London, September 19: Scientists at the Liverpool University have declared that a tiny silver cross, which was hailed as the earliest Christian artifact by historians, is most certainly a fake.

A replica of the cross was worn around the neck by the then Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey as a symbol of his office.

But the cross, which was found in a grave within the area of the small Roman city at Shepton Mallet in Somerset, is almost certainly a fake.

According to a report in the Telegraph, scientists at Liverpool University, who conducted tests using new technology, have concluded that they are “99 per cent” certain the cross or amulet does not date from Roman times.

London, Sept 19: One in seven children struggles to write his or her own name after a year at primary school, show official figures.

The Government analysis of 556,000 children showed that almost 80,000 five-year-olds struggle to hold a pen properly or form basic words such as "mum", "dad" and "cat".

Thousands more cannot say the alphabet or count to ten.

The figures were made at the end of the foundation stage before the kids move into Year One.

London - Sometimes it is difficult not to feel sorry for Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who has endured a barrage of savage and public attacks on his leadership over circumstances that are not all entirely of his making.

"Stand aside or be pushed aside" has been the battle cry of a growing band of disgruntled Labour Party parliamentarians who remain unimpressed with Brown's leadership of Britain over the past 15 months.

London  - Britain's Lloyds TSB Bank agreed Thursday to take over ailing mortgage lender HBOS in a giant merger sparked by the escalating market turmoil following the collapse of US Lehman Brothers this week.

The mammoth deal, backed by the government, is widely seen as a rescue operation for HBOS, Britain's biggest mortgage lender, and comes amid a near-unprecedented week of financial turmoil which saw a run on the group's shares.

London  - The conflict over Georgia should not stop NATO from continuing its policy of constructive engagement with Russia, NATO chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in London Thursday.

"I do not foresee a U-turn in NATO's policy vis-a-vis Russia," Scheffer told military and security experts at the Royal United Service Institute (RUS) in London.

A U-turn was only required when wrong decisisons had been made, "and we have not gone wrong," explained Scheffer.

London, Sept 18: While art is known to express pain in the most beautiful way, a new study has found that looking at a striking painting can offer a distraction from physical pain.

To reach the conclusion, the research was carried out by the University of Bari in Italy.

The research could help vindicate hospitals who are accused of wasting money on art and decor as it suggests a pleasant environment helps patients overcome discomfort and pain.