London, Nov 21 : US Justice Secretary Jack Straw has reportedly opposed an orientation programme launched in a top-security prison to train dreaded Al Qaeda terrorists into stage comedians.

The course continued for three days at the Whitemoor prison, which houses three 21/7 bombers and M25 road rage killer Kenny Noye, before Straw intervened to stop it.

The terrorists were given lessons in stand-up, comic drama, improvisation and scriptwriting. And, once they “graduated” they were due to get a certificate and display their new talents with a comedy show for fellow lags and guards.

London, Nov 21 : Brit boys are lagging far behind by the age of five and as they start school, fuelling fears that many are being pushed too hard in their early years, according to a survey.

Figures revealed that girls dramatically outperform boys in every area of early development - including basic literacy, communication and imaginative play.

The results came from the Government analysis of 556,000 children aged four and five at the end of the foundation stage - before infants move into Year One.

It was found that nearly 58 per cent of girls were competent in all areas as compared to only 41 per cent of boys.

The gap in reading and writing has stretched over the last three years.

London, Nov 21 : Sheikh Adbulla of Bahrain has told the High Court that he gave Michael Jackson over 676,000 pounds before he had even met the singer.

Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the second son of the King of Bahrain, is suing Jackson to get back what he says he spent on the star in a failed recording venture in Bahrain.

He is hoping to regain 4.7 million pounds from the King of Pop, reports the Telegraph.

London, Nov 21 : Soccer rivals Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Cole are joining forces to produce a film.

London, Nov. 21 : It is interesting to note how countries across the world have been performing in this temporary phase of global slowdown. Asia, which has comparatively been a little less ''harmed'' than the Western world, has had its share of impact and is still trying to cope with it.

The two giant economies of the Asia -- India and China -- have been distinctly impacted by the slowdown.

London, Nov 21 : Cheryl Cole along with her Girls Aloud band mates helped launch a scheme to teach children how to look after their dogs.

The girls launched Dogs Trust''s new Education Initiative in partnership with Nintendo aimed at teaching children the responsibilities involved in caring for a dog.

Dogs Trust, in Uxbridge, West London, is the UK''s largest dog welfare charity.

"We are all dog lovers ourselves so are fully supportive of this scheme which teaches kids what looking after a dog really involves," the Daily Express quoted Girls Aloud, as saying.