Wayne Rooney targets record haul for Manchester United

Wayne Rooney set his sights on beating his record of 23 goals in one season after scoring all of the goals in Manchester United’s 4-0 win over Hull.

The 24-year-old striker ensured United hit the Premier League summit, and he now has 19 goals this term.

He said: “It is the first time I have scored four times in a professional match and it is a great feeling.

“I am really proud of the achievement. It is something special. I’m confident of beating my best season at United.”

Rooney added he would be “disappointed” if he did not beat his previous best tally for United.

“I’ve still got hopefully another 20 games to play, I won’t be happy if I don’t get more than 23,” he added.

“The difference this season is that I’ve consciously been getting in the box more and trying to put myself in goalscoring situations.”

Rooney becomes the first United player to hit four in a game since Ruud van Nistelrooy did it in a Champions League encounter with Sparta Prague in November 2004.

And his superb form has come at just the right time for the champions as they push to try and successfully defend their title.

England boss Fabio Capello will also be delighted to learn of Rooney’s performance, which drew warm praise from beaten manager Phil Brown.

“I would have to say he is one of the best strikers in the world just now,” said Brown.

“He is someone who is capable of making half chances into a great chance.

“When you see him in that form it certainly bodes well for England at the World Cup.”

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was also glowing in his analysis of the striker.

“Without doubt those four goals were the highlight for me,” said Ferguson.

“He has been wanting to develop himself as a scorer and there were some terrific finishes today.”

“He has always been a main player for us, from the moment he came to the club. He never gets left out.”

Rooney’s efforts were ably assisted by what was possibly Nani’s best performance in three seasons since his £17m arrival from Sporting Lisbon.

And they took the focus away from fan protests at the club’s ownership by the Glazer family.

It was recently announced that debts at United’s parent company, Red Football Joint Venture, were in excess of £700m – although on Friday, it was revealed that a bond issue had raised £504m.

That figure will enable the club to pay off nearly all of the £509m it owes to international banks, although it faces a £45m-a-year interest bill on the bonds, which mature in 2017.

However, pleas for unity from Ferguson in his programme notes went unheeded, with noisy and regular anti-Glazer chants of varying degrees of vulgarity echoed around the ground.

“There was no dissent against the players,” said Ferguson. “It did not have any effect at all.”

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U2 and Jay-Z record song for Haiti

U2, Jay-Z and producer Swizz Beatz have recorded a song together to raise money for victims of the Haiti earthquake.

U2’s guitarist The Edge told Irish radio station 2FM the band “wrote a song, finished and recorded” last week after being contacted about the idea.

The Edge, Bono and Jay-Z, along with Rihanna, are due to appear in London for “a group performance” as part of Friday’s Hope For Haiti telethon.

George Clooney’s two-hour benefit show will be aired on MTV in the UK.

The Edge told 2FM DJ Dave Fanning over the weekend: “Bono got a call from a producer, Swizz. He and Jay-Z wanted to do something for Haiti.

“So Bono came up with the phrase on the phone and last night we were here, we wrote a song, finished, recorded, and sent it back to them.

“So, that might be the next thing you hear from us.”

‘Something amazing’

Swizz Beatz also confirmed the project on his Twitter page, saying: “Me, Bono, Hova [Jay-Z's nickname] have something to say about Haiti. Stay tuned.

“I told you I was working on something amazing for Haiti. They need us!”

It is not clear when the single will be released, or whether the artists plan to premiere the song during Friday’s telethon

Jay-Z has played with the Irish rock group before, popping up for a handful of dates on last year’s 360 tour, and adding a rap to their hit single Sunday Bloody Sunday during the 2009 MTV Europe Awards.

Meanwhile, more acts have been added to the bill for the Haiti telethon including Coldplay, who will play at “a London location” alongside Jay-Z.

Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow and Keith Urban will appear in Los Angeles while Haitian-born Fugees star Wyclef Jean, Sting, Mary J Blige, Shakira and Bruce Springsteen will be among performers in New York.

Funds raised will go to Oxfam America, Red Cross, Unicef, Partners in Health and the Yele Haiti Foundation.

The telethon will be screened live in the UK from 0100 GMT on Saturday 23 January.

In the US, the telethon is being screened live without commercials on a number of channels including NBC, ABC and CBS.

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Cadbury says job cuts inevitable after Kraft takeover

Cadbury’s chairman has confirmed to the BBC that job losses are an “inevitability” at the company after its takeover by US giant Kraft Foods.

Without estimating how many positions would be affected, Roger Carr said jobs would go at Cadbury’s head office in Uxbridge, London.

However, he added that he saw Kraft both supporting and developing Cadbury’s UK production facilities.

Mr Carr was speaking after Cadbury’s board backed a £11.5bn bid from Kraft.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the government was “determined” to ensure that Cadbury jobs were secure.

“We are determined that the levels of investment that take place in Cadbury in the United Kingdom are maintained and we are determined that, at a time when people are worried about their jobs, that jobs in Cadbury can be secure,” he said.

Shareholder vote

Cadbury’s directors have advised the firm’s shareholders to accept the offer, which represents 840 pence per share. Investors will also get a 10p per share dividend.

Shareholders now have until 2 February to back the deal which, led by Cadbury’s large institutional investors, is expected to be a formality.

Kraft’s offer consists of 500 pence in cash, with the rest made up of Kraft shares. The US group will borrow £7bn ($11.5bn) to finance the deal.

The announcement that Kraft and Cadbury had reached agreement on a takeover was made on Tuesday after Kraft increased its previous hostile offer of $10.5bn, which Cadbury had rejected.

‘Bitter sweet’

In an interview with BBC business editor Robert Peston, Mr Carr admitted that the decision to accept Kraft’s improved offer was a “bittersweet moment”.

However, he said the deal represented good value for Cadbury shareholders, which was what he was paid to focus on.

Although “there will clearly be some cost savings they have to make”, Mr Carr said he hoped Kraft would take on some of Cadbury’s senior team.

“People are the key to successful businesses, they need to be cared for, and I’m sure Kraft understands that,” he said.

“I shall miss not being chairman of Cadbury, but I’m sure those that own it now will develop it as a strong company, respecting its British routes, but growing it as a global company.”

Cost cuts

Kraft has already said it expects to achieve “meaningful cost savings” as a result of the merger.

While it has given no specific assurances over the future of 4,500 UK jobs, it says it wants to invest in Cadbury’s Bournville site in Birmingham, and maintain production at Somerdale, near Bristol, also known as Keynsham.

David Cumming, head of UK equities at Cadbury shareholder Standard Life, said that he would be backing the takeover.

“I won’t go against the view of Cadbury’s management,” he told the BBC.

“Kraft are getting a good deal. It’s sad that Cadbury is gone, but business is business.”

Irene Rosenfeld, the chairman and chief executive of Kraft Foods, said the deal was good news for shareholders and staff.

“We have great respect for Cadbury’s brands, heritage and people,” she said. “We believe they will thrive as part of Kraft Foods.”

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The London Eye

The Merlin Entertainments London Eye (known more simply as The London Eye, and also known as the Millennium Wheel), at a height of 135 metres (443 ft), is the largest Ferris wheel in Europe, and has become the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, visited by over three million people in one year. At the time it was erected, in 1999, it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, until it was surpassed by the Star of Nanchang (160 m) in May 2006, and then the Singapore Flyer (165 m) on 11 February 2008. However, it is still described by its operators as “the world’s tallestcantilevered observation wheel” (as the entire structure is supported by an A-frame on one side only).

The London Eye is located at the western end of Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames in the London Borough of Lambeth in England, between Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge. The site is adjacent to that of the former Dome of Discovery, which was built for the Festival of Britain in 1951.

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High School Musical

High School Musical is a 2006 American television film, and the first in the High School Musical film franchise. Upon its release on January 20, 2006, it became the most successful movie that Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) ever produced, with a television sequel High School Musical 2 released in 2007 and the feature film High School Musical 3: Senior Year released to theaters in October 2008. It is the first Disney Channel Original Movie to have a theatrical sequel. A fourth installment, High School Musical 4: East Meets West, has been announced to be in the writing stages and to premiere in Disney Channel in 2010. The film’s soundtrack was the best-selling album in the United States for 2006.

High School Musical was Disney Channel’s most watched movie that year with 7.7 million viewers in its premiere broadcast in the US. In the UK, it received 789,000 viewers for its premiere (and 1.2 million viewers overall during the first week), making it the second most watched program for the Disney Channel (UK) of 2006. On December 29, 2006, it became the first Disney Channel Original Movie to be broadcast on the BBC. Globally, High School Musical has been seen by over 225 million viewers.

With a plot described by the author and numerous critics as a modern adaptation of Romeo & Juliet, High School Musical is a story about two high school juniors from rival cliques – Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), captain of the basketball team, and Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens), a beautiful and shy transfer student who excels in math and science. Together, they try out for the lead parts in their high school musical, and as a result, divide the school. Despite other students’ attempts to thwart their dreams, Troy and Gabriella resist peer pressure and rivalry, inspiring others along the way not to “stick to the status quo”.

High School Musical was filmed at East High School located in Salt Lake City, Utah, the auditorium of Murray High School, andDowntown Salt Lake City. Murray High School was also the set of several other Disney productions: Take Down (1978), Read It and Weep (2006), Minutemen (2008) and High School Musical: Get in the Picture (2008).

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Music file-sharer ‘Oink’ cleared of fraud

A man who ran a music-sharing website with almost 200,000 members has been found not guilty of conspiracy to defraud at Teesside Crown Court.

Alan Ellis, 26, was the first person in the UK to be prosecuted for illegal file-sharing.

He operated the site, called Oink, from his flat in Middlesbrough from 2004 until it was closed down in a police raid in October 2007.

In that time Oink facilitated the download of 21 million music files.

Bank accounts

The site allowed active members to find other people on the web who were prepared to share files – enabling users to get hold of free music.

Users were asked to make a donation, although it was not necessary for them to do so to invite friends to join the site.

The jury was told that police found almost US $300,000 in Mr Ellis’s Paypal account and that he received $18,000 (£11,000) a month in donations from people using his website.

Mr Ellis told the court there was no intention to defraud copyright holders.

He said the donations were to pay for the server’s rental and any “surplus” would eventually be used to buy a server.

He agreed he had about 10 bank accounts with some £20,000 in savings when police raided the house he shared.

Moved to Amsterdam

Giving evidence, Mr Ellis explained why he set up the website.

“It was to further my skills. To better my skills for employability.”

Mr Ellis said the website was developed from a free template, which had a torrent file-sharing facility included in it.

Oink did not host any music itself, it indexed the files users had available on their computers for others to download.

Originally the site was hosted on his home computer, but by 2007 it had moved to a commercial server in Amsterdam because of the amount of internet traffic it was attracting.

Mr Ellis, who had a full-time job as a software engineer, was born in Leeds and grew up in south Manchester, studying A-levels in Cheadle.

He declined to speak as he left the court.

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FA Cup medal stolen from Blackpool player’s family

An FA Cup runners-up medal has been stolen from the family of the goalkeeper who received it in 1948.

The medal was presented to the Blackpool goalkeeper Joe Robinson by King George VI after Blackpool were beaten 4-2 by Manchester United.

It was stolen along with jewellery and and watches in a burglary at the home of his son in Lower Withington, near Macclesfield, Cheshire, on 11 January.

The gold medal is inscribed “J. Robinson. Blackpool FC 1947-48″.

It has two footballers and a football on one side and, on the other, the diamond-cut inscription: “The Football Association Challenge Cup – Runners Up”.

Pc Gary Turner, from Cheshire Police, said: “Joe Robinson, who played for Blackpool, Hartlepool and Hull City and was player/manager for Wisbech Town, passed away some time ago and the medal commemorates a very significant event in his life.

“He was playing alongside the likes of Sir Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortenson and in front of a crowd of 100,000 fans.

“Although Blackpool lost, the all-Lancashire match generated a lot of excitement. It is remembered as one of the greatest cup finals of all time.

“The medal is obviously important to the family and its loss is a real blow to them.

“I would like to hear from anyone who has any idea where it may be or from anyone who is approached by someone offering it for sale.”

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BBC admits promotion of U2 album was ‘inappropriate’

The BBC have admitted coverage of the launch of U2 album No Line On The Horizon last February, went too far – giving “undue prominence” to the band.

Critics said the BBC had given U2 “the sort of publicity money can’t buy”.

The corporation acknowledged that radio coverage of the event, which included a rooftop concert at Broadcasting House, breached BBC editorial guidelines.

Complaints over the free publicity given to the band on BBC TV, radio and online included those of Conservative MP Nigel Evans, who said it was “the sort of publicity money can’t buy”.

“Why should licence fee-payers shoulder the cost of U2’s publicity?”.

The Editorial Complaints Unit (ECU) admitted that a reference to the BBC being “part of launching this new album”, in an interview between Radio 1 presenter Zane Lowe and U2 singer Bono, was inappropriate.

The ECU also upheld a complaint that it was inappropriate for the Radio 1 website to contain links to the websites of ticket agents for the band’s concerts.

‘Potentially sensitive’

“The Radio 1 leadership team have reminded executive producers and presenters about the issues to be considered in relation to judgments about undue prominence, and the distinction between the reporting of new artistic work and commercial promotion,” it said, earlier this week.

“The management of BBC Marketing, Communication and Audiences (the Division responsible for the U2 = BBC graphic) has reminded all staff of the need to consult the editorial policy team in a timely manner for advice when potentially sensitive issues such as commercial interests are involved.”

However, complaints about an edition of Jo Whiley’s Radio 1 show, and a BBC News online report of the U2 concert on the roof of Broadcasting House, were not upheld.

A crowd of around 5,000 watched the rooftop show, which capped off a day of promotion for the Irish band’s 12th studio album, with U2 appearing as special guests on Radio 1.

The band performed four tracks during the 20-minute gig, which was broadcast live on DJ Chris Evans’ BBC Radio 2 show.

It said the use of the slogan U2=BBC “gave an inappropriate impression of endorsement”.

RadioCentre, the trade body for commercial radio companies, made a formal complaint over the coverage.

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Simon Cowell to leave American Idol

American Idol judge Simon Cowell has confirmed he will leave the programme at the end of this season as he takes British show The X Factor to Fox TV.

Cowell, whose contract ends following the show’s ninth run, said he was offered a lot of money to stay.

“But that wasn’t the reason behind it. I wanted to do something different. I wanted a new challenge,” he said.

It has been reported that Cowell stands to make more money with the X Factor than if he stays on American Idol.

Speculation

The music industry mogul owns the rights to the X Factor format – and will serve as an executive producer on the US version of the show – meaning he stands to make more than his current reported pay packet of $36m (£22.3m).

Cowell said there were many people who wanted his Idol job, but said the judges should not be the stars of the show.

“Fundamentally, the most important reason we do this is to find talent,” he said.

Speculation has already begun about who will join Cowell on the X Factor, with former judge Paula Abdul, who left American Idol last year, among the leading contenders.

“I adore Paula. Whatever happens, I will be working with her in some capacity, because I miss her,” Cowell said.

However, he did rule out former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham – who briefly joined the judging panel on American Idol last year.

‘Delighted’

The star said he wanted to leave the show “on a high” and added he was “very proud of what the show has achieved”.

In a statement released by Fox, Cowell said: “I’m thrilled that we have put a date on the launch of the US version of The X Factor, and delighted to be continuing to work with Fox.

“We have a fantastic relationship, a great team and are all very excited about this.”

Peter Rice, chairman of entertainment for Fox, refused to discuss a possible replacement judge for Cowell on American Idol.

“We have to take our time on that,” he said.

“We have to make sure the chemistry of the judges is as good as it can be.”

American Idol has been the country’s most popular television programme for the last five years and has launched stars such as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry.

However, viewing figures have been shrinking since its 2005 peak when it averaged more than 30 million weekly viewers.

In April last year, the show attracted 22.3 million viewers.

Both Cowell and Rice have insisted that both shows would complement each other, not detract.

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The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. In their heyday the group consisted of John Lennon (rhythm guitar, vocals), Paul McCartney (bass guitar, vocals), George Harrison (lead guitar, vocals) and Ringo Starr (drums, vocals). Rooted in skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, the group later worked in many genres ranging from folk rock to psychedelic pop, often incorporating classical and other elements in innovative ways. The nature of their enormous popularity, which first emerged as the “Beatlemania” fad, transformed as their songwriting grew in sophistication. The group came to be perceived as the embodiment of progressive ideals, seeing their influence extend into the social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s.

With an early five-piece line-up of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe (bass) and Pete Best (drums), The Beatles built their reputation in Liverpool and Hamburg clubs over a three-year period from 1960. Sutcliffe left the group in 1961, and Best was replaced by Starr the following year. Moulded into a professional outfit by music store owner Brian Epstein after he offered to act as the group’s manager, and with their musical potential enhanced by the hands-on creativity of producer George Martin, The Beatles achieved UK mainstream success in late 1962 with their first single, “Love Me Do”. Gaining international popularity over the course of the next year, they toured extensively until 1966, then retreated to the recording studio until their breakup in 1970. Each then found success in an independent musical career. McCartney and Starr remain active; Lennon was shot and killed in 1980, and Harrison died of cancer in 2001.

During their studio years, The Beatles produced what critics consider some of their finest material including the album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), widely regarded as a masterpiece. Nearly four decades after their breakup, The Beatles’ music continues to be popular. The Beatles have had more number one albums on the UK charts, and held down the top spot longer, than any other musical act. According to RIAA certifications, they have sold more albums in the US than any other artist. In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the all-time top-selling Hot 100 artists to celebrate the US singles chart’s fiftieth anniversary, with The Beatles at number one. They have been honoured with 7 Grammy Awards, and they have received 15 Ivor Novello Awards from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. The Beatles were collectively included in Time magazine’s compilation of the 20th century’s 100 most important and influential people

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