Steven Gerrard speaks of his relief after being found not guilty of affray

England footballer Steven Gerrard spoke of his relief today after he was cleared of unjustly attacking a man in a bar.

The Liverpool captain admitted hitting Marcus McGee, 34, in a Southport bar last December and a jury at Liverpool Crown Court accepted his explanation that it was in self-defence.

The 29-year-old was the only one of seven defendants to be cleared over the "explosion of violence" at the Lounge Inn during which Mr McGee lost a tooth and suffered facial cuts.

Gerrard left Liverpool Crown Court to applause from fans and shouts of "come on Rocky".

Speaking to reporters, he said: "Can I just say how pleased I am with today's verdict.

"I'd like to put this case behind me. I'm really looking forward to the season ahead and concentrating on football.

"I'd like to say a big thank you to my legal team, my friends and family and to everyone at Liverpool Football Club for supporting me."

His comments were met with a further round of applause from onlookers before he was ushered away.

The trial heard that Gerrard was at the Lounge Inn in Southport, Merseyside, on December 29 to celebrate Liverpool's 5-1 demolition of Newcastle United hours earlier.

The Reds' captain, who scored twice in the game, was enjoying a night out with a party of friends including Anfield legend Kenny Dalglish, 58.

CCTV footage from the bar showed Gerrard and his friends drinking beer, downing shots and dancing round while chanting football songs.

But trouble flared at around 2am when the father-of-two wanted to change the music on the CD player.

Prosecutor David Turner QC told the jury of seven women and five men that Gerrard lost his cool after Mr McGee refused his request to change the music.

He said the millionaire footballer stormed off in a huff and then confronted Mr McGee at the bar seven minutes later, talking to him for 23 seconds before swinging three upper-cut punches at him.

However, Gerrard's version of events differed. The footballer, who denied affray, told the jury yesterday that he was "shocked" by Mr McGee's attitude.


He said the businessman told him: "You are not putting no f****** music on in here" and swore at him.

Gerrard said they argued for a few seconds before he walked away.

The footballer said that minutes later he decided to smooth things over, against the advice of his friends, because he did not want the row to ruin his night.

He told the court: "I asked Marcus what was the problem with the music machine and why he treated me like that.

"Very quickly he came off the bar stool and was in my face right by me."

He told his defence counsel, John Kelsey-Fry, that he hit out at Mr McGee in self-defence.

He said: "I firmly believed Marcus came towards me to hit me."

Gerrard described raising his left arm to grab the back of Mr McGee's jumper.

He said: "I grabbed the back of his jumper as he moved forward to me. When I had hold of Marcus, I remember swinging my right hand two or three times."

He said the incident took about four or five seconds before he was "pushed and pulled" away from Mr McGee.

Gerrard apologised for what happened, telling the jury: "I am sorry about the whole incident."

CCTV footage showed that Gerrard's friend, John Doran, actually struck the first blow.

Five of Gerrard's friends who accompanied him that night admitted affray.

They are Ian Smith, 19, of Hilary Avenue, John Doran, 29, of Woodlands Road, and Paul McGrattan, 31, of Linden Drive, all Huyton, and Accrington Stanley footballers Robert Grant, 19, of Enstone Avenue, Litherland, and Ian Dunbavin, 28, of Guildford Road, Southport.

Another friend, John McGrattan, 34, of Rimmer Avenue, Huyton, admitted threatening behaviour.

50 ways to make and save money: Essential recession-beating tips

We're all feeling the pinch. Here's your chance to bite back against the credit crunch as we present 50 ingenious ways to make and save money...
Around the home

1) Don't take a tumble

Tumble dryers use a huge amount of energy. Hanging clothes on the line or an indoor drying rack could knock £45 a year off energy bills.

2) Turn it off!

Switching off lights, TVs and other appliances as you leave a room can save the average family £37 a year.

3) Turn heating down in winter

Most people set their home thermostat at more than 22c. Next winter try setting it at 18 to 21 degrees and wearing a sweater or fleece around the house. Turning your heating down by one degree could slice a tenth off your bill.
Woman in the laundry room

Hang clothes on a line rather than using a tumble dryer and save £45 a year
With your bills

4) Pay by direct debit

Energy firms frequently reserve their best deals for those who sign up to direct debit. And there are firms which penalise you if you don't sign up - BT, for example, charges £4.50 a quarter for those who won't use direct debit.

5) Swap energy provider

Go to a comparison site such as uSwitch.com, moneysupermarket.com or compare.dailymail.co.uk and you could cut up to £170 a year off energy bills by finding a cheaper tariff. To get the cheapest possible bill, you'll need to take both electricity and gas from the same firm, accept internet billing and pay by direct debit.

* Energy bills calculator
* Is now the time to switch?

6) Switch insurers

Don't simply accept the renewal policy when your car or house policy comes to an end. Go to comparison websites to see if you can get a better deal. Then see if your insurer can do better.

* Compare cheapest car policies
* Compare cheapest home policies

7) Bundle

By taking out gas and electricity with the same company you can usually save. Likewise phone and broadband deals are usually cheaper bundled by the likes of TalkTalk. Sky and Virgin Media go a step further and add TV.

* Broadband comparisons

8) Switch or ditch?

Millions of us pay for TV packages with Sky or Virgin Media, but have channels we don't watch. Several TV channels are sold in packages, so channels you don't use could be costing you money. Take note of what you actually watch for a month.

If you only watch a couple of films, it may be cheaper to sign up to a DVD subscription such as easycinema rather than paying Sky or Virgin for films, or use a free channel such as Film4. Comparison sites Simplifydigital and uSwitch have searches that allow you to compare the different packages.

* Compare digital TV packages
* How to cancel Sky TV

9) Get web savvy

Many companies give discounts to those who receive bills by email instead of through the post - for example, TalkTalk will knock £1.25 off your monthly bill. Moneysupermarket comparison site says British Gas's standard average yearly rate is £1,202.43.

But if customers were to move to its online product, the rate would be £1,018. And O2 offers a £29.38-a-month contract where you would get 400 minutes and 1,000 texts if purchased online. However, if you turned up to a store, you would only get 400 minutes and 500 texts.
On the phone
cloe

Save: Cleo Eden has saved £80 by changing her mobile network provider

Cleo Eden reckons she has saved £80 a year by moving from her old mobile phone tariff to Virgin Mobile. Money is tight for single mother-of-two Cleo, 33, as she is taking a teaching course at Birmingham University.

So cutting her mobile bill was an obvious way to save costs. She compared some of the other tariffs on the market, but by moving to Virgin she discovered she could get more minutes and a new phone for around £7 a month less than she was paying with O2.

Cleo, who lives in West Bromwich, West Midlands with her son Joseph, seven, and daughter Harriett, two, says: 'When an essay is due or there is an exam, I am constantly phoning and texting people and my old tariff was costing me a lot of money. I needed more minutes.' She has 100 minutes and 100 texts for £15 a month, plus she also got a new Samsung phone.

10) Say no to expensive calls

If you are calling an 0845 and 0870 number, then visit saynoto0870.com to see if there is a local number you can call. Most credit cards have an alternative number printed on them from abroad - use this number in the UK, too, but substitute a 0 for the 44. Consider blocking calls to 07 and 09 numbers - your phone company should do this free of charge. You'll be amazed at how much this can save.

* An alternative way to take revenge on 0870

11) Talk can be cheap

Calling abroad need not be expensive, as certain companies charge a minimum flat rate (normally the cost of a standard UK landline call) for connecting you. Some phone packages such as those offered by TalkTalk include international calls to certain countries. Then there are internet phone services such as Skype or Sipphone. You will need

a headset and a microphone, but once you have downloaded the right software you can talk free of charge to anyone else in the world on the same phone service. Be wary because PC to phone calls can be more expensive.

12) Change your contract

Don't just sign up to the same provider at the end of your mobile or landline contract. Check how many calls you make and texts you send. Most phone companies will allow you to transfer your existing number to the new network.

* Compare cheapest home telephone deals

13) Sell your old mobile

Almost every time you switch to a new contract you are given a new mobile phone. Even the oldest handset can be worth cash. Money4urmobile.com, for example, could give you up to £150 for an unwanted mobile phone depending on its age and model. Other sites include envirofone.com and mopay.co.uk - or you could just give it to a charity.
On the move
Sharing a car has saved us £1,300 a year

Michelle and Darren: Sharing a car has saved us £1,300 a year

Michelle and Darren Pitt have saved hundreds of pounds by switching their energy bills and using their car less.

They are expecting their first baby in September and were looking for ways to cut costs.

Michelle, 26, a human resources officer, says: 'When we found out I was pregnant, we wanted to find ways to save some money - the cost of nappies alone are eyewatering.'

'So we sat down to figure out areas where we could save - it took us no time to realise where we could cut back and probably only half an hour to sort it out.'

They used to pay around £1,400 a year for gas and electricity at their house in New Haw, Surrey, but switched to a 12-month contract with EON - cutting their monthly bill by £35. And paying by direct debit knocked another £112 off their payments.

Darren, 35, a group publishing manager working in Teddington, Middlesex, used to drive to work - spending £100 a month on petrol and £45 on insurance. Now he carshares with a friend and sometimes cycles - saving around £1,300 a year, and keeping fit, too.

14) Ditch your car

Joining a car club or car-share scheme might help you save money.

Instead of paying the one-off cost of buying a car, annual insurance, tax, petrol, MoT, and running repairs, you just pay for the time you actually use it. Firms such as Streetcar allow you to book a car for as little as £3.95 an hour or £49.50 for 24 hours.

15) Be a better driver

Keeping your tyres correctly inflated, removing heavy objects from the boot, taking off the roof rack and turning off the air conditioning will save money. Likewise filling your tank up only half way will mean you are carrying less weight and use less fuel. Drive in the correct gear and change when the revs get to 2,500rpm in a petrol car or 2,000rpm in a diesel. Accelerate and brake gently.

* More advice on how to cut the cost of motoring

16) Find cheap fuel

At petrolprices.com, enter your postcode and you can track down the cheapest pump in your neighbourhood.

17) Pay in one go

Many car insurers charge interest of upwards of 15 per cent to pay your insurance in monthly instalments. So pay in one lump sum.

* More car insurance advice and tips

18) Get a rail card

There are five types of railcards that knock almost a third off your train journeys: for 16-25 year olds; senior citizens; family and friends; Network card (which confusingly means just the South-East); and disabled.
With your banking

19) Give yourself a financial health check

Look at your bank and credit card statements and highlight in different colours 1) necessary bills 2) food and transport 3) other spending. Now roughly add up this final column. Most people are staggered to see how much they spend on unnecessary items.

* Household budget calculator

board properties.

Pay extra off your mortgage while interest rates are so low

20) Overpay your home loan

While interest rates are low, pay a little extra each month off your mortgage and you could clear your debt years early, saving thousands of pounds in interest. London & Country Mortgages says if you paid an extra £50 a month on a typical £150,000 loan, you would save £12,965 in interest and clear your loan two years and five months early.

* How to clear your mortgage early

21) Ditch packaged accounts

Bank current accounts which charge a monthly fee for extra services may be good for some people. But if you aren't using the breakdown cover or mobile phone insurance that comes with it, stop paying around £15 a month for it. Move to a standard free account.

* Compare current accounts

22) Make your savings work

Check what rate your savings are earning. If you haven't opened a new savings account in some time, you could be earning as little as 0.1 per cent. But the best High Street account from Abbey pays 2.5 per cent and the best internet deal pays 3 per cent. This could give you an extra £29 interest a year on every £1,000.

* Compare savings accounts based on different criteria

23) Use your Isa allowance

You can put a total of £7,200 into an Isa this year rising to £10,200 next year (the new limit applies from October for those aged 50 and over). Money in an Isa grows free of income tax and capital gains tax. All this up to £3,600 (£5,100 from next April) can go into a cash Isa and earn tax-free interest. This can boost the interest of a basic rate taxpayer by 25 per cent and a higher rate taxpayer by 66 per cent.

* How to pick the best Isa: Accounts and funds

24) Balance savings and debts

Check the interest rate on your savings and on your debts, especially credit cards. If you are being charged more interest on your debts than you are earning after tax on your savings (and you almost certainly will be), then use the savings to pay off your debt. Beware of early repayment penalties on personal loans.

* Loan repayments calculator
* How long to clear your credit card on current repayment rate

On holiday
Young family splashing on poolside

Make a switch: Cut the cost of a holiday by swapping homes with another family

25) Get a cheap credit card

Most credit and debit cards charge you when they convert foreign currencies back to sterling - typically this will be 2.75 per cent of whatever you spent, though can be as high as 2.99 per cent. However, some cards don't charge this. Abbey Zero charges nothing, and Saga is the same for spending in Europe, though charges 1 per cent for the rest of the world. Nationwide is free in Europe and 0.84 per cent elsewhere.

* How to get the cheapest foreign currency and holiday cards

26) Hide your mobile

The cost of using your mobile is not the rip-off it once was - but it still can be expensive. From July 1, the European Union capped charges at around 10p for sending a text, and around 37p for receiving a call. Bills for using the internet are much higher. Keep it turned off most of the time.

27) House swap

Cut the cost of your holiday by swapping homes with another family. You will normally have to pay for an agency to help arrange the switch - between £30 and £150 a year. After this there are no other costs other than getting to your destination. The most common countries that take part in these schemes are the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

* How to swap houses for a cheaper holiday

Making money

28) Sell your junk

Put your unwanted clothes and furniture up for sale. Put anything up. Start the bidding on websites such as eBay or Gumtree for 99p. Take a photo, write a description and then watch it sell. It only takes a few minutes.

You'll be amazed at how much you can make from what you think is trash. Remember to add a delivery charge and send it recorded delivery. And for heavy items mark it as 'pick-up only', then the buyer must come and collect it. Or go to a car boot sale. Pitches vary between £5 to £20. Find sales in your area at www.carbootjunction.com.

* How to get the best price on eBay

29) Make your opinions earn you money

You can earn a few pounds by taking part in online research and doing product reviews. Sign up to companies such as Ciao, Valued Opinions and One Poll and you will from 10p for a quick survey, to £20 for reviewing a product.

* Get paid to write about your holiday on simonseeks.com

30) House sitting

You can earn between £25 to £30 a day plus transport costs for looking after the pets and plants of people who have gone away. It could be that all you have to do is wait at the house for a package to be delivered. It is best to sign up with agencies such as housecarers.com which take care of insurance etc.

* More ideas on cutting the cost of holidays

31) Rent your drive out

Is parking at a premium in your neighbourhood? Rent out your driveway as a parking place. Visit www.parkatmyhouse.com or www.yourparkingspace.co.uk.

32) Rent a room

This is a tax efficient way of earning some extra cash if you are struggling for money. You can get up to £4,250 a year tax free from a lodger in your main residence - this would make the monthly rent £354.

* Inventive ways to make money from your home

D-I-Y tax cuts

33) Check your PAYE code

Dig out your coding notice from HM Revenue & Customs. If it's wrong, you could be paying too much tax. Read the details of the benefits the taxman believes you are receiving to check they are correct. If in doubt, call the tax helpline.

* Easy ways to pay less tax

34) Trust your partner

If you are married or live with someone in a different tax band, then you should consider allowing the person who pays least tax to hold the savings. Higher earners are charged 40 per cent on their savings, while basic rate payers only get charged 20 per cent and non taxpayers can get tax-free income.

* More news and advice on income tax

35) Get tax-free interest

If you are a low earner and don't use up your personal allowance, then ask the tax office for form R85. This will entitle you to have no tax deducted from your savings. If you're on a low income, you may qualify to pay just 10 per cent tax on savings. Get a form R40 from HM Revenue and Customs for details.

36) Think how you give to charity

Slipping cash into a charity collection tin is the simplest way to give to charity, but it's the least tax efficient both for you and them. If you use GiftAid, then the charity gets more money and, if you are a higher rate taxpayer, you benefit, too.

One method of doing this is via the Give As You Earn scheme which many employers offer through their payroll. A basic rate taxpayer who gives one pound to charity using GiftAid will have their donation bumped up to £1.28. Higher rate taxpayers can reclaim extra tax relief, cutting the cost of their donation to 77p.

* More advice on tax-efficient giving
* Gift aid calculator

At work

37) Join your company pension

If your company offers a pension scheme to which it contributes, then sign up. You're not only getting free money from your employer, you'll also get tax relief on your own contribution. Basic rate taxpayers get an extra 25p for every £1 they contribute and higher rate taxpayer get even better tax relief.

* Company pensions explained

38) Salary sacrifice

Some employers offer schemes that let you pay for things directly out of your salary. There are bike purchase, pension, travel card and share save schemes. The advantage of these is that your repayment of the item is deducted before your tax and National Insurance are calculated. So, for example, the £100 you are paying is actually only equivalent to paying £80 if you are a basic rate taxpayer, or £60 if you are a top earner.

* What's the snag with salary sacrifice pensions?

Claim your entitlements

39) Invest child trust fund vouchers

These vouchers are sent to all new parents. Since September 2002 parents get a one-off voucher worth £250 to invest in their child's name. They get a further £250 when the child reaches seven. You can add up to £1,200 a year.

A quarter of child trust vouchers are not even used. This means that instead of the parent investing the money, the Government puts it into a default fund. Performance of these funds to date has not been good.

* How to pick the best child fund

40) Claim your benefits

Check you are getting all the benefits to which you are entitled. If you are a low earner, live alone, are old or have children, you could be entitled to get money off your tax bill or get a regular payment from the government. Likewise, those that live alone can get 25 per cent off their council tax bill. The government's information website is www.direct.gov.uk.

41) Cut education costs

Whether you are sending your child to private school, going to the local comprehensive or packing them off to university, there are ways to save on education. The Education Maintenance Allowance can pay up to £30 a week to some 16 to 19-year-olds who stay in higher education.

You can also get transport costs paid for travel to sixth form college, and adults in higher education can get discretionary support. At university, you may be able to get a support grant of up to £2,906. On top of this, individual universities have different bursaries and grants.

* More advice on being a better-off student

42) Trace missing money

Whether it's a dormant account, an old Premium Bond, a lost pension or a not-too-old Lottery ticket, it's easy to find missing funds. Each organisation has its own system. Best places to start are www.mylostaccount.org.uk and www.unclaimedassets.co.uk. They will point you in the right way to search.

43) Reclaim your payment insurance

Thousands of borrowers who signed up for loans were also flogged insurance policies for their repayments. Many were not told the true cost of the insurance or were even unaware that the policy was there. You can often reclaim the cost of the cover. Visit our sister website www.thisismoney.co.uk/reclaimppi to find out how.

* How to reclaim payment protection insurance

Out and about
FILMS:Ice Age 3

Enjoy: Take advantage of cheap days at the cinema

44) Hunt for discounts

Search the internet for the latest offers and vouchers. Among the best sites is vouchercodes.com. Then there are more specific sites such as toptable.co.uk and squaremeal.co.uk which have money-off vouchers for restaurants and bars.

* A round-up of 2 for 1 restaurant deals and other offers

45) Become a savvy shopper

Write down what you want to buy before going to the supermarket and only buy the things on your list. Consider using a cheaper supermarket or, better still, use your local street market. Go an hour before closing and you'll be amazed at the bargains you'll pick up. And always shop on a full stomach!

46) Earn rewards

Swap to a credit card that gives cashback on your shopping. American Express Platinum, for example, gives you 5 per cent cashback on your shopping for the first three months then falls to between 0.5 per cent and 1.5 per cent. Others offering cashback include M&S, John Lewis and Tesco. Then there are shopping rewards schemes such as those offered by Boots, Tesco and Nectar.

* Compare loyalty and cashback credit cards

47) But don't forget to claim them

There is an estimated £413million worth of these unclaimed benefits on cards such as Nectar, Boots and Air Miles that shoppers are missing out on.

* More on the best loyalty schemes

48) Cheap films

Take advantage of cheap days at things such as the cinema. For example, Orange mobile phone customers get two-for-one offers on Wednesday night at the cinema (even for Ice Age 3 Dawn Of The Dinosaurs, above). And some cinemas have money off on Tuesdays.

49) Join a library

Why spend so much money on buying books that you will probably read only once? Join your local library and you can take them out free. And DVD and CD rentals can be much cheaper there, too. Alternatively, buy second-hand books from a charity shop.

50) Cheap cuts

Go to a hairdresser on a model night. Top salons can charge as little as £5 if you are willing to allow a junior hairdresser to cut your hair. Some may even give a free cut. It may take longer, because the trainee has to be supervised.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-1201291/50-ways-make-save-money-Essential-recession-beating-tips.html#ixzz0MBnbLePI

Mission for peace targets terrorists

Senior members of the Chinese and Russian armed forces Wednesday vowed to jointly fight terrorists and extremists as the nations kicked off a massive joint anti-terror drill.

Mission for peace targets terrorists

Russian soldiers train before a joint military exercise between China and Russia in Taonan, in northeast China's Jilin province, July 21, 2009. [chinadaily.com.cn]Mission for peace targets terrorists

"Terrorist organizations are taking more and more forms, including launching terrorism attacks under the flag of Islam," Chief of General Staff of the Russian armed forces, Nikolai Makarov, told his visiting Chinese counterpart, Chen Bingde, in Khabarovsk, Russia's biggest city in the Far East and the headquarters of its Far East Military Command.

The two generals kicked off the five-day joint anti-terror drill, codenamed Peace Mission - 2009, along with dozens of high-level military leaders from both sides, at strategic talks that marked the start of the exercise.

"The recent events (in Urumqi) show that more and more terrorist, separatist and extremist forces are emerging, and, recently, to that we have to add pirates (in Somalia)," Makarov said.


"I believe the joint task of our two armed forces is to fight such illegal forces," he added.

The riot in Urumqi on July 5 was instigated by terrorist, separatist and extremist forces, the government has said.

The incident claimed the lives of 197 people.

Russia and China are holding the joint exercise to tell the world "the two armed forces have the capability to handle new challenges and protect regional stability and security," Makarov told reporters at a joint press conference after the talks.

Chen said the drill was "a mission for peace which bears far-reaching political significance".

Wang Haiyun, a former Chinese military attache in Russia, said Makarov mentioned Islamic extremists as being one of the main threats to regional security.

"Terrorist, separatist and religious extremist forces are the root of long-term turmoil in the region," Wang said.

Chen took the opportunity Wednesday to repeat China's stance on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

"As neighbors of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), China and Russia have similar strategic interests and security concerns on the peninsula issue," Chen said. "Though the DPRK has recently had a nuclear test, we still insist on denuclearization of the peninsula."

The US and Japan are reinforcing their security efforts and speeding up the implementation of a missile defense system following Pyongyang's missile launches, Chen said.

"That has severely darkened the situation in Northeast Asia," he added.

Chen noted that Peace Mission - 2009 was aimed at terrorism, not nations, dismissing speculation that it was in some way related to the peninsula issue.

Wang Fan, director of the institute of international relations at China Foreign Affairs University, said the ramping-up of US and Japanese security initiatives in the region will add to the challenges.

"Dialogue and mutual trust is more important (than military expansion)," he said.

In the coming days, 2,600 soldiers from China and Russia will take part in a series of drills at a military training base in Horqin Grassland in Baicheng, Jilin province.

Jackson's doctor is target of manslaughter probe Buzz up!

Court records filed today in Houston show that Michael Jackson's personal physician is being investigated for manslaughter in the death of the pop icon, according to news reports.

Yesterday, U.S. drug agents and Los Angeles police investigators searched Conrad Murray’s medical clinic and a public storage unit he rented, seeking “items constituting evidence of the offense of manslaughter that tend to show that Dr. Conrad Murray committed the said criminal offense,” according to the warrant filed in Harris County District Court.

The Los Angeles Times says among the items seized from the storage unit were two computer hard drives, a Medical Board certificate, letters to a former employee, a list of contacts and papers pertaining to his practice. Among those is a “suspension notice Doctor’s Hospital” and “papers regarding incomplete chart Doctor’s Hospital.”

Investigators also seized letters from the Internal Revenue Service, Texas Department of Public Safety controlled substance registration and public records from the Texas controller.

Shanghai encourages aging population to have 2nd baby

SHANGHAI: Eligible couples in the city are for the first time being encouraged to have a second child, as authorities make an effort to tackle the burden of an aging population.

Family planning officials and volunteers will make home visits and slip leaflets under doorways to encourage couples to have a second child if both grew up as only children. Emotional and financial counseling will also be provided, officials said.

Shanghai encourages aging population to have 2nd baby


"We advocate eligible couples to have two kids because it can help reduce the proportion of the aging people and alleviate a workforce shortage in the future," said Xie Lingli, director of the Shanghai Population and Family Planning Commission.

Shanghai, the country's most populous city, has more than 3 million registered residents aged 60 and above, nearly 22 percent of the population. By 2020, the proportion is expected to rise to about 34 percent.

The country's family planning policy has been relaxed in recent years, allowing couples who are the only children in their families to have a second child. Shanghai encourages aging population to have 2nd baby

"The rising number of aging people will put pressure on the younger generation and society. We need to find ways to solve the problem, but it doesn't mean the country's family planning policy will be reversed," Xie stressed.

One salesman was cheered by the new attitude in Shanghai.

"I'm not sure, but such policy really gives us one more option. If family finance permits, I want to have two kids with my wife in the future," said 25-year-old Xiao Wang, who works at a local company. He and his girlfriend are both single children in their families.

However, not all residents are so keen on the idea.

"I don't think we will have a second kid," said 26-year-old Xiao Chen, an office worker. "After all, it is stressful work raising a child."

Cop in Gates arrest says he will not apologize

The Cambridge police officer at the center of the controversy over the arrest of a black Harvard professor says he will not apologize for the incident, the Boston media report.

Henry Louis Gates Jr., was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct at his home near Harvard last week after a neighbor called in a report of a possible break-in. Gates, who was returning from a trip abroad, and his driver, had been trying to force open a front door.

The professor eventually got inside, by using a back door, when police arrived. The police report indicates that a heated exchange occurred although Gates showed his Harvard ID police allege that Gates initially refused to identify himself. In any case, Gates was handcuffed and arrested, although charges were later dropped.

Gates, 58, who charges that the arrest was racially motivated, has demanded that the police officer, Sgt. James Crowley, apologize for the incident. USA TODAY reports that the incident has ignited a long-simmering national debate over racial profiling.

Q1X00080_9 Crowley, in an exclusive interview with the Boston Herald, says he harbors no “ill feelings toward the professor” but will not apologize.

“I just have nothing to apologize for,” he tells the Herald. “It will never happen.”

The Boston Globe reports that Crowley says Gates' arrest was not racially motivated. "I am not a racist," The Globe quotes the officer as saying.

The paper says Crowley had no comment to President Obama's statement last night that the policeman acted "stupidly" in arresting Gates in his own home.

The Globe also reports that a Cambridge police union expressed "full and unqualified support" for Crowley.

Update at 10:20 a.m. ET: Crowley gives a long interview this morning with WEEI, a Boston sport radio station, in which he offers more details about the incident.

Click here to listen to the entire interview.

He tells The Dennis & Callahan Morning Show that Gates refused to answer whether there was someone in the house with him. He also says he asked Gates to step outside for the officer's "own safety."

Crowley tells WEEI that Gates was very upset from the beginning. "It's not just what he said, but how he said it. It was somewhat peculiar."

The police officer says he asked Gates for a driver's license even after seeing his Harvard ID because the university document does not include an address, which would have verified that Gates was, in fact, in his own home.

Crowley says that Gates followed him outside and continued to speak loudly and that the officer twice warned him about possible arrest, the second time while holding a pair of handcuffs.

He tells WEEI that arresting Gates was "something I really didn't want to do."

As for President Obama's comments on the incident, Crowley says it is "disappointing that he waded into what should be a local issue."

Update at 10:52 a.m. ET: The Boston Globe initially offered a link on Monday to the original Cambridge police report, however it was only up for a short time. Click here to view the report. This link has been provided by two conservative websites, the media watchdog group called NewsBusters and View from the Right.

Update at 11:53 a.m. ET: The AP reports that Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, who is black, said he was troubled and upset over the incident. Cambridge Mayor Denise Simmons, who also is black, has said she spoke with Gates and apologized on behalf of the city, the AP reports. An earlier statement from the city called the incident "regrettable and unfortunate."

Update at 12:10 p.m. ET: At one point in the interview with WEEI, Crowley apologizes for not knowing before he got the professor's ID that he was an eminent scholar.

Here is how Crowley put it:

There are so many things in this incident that keep me scratching my head wondering. I apologize, I was not aware who professor Gates was. And when I read the name off the card, it wasn't like I said, 'Oh, wow, that's professor Gates.' I'm still just amazed that somebody of his level of intelligence could stoop to such a level and berate me, accuse me of being a racist, of racial profiling, and speaking about my mother. It's just beyond words.

Update at 12:16 p.m. ET: For more on the White House angle on the story, click here for The Oval.

Update at 12:43 p.m. ET: White House spokesman Robert Gibbs, responding to questions by reporters on Obama's statement, says, "Let me be clear, he was not calling the officer stupid. But at a certain point the situation (in Gates' house) got out of hand." Gibbs says "cooler heads" should have prevailed once it was clear this was not a break-in.

Update at 12:49 p.m. ET: Gibbs says Obama did not regret saying that he thought the Cambridge police had "acted stupidly" but wanted to clarify that he was not calling the arresting officer stupid.
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Update at 4:06 p.m. ET: The Cambridge Police Department will hold a news conference at 5 p.m. ET to talk about the arrest of Gates.

The AP is reporting that the arresting officer is an expert at racial profiling, which he has taught at the police academy for five years. The academy director, Thomas Fleming, says the course teaches about different cultures that officers could encounter in their community "and how you don't want to single people out because of their ethnic background or the culture they come from."

Comedian Bill Cosby reacted to Obama's remark last night, initially saying he was "shocked" but later backing off a bit, The Christian Science Monitor writes.

“I’ve heard about five different reports [on the details of the arrest],” Cosby said on Boston’s WZLX. “If I’m the president of the United States, I don’t care how much pressure people want to put on it about race, I’m keeping my mouth shut. I was shocked to hear the president making this kind of statement.”

Here's what he said later, on Boston’s FOX 25 TV:

“People who have not been there, people who don’t know are beginning to have their own personal feelings, but they weren’t there,” Cosby said.

“Does this include the president?” the FOX reporter asked.

“It includes everybody,” Cosby said. “[But] I would have to take into consideration that he lived in Cambridge for some time so he may know more than he’s saying about situations of that sort.”

Update at 5:53 p.m. ET: In his first statement since the arrest, Cambridge Police Commissioner Robert Haas just said that his department is "deeply pained" by the president's statement that his officers "acted stupidly." He said at a news conference that Crowley's actions were not motivated by racism.

Meet Man-donna: The Chilean transvestite who performs for crowds of 20,000

Thousands of adoring fans line the streets, jostling to catch a glimpse of megastar millionaire Madonna.

But it's not the Material Girl they are looking at, it's male look-a-like Elias Figueroa, a poor boy from Chile who loved the superstar so much he decided to become her.

Elias, 28, became obsessed with Madge from the first moment he heard her music on his parents crackling radio in Santiago.

'I was still a schoolboy,' said Elias. 'I heard "Like a Virgin" and it totally blew me away.

'Madonna was so naughty, so sexy and unorthodox she broke the rules and I wanted to know everything about her.'

Now Elias is a gay lookalike and earns $12,000 a year as a Man-donna impersonator, three times the national salary in Chile, and the equivalent of around £50,000 in the UK.

'I live the life of a superstar,' he said. 'Strangers flock to me, tell me they love me and even try to grab my bum.

'I'm so good at playing Madonna, some people can't tell the difference between me and the real thing they don't even realise I'm a man.'

Elias, who listened to Madonna in secret as a child, became obsessed with the star and memorised her sexy dance moves alone in front of the bathroom mirror.

'I would lock the door, put a towel on my head to look like hair and sing into my toothbrush,' he said.

As Elias grew older he challenged the stifling control of his parents and began to hit the gay party scene in Santiago.

The first time he performed as Madonna to an audience was in 1996 when, at the age of 15, he gave a karaoke style performance at a friend's birthday party.

'My friend's didn't know how much I had been practicing so when they saw me they thought it was totally amazing,' he said.

'I watched every Madonna video I could find and studied every single detail her clothes, hair, make-up, gestures and attitude.'

Two years later, after scouring fancy dress shops and markets for the perfect outfit, Elias unveiled himself as Madonna dressed in a saucy bridal outfit with a veil. 'People were amazed at the transformation,' explains Elias.

'But I wasn't just dressing and singing like her. I had the whole package and took on her entire personality I stopped being shy Elias and became a real diva.'

Desperate to perform to a bigger crowd, Elias took his act to Santiago's clubs and bars and begged to be given a chance to go on stage.

He earned just £12 for his first gig, but was such a hit he was invited back immediately and after two years could charge what he liked.

After going full-time eight years ago he's now performing up to three times a week and earns up to £500 a show more than the average monthly wage in Chile.

Jet-setting Elias performs to up to 20,000 people at packed theatres and open-air stadiums.

'Being Madonna completes me,' he said. 'On stage I am her. I leave Elias behind and become completely confident, sexy and outrageous like her. She has so many roles and personalities in her songs that I get to be each of those.

'I feel sexy like her. She's like a modern Marilyn Monroe. And I love the attention of being on stage.

'The crowd always goes wild and I get lots of compliments. It's a gay man's fantasy to be so glamorous and live this lifestyle like a celebrity.'

He spends the equivalent of £10,000 a year on outfits, wigs and make-up for his act, forking out hundreds on designer dresses.

Maintaining Madonna's sinewy physique isn't easy and, although comfortably wealthy, Elias cannot afford micro biotic dieticians, pilates instructors and personal trainers to help him.

'I must be skinny and fibrous so I have to eat light and healthily,' he said.

'I avoid grease and make sure that I am always burning calories.

'I also have to shave my eyebrows and draw new ones to look more feminine.'

Elias now lives in a plush apartment with his male partner. 'He is not fan of Madonna, but he likes what I do,' said Elias.

'He just sees it as my job but he loves Elias not Madonna.'

Since the real Madonna's first trip to Chile as part of her Sticky and Sweet tour last December his career has taken off even more.

He's such a celebrity he now gets mobbed whenever he walks down the street dressed as his idol.

'I do get harassed sometimes,' he admits. 'But I love the attention and most of the time people congratulate me.

'They even ask if I've had cosmetic surgery to my face and say I've got a pretty body even better than Madonna's.'

Despite the incredible resemblance, Elias has yet to meet his idol.

'That would be a dream come true,' he gushes. 'She's a goddess.'

Striking employees hold demonstration

SRINAGAR, July 23: Work in government and semi-government offices in the state was paralyzed today in view of strike by employees. Demanding the fulfillment of their 'genuine' demands at the earliest, the employees observed a lock-out and stayed away from their duties.
The strike call evoked total response almost all the departments. Even the impact was very much visible in Civil Secretariat, Public Service Commission, Service Selection Board, Competent Authority and Entrance Examination.
Amid a complete strike that paralyzed work in government, semi-government offices and corporations in Jammu, the striking employees held a strong protest demonstration led by Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) president, Ram Kumar Sharma and Parvin Kumar at press club Jammu.
Chanting slogans against the government for causing 'delay' in fulfilling demands of the employees, the protestors staged a sit-in for hours. They alleged that the government was intimidating the employees to resort to protests by causing unnecessary delay in fulfilling the demands.
Under the banner of J and K Civil Secretariat Non-Gazetted Employees Union, the employees of all the departments of civil secretariat held a protest demonstration in support of their demands in the lawns of civil secretariat. The striking employees also held protests at Handwara.
Reports said that the employees stayed away from their duties at Ladakh and Kargil and the observed a lock out.
Today's strike was observed in response to the call given by Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) and in lieu of decision jointly taken by Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) and Sub Cabinet Committee.
It may be recalled here that the state employees held protests in support of their demands from 11 A M to 1 PM last day.
EJAC and its constituent organizations spearheading the state employees' agitation have strongly reacted to the statement of Finance Minister, Abdul Rahim Rather that the employees strike was unconstitutional and illegitimate.
Chairman EJAC, Abdul Qayoom Wani told Kashmir Times that the employees have been deprived of Drabu and S L Bhat committees' recommendation on sixth pay commission and instead the government has deceived employees by issuing SRO 93, 94 and 95.
"In the SROs, there is no mention of release of arrears in cash since 2006, the five and 10 per cent HRA also remains unchanged and it also does not make a mention of DA instead of COLA. The SROs also does not cover two years extension in retirement age, increase in salaries of employees appointed in 2006 and some other demands," he said adding that employees will be forced to intensify protests, if the government did not consider the demands of employees.
Qayoom Wani said that the Joint Consultation Committee (JCC) will meet before July 30 and the strike programme will start in first week of August.
"The representatives of employees from all three regions including Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir will meet before July 30 and the protest programme is likely to begin in first week of August," said EJAC chairman.
The demands of employees include, release of pending arrears in favour of employees and pensioners since 2006, increase in the age of retirement by two years, removal of disparity in the salaries of employees appointed in 2006, to equal the HRA to that of central government employees, regularization of all daily wagers, adhoc, contractual workers, casual labours and increase in their salaries besides release of 'state share' in favour of helpers, release of DA in stead of COLA in favour of public sector employees and some other demands.
Reports said that patients and attendants suffered immensely following strike by employees at SMHS and SKIMS hospitals here.
Reports said that employees stayed away from duties and observed a lock out at major district headquarters including Baramulla, Sopore, Kupwara, Anantanag, Shopian, Budgam, Bandipora and Ganderbal.
Meanwhile, All Kashmir Public Health Engineering (PHE) federation has appealed PHE minister to intervene and help in releasing their two months pending salaries and save their families from facing starvation like situation.

Employee electrocuted, protests against CRPF
KT NEWS SRVICE
SRINAGAR, July 23: Protests demonstration were held in Bemina area here after a government employee was electrocuted due to the current in razor wire spread by the CRPF. Police has registered a case.
Fayaz Ahmad Bhat an employee in PHE was electrocuted while he touched the razor wire spread by CRPF 166 Batallion in Bemina outside their camp. As the news spread people took to streets and held protests demonstrations against the CRPF. The people were alleging that CRPF with out reason has spread the razor wire at a long distance from their camps.Police said that a case has been registered and investigations had been taken up.

Tourists love Greece, regardless

FOREIGN tourists remain quite satisfied with what they get from Greece as their holiday destination, in spite of high prices and the worldwide economic recession, according to a survey of visitors’ preferences aired on Flash 96 Radio on July 9.

Eight out of 10 visitors polled said they plan to return to the country for a future vacation, while nine out of 10 would recommend it to friends who have never been to Greece.

Americans, Australians and Germans seem to be the most satisfied, whereas Scandinavians and the French were less so.

“The fact that so many tourists wish to return to Greece after their first visit, and six out of 10 surveyed have already been to Greece before, shows what a strong brand name our country has in the world tourist market,” Tourist Development Minister Kostas Markopoulos said on the radio.

Greek food and entertainment - especially on the islands - received top marks from most respondents, whereas the high prices of the domestic market was the most unpleasant aspect of their stay. The survey comes on the heels of government-released statistics, and largely confirms encouraging signs of resilience by the Greek tourism sector in the face of the financial crisis.

The expected drop in tourist arrivals and revenue in the first half of the year was not as bad as many feared. According to the survey, the sector’s strength appears to be sustained by visitors’ satisfaction with the unique qualities and diversity of their holiday experience in the country. They are therefore inclined to visit Greece for shorter periods and spend less during that time, rather than switch to a cheaper travel destination altogether.

The study was conducted at the end of June by Ammon Ovis Business Development Consultants. Ammon Ovis market analyst Kostas Drosatos said the survey was carried out at the departure lounge of the Athens International Airport, with a standard questionnaire given to a sample of 332 tourists from five continents.

Age differences
The average time spent in Greece was 12 days, with longer stays registered by those who divided their time between Athens and a Greek island (16 days).

Those who confined their visit exclusively to Athens spent on average four fewer days than those who preferred to limit their visit to the islands (seven days as opposed to 11 days, respectively). Age groups and nationality of the visitors seem to play a significant role in determining the length of stay. Those at the opposite ends of the age scale were inclined to spend the longest periods away from home.

The average stay for tourists aged 17 to 25 years, and those aged 56 or older, is 15 days, compared to 11 days for the three intermediate age categories.

Germans stayed longest in the country (14 days on average), followed by Australians with 13 days. By contrast, Americans spent only eight to nine days.

A dissenting view
LIKE MOST tourist surveys before it, the Ammon Ovis study “reinforces old cliches and platitudes about the popularity of Greece as a tourist destination without exploring the potential of its real competitive advantages,” Athens-based travel agent Michalis Tziotis told the Athens News.

“One wonders how much thin air can be blown into the rubric of entertainment, but there’s obviously no room in it for the concept of culture,” he said.

He added that culture is the key ingredient in any serious attempt to attract a fresh wave of high-income tourists to Greece, now that the country has forever lost the advantage of comparatively low prices.

“Why do you think the Turks are suddenly peddling all the Ionian monuments of the Greek cultural heritage in Asia Minor as their own?” he asked. Turkey knows that tourists with expensive tastes and the disposable income to go with it are the ones who also possess a high-level of education and varied cultural interests.

“Instead of drowning the cultural legacy of Hellenism into a catch-all notion of entertainment, we should be doing more for the preservation and promotion of our eternal treasures at home and abroad,” Tziotis said.