The bounce in the German economy was reflected elsewhere in Europe, according to EU figures. The French economy expanded 1.2% in the second quarter, its fastest rate for six years, and economists expect the European Central Bank to raise interest rates twice more this year to 3.5%. In the second quarter, the US economy grew by 0.6% and the UK 0.8%. "Europe is in the lead," said Holger Schmieding, economist at the Bank of America.

The European commission indicated it could raise its 2006 full-year growth forecast for the eurozone in the autumn. It is now at 2.1%. Brussels edged up its third-quarter forecast but trimmed its final-quarter estimate, partly due to evidence that some of the steam went out of the economy in July.

But the second quarter could mark the peak for eurozone growth, according to Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at researchers Global Insight. "A stronger euro, slowing global growth, very high oil prices, higher interest rates and tighter fiscal policy in several countries (notably Germany and Italy) threaten to exact an increasing toll on eurozone growth ... We forecast it to moderate from 2.3% in 2006 to 1.6% in 2007," he said.

Germany is finally shaking off the gloom of the past decade when consumers reacted to record postwar unemployment by saving rather than spending. Official forecasts showed the economy expanding by 1.6% this year but many economists have raised their forecasts to 2.3%. The Federal statistics office in Wiesbaden revised its first-quarter figures from 0.4 to 0.7% growth and said growth in the first half was 2.4% compared with the same period last year.

Michael Glos, economy minister, stuck to the official forecast but declared: "The economic knot of the last few years has finally been broken. The upturn has gained in strength and breadth. The situation on the labour market has significantly improved. Therefore the prospects for this year are exceptionally positive."

Business confidence was close to a 15-year high, although chief executives were divided on the prospects. One emerged from a recent meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel and senior ministers in despair about the chances of reform, notably in tax, health and the labour market.

Another, an avowed supporter of Ms Merkel, insisted Germany's first woman chancellor had breathed new optimism into a more youthful, more flexible society. Companies, having shed hundreds of thousands of jobs, were now starting to take on labour and invest.

Further evidence of a German upturn came with confirmation that the tax take in the first seven months was €20bn (£13.5bn) more than a year ago, and €10bn more than budgeted. This prompted calls for corporate tax cuts and reductions in national insurance contributions.

Economists have calculated that the planned 3% jump in VAT from January 1 next year to 19% will spur consumer spending in the second half of this year. Opponents of the increase have begun arguing that the government's healthier fiscal position made the rise redundant.

Wolfgang Franz, head of the Centre for European Economic Research, told Spiegel online that there were early signs that the economy could weaken and the disproportionate rise in domestic demand was proof that consumers were reacting to the forthcoming rise in VAT.

The Italian team at Bologna University discovered woad contains 20 times more glucobrassicin than broccoli.

They were also able to boost its concentration by damaging the plant.

When the leaves are damaged, glucobrassicin is released by the plant as a defence mechanism.

Its derivatives can kill some plant pests. Notably, they also have anti-tumour properties and are particularly effective against breast cancer.

Researchers have already suggested that eating vegetables rich in chemicals such as glucobrassicin might help protect people against cancer.

Studies suggest that glucobrassicin flushes out cancer-causing compounds including derivatives of oestrogen.

Anti-cancer foods

A recent study found people who ate foods rich in glucosinolates had reduced levels of chemicals linked to smoking-related lung cancer.

But it has been difficult for scientists to extract enough glucobrassicin from plants to test its effect.

Dr Stefania Galletti and her team hope their findings will make it easier to perform such studies.

"The availability of glucobrassicin in good amounts and at low cost could finally permit studies to be performed in order to clarify the anti-cancer role of glucobrassicin-rich vegetables, like broccoli, in the human diet," she told the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

Dr Kat Arney of Cancer Research UK said: "The natural world is a rich source of molecules that can benefit human health. This new way of growing woad, a plant from the same family as broccoli and cauliflower, could allow researchers to get hold of larger quantities of potential anti-cancer agents.

"These can then be tested further in the lab and in patients. Chemicals like these could one day prove to have an important part to play in the prevention and treatment of cancer."

The former footballer, of Algerian origin, displaced former tennis star and now musician Yannick Noah, who had held the top spot since July last year.

Other notable names in the top 10 were singer Johnny Hallyday at four, actor Jean Reno at five, Arsenal striker Thierry Henry in sixth and ageing crooner Charles Aznavour in 10th.

In March's parliamentary election, Viktor Yanukovych stood on a platform of making Russian a second official language and opposing eventual NATO membership for Ukraine.

Now, he says that Ukrainian children should learn good Ukrainian, calls for Ukraine to "truly move" towards NATO and has even set the ambitious goal of joining the World Trade Organization by the end of this year.

These are dramatic u-turns that have left many Ukrainians wondering just who represents whom. In his first live television interview after assuming the prime ministership, Yanukovych tried to explain them. Russia and Ukraine, he said, were economic competitors, fighting for the same markets. And relations with Moscow would always be difficult, he added, assuring the public that Ukraine could build closer relations with both the West and Russia.

Some Ukrainian analysts say this is reminiscent of the strategy pursued by the former president, Leonid Kuchma. Namely, of paying lip service to Moscow while actually doing what he thought was in his own - and not Russia's - best interests.

The thorny issue of gas prices and deliveries will be top of the agenda for Yanukovych's visit to Russia. And with Gazprom remaining keen to push its customers towards paying the full, market rates, the negotiations are likely to be tough.

Russia backed Yanukovych strongly during the 2004 presidential election, providing him with money, exposure on prime-time media, advisers and technical specialists. It is likely that Russia, in return for this support and a possible discount on gas prices, might want to see a more malleable policy from Kiev, BBC News wrote in ahead of Yanukovych's arrival in Sochi.

our Kfir jet bombers of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) dropped 16 bombs on the premises of the Sencholai children's home in Vallipunam on Paranthan-Mullaithivu road, killing at least 61 schoolgirls who were attending

33 bodies have been taken to Puthukudiyiruppu hospital. Other bodies, in severely damaged state, were being identified.

More than 400 schoolgirls were staying in Chencholai. Kfir bombers were flown to the target without circling over the attack site, civilian sources said.

52 wounded girls were rushed to Mullaithivu hospital. 13 were admitted at Puthukudiyiruppu hospital. At least 64 wounded were taken to Kilinochchi hospital.

Girls from various schools in the Mullaitivu district were staying overnight at the compound, attending a course in first-aid, LTTE officials in Kilinochchi said.

The officials at the LTTE Peace Secretariat denounced the Sri Lankan airstrike as "a horrible act of terror."

They condemned the "deliberate, cold-blooded and inhumane" targeting of the schoolgirls compound by the daylight air raid.

The LTTE Peace Secretariat urged representatives of international agencies in Kilinochchi, including UNICEF, to visit the site of the bombing.

They also urged the international Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission (SLMM), overseeing the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) to attend the site.

In September 1999, SLAF jets killed 21 people in a similar daylight raid.

Commenting at the time, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said: "We can confirm that 21 civilians were killed consequent to the air strike at Manthuvil junction ...The ICRC deplores the fact that the air strikes were carried out in a civilian area."

She added that she had come back from the short holiday with a cold and is now demanding the local weather service refund her travel costs, according to Nowyje Iswestija newspaper.

The court is yet to make a decision on the woman's claim.