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Home computer users are now the favourite targets of hi-tech criminals, reveals research.

The report by security firm Symantec found that cyber criminals are targeting home PC owners because they are the easiest to catch out.

It saw an 81% rise in phishing messages which attempt to trick people into handing over personal details.

Another study by a banking industry body shows many home users do not take basic steps to stay safe online.

Criminals typically use bogus or booby-trapped e-mail messages to lure people into handing over banking details.

Risky business

Symantec’s bi-annual Internet Threat Report said that more than 157,000 unique phishing messages were sent during the first six months of 2006.

The phishing messages were getting much more sophisticated to make them more effective, said Ollie Whitehouse, Symantec research scientist and one of the authors of the report.

STAYING SAFE ONLINE Install anti-virus software On at least a weekly basis update anti-virus and spyware products Install a personal firewall and/or ensure your operating system’s firewall is on Use Windows and Apple updates to patch security holes Do not open e-mail messages that look suspicious Do not click on e-mail attachments you were not expecting Take time to educate yourself and family about the risks Monitor your computer and stay alert to threats What are the threats on the net?

“Organised crime is here and they are very interested in phishing,” he said. “They target home users who have become the weakest link.”

Many gangs trawl the net for more information about those they target with messages.

“Most people, by now, have left a digital footprint which can be mined,” Mr Whitehouse said.

Phishing gangs were also starting to target the customers of smaller banks and financial institutions. In early September the Anti-Phishing Working Group said that in the last year the number of bank “brands” targeted had doubled.

The Symantec report comes as the banking industry body the Association of Payment and Clearing Services reveals research which shows the risks people take online.

Only half of the consumers surveyed for the report said they would ignore phishing e-mail messages and 3.8% said they would respond to an unsolicited e-mail about their online accounts.

The survey also found that less than half of those questioned, 46.3%, kept their anti-virus software up to date. Only 10% had spam-stopping software installed.

“Clearly, it’s a concern that so many internet users are still not aware of simple security advice,” said an Apacs spokeswoman.

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It was the highest debut score for South Africa and the second highest in the history of the game - beaten only by Tip Foster’s 287 for England against Australia 100 years earlier.

A difficult tour to England followed but Rudolph bounced back by scoring three centuries in the space of six Tests against West Indies, New Zealand and Sri Lanka in 2004.

Although recognised by the selectors as the brightest young batsman in the country, the left-hander’s form declined over the months that followed.

And he eventually lost his place during a tour to the Caribbean earlier this year after scored of 0, 24, 8 and 7 not out in the first two Tests.

His inclusion in the tour party for Australia offered a chance to redeem himself but he was told he would probably have to settle for being first reserve as South Africa looked to establish a settled top six.

Fate had other ideas and an elbow tendon injury suffered by Jacques Kallis, presented Rudolph with his chance.

It’s about taking opportunities Jacques Rudolph More Perth Test reaction

He went into the Test having made an unbeaten 201 in a warm-up game against a Western Australia XI.

But defying the likes of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee for seven hours to make an unbeaten 102 and save the Test represents a huge leap forward for the 24-year-old from the Transvaal.

“He’s got his opportunity in a Test match in tough circumstances and he’s come through it with flying colours” was captain Graeme Smith’s verdict.

Being able to produce one’s best in adversity is one of the hallmarks of a quality batsman.

And if he keeps his place for the two remaining Tests, Australia now know Rudolph will be no soft touch.

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There’s confusion in the courts over bank charges.

A judge in Hull says he will throw out the cases of 20 customers who are trying to get overdraft charges back from their bank.

Other judges are still finding against the banks.

We asked for your comments, a selection of which are below. This debate is now closed.

I claimed and got my money back. Banks are ripping us all off and they know it.
I am sure the judge that ruled against refunding has more money than all of us and has never been in hardship. The banks cause the normal person to go into the red then charge highway robbery charges. I’m sure Dick Turpin will be laughing in his grave at this.
Bring on people power.
Simon Francis, London

I claimed 630 but was offered 500 as a gesture of goodwill. I chose the 500 option as it was quicker (promised within 10 days) and I didn’t have the risk of losing the case.
Paul Mitchell, Swansea

My accounts were fine, until I got long-term sickness. Problems with benefits payments and other issues meant that my finances went in to turmoil. Suddenly at the worst time possible, charges upon charges started being levied at me. In the last 12 months these charges have hit 1,500, and every time the bank takes charges out, it invariably sends me overdrawn again and thus the cycle of charges perpetuates.
Peter Nicholls, Stoke-on-Trent

The big problem in the debate on bank charges is distinguishing between the genuinely unfortunate and those who want a free ride at everyone else’s expense. My bank advised me recently that it gives a warning instead of a fine for a customer’s first infringement. This is an excellent idea as it can help to resolve mistakes and misunderstandings early. Also, a complaining customer who has ignored a warning will be in a weaker position in court or at the Financial Ombudsman Service. Other banks should follow.
Chris Grey, Guildford

If it comes to court I’m going, they made my life so hard whilst at college and I want my own back Martin Flynn, Oldham Manchester

Bank charges would be fair if the amount was appropriate. I was a student and the bank hammered me on charges in that period. Banks take advantage as they have the upper hand and now I can claim my charges back, I am. I have already received my letter saying they are refusing to pay me back my charges as I signed in my terms and conditions when opening the account. But people say they will refuse first of all, well if it comes to court I’m going, they made my life so hard whilst at college and I want my own back.
Martin Flynn, Oldham Manchester

I am helping my sister to re-claim her charges. We are now on our third initial letter requesting the statement of charges for the last six years. The bank cashed the 10 cheque in February of this year - and denies they have any record of the two former requests. We delivered the second letter by hand in April and the third in early June.
Graham Hillman, London

I have managed my accounts for 41 years and never been overdrawn, I have not even used the overdraft facility given. This is despite not earning large wages. Please explain, because I am getting madder and madder at you constant whinging on about it.
Sue Dennis, Princes, Risborough

I am just about to take my bank to court about charges made on my account in previous years. They had a severe impact on my life at the time and the monthly charge was applied as a matter of course regardless of any efforts I made to resolve the situation. It concerns me that many people will just roll over in the face of the mighty clout that the banks possess but I for one, think it’s wrong and they should be held to account. I am however concerned that some judges are now wavering with their decisions and my suspicious mind thinks it’s the corporate power coming into play and the banks will wriggle their way out of another display of their misuse of power.
Graham Brewis, Newcastle upon Tyne

I for one would not object to paying around 10 per month for my current account if it meant an end to this ridiculous practice Neil, Edinburgh

The majority of people who have fallen victim to these charges are either on low incomes or are people with young families who most likely have a struggle each month to make ends meet. These people are often put in terrible situations where they have to choose between ensuring all their monthly commitments are met or putting food on the table and reasonable clothing on their and their children’s backs. Our banking institutions have no morals or ethics and care about one thing only, their profit margin. They care not a jot about the misery they have caused most of these people who on the most part are honest, hard working members of society. I for one would not object to paying around 10 per month for my current account if it meant an end to this ridiculous practice which verges on the criminal.
Neil, Edinburgh

I have successfully reclaimed over 1,500 from my old bank. I still remember the pain the bank caused me as I finished university. I took great pleasure in taking them to court. They never presented any evidence or turned up at the case, I got two judgements in my favour. My favourite part of the process was sending two sheriff officers into the Head Office of the Bank in Edinburgh to get my money back! How much are the banks costing us now? I mean at the end of the day the public purse pays for the court system and the banks not turning up and playing the system is tying up 1000s of hours of court time! That’s my money as well!!
Scott, Aberdeen

The French system would actually make people think twice about going overdrawn and hence charges would be reduced. Cheques are accepted as a cash payment. French law makes a cheque equivalent to cash; it is therefore illegal to write a cheque if you do not have the funds in the account to cover the payment. A cheque can only be cancelled if it is lost, stolen or if there is a suspicion of fraud. If you do write a cheque that the bank cannot pay, they are obliged to report it to France’s national banking authority, the Bank de France, who can impose an interdit bancaire which forbids you from using cheques for five years.
Javier Freire-Banos, Bristol

As the Birmingham case doesn’t set a legal precedent, any judge can either agree or disagree with that judgement.
John Lilburne, London

I have no wish to end up paying more for my banking services because of serial offenders who think that it’s ok to spend money they do not have Tony, Portsmouth

I’m sympathetic to those who make an occasional miscalculation that results in a single disproportionate penalty or a rapid accumulation of multiple penalties attributable to a single event. But as someone who generally remains in credit, I have no wish to end up paying more for my banking services because of serial offenders who think that it’s ok to spend money they do not have and treat fines as an occupational hazard. The fact that the law may give them some redress for their past folly will surely mean that responsible users of banking services will have to pay more in future. Why do consumer campaigners not see this?
Tony, Portsmouth

If these penalty charges represent the true cost of returning a direct debit, re-presenting a cheque and so on, then why are the banks unwilling to defend these charges through the legal process and why have millions been paid back to claimants prior to their court date?
Mike, Uxbridge

I have successfully claimed back 3,000 from the bank. When I looked back at the statements at one point in a two week period I was charged over 250 in charges. This was at a time when my husband had lost his job. I do feel the banks are not helpful in times of trouble as I had asked for a temporary overdraft only to be refused. Had I had this overdraft I would not have been charged. Banks fall over themselves to help now we have a joint income of over 40,000 per year. I refuse everything they offer now and take my business elsewhere.
Marcelle Thompson, West Midlands

Who does this judge think he is? The cases he refers to are not binding. He should remember what his position is. An arbitrary decision like that is liable to find him seeking a new job, never mind a precedent.
Steve Rowntree, Manchester

If there is an issue it’s only the magnitude of the charges. Surely nobody can claim ignorance of the fact that charges will be applied if they break the rules? One thing is for sure, if the banks lose the current fight, free banking is set to disappear.
HF, York

If the people who incur bank charges were to put as much effort into managing their financial affairs as they do in trying to get those charges refunded, they would not be going overdrawn in the first place. These people remind me of the motorists who bellyache about speed cameras.
SRB, Abergele

I hope you can sleep easy knowing that your ‘free banking’ is being paid for by low income people Carole, Leicester

To those people happy with bank charges: I hope you can sleep easy knowing that your “free banking” is being paid for by low income people, desperately struggling to make ends meet as they are charged unlawful amounts by the banks. Regardless of whose fault it is when they go overdrawn, they should only be charged a fair and appropriate amount.
Carole, Leicester

The banks contention that overdraft charges are for a “service” are simply ludicrous. Charging 30 a day for what must be an entirely automated process is simply ludicrous and greedy.
Barry McMillan, London

I myself banked a cheque for 20,000 reclaimed from my bank last week. I have reclaimed over 27,000 up to date and have further claims in the pipeline. I would be happy to be interviewed to describe the jubilation of winning after the six years of stress and misery I have had to endure trying to overcome these unlawful and totally disproportionate charges which were the main cause of the closure of our business.
Mr A Smith

Judges are effectively ignoring the fact that the majority of charges are both unfair and illegal as the law currently stands Dave, Bury

All this is now turning into a complete shambles. We now have county court judges effectively using “case law” when no precedent has been set by a higher court. Judges are effectively ignoring the fact that the majority of charges are both unfair and illegal as the law currently stands. What is needed is either a claimant or bank to appeal a case, or preferably the OFT to ensure that the amount being charged by the banks reflects actual loss rather than the punitive “fines” which they currently impose. In the meantime judges should continue to do their job where there is an absence of case law and judge each individual case on its own merits.
Dave, Bury

Personally, I had three separate cases for such unlawful charges settled by Lloyds TSB in early March 2007, each for 100% of the amounts claimed, plus 8% interest and court fees. Lloyds TSB just paid the money into my account without any notice (total: In excess of 8,500). Does that sound like a bank that feels it is on safe grounds? The fact of law is that charges should represent the banks’ cost and should not include an element of profit. For those that criticise my failings in running up such charges, this is not the issue. The issue is the point of law and the banks are only too aware of the same.
Helford, West Devon

When one’s balance reaches 0, withdrawals should be refused Daniel, Redditch

Banks only let you go overdrawn to charge you ridiculous penalties. When one’s balance reaches 0, withdrawals should be refused. Secondly, the way banks try to disguise charges as an administration cost is wrong, they are fooling nobody. Multi-billion pound profits yet they still take poor people’s hard-earned money for accidentally going just 20p overdrawn. It’s just greed. I don’t want a bank account. I hate banks, but how will I get paid without one? I’m forced to let these greedy banks take my money then invest a massive percentage of it to make even more money, and they call it free banking!
Daniel, Redditch

Think of the alternatives. You crash your car - you claim on your insurance - surprise, your bank did not pay your premium! Why? Because you did not have fund in your bank account. Stop abusing the banks. It’s their money.
Derek, Watford

My bank tried to fob me off over a period of time and I eventually got fed up with it. I wrote them a letter giving them 14 days to respond favourably or they would be taken to court. They responded favourably!
David, Grimsby

These bank charges are clearly a penalty, not a service charge. I think the judge in Hull is trying to push these cases into the High Court for a binding judgement. The judges all over the land must be fed up with these cases and the strain they must have put on the court system. I just hope the judgement agrees with the customers, many of whom have found themselves in awful financial situations because of these charges.
Ann, Cornwall

It calls the whole county court system into question J S French, Christchurch

It’s now a postcode lottery - depends on what district judge you get and where you live. It calls the whole county court system into question. It’s a farce and the banks win again!
J S French, Christchurch

Why do people pay bank charges? If you manage your account sensibly, it is totally unnecessary. Banks pay me. If any start to charge, I close the account. Last year I made over 300 on current accounts.
John Wallace, Leighton Buzzard

Bank charges are there to deter people from going over their agreed limit. Ok - so some bank charges are pretty high, but if you have already been made aware of the consequences, then why shouldn’t the banks charge us? Also, when I have gone over my limit, there has been a reason for it. When the bank made me aware that I would be receiving a charge, I called the branch to explain the reason and the branch cancelled the charges.
Jenny Callan, Glasgow

If you lend money to a bank they take their time to up the interest rate they pay when the Bank rate rises. If you borrow, they increase their rate immediately. You have a choice. Rearrange your relationship to suit your position. I’ve just closed a credit card account because of inflexible late payment penalties. I’m going to switch my e-savings to a bank that ups the savings rate when base rates changes. Learn the rules and play the game.
Peter, London

After 25 years in finance I can assure you that 30 charges are daylight robbery. They love it. Why don’t banks reject any spending over available funds/stop direct debits? Because they want to charge the 30
D, UK

I am frightfully annoyed at the way people mis-manage their financial affairs Peter, Drybridge

I have to say that I am frightfully annoyed at the way people mis-manage their financial affairs and expect the banks to pick up the tab. Anyone who has a bank account must act responsibly and simply not go overdrawn. Remember the advice of the great Thatcher: “Never spend money that is not your own.” Perhaps the problem could be solved by the banks themselves. They must stop providing accounts to people who don’t deserve it.
Peter, Drybridge

I have received a payment from my bank of nine tenths of the claim, the remainder was reclaimed from a loan company that caused most of the problems by presenting the direct debit mandate too early, in fact by three days. This caused the charges, which I have got back. I did alter the letter slightly so to appear open to suggestions on how to resolve the problem, so not to offend the bank too much. I didn’t fancy changing banks. I don’t mind the charges as long as they are reasonable, and if it caused by a third party, they should be charged, not me.
Ian Best, Wakefield

I think bank charges are a reasonable amount to pay for your mistakes, but in this welfare state they are not compatible.
James Dupoint, Birmingham

I was told to ‘have a car boot sale’ Stuart Mundy, Aberdeen

I lost my job and struggled for four months to find another. During those four months I sold my possessions and did everything I could to keep my head above water. It came to a point where I had 30 in my bank account and a direct debit for the gas came off. The bill was for 30.70 - the bank bounced the direct debit and then charged me 39 for doing so. They took the 39 charge, which then put me into an unauthorised overdraft, for which I was then charged 27. All for the sake of 70p. I had spoken to the bank about my situation, kept them up to date and when I asked for some help (an authorised overdraft) I was told to “have a car boot sale”. About six months ago (after finding employment) I tried to claim my charges back, I was offered a tiny settlement and the threat that my account would be closed.
Stuart Mundy, Aberdeen

I don’t see what all the fuss is about, when you join a bank you sign a contract which gives details of all charges/fines for detractions from said contract. So how on earth can people then claim they have been unfairly charged when they agreed to the charges in a legally binding contract? If you don’t like the bank’s charges try changing banks or how about sticking to the terms of the contract you signed?
Paul Dixon, Falkirk

The banks make enough money in interest. The level of these charges is astronomical in comparison to the cost of me going overdrawn. It’s unfair, and only the rich will argue otherwise, not because they can afford it, but because their shares are worth more when the banks are making billions. It doesn’t matter how careful you are with money, the banks do try dirty tricks to charge you, and it hurts those without the money the most.
Lee, Cardiff

These charges are totally unfair! My bank tried to charge me 25 for going overdrawn by 13 for less than 24 hours. To be fair when I complained the charges were refunded - purely because I bypassed the call centre and went straight to customer relations. I also object to the fact that they always take charges in the middle of the following month - two weeks before pay day for the average customer.
Lisa, Newcastle

We are being crippled by bank charges Susan Higgins, Garstang Preston

I am my father’s carer. We are being crippled by bank charges. It feels like an uphill struggle each week. We have no overdraft facilities so the bank is taking charges, sometimes not paying our bills to make sure their payments are secured. On occasions I have received no Carers’ Allowance payment to live on because of these charges. We have asked to be refunded but my bank has refused. It feels like a desperate situation for us.
Susan Higgins, Garstang Preston

I was charged 30 by my bank for exceeding my overdraft limit for part of one day (I ended up in credit). It refused to refund the charge because it had given me a refund once before in similar circumstances. I have spent a further 30 on court action and it is going to defend.
Peter Yates, Bristol

Another example of our “it must be someone else’s fault” society. If you sign up to a bank account you accept the contract that clearly states under what circumstances you will be subject to charges. All that this campaign will result in is the removal of free banking for all due to the reckless actions of a few.
Bob, Shetland

I don’t understand on what basis people are claiming that the banks have acted “unlawfully”. I know that if I go overdrawn, my bank will impose a 30 charge. I don’t like it but I know that’s the deal. It’s part of the terms and conditions I signed up to when I opened the account.
Clair Bell, Biddenden

I think bank charges are too high. It does not cost 30 a time to send a letter out.
Adrian Petts-McCarthy, Coventry

These overdraft charges are not fair. They should be doubled.
David Stock, Durham

Within two days on my bank account there were two direct debit transactions, I didn’t remember the exact date when these transactions would take funds out of my account, and as a result my account was in debt of 100-120. I paid the same day when I saw this - it was the second day when the account was in debt. My bank charged me 25 in overdraft charges! This is quite a lot. I hope they will pay me the same percentage for keeping my money with them!
Tom, Croydon

I took my bank to court claiming unlawful fees amounting to approx 2,000 (an estimate due to lack of statements on my part coupled with the banks reluctance to provide the missing ones) over the past six years. A lengthy process ensued, from November 2006 until April 2007, the bank went the whole way - sending me letters insisting that their charges were fair, putting up a defence when I made a claim against them. One week before the court was due to make a decision, approx 1,500 was deposited into my account followed the next day by a letter stating that “as an act of goodwill” I had been reimbursed - coupled with a two page printout of all of my charges over the past six years. I can see it now, financial legal departments all over the country employing hard-ball tactics and an uncompromising approach - after all, we’re only their customers! Why shouldn’t they rip us off? Anyway, victory was mine! And have I looked back? No! Have I felt pity or remorse? No! I only hope that this ever-growing pop-craze will long continue.
Anonymous, Birmingham

My partner recently received a letter from her bank informing her of an impending charge of 35 for exceeding her overdraft limit by the grand amount of 5p. I will let you all draw your own conclusions from this but I suspect the majority will be thinking the same as my partner and I.
John F Beckett, Wakefield

Keep up the charges! Keeps me getting 10% on my savings and free banking Richard M, Manchester

I am all for “penalty charges”. I have never been charged any myself and I am pretty certain they means I get a lot of my banking free. I don’t earn a fortune but my family and I live sensibly and pay a little (but not a lot) of attention to budgeting. If I know I have an expensive month I work harder or cut back elsewhere on my spending. I don’t see why people cannot manage their finances. It’s not the hardest thing in the world to do. If you don’t have enough cash spend less and work more. Keep up the charges! Keeps me getting 10% on my savings and free banking.
Richard M, Manchester

I am in the process of claiming back my unlawful charges from my banks and I am very confident as I am a member of a very good website and have done my homework! I feel the banks have more knowledge than us and try bully boy tactics to stop us from claiming. Not all of us can afford solicitors, but some are not prepared enough for the court stage. I think you should report on more winning cases to boost morale as some people are getting scared due to the press, the Lloyds win and the Hull Judge business! The banks have won two cases and people are in the 100,000s so I think it’s good odds.
Samantha Cox, Cheltenham

I really cannot see what people are complaining about when banks charge them for unauthorised overdrafts. They have in effect taken someone else’s money without any authority. In anything other than a banking environment it would be called theft!
David, Kenilworth

For the most part, bank charges are nothing but pure greed from the banks! We live in the day of computers, and for one computer to tell another “no you can’t have this money” - there is no way the banks can justify a 35 charge per failed bill! People can run into financial difficulty through numerous reasons, some self inflicted, however, if someone has no funds, with little income and the banks keep adding charges, well, that’s the banks just being greedy. They often don’t want to help and just want to take what little you have away from you!
Adam Stasiak, Darlington

I don’t really feel any sympathy for anyone who is charged. To get charged not only do you have to spend more money than you have in your account, you actually have to go over your overdraft limit. If you not only can’t live on your earnings but also not even on your earnings plus the money your bank is willing to lend to you, you should think about ways of cutting your outgoings.
Matt, Sevenoaks

The comments we publish are not necessarily the views of the BBC but will reflect the balance of views we have received. It is helpful if contributors state if they work for any organisation relevant to an issue discussed. Readers should form their own views on whether messages published represent undeclared interests, or views prompted by a common source.

, and more another.

The decline of Russia’s armed services has been unmistakeable for more than a decade, but it is the crisis in the navy that has been most conspicuous of all.

The declaration from the navy commander-in-chief that the nuclear cruiser Peter the Great is too dangerous to be at sea is only the latest in a string of problems.

The sinking of the Kursk submarine during exercises in 2000, was Russia’s worst peacetime military disaster, leading to the death of 118 sailors.

It was followed by the death of nine more men last year when another submarine, K-159, sank as it was being towed to a scrapyard.

The incident graphically illustrated the depth of the navy’s problems - Russia is decommissioning warships so fast it does not have the resources to scrap them.

How can it be considered optimal if training is not conducted in many units, pilots hardly ever fly and sailors hardly ever put to sea Vladimir Putin in 2000

The K-159, a model dating back to the 1950s, had been to left to rust for years before it was finally taken away to be dismantled.

Last year, yet another round of naval downsizing was announced - this after 1,000 warships were dumped in the 1990s.

The Russian navy’s chief of staff, Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov, said a fifth of the fleet would be scrapped because the navy received just 12% of the budget it needed to keep the ships seaworthy.

Insufficient training

The Kursk disaster was initially blamed on a collision between the Kursk and a foreign submarine in the area, but a two-year investigation pinned the blame on a faulty torpedo.

Was it badly manufactured or badly maintained? Or were the sailors just poorly trained? The investigation did not make this clear.

All were lucky the ICBM did not explode on the sub Military expert Pavel Felgengauer on a failed missile test in 2004

But Western analysts speculated from the first that the disaster could have been caused by mistakes in handling the liquid fuel the torpedoes use.

And President Putin himself underlined the need for better military training, in the wake of the tragedy.

“How can it be considered optimal if training is not conducted in many units, pilots hardly ever fly and sailors hardly ever put to sea?” he asked the Russian Security Council.

Uncomfortable memories of the Kursk disaster were stirred just last month, when Mr Putin himself put to sea to observe a pre-election naval exercise.

A nuclear submarine was to fire two liquid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), but both got stuck in their silos.

The next day, a sister ship succeeded in firing a missile - but it exploded soon after take-off.

“All were lucky the ICBM did not explode on the sub,” the military analyst Pavel Felgengauer wrote in his column in the Moscow Times.

Ambitions scaled back

It appears that poor maintenance and training could also be factors behind Admiral Kuroyedov’s decision to confine the flagship of the northern fleet, the Peter the Great, to its base for two months.

Here again this Russian habit of relying on mere chance and hoping that everything will work just this time showed itself Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov on the K-159 accident

He said he was particularly concerned about the state of the on-board nuclear reactor, and he ordered the crew to re-take a military training course before they go back to sea.

A final verdict has yet to be delivered on the K-159 incident, but one theory is that officers failed to follow proper safety procedures.

There have been accusations that the submarine should not have been being towed in rough weather, that it was towed too fast, and that there should not in fact have been any sailors on board the ancient vessel.

“Here again this Russian habit of relying on mere chance and hoping that everything will work just this time showed itself,” Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov was quoted as saying.

As the navy has been hit in recent years by one problem after another, it has also scaled back its ambitions.

It now has only one aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, launched in 1989.

The ship was being prepared in 2000 for its first deployment in the Mediterranean since 1997 - a gesture seen in Moscow as an important confirmation of Russia’s status as a major world power - when the Kursk disaster struck and the trip was called off.

One Russian military analyst said recently that the Kuznetsov’s only remaining purpose seemed to be training naval pilots.

Russia’s focus is increasingly on protecting its own territorial waters than patrolling the world’s oceans.

Plans for production of new warships are limited to modest frigates and corvettes.

And this year, Russia will finally give up its military base at Cam Ranh, Vietnam, leaving it with just one overseas logistical support base, at Tartus in Syria.

Starvation

Over the last decade Russians have become accustomed to tales of woe emanating from the navy.

In one notorious incident in 1994, four conscripts in the Pacific Fleet died of a stomach infection linked to malnutrition.

In 1995 a nuclear submarine came close to meltdown when an electricity company cut supplies to a naval base in a dispute over unpaid bills, and the submarine’s cooling system ceased to function.

And in 1998 a 19-year-old went on the rampage, murdering eight fellow sailors and threatening to blow up the submarine on which he was serving.

Theft also remains endemic.

Russian TV reported last year that warships and submarines of the northern fleet were being routinely robbed of vital components, including telecommunication circuit boards, air regeneration filters and even torpedoes.

It said naval officers were sometimes working together with criminal gangs which made millions of dollars smuggling the loot abroad.

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Steve Harmison, my county team-mate at Durham, came back from his shin trouble against Ireland and showed what international cricket was all about when he hit his straps.

He will admit he took some time to settle but when someone is bowling at 90mph from that height it is difficult for anybody to deal with and he picks up key wickets.

I thought Sajid Mahmood bowled really well and used his brain well. It’s good to know when you need wickets you can turn to people like those two.

Sri Lanka showed in the Test series they are a fighting side, and the way they adapted to difficult conditions and dug in showed the toughness of their character.

In the one-day game they have batsmen who can take the game away from you in Sanath Jayasuirya, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Hopefully if conditions are right we can bring the big, tall bowlers on, be aggressive and take wickets.

We were disappointed with the way the Test series went and we want to have a good one-day series and get the confidence going again.

How do yo think, is it true about ?

The families of some victims of the July bombings in London say they have felt “overlooked” by the government, ahead of a national memorial service.

One woman who lost her mother said she felt “sidelined” during preparations for the St Paul’s Cathedral service.

A bereaved mother who made an emotional speech after the attacks said she had not been contacted again since being asked to contribute to the service.

The government said it had been working for victims’ families since day one.

But one victim’s father said relatives should have been contacted sooner.

Sean Cassidy, who lost his 22-year-old son Ciaran in the Piccadilly Line blast, said he felt relatives’ concerns had not been a priority.

He said, while the memorial service “may be a good thing”, the government should have made contact earlier.

Like any other normal murder we need to know what’s going on and that applies to the police as well Saba Mozakka

“We had contact last week with Tessa Jowell. But the government were having contact with the Muslim community within 24 hours of the bombs going off.

“Why didn’t they come and see some of us? We were the ones who were suffering.”

A spokeswoman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) - which has responsibility for the aftercare of victims - said it had been working to help victims’ families since day one.

‘Best friend’

Saba Mozakka, whose mother Behnaz was killed in the same explosion, told BBC Breakfast she felt “sidelined” by the government in their preparations for Tuesday’s event.

While she was glad the service was being held, she said some relatives and survivors had not been sufficiently consulted about the form the service should take.

“We are pleased the government has taken this initiative but we want them to talk to us more. We want them to consider we are suffering at the moment and we do have an input.”

She said they had heard nothing from the government until a meeting was arranged with Tessa Jowell last week at two days’ notice.

Mr Cassidy said he felt families were not a top priority

“It just feels we have been totally sidelined,” she said.

Describing her mother as her “best friend” Ms Saba described how she, her brother, father and around 60 friends searched London’s hospitals after the bombings in the hope her mother would be found.

“As far as we are concerned my mother has been murdered. Like any other normal murder we need to know what’s going on and that applies to the police as well.”

Also speaking on BBC Breakfast Marie Fatayi-Williams, who made an emotional plea to stop “this vicious cycle of killing” in the days after the attacks, said she had some reservations about the service.

Her son Anthony was killed on the No 30 bus in Tavistock Square.

Four days later, as she waited for confirmation of what had happened to him, she asked in a public speech: “How many mothers’ hearts shall be maimed?”

Mrs Fatayi-Williams said she felt the victims’ families were being overlooked four months on.

‘Just a number’

She said she had received a letter asking if she would like to contribute to the memorial service but, when she requested the hymn Magnificat be included, she heard nothing back.

She had since learnt it will not be part of the service, she said.

Since the tragedy struck she had wanted to reach out to other grief-stricken mothers, she added.

“Other mothers’ hearts must be bleeding like mine. It’s the same blood flowing through our veins and the same death pangs and the same love for our children and so when one is taken so brutally from you, you want to know.

“It’s as if you are just a number, you do not count.”

Mrs Fatayi-Williams has set up the Anthony Fatayi-Williams Foundation for Peace and Conflict Resolution in honour of her son.

We take advice from bereavement specialists who say we should be too invasive DCMS spokeswoman

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell had worked with family liaison officers and the Red Cross to immediately set up the family assistance centre, with which she is still in weekly contact, said the department spokeswoman.

Family were asked if they wanted direct contact from the government or to get information via liaison officers.

Just over two months after the bombings each family received a condolence letter with details of the memorial service, and were given the chance to get in touch with problems or questions, she said.

“We take advice from bereavement specialists who say we should be not too invasive or bombard people with government letters while they are grieving, but obviously we are learning how to deal with this kind of situation and we will take their feelings and concerns on board.”

She said the meeting with Ms Jowell last week was arranged on a tight timescale when it became clear some families wanted to have more of a say over the ceremony, with some wishing to meet the minister prior to the event.

Families who could not make it were also offered some alternative dates after Tuesday’s service, she added.

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When the England rugby team stepped off the plane from Australia last week they were greeted by thousands of fans and the familiar sound of the England rugby anthem.

Swing Low (Sweet Chariot) has been covered by the reggae band UB40.

There are even suggestions that the song could be in with a 20 to 1 chance of becoming Christmas number one.

The band originally recorded their version of the song to support the English team before the Rugby World Cup.

The band have got a new album out - it’s called Home-grown - and they’re also currently touring which will take them to the end of the year.

They’ve already covered much of the UK, and have one more foreign date in Brussels.

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British Gas has announced that it will stop backdating price rises for pre-payment token meter users.

About a million consumers use pre-payment meters, which need to be reset each time there is a price move.

There is often a time-lag between the price rise and meter reset, which means customers can be hit with a large bill.

Consumer groups have welcomed the move to scrap backdating, saying it removes a “blight” from the lives of many low-income energy users.

Rough deal

British Gas has recognised that backdating price rises has a devastating effect on poor households Teresa Perchard, Citizens Advice

Pre-payment customers have long been seen as getting a rough deal from energy providers.

Despite paying in advance for their energy, they fork out on average 45 more a year than standard quarterly bill payers.

Pre-payment customers pay on average a 100 more a year than direct debit payers.

Many of those with pre-payment meters are on low incomes and can least afford to pay more for their energy.

In particular, the practice of backdating price rises has drawn fire from consumer groups and charities.

They have argued that it can lead to low income consumers being hit with unexpectedly high one-off bills.

“British Gas has recognised that backdating price rises has a devastating effect on poor households,” Teresa Perchard, Citizens Advice spokeswoman said.

“Pre-payment meter customers already get a raw deal, and our evidence shows that some of the most vulnerable customers are ending up owing hundreds of pounds, exacerbating the hardship they face,” Ms Perchard added.

Citizens Advice and Energywatch called on other providers, including Powergen, Scottish Power and NPower, to abandon backdating.

Recently, an early day motion was signed by 79 MPs urging an end to the practice.

British Gas said that it had decided to scrap backdating after “listening to its customers”.

In future, customers would be charged only from the date the meter was reset, the group added.

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The UK elections watchdog has said all-postal votes should be ruled out in future leaving the polling station as the “foundation of our voting system”.

The Electoral Commission has also called for new laws against vote fraud and new ways of checking ballots.

It also wants better verification of voters’ identity and more funding to police the postal vote system.

The government is promising new laws on the issue after a judge said postal voting was “wide open to abuse”.

Ruling on last year’s local elections in Birmingham, Richard Mawrey QC said he had heard evidence of abuses that would “disgrace a banana republic”.

But Electoral Commission chief Sam Younger said any difficulties at the general election arising from postal votes were likely to have been “logistical and administrative” rather caused by fraud.

POSTAL VOTING Postal voting only allowed in cases of ill health or absence under old system Since 2000, postal voting on demand Statement of identity required Legal challenge during election failed Postal voting quadrupled since 2001 Postal voting quadruples How safe is your postal vote?

He said that political parties should be allowed to distribute postal vote applications but then should be removed from the process leaving the ballots to be dealt with by independent clearing houses.

Parties could then be provided with a list of people registered for postal votes for “campaigning purposes”.

Police in several parts of the UK are investigating allegations of abuse of postal votes.

So far there have been no formal challenges to any general election results in the courts.

HAVE YOUR SAY Such fraud will only be the tip of the iceberg especially with plans for e-mail and text voting Niall Wilson, Linlithgow, Scotland Send us your comments

The rules were changed in 2000 so anybody could ask to vote by post, as 15% of voters requested to do in this month’s election.

The Electoral Commission wants each voter to have individual identifiers - perhaps their date of birth and signature - so election organisers can better check voters are who they say.

That would be part of ensuring people register individually to vote - under the current system one person in each home puts their whole household on the electoral roll.

Change promised

The government says there should be one registration form for each household - but signed by each voter.

The government used the Queen’s Speech to promise to introduce an Electoral Administration Bill.

KEY RECOMMENDATION Each voter must provide ID when registering Deadline for registering should be moved to after elections are called Electronic electoral registers which should be continuously updated Each postal/proxy vote should include personal ID details New offences should include power of arrest for “personation outside a polling station”

Among the plans, there would be a marked register of postal votes received so election observers get better access at all stages in the process.

Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer said: “We accept that we need, in particular, to have a means by which you can identify a voter on a form.

“Now we think that could be done by a signature and date of birth on one form.”

Conservative Oliver Heald said: “Last December, the government asserted it would continue with all-postal voting.

“But after the collapse in public confidence in postal voting, Labour must now return to the ballot box as the foundation for our democracy.”

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Users are being told to avoid using Internet Explorer until Microsoft patches a serious security hole in it.

The loophole is being exploited to open a backdoor on a PC that could let criminals take control of a machine.

The threat of infection is so high because the code created to exploit the loophole has somehow been placed on many popular websites.

Experts say the list of compromised sites involves banks, auction and price comparison firms and is growing fast.

Serious problem

The net watchdog, the US Computer Emergency Reponse Center (Cert), and the net security monitor, the Internet Storm Center, have both issued warnings about the combined threat of compromised websites and browser loophole.

Cert said: “Users should be aware that any website, even those that may be trusted by the user, may be affected by this activity and thus contain potentially malicious code.”

In its round-up of the threat the Internet Storm Center bluntly stated that users should if possible “use a browser other then MS Internet Explorer until the current vulnerabilities in MSIE are patched.”

CHECKING FOR INFECTION Click the Start button and then click on Search Make sure you choose the option to look through all files and folders Search for files called Kk32.dll and Surf.dat If infected use up to date anti-virus software to remove the malicious code

Security programme manager at Microsoft’s security response centre, Stephen Toulouse, told BBC News Online: “When threats happen, we mobilise instantly.

“We post warnings, which we did last night, and tell customers what the issue is, whether they are affected, what steps they can take to prevent it.”

He said Microsoft was aware that operating systems had vulnerabilities, but added that it was an industry-wide problem.

Mr Toulouse advised users to set their internet security zone to high and to run good anti-virus software.

It is unclear how the malicious code that exploits the weakness in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer has been inserted on popular websites.

What is known is that any Windows 2000 Server that does not have the MS04-011 security update installed and is running Internet Information Server could be at risk.

The virulent Sasser worm exploited loopholes closed by this update so many servers are likely to be patched against the problem.

Infected servers are adding a malicious chunk of Javascript to all the web, gif and jpg files served up to anyone browsing the sites they host.

When loading on a browsing PC, this chunk of code might trigger a Windows error message.

Once downloaded the code redirects a browser to a Russian website which tries to install a program that opens a backdoor into the PC.

Some net service firms have started blocking access to this Russian site.

Check for infection

Anti-virus firms are now working on putting detectors for the chunk of code in to their scanning software.

A Russian website is spreading the malicious code

Security firm Symantec said the malicious code was not widespread and did little damage.

The reason that the server/browser combination has been created remains a mystery.

Some speculate that it is the work of spammers looking to create yet another network of compliant PCs that can be used as proxies to spread junk mail.

Microsoft has issued advice to consumers and web administrators about dealing with the problem.

So far the server/browser combination has not been given a single name. In its warning about the problem Microsoft calls it download.ject but others, such as F-Secure, are calling it Scob.

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