A young woman who disguised herself as a boy to date her own female friends has been jailed for 30 months.

Premier League footballer John Carew today told a court he was “tricked” into trusting a man accused of duping him out of £200,000 (€235,000).

Unions were seeking jobs guarantees today after the UK’s biggest brewer accepted a £7.8bn (€10.48bn) takeover offer from European rivals Carlsberg and Heineken.

Foster’s brewer Scottish & Newcastle faces a critical day in its future tomorrow as a key deadline for its European takeover suitors looms.

Bookmakers have made rock band Kaiser Chiefs favourites to win the 2005 Mercury Music Prize after the shortlist for this year's award were announced today.