Lower pay for Idol runner-up

Idol runner-up Jessica Sanchez doesn't have a definite shot at producing an album and could be paid as little as $30,000 (¤23,900) in advances for recording singles.

The is the first time in the show's history that producers are not offering the show's runner-up an album deal that in previous years had a guaranteed advance of at least $175,000 (¤139,800).

Representatives for the show refused to comment.

Journalist (92) wins award

A 92-year-old woman journalist scooped a major award today for her "erudite, moving and charming" newspaper column.

Elaine Morgan, of the Western Mail, was named Columnist of the Year at the Regional Press Awards ceremony in London.

The Derby Telegraph's Steve Hall was editor of the year, and the newspaper of the year categories were taken by The Northern Scot, the Essex Chronicle, the Cambridge News and the Belfast Telegraph.

World's best radio telescope

The world's biggest and most advanced radio telescope, capable of detecting signs of extraterrestrial life in the far reaches of the universe, will be located in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

The decision to split the location of the $2bn (¤1.59bn) 'Square Kilometre Array' followed intense lobbying by the two leading bidders, South Africa one side and a joint bid from Australia and New Zealand on the other.

Suu Kyi backs Burma protest

A week of protests in Burma over chronic power outages gained momentum after opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi gave them her blessing and the government's response added to popular outrage.

The protesters who gathered in Yangon as night fell, holding candles and praying for electricity, are testing their newfound freedoms in a fledgling democracy led by many of the same former generals who violently crushed past expressions of dissent.