Mail on Sunday

Resolution Phoney War Over

THE phoney war for Resolution is likely to end this week as details of the life insurers proposed merger with rival Friends Provident are sent to shareholders and a bid battle breaks out for the firm. After the detailed circular is sent to shareholders, rival insurers Pearl and Standard Life are expected to make a bid for Resolution, which will be hurried along by its put-up-or-shut-up challenge issued last week. On Friday, Resolution asked the Takeover Panel to set a timetable for Pearl and...

Uproar Over Worthington Share Sell-Off

Mark Worthington enjoyed the high life when shares in the air- conditioning business founded by his father were floating upwards on a warm breeze of bullish news. But this week some of his largest shareholders are expected to start proceedings to force an extraordinary general meeting to oust him and his fellow directors, including chairman Alastair Stoddart, from the family firm, Worthington Nicholls.

Troubled Blacks Woos Former Moss Bros Chief

BLACKS Leisure has held talks with Adrian Wright, the former head of menswear chain Moss Bros, as a possible replacement for ousted chief executive Russell Hardy. The outdoor retailer is understood to have contacted Wright, who is also a former director at Blacks chain Millets, and is considering several other candidates. Finance director and acting chief executive Keith Fleming is also thought to be in the running.

Ifas Beg to Come Clean On Charges

FINANCIAL advisers want the City watchdog to oblige them to reveal to customers what fees and commissions they are receiving, a survey has surprisingly revealed. In a poll of 800 IFAs, 56 per cent said they agreed with the Financial Services Authoritys proposals to make them agree their payment upfront with their client, saying it best served the customer.

Retailers Stung by Net Fraud

INTERNET fraudsters are stealing goods worth about 594.5 million a year from retailers, according to new research. The survey, which will be published this week, shows that two- thirds of retailers believe that light sentences applied in the courts may be encouraging criminals.

Disney Row Hits Mobiles

A REGULATORY slap for Disney is causing a shake-up of mobile phone rules. Communications watchdogs are planning new standards to avoid confusion over the data download charges levied by mobile phone operators. The issue was highlighted this year when the Advertising Standards Authority criticised Disney for offering a free mobile phone game.

Asda Mum Takes On Delivery Giant ; New Challenge for the Erin Brockovich of Croydon Who Beat Mighty Wal- Mart

She has already taken on the giant American corporation that owns Asda and S won a landmark legal ruling using law books borrowed from the local library. Now Croydons very own Erin Brockovich mother-of-five Betty Matthews is squaring up to Britains biggest home delivery company in a legal battle over equal pay.

Monaco: We Need Young Millionaires ; Its Already Famous for Having Super-Rich Residents, but Britains Professionals Are Now Being Targeted

Monaco is many things. The worlds most densely populated country and, at less than one square mile, the second-smallest independent nation after Vatican City. It is a playground for the super-rich and home of one of the worlds most famous Formula One grand prix and many casinos.

Mirror Scraps Midland Sale ; Outlook

TRINITY MIRROR is understood to have pulled the sale of its Midlands-based newspaper group, which includes the Birmingham Post, after the papers failed to attract a high enough price, writes Jon Rees. However, the publisher, whose flagship title is the Daily Mirror, is set this week to announce the sale of the Racing Post to the Irish investment group FL Partners for about 170 million 20 million less than originally expected.

The Week Ahead: Economics

EARLY signs of the credit crunch damping down the demand for household debt are expected in figures tomorrow from the Bank of England. They are forecast by Lloyds TSB to show the net increase in consumer borrowing, after repayments were taken into account, down from 1.1 billion in July to between 800 million and 900 million in August.

Baby Break Boosts Paula's Dream

PAULA RADCLIFFE believes the break she has taken before and after the birth of her daughter Isla will allow her to extend her career and cap it with a dream finale at the London 2012 Olympics. The world marathon record holder races this morning for the first time in nearly two years when she lines up for the BUPA Great North Run, from Newcastle to South Shields.

United Video Dossier On Bennett ; Exclusive

MANCHESTER UNITED are compiling a video of incidents in matches refereed by Steve Bennett to highlight what they claim are serious errors by the Kent official. The video will be sent to the FA and Premier League and United could even request that Bennett, who took charge of their match against Birmingham at StAndrew's last night, is not assigned to their games.

I'm Fit to Take On the Aussies ; Injured England Hero Robinson Makes a Speedy Recovery for World Cup Showdown

JASON ROBINSON is primed to make an extraordinary return to the England team for the re-run of the World Cup final against Australia in Marseille on Saturday. His swift recovery from a hamstring injury has increased the growing optimism in the England squad ahead of the quarter-final showdown.

Roman's Despair

Emily, the Fifth Benn-Eration ; the Greatest Political Dynasty Since the Gandhis Is About to Reach Another Milestone - When Tony Bann's Teenage Granddaughter Stands for Parliament

AS EMILY Benn strode on to the political stage at the Labour Party conference last week, there was a palpable sense of anticipation. At 17, Emily is not yet old enough to vote - but has just become the youngest person ever selected to fight an Election.

Minister: I'm Giving Up My 70k-a-Year Car

THE Minister for Patriotism is off to a model start - he's given up his official limo to save the taxpayer 50,000 a year. Instead of the chauffeur-driven car that normally comes with a ministerial job, Michael Wills, the man in charge of Gordon Brown's 'Britishness' agenda, uses public transport and taxis - setting an example that his colleagues will come under pressure to follow.

Middle-Class Max and the Labour Links of Brown's 'One to One Reading' School ; Revealed: The Real Facts Behind Premier's Story of Inner-City 'Success'

HE WAS the boy Gordon Brown singled out to prove that the 'poverty of aspiration' blighting children's lives could be overcome. In his party conference speech, the Prime Minister's voice was sombre as he spoke about talent being wasted - not because young people were failing to reach the stars but because many were growing up with no stars to reach for.

I Hate All Iranians, Us Aide Tells Mps

BRITISH MPs visiting the Pentagon to discuss America's stance on Iran and Iraq were shocked to be told by one of President Bush's senior women officials: 'I hate all Iranians.' And she also accused Britain of 'dismantling' the Anglo-US-led coalition in Iraq by pulling troops out of Basra too soon. The all-party group of MPs say Debra Cagan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Coalition Affairs to Defence Secretary Robert Gates, made the comments this month.

State to Spy On All Our Phones ; Exclusive

OFFICIALS from the top of Government to lowly council officers will be given unprecedented powers to access details of every phone call in Britain under laws coming into force tomorrow. The new rules compel phone companies to retain information, however private, about all landline and mobile calls, and make them available to some 795 public bodies and quangos.

Check Out the Web, Then Check in ; the Crafty Traveller

Forget guidebooks, the best way to find a good hotel is online.Fred Mawer looks at the sites that offer 'expert' advice TO FIND a great little place to stay in Paris, or a top-notch country-house hotel in, say, the Lake District, I refer to hotel guidebooks rarely these days.