He has accepted an invitation to appear at the ceremony at Earl's Court in London to be televised next Tuesday and will sing Earth Song, his Christmas number one bit.
A 250 year old French sporting gun that may have been owned by Bonnie Prince Charlie is to go on sale at Christie's next March.
The rare flintlock may have been used by the prince at shooting parties when he served France before attempting to seize the British throne from King George I.
