Bolt produced a sparking run to win in Paris on Friday

Usain Bolt is hopeful of adding the 100m World Championships title to the Olympic gold medal he won in Beijing last year, despite not being 100% fit.

The 22-year-old warms up for the Berlin event by taking on Jamaican compatriot Asafa Powell over 100m at the London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace on Friday.

He told BBC Sport: “Last year I was 100% fit and I did wonderful things, beating the pack by a good distance.

“I’m not sure I will be 100% in Berlin, but if I’m 95% I’ll be in contention.”

Bolt, who is also targeting lowering his own 100m world record of 9.69 seconds, which he set at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, is still producing decent times despite not being in top form.

He won the 100m at Friday’s Golden League meeting in Paris in a stunning time of 9.79 seconds, despite a poor start.

“I still have a few things to get right, but if I can get everything together I should be ready for the Worlds,” he added.

“I’m looking forward to racing in London because I’m based here and there will be lots of Jamaican support. The fans will be loud and fun and I can feed off their energy.”

Bolt starts Friday’s race as favourite, but Commonwealth 100m champion Powell is unbeaten over the distance at Crystal Palace having run under 10 seconds in his previous three races at the venue.

America’s double world champion Tyson Gay, who has run the quickest 100m of the year at 9.77 seconds, is also at the London meet, but he runs over 200m on Saturday.

The loss of the France international is a big blow to the Gunners

Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri will be out for up to three months after fracturing his right fibula in pre-season training.

The injury was sustained at a training camp in Austria.

The 22-year-old France international joined from Marseille in 2008 and made 44 first-team appearances in his first campaign in English football.

He scored seven times, the first goal coming seven minutes into his debut against West Brom.

The Frenchman’s injury will disrupt Arsene Wenger’s new season plans, although midfielder Tomas Rosicky has returned to fitness.

The 28-year-old Czech has missed the past 18 months with a combination of knee and hamstring injuries.

Guantanamo Bay has drawn widespread international criticism

A key report on the detention of terrorism suspects ordered by US President Barack Obama will be delayed by six months, officials have said.

Mr Obama commissioned the report as part of his efforts to close the US detention centre at Guantanamo Bay by the beginning of next year.

Analysts say this delay raises doubts about his ability to meet the deadline.

Officials attributed it to the need to ensure the review was comprehensive and to consult thoroughly with Congress.

They said another report on the interrogation of suspects and their transfer to other countries would be delayed by two months.

However, a task force did send an interim report setting out legal goals for handling terrorism suspects in the future.

READ THE INTERIM REPORT Detention Policy Task Force preliminary report (1.29Mb) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you might need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download the reader here

“Where appropriate, prosecution of those responsible must occur as soon as possible, whether in federal court or before a military commission,” the interim report said.

It also said justice could not prevail unless suspects were proved guilty “in a court of law that affords them a full and fair opportunity to contest the charges against them”.

‘Get this right’

The reports were ordered in the wake of Mr Obama’s announcement that he would close the Guantanamo Bay prison by 22 January 2010. Administration officials say that this deadline still holds.

But, reports the BBC’s Jane O’Brien in Washington, there are still a number of major problems - what to do with the remaining detainees being the biggest.

Fewer than 20 out of about 245 inmates have been transferred from the detention centre in the six months since Mr Obama signed an order to close it within a year, the Associated Press news agency reports.

We want to get this right and not to have another multiple years of uncertainty around these issues Unnamed Obama administration official Closure easier said than done Q&A: Closing Guantanamo

More than 50 inmates have been cleared for transfer overseas. Mr Obama has said others will be tried by modified military commissions or in US courts.

But some cannot be returned to their home countries because of concern they will be tortured - and finding countries prepared to take them has proved difficult.

There is also the question of those who cannot be prosecuted under existing legal structures, yet who are deemed too dangerous for release.

The administration is open to the possibility of indefinitely holding these detainees, but says it needs a new legal system to authorise this.

In Washington lawmakers from both parties have opposed the idea of transferring detainees to US soil.

Congress has asked the administration for a detailed plan on how Guantanamo will be shut before it releases funds for its closure.

Administration officials said delays over submitting reports were granted to conduct reviews that were as thorough as possible.

One unnamed official was quoted as saying the administration wanted to present a plan with “legal foundation”.

“We want to get this right and not to have another multiple years of uncertainty around these issues,” the official said.

The Guantanamo Bay detention centre was set up in January 2002 to hold suspects deemed to be “enemy combatants”.

Human rights groups and some foreign governments have long criticised the prison.

Etisalat sent a text to its 145,000 Blackberry users

An update for Blackberry users in the United Arab Emirates could allow unauthorised access to private information and e-mails.

The update was prompted by a text from UAE telecoms firm Etisalat, suggesting it would improve performance.

Instead, the update resulted in crashes or drastically reduced battery life.

Blackberry maker Research in Motion (RIM) said in a statement the update was not authorised, developed, or tested by RIM.

Etisalat is a major telecommunications firm based in the UAE, with 145,000 Blackberry users on its books.

In the statement, RIM told customers that “Etisalat appears to have distributed a telecommunications surveillance application… independent sources have concluded that it is possible that the installed software could then enable unauthorised access to private or confidential information stored on the user’s smartphone”.

It adds that “independent sources have concluded that the Etisalat update is not designed to improve performance of your BlackBerry Handheld, but rather to send received messages back to a central server”.

The concern over this unauthorised access only came to light when users started reporting problems with their handsets.

After downloading the update, users across the country noticed significantly reduced battery life, poor reception and in some cases, handsets stopped working altogether.

Users have complained that the firm’s customer service is unable to provide information on the problem. Initial advice led many users to simply buy new batteries.

‘Surveillance solutions’

The update has now been identified as an application developed by American firm SS8. The California-based company describes itself as a provider of “lawful electronic intercept and surveillance solutions”.

It is not clear why Etisalat wanted to include the software in the download.

The firm issued a brief statement last week, calling the problem a “slight technical fault”, saying that the “upgrades were required for service enhancements”.

Etisalat told BBC News that it stands by last week’s statement and has not yet responded to further requests for comment.

“There may be a good reason they wanted to install the software,” said one Blackberry user in Dubai who did not want to be named.

“But my biggest problem is that my phone won’t work. If you call customer service you either can’t get through, or they don’t know what to tell you. I don’t know what to do.”

RIM has now issued its own update allowing users to remove the application. Customers of the country’s rival service, Du, have not been affected.

Stress can lead to arguments

Stressed parents may play a role in childhood asthma, researchers believe.

They found the children of tense parents who lived in polluted areas were far more likely to have asthma than friends in the same neighbourhood.

The University of California team believe parental anxieties combine with other known risk factors to increase a child’s asthma risk.

They told Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences there might be an underlying biological explanation.

Experts have already shown that women who are stressed in pregnancy may raise the risk of their child developing asthma or other allergies.

These results suggest that children from stressful households are more susceptible to the effects of traffic-related pollution and in utero tobacco smoke on the development of asthma The study authors

And stress is known to trigger asthma attacks.

In the latest study the researchers followed 2,497 healthy primary school children living in Southern California and recorded how many of these developed asthma over a three-year period - 120 in total.

They also gathered information on other known asthma risk factors like exposure to traffic-related air pollution and maternal smoking, as well as parental education, income and stress levels.

Stressful households

As expected, children exposed to more air pollution had a higher risk of asthma, but this risk was further increased if their parents were stressed and described their lives as “unpredictable”, “uncontrollable” or “overwhelming”.

Maternal smoking and parental stress posed a similar compounded risk.

Professor Rob McConnell and his team speculate that stress increases the inflammatory effects of pollutants in tobacco smoke and traffic fumes on the airways.

Writing in PNAS they said: “These results suggest that children from stressful households are more susceptible to the effects of traffic-related pollution and in utero tobacco smoke on the development of asthma.”

Elaine Vickers of Asthma UK said: “This study adds to existing evidence suggesting that a child’s environment can impact on their risk of developing asthma.

“For example, smoking during pregnancy, traffic pollution and stress in the home may all have harmful effects.

“We know that smoking during pregnancy significantly increases a baby’s risk of having breathing difficulties and that children whose parents smoke are 1.5 times more likely to develop asthma, so Asthma UK strongly advises parents to avoid smoking around children and young people, especially in the home.

“One in 11 children in the UK has asthma so studies like this are vital, as they provide an insight into the factors influencing asthma development and therefore how it might be prevented.”

The virus was first recorded in Mexico

H1N1 swine flu has killed more than 700 people around the world since the outbreak began four months ago, says the World Health Organization (WHO).

This represents a jump of at least two-thirds from the last official death toll figure of 429, published by the WHO on July 6.

Margaret Chan, WHO director-general, has warned that swine flu will become the biggest flu pandemic ever seen.

However, most cases continue to produce only mild symptoms.

SWINE FLU SYMPTOMS 1. High temperature, tiredness and lowered immunity 2. Headache, runny nose and sneezing 3. Sore throat 4. Shortness of breath 5. Loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhoea 6. Aching muscles, limb and joint pain Source: NHS Fergus on Flu Q&A: Advice about swine flu

The overwhelming majority of patients usually recover, even without medical treatment, within a week of falling ill.

The WHO has said the pandemic is developing at such a high speed that it is now pointless to try to document every case.

In past pandemics, flu viruses have needed more than six months to spread as widely as the new H1N1 virus has spread in less than six weeks.

But officials have stressed that there is an ongoing need for all countries to monitor unusual events, such as clusters of severe or fatal cases, or unusual clinical patterns, closely.

Some 125,000 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported worldwide - but the number of actual cases far exceeds that.

WHO spokeswoman Aphaluck Bhatiasevi said a group of experts, including mathematicians, epidemiologists and a virologists, were examining various measures countries could take to slow the spread of the disease.

Ms Bhatiasevi said school closures could be among the recommendations, but that it was up to each country to consider appropriate steps for their situations.

Experts predict that there will be a significant surge of new cases of swine flu in the northern hemisphere when the weather begins to cool in the autumn.

Jackson Browne released Running on Empty in 1977

Singer Jackson Browne has received an apology from former presidential candidate John McCain for using one of his songs during last year’s campaign.

Browne sued McCain and the Republican Party for copyright infringement last August, after his song Running on Empty was used in an internet advert.

Details of an agreed financial settlement were not disclosed.

The Republican Party also said it would get artists’ permission before using their work in future campaigns.

Running on Empty was used in an advert mocking Democrat Barack Obama “for suggesting that the country conserve gas through proper tyre inflation”.

A statement from the party said McCain did not know about the advert, which was created by the Ohio Republican Party and removed after Browne complained.

“We apologise that a portion of the Jackson Browne song Running on Empty was used without permission,” said a statement attributed to McCain and the state and national parties.

Legal papers filed by Browne last year stated the singer was concerned the use of his music would cause people to conclude he was endorsing McCain, even though the 60-year-old singer is a self-described liberal.

He had been seeking $75,000 (£45,600) in damages.

Browne released the song Running on Empty - and an album by the same name - in 1977.

McCain’s campaign received complaints from several musicians whose music was used during his presidential candida

Chris Brown has publicly apologised for attacking his ex-girlfriend Rihanna.

In a two-minute video on his website, the R&B star said he “thought it was time that you heard directly from me that I am sorry”.

He said he was seeking help and wanted to live his life as a role model, saying: “I wish I had the chance to live those few moments again”.

Brown pleaded guilty to assault after he was arrested the night before the Grammy awards in February.

In the video, the singer referred to his assault as “the incident” and said: “I am very sad and very ashamed of what I have done.”

Wearing an orange shirt and apparently reading from a script, he told viewers he has repeatedly apologised to Rihanna.

The 20-year-old called what he did “inexcusable” and asked for forgiveness from his fans.

Performance cancelled

Brown was arrested hours after he fought with his then-girlfriend Rihanna in a rented sports car after a pre-Grammy party in Los Angeles.

Brown will have to attend courses on domestic violence

Police records claim he tried to push the 21-year-old singer from the car and repeatedly hit her and choked her.

The pair had been due to perform at the Grammy awards but the appearance was cancelled.

In part of the video Chris Brown talked about growing up in a home where there was domestic violence.

“I saw first hand what uncontrolled rage can do,” he said.

Acknowledging that he has “let a lot of people down” Brown told of how he has “done a lot of soul searching”.

“I have sought and am continuing to seek help to ensure that what occurred in February can never happen again,” he said.

Since the attack Chris Brown has lost sponsorship deals, had his songs dropped by radio stations and faced criticism from other artists.

At the end of the video he said: “I intend to live my life so that I am truly worthy of the term ‘role model’.”

Chris Brown is expected to serve five years’ probation and perform six months of community service after he is sentenced next month.

Continental is not alone in struggling in the downturn

Continental Airlines has said that it is to cut 1,700 jobs amid a slump in revenue and passenger numbers.

The airline is also increasing its fees for checking in bags and for making reservations by telephone.

The airline lost $213m (£129.9m) between April and June, after many business passengers put off travel or bought cheaper tickets.

The cuts, which will include management and clerical positions, could save the firm $100m by next year, it added.

The staff cuts were part of “aggressive steps to increase revenue and reduce costs”, Continental’s chief executive Larry Kellner said.

The carrier had previously cut 500 jobs for reservation agents and given leave of absence to 700 flight attendants.

Many global airlines have been struggling as demand for air travel has fallen during the global economic downturn, with particular decline in business-class and first-class travel.

Mr Bernanke said interest rates would remain low for some time

Ben Bernanke, head of the US Federal Reserve, has defended the central bank’s policy in addressing the recession, including its stimulus plan.

Testifying before the House Financial Committee in his twice-yearly report on monetary policy, he said the focus was to foster “economic recovery”.

He sought to reassure markets that government intervention could be withdrawn in a “smooth and timely” way.

Interest rates were likely to remain low for some time, he added.

He said economic conditions meant rates would be kept at exceptionally low levels for “an extended period”, between 0% and 0.25%.

‘Persuaded’

Congress approved a $787bn economic stimulus plan in February, aimed at saving or creating 3.5 million jobs and encouraging consumer spending and rebuilding infrastructure.

The plan included tax breaks and money for social programmes.

Although the recession in the rest of the world led to a steep drop in the demand for US exports, this drag on our economy appears to be waning Ben Bernanke, chairman, US Federal Reserve

“It is important to assure the markets that the extraordinary policy measures we have taken in response to the financial crisis and the recession can be withdrawn in a smooth and timely manner as possible,” said Mr Bernanke.

Barney Frank, the head of the committee highlighted concerns over inflation. “If people think there’s going to be inflation, then that’s inflationary.”

He said Mr Bernanke had addressed such concerns, adding that he was “persuaded by the chairman and others that we are able, in an orderly way, to undo what we had to do so that there will not be that inflationary impact”.

Analyst Hugh Johnson, chief investment officer at Johnson Illington Advisors, said Mr Bernanke’s remarks showed that if the job market improved, the Fed would not hesitate in changing its policy.

The Fed is saying it has “the tools for preserving price stability, which effectively means that they have the tools to reduce the levels of liquidity in the financial system before inflation takes hold”, said Mr Johnson.

Recovery

Mr Bernanke cited signs that the financial markets had improved, and so had the US economy.

“Although the recession in the rest of the world led to a steep drop in the demand for US exports, this drag on our economy appears to be waning,” he said.

However, he cautioned that the unemployment rate remained high and job insecurity, coupled with a fall in home values and limited credit, meant gains in consumer spending would be restricted.

Looking ahead, Mr Bernanke said the central bank expected output to improve in slightly in the rest 2009, with 2010 seeing a gradual recovery.

Rudy Narvas, an analyst at 4Cast in New York, said: “[Mr Bernanke] is still pretty dovish on the economy. He still believes that slack is going to remain at least through 2011.”

But he added: “He is saying that they can raise rates even though the unwinding of the balance sheet hasn’t finished yet, which is kind of important, because it suggests to us that they could begin raising rates by as early as 2011.”