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TECHNOLOGY
Computer gamers in Greece are fighting new legislation
banning them from playing any kind of electronic game
in public. This legislation came into effect in August
2002, and forms part of a crack down on the country's
illegal gambling problem.
The Greek government has prohibited gaming on Xbox
and Playstation consoles in public places, including
Internet Cafés. However, the ruling has unsurprisingly
drawn criticism for not distinguishing between "computer
games" and "interactive gambling".
The Greek Internet Café Union, which opposes
the ban, state the police can theoretically make arrests
for persons using their PC's to play computer games
or if an employer catches someone playing an internet-based
game such as chess.
EDUCATION
Devotees of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter are now able
to attend a school for wizardry and witchcraft that
has opened in the mountain region of Klagenfurt, in
Austria.
The school will tutor its pupils in subjects such as
potions and spell making, astrology, meditation, and
magic and its history. School director Dakaneth, also
known as Andreas Starchel, claims the school's intentions
are to instruct its pupils on the history of witchcraft.
15 apprentices have been accepted for this year and,
after completing 6 terms in this unique form of higher
education, will graduate with a sorcerer's diploma.
Despite the obvious comparisons between this institution
and Hogwarts, the books of Harry Potter will not be
featured on the school's curriculum.
GOVERNMENT
British Energy (BE), a struggling UK nuclear power
company, is getting a loan of £410m from the UK
government. The company had been warning that unless
it received a significant level of financial assistance,
it would be facing insolvency.
BE provides a fifth of the UK's power and was hit hard
by a fall in the wholesale price of electricity and
by a shutdown at one of its power stations.
According to the Department of Trade and Industry, the
government's support package would only last until September
27, 2002. Further clarification of BE's full financial
position is expected in the near future.
HEALTH
According to the latest British scientific research,
a potential aid in the fight against colorectal cancer
may be found in an unusual place - leftover's sitting
in your fridge
A high level of a resistant crystalline starch found
in certain types of carbohydrates such as rice, porridge,
cold potatoes and baked beans may have a protective
effect against colorectal cancers. Resistant starch
is the total amount of starch, and the by-products of
starch degradation, that resists digestion in the small
intestine of healthy people. (EURSTA, 1991)
Tests show this type of carbohydrate acts as a prebiotic
by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity
of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon
which can then influence the genes linked to bowel cancer.
However, these foods have to be eaten cold to be effective
as heating alters the starches crystalline structure,
negating their anti-cancer properties.
BUSINESS
Canadian firm, Bombardier, has put Belfast City Airport
up for sale.
Bombardier took over the airport, employing over 800
staff, in 1989 when it acquired Belfast aircraft company
Shorts. Previously, they announced plans to shed 461
jobs, blaming the post-September 11 problems experienced
within the airline industry. However, in a recently
released a statement they claim the airport is no longer
an integral part of their business strategy.
So far, several parties have expressed interest in Belfast
City Airport, and Bombardier anticipates a sale will
be completed by December 2002.
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