'False positive' concern over prostate cancer test

One in eight men screened for prostate cancer will test positive when they do not have the disease, a major European trial has shown.

A positive result can mean undergoing invasive tests such as biopsy as well as potentially unnecessary treatment.

Screening with prostate specific antigen (PSA) is not routinely offered in the UK but government experts are reviewing evidence from the study.

Cancer Research UK said men should talk about the pros and cons with their GP.

Early data from the European Randomised Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer, which is being conducted in seven countries, showed in March 2009 that deaths could be cut by 20%.
But other recent evidence has cast doubt on the long-term benefits of screening, suggesting some men may end up being "over-treated" for slow-growing disease that would never cause a problem in their lifetime.

Now data from the Finnish part of the European trial has shown that for every eight men screened - tests are being done on a four-yearly basis - one ended up with a false positive result, even with a fairly high PSA threshold.

Those men who tested positive but were later found not to have cancer were twice as likely not to agree to screening in the future even though they were at risk of developing the disease later, the British Journal of Cancer reported.

'Adverse effects'

The researchers have said more research is needed to make screening more accurate and to help pick out those who are most likely to have a true positive result.
Study leader, Dr Tuomas Kilpelainen, said: "I don't think routine screening should be advised until more is known on the adverse effects and costs of screening.

"If a man has urinary tract symptoms and is concerned he could have prostate cancer, the most important thing is to consult a GP or a urologist."

There is currently no organised screening programme for prostate cancer in the UK but men can request a PSA test if they want and demand is increasing.

Professor Julietta Patnick, director of the NHS Cancer Screening Programmes, said: "While the European trial, of which this Finnish study is a part, showed for the first time that prostate screening with PSA can save lives, it also suggested that 48 men would have to be treated in order to save one life.

"False positives are an issue for any screening programme, and this Finnish paper is very helpful at gaining an understanding of how they might figure in the context of prostate screening."

Results from both the European trial and a large study being carried out in the US are due this year, Cancer Research UK said.

Professor Peter Johnson, Cancer Research UK's chief clinician, said the paper showed there were "two sides" to using PSA for prostate cancer screening.

"Although for some men detecting prostate cancer early through screening can be life-saving, on the other hand the test will be abnormal for around one man in eight without cancer being detectable at that time.

"For this reason, it is important that men in their 50s and 60s can to talk to their doctor about the pros and cons of having a PSA test and only have the test if they feel it is right for them.

Detroit motor show goes electric

The first Detroit motor show after US carmakers General Motors and Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy opens later.

The event, which is set to premiere 60 new models, remains the most important motor show in the US, in spite of the crisis that has rocked the industry.

Electric cars are to take centre stage, as Detroit tries to reinvent itself as a base for new automotive technologies.

Small petrol-powered cars are also due to be popular, a shift from previous years when large cars dominated.

Small and electric

The change in emphasis towards more fuel efficient cars comes as US drivers are becoming increasingly concerned with
Regulatory requirements are also being tightened amidst an increasing focus on the importance of reducing carbon dioxide emissions from cars in order to curb global warming.

Chrysler, which is now controlled by Fiat, is pinning its hopes on rebadged versions of the Italian carmaker's cars, while GM will unveil its Chevrolet Spark city car.

Ford, meanwhile, is unveiling its new Focus, hot on the heels of its introduction of the smaller Fiesta at the Los Angeles motor show last month.

The hope is that Detroit's automotive industry can be revived, thus helping to create jobs in Michigan, where unemployment reached 15.8% last year.

But Detroit's incumbents will face tough competition from non-US carmakers.

European and Asian carmakers will place great emphasis on petrol-electric hybrids or electric concept cars at this year's show.

Luxury venue

Beyond the ageing Cobo centre, an alternative show venue has popped up this year at the MGM Grand Detroit casino, where a string of European luxury car makers that have been staying away from Detroit in recent years are showing off their wares.


Supercars made by the likes of Lamborghini and Ferrari will be on display, as will a stable of cars from UK carmakers Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Aston Martin, all of them attracted back to the city by the ease and low cost of displaying at the casino rather than creating entire stands at the main show.

3D TV is being billed as possible industry saviour

3D TV is being billed as a possible saviour for recession hit manufacturers looking to boost sales.

On the opening day of the Consumer Electronics Show, CES, in Las Vegas, all the big names unveiled 3D TV's.

Industry experts said the picture looks promising with a survey showing around 3.4m 3D TV sets will be sold in the US this year.

"It's a challenging market. We need something to kick us out of this," said Panasonic's Elsuke Tsuyuzaki.

"To me, the thing that's going to get us there is 3D," added the firm's chief technology officer.

"2009 is a year none of us want to repeat," said Gary Shapiro the president of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) which hosts the annual tech gathering.

The association has predicted that for the coming year the whole consumer electronics industry should eke out a slight revenue increase of 0.3%. The rise of $440m (£280m) will take expected revenues to $165.3bn (£105bn)

However Mr Shapiro noted that lower average selling prices for TVs will be a drag. CEA expects TV revenues to decline 2% in this sector to $22.1bn (£14bn) even though unit sales will go up 5% to 37.7m (£24m)

Movie boost
For several years the industry has talked up the arrival of 3D TV in the home to little effect.

Many however believe 2010 really is the breakthrough year for the technology, helped in large party by the growing number of 3D movies at the theatre and the success of James Cameron's sci-fi epic Avatar.


"While 3D has taken a number of years to penetrate in the movie theatres, I believe this is the year it will begin to enter the home," Jeffrey Katzenberg, the head of Dreamworks Animation.

However he added a caveat to that statement.

"It usually takes from five to ten years to transition from one platform to a newer one. To go from analogue to digital has taken about ten years so that is why I say to you this is the year in which 3D is going to enter the home in a really meaningful way."

Mr Katzenberg, who is known as a 3D evangelist, said he is so confident about the future of that vision that he has committed his studio to make 3D versions of all its future movies.

During CES, he announced Dreamworks would release Monsters vs. Aliens as a 3D Blu-ray disc in an exclusive promotion with Samsung and Technicolour.

In 2010 around 20 out of 170 movies will be made in 3D, double the number from last year.

Industry play
Samsung is just one of the big TV makers betting a huge chunk of the bank on 3D being a winning proposition for consumers and for the company.


It, along with the other top names such as Sony, LG and Panasonic, put on ritzy displays at CES to show the hundred thousand plus attendees what the future holds.

There were also announcements galore.

The Discovery Channel said that it is forming a joint venture company with Sony and IMAX to deliver 3D TV channels.

UK satellite operator BSkyB said it is also planning to launch a 3D service later this year and ESPN said it will show at least 85 sports events this year on its new ESPN 3D channel.

Panasonic revealed a tie-up with top US satellite provider DirecTV to launch three high-definition 3D TV channels by June to try and jump-start demand for 3D TVs and content.

"Once you see it you get it," said Panasonic's Mr Tsuyuzaki during a CES session on the issue called "3D Hope or Hype."

"It will take off a lot more quickly than a lot of people expect."

Price point
That is certainly what the Consumer Electronics Association said it was told by those it surveyed on the issue.

"One of the key findings is that we don't need to convince consumers that 3D is different," said Shawn DuBravac, the CEA's chief economist.

"This is the struggle we had with HDTV (high-definition TV.) 25% of consumers say they will own a 3D TV over the next three years. By 2013, a quarter of all sets sold will be 3D," added Mr DuBravac.

Right price

"3D is gaining a ton of momentum unlike any other technology in recent history," said Buzz Hayes, senior vice-president of Sony's 3D tech centre.

"The market is ready for it and a lot of people are embracing it."

One important factor the industry has to get right is pricing.

"The TV industry is desperate and they are latching onto 3D as hard as they can" Gartner research's principal analyst Van Baker.

"They have done the flat panel upgrade. It will be a hard sell to get people to spend big bucks again on 3D TV so soon after paying out for an HDTV."

Those in the business agree it is an important consideration.

"I think all the CE (consumer electronics) companies are waiting to see what the others do (on pricing)," said Ahmad Ouri, chief marketing office of Technicolor.

"It can't be double the price tag, or it's a non-starter."

Israel to construct barrier along Egyptian border

Israel's government has approved plans for the construction of a barrier along its border with Egypt in a bid to keep out illegal migrants and militants.

It will be built along two parts of the border - near the Red Sea city of Eilat and on the edge of the Gaza Strip.


PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the decision was taken to secure Israel's Jewish and democratic character, but that refugees would still be allowed to seek entry.

In recent years, thousands of migrants have crossed into Israel via Egypt.

At least 17 migrants, mostly African, have been killed since May by Egyptian police, who say they are trying to stop people trafficking.

Eritrea is the most common country of origin for people trying to cross illegally from Egypt to Israel, followed by Ethiopia and Sudan.

'Illegal aliens'

On Sunday, Mr Netanyahu said he had approved the construction of sections of barrier that would block the main infiltration routes along the 266km (166-mile) frontier, and the installation of advanced surveillance equipment.

The project is set to cost $270m and take two years to complete.
"I took the decision to close Israel's southern border to infiltrators and terrorists. This is a strategic decision to secure Israel's Jewish and democratic character," the prime ministers said in a statement.

Mr Netanyahu said Israel would "remain open to refugees" from conflict zones, but added: "We cannot let tens of thousands of illegal workers infiltrate into Israel through the southern border and inundate our country with illegal aliens."

Egyptian security sources said Israel had not informed them of its plans, but that they would not object so long as the barrier was built on Israeli soil.


Israel has also been building a controversial barrier in and around the occupied West Bank in recent years. It says it is needed to defend Israeli citizens from attacks by militants. Palestinians, however, consider it a land grab.

In 2004, the International Court of Justice in The Hague issued an advisory ruling that the barrier was illegal and should be removed.

Egypt is meanwhile building an underground barrier along its border with Gaza to stem the smuggling of weapons through tunnels.

Social Democrat Ivo Josipovic elected Croatia president

The opposition Social Democrat, Ivo Josipovic, has won Croatia's presidential election by a wide margin.

Mr Josipovic won 60.3% of the vote in the second round run-off, beating the mayor of Zagreb, Milan Bandic.


Correspondents say the result was expected, but the margin of victory even larger than polls had predicted.

Mr Josipovic has pledged to lead an "uncompromising fight against corruption" and to help the government complete EU membership talks this year.

The 52-year-old law professor and classical music composer succeeds Stipe Mesic, who will step down in February after 10 years as president.

'More just Croatia'

Addressing his supporters in Zagreb on Sunday evening after the official results were announced, Mr Josipovic said his victory was for "all honest people regardless of their voting preferences".
"This is a victory which we can all celebrate because it is my deep belief that all of us want a better and more just Croatia," he said.

"I deeply believe that all of us want to live in a country in which work is rewarded and crime punished, in a country of social security and justice."

His opponent, Mr Bandic, was tarnished by corruption allegations during the campaign.

Mark Lowen, says that as president, Mr Josipovic will have very little say in policy making, but will hope to take the country into the EU by 2012, becoming the bloc's 28th member.
He has been criticised for lacking charisma, but is likely to co-operate both with Brussels and the Croatian government, led by Jadranka Kosor, which has been tackle corruption if its EU hopes are to be fulfilled, our correspondent says.

Croatians have been largely unenthused by this election, reflected by the low turnout of 50.3%, slightly up on the first round, he adds.

Frustrated with widespread corruption, they have also been hard hit by the global financial crisis, with Croatia's economy likely to show barely any growth this year. Unemployment remains at around 16%.

Our correspondent says the new president will be hoping to restore popular faith in politics, as well as steer Croatia towards calmer and cleaner waters.

Sunday Mirror's Rupert Hamer killed in Afghan blast

A British journalist has been killed in an explosion in southern Afghanistan, the UK's Ministry of Defence has said.

Sunday Mirror defence correspondent Rupert Hamer, 39, was embedded with the US Marine Corps when his vehicle was hit by a bomb near Nawa in Helmand.

The father-of-three's Mirror colleague, photographer Philip Coburn, 43, is in a serious but stable condition.

A US marine was also killed in the blast on Saturday, and five marines were seriously injured.

It had initially been reported that an Afghan soldier had also been killed but that was later corrected.

Mr Coburn, from Larne in County Antrim, broke one leg and had the other amputated below the knee. He is due to be flown back to the UK on Monday.

'Hugely popular'

The Mirror journalists had flown to the region on New Year's Eve for a month-long assignment.

Mr Hamer had been a Sunday Mirror journalist for 12 years and was married with children aged six, five and 19 months.

Sunday Mirror editor Tina Weaver said: "Rupert believed that the only place to report a war was from the front line and, as our defence correspondent, he wanted to be embedded with the US Marines at the start of their vital surge into southern Afghanistan."
She added: "Affectionately known as Corporal Hamer in the office, he was a gregarious figure, a wonderful friend who was hugely popular with his colleagues."

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was "deeply saddened by this tragic news".

He said: "My heartfelt thoughts and sympathies are with the families, friends and colleagues of Rupert and Philip.

"Their courage, skill and dedication to reporting from the front line was incredibly important and ensured that the world could see and read about our heroic troops.

"Their professionalism and commitment to our forces will not be forgotten."

Sun political editor Tom Newton Dunn, who worked as defence editor alongside Mr Hamer, said: "Rupert was not just an excellent journalist in his field but also a thoroughly nice person and I don't think he had an enemy in Fleet Street, let alone in the armed forces."
A former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, Col Richard Kemp, knew Mr Hamer and said he had worked very closely with the military.

He said: "You won't hear a bad word said about him. He was extremely well liked and well respected as a journalist, he was fearless in his reporting, he wouldn't let anybody off the hook easily, but he also understood the way the military worked.

"He had great empathy with soldiers in particular on the ground and some of the work he did for the Sunday Mirror without a shadow of a doubt helped improve the lot of the soldier who was fighting in Afghanistan and elsewhere."

Chris Hughes, the Daily Mirror's security correspondent, said the atmosphere in the newsroom was one of "deep shock".

"Lots of people phoning in - journalists and military types phoning in expressing how sad they are to discover that Rupert, who was a friend to many of them, has been killed," he said.

'Great respect'
Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said Mr Hamer and Mr Coburn had accompanied him on his most recent trip to Afghanistan.


"I got to know them well and I was impressed by their hard work and professionalism," he said.
"My thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families, friends and colleagues of both men at this extremely distressing time."

Conservative leader David Cameron sent his condolences to Mr Hamer's family, adding British journalists in Afghanistan did a "crucial job".

Mr Hamer is the second foreign journalist to be killed in Afghanistan in recent days.

Michelle Lang, 34, from Canada's Calgary Herald, died along with four Canadian soldiers in a roadside bomb attack at the end of December.

News of Mr Hamer's death came as the head of the Army told Radio live he expected to see fewer British military casualties in Afghanistan from the end of this year.

And General Sir David Richards said he believed it would be possible to bring down the number of troops in Afghanistan in about 18 months.

"The essence of our military operation is likely to remain broadly as it is today," he said.

"I personally anticipate as we get this business of 'mass' right - the numbers of boots on the ground, a result of allied enhancements and a growth in the Afghan army and police - that I would see a diminishing level of casualties from the end of this year.

"But it could be a tough year until we reach that."

China 'overtakes Germany as world's largest exporter

China's exports rose 17.7% in December, state media has reported, suggesting the country has overtaken Germany as the world's largest exporter.

The rise, compared to a year earlier, breaks a 13-month decline in trade as a result of the global downturn.

Xinhua said total exports for 2009 were $1.2tn (£749bn), but total foreign trade over the year was down 13.9%.

Correspondents say the figures will lead to new demands from China's competitors that it revalue the yuan.

Last year saw a continuing decrease in China's trade as the global economic downturn led to a fall in demand for its products.

But in the last few weeks of the year, there was a far greater rise than forecasters had expected, with foreign exports reaching $130.7bn, up 17.7% on the previous December.

China's General Administration of Customs (GAC) said exports overall in the year were $1.2tn, down 16% from in 2008, while imports were 11.2% down from a year earlier at $1.01tn.

The politically sensitive total trade surplus was down 34.2% to $196.1bn.

The figures suggests China will surpass Germany's export total for the whole of 2009, although this will not be confirmed until Germany's full-year data is published in February.

Yuan demand

A spokesman for GAC said the increase was "an important turning point" for the country.
"It is safe to say now that Chinese exporters have come right through the period of weakness," Xinhua quoted statistician Huang Guohua as saying.

The Chris Hogg in Shanghai says many of China's producers are low-cost manufacturers who assemble equipment such as i-Pods using foreign components.

The latest figures are being seen as an indication that those manufacturers have proved resilient in the downturn and are benefitting as their customers restock, says our correspondent.

But the figures are likely to lead to renewed complaints from China's trading competitors that its currency is undervalued, he added.

Led by the US, they say it is unfair that China has been able to make its good cheaper by keeping the yuan weak, but Prime Minister Wen Jiabao has said China "will not yield" to foreign demands that it revalue the currency.

Beijing has long said that it will not allow the yuan to trade freely until its domestic economy was strong enough to pick up any resulting decline in exports.

The slowing decline in Chinese trade has also been taken as a sign that the country's stimulus package is working.

Beijing raised tax rebates on exports several times in 2009, increased tax refunds and improved export credit insurance.

Venezuela's President Chavez warns price 'speculators'

Venezuela's President, Hugo Chavez, has said troops will seize control of any business that raise prices in response to the devaluation of its currency.

He said there was no reason for prices to go up, and speculators' businesses would be handed over to the workers.


Venezuelans have rushed to the shops to buy imported goods before the bolivar's devaluation comes into effect.

Mr Chavez says devaluing the bolivar by at least 17% will boost competitiveness and reduce dependence on imports.

But critics say it will fuel inflation, which has already risen to 25%.

Pickpockets
The bolivar's official exchange rate, which is set by government decree, had been held steady at 2.45 to the US dollar since the last devaluation in March 2005.

But on Friday, President Chavez announced that it would now have two rates - 2.60 to dollar for "priority" imports, and 4.30 to the dollar for other items considered non-essential - a 50% devaluation.

He said that the two rates would have the effect of "limiting imports that are not strictly necessary and stimulating export policy".

Oscar Meza, director of the Venezuelan economic think tank, Cendas, predicted the move would push annual inflation above 33%.

"It's impossible for prices not to be adjusted," he told the Associated Press. "If they aren't adjusted, they'll disappear."

Mr Chavez dismissed the criticism on Sunday on his weekly television and radio programme, Alo Presidente, saying there was "no reason for anybody to be raising prices".

He urged his supporters to "publicly denounce the speculator" and warned business owners that he had asked the military to formulate an "offensive plan" that would see them "take over any business, of any size, that plays the bourgeois speculation game".

"I want the National Guard to hit the streets with the people to fight against speculation and take measures," he said, without specifying.

Luis Ignacio Planas of the opposition Copei party said the government was "acting like a pickpocket, sticking its hands in the pockets of Venezuelans, taking their money to continue financing and paying for an irresponsible economic policy".