FORMER England soccer star Paul Gascoigne has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, after he was said to be acting as a “potential menace” at a luxury hotel.

Former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, sources said today.

Online mapping provider Multimap today became the latest firm to join the Microsoft empire after announcing its sale to the world’s most powerful technology company.

A US private equity group is to buy Hilton Hotels in a US$20bn (€14.7bn) cash deal, the hotel company said.

A Chicago development group is suing US heiress Nicky Hilton for breach of contract over a delayed hotel renovation project.

Bookmaker Ladbrokes today celebrated a jump in winnings after declaring the World Cup the biggest betting event in the company’s history.

Two hundred and fifty jobs are due to be created before the end of this year at two new Hilton Hotels currently being built in Dublin and Limerick.

Stocks in the United States meandered through a listless session today, ending lower as investors ignored generally benign economic data and looked ahead to 2006 with a mix of optimism and concern.

A £3.6bn (€5.2bn) deal to reunite ownership of the Hilton hotels brand looked set to be completed today.