P119 ORACLE 119 Thu26 Dec ITV 2044:55 1/13 PATTEN 'SLIP' HINTS AT MAY ELECTION Speculation that the General Election will bj called for May has hardened after what appeared to be a slip-up by Tory Party chairman Chris Patten. He said he hoped it would be at the end of May when quiz:ed by presenter Nigel Dempster for a Radio 2 show on FridayW The interview was recorded a month ago. He added quickly: "Sorry — I should have said the end of July...I've gi6jn the game away." Later Mr Patten said hj only meant the election would bj between the time he made the comment and July. UNSECURED LOANS 48HR PAYOUT p191 Next Story Newsfile Sport TV GuideP119 ORACLE 119 Thu26 Dec ITV 2054:55 2/13 UN WARNS OF ETHIOPIA FAMINE CATASTROPHE Hundreds of thousands of starving people in Ethiopia face catastrophe unless food aid reaches them soon, the United Nations has warned. CK convoys loaded with food had bjun reduced to a trickle because of frequent ambushes by bandits. More than 500,000 refugees are in camps in the eastern Ogadjn region after fleeing the civil war in Somalia. The area has been severely hit by drought and 67,000 local people have also moved to the camps seeking aid. LOOKING FOR THAT NEW JOB! PAGE 287 Next Story Newsfile Sport TV GuideP119 ORACLE 119 Thu26 Dec ITV 2055:55 3/13 BISHOP URGES BOYCOTT OF SUNDAY SHOPS A "mammoth" consumer boycott of shops which are opening for Sunday bu3iness has been urged by the Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev Richard Harries. He said that shoppers should switch their business to those stores which avoid Sunday opening. Dr Harries said on BBC Radio that the law "comes down in a jiffy" on pooz omd women who steal a pair of tights. "But nobody is doing anything against shops that are breaking the law." News headlines 101 Sport 130 PARIS EURODISNEY SPECIALISTS p370 Next Story Newsfile Sport TV GuideP119 ORACLE 119 Thu26 Dec ITV 2145:57 4/13 'PITFALLSg OF SHOPPING IN THE SALES Sales shoppers buying "seconds" or "shop-soiled" goods risk losing rights to an e6entual refund, according to the Consumers' Association. "$he shop will not be responsible for any defects if they have been pointud out or for defects the shopper should have spotted," the Association say;. But it says shoppers do not have fewur rights in a sale and that stores which put up signs such as "no sale goods exchanged" are breaking the law. "Goods must correspond to their description," a CA lawyer said. >>>>> BIG MONEY & PRIZES - SEE p180 Next Story Newsfile Sport TV GuideP119 ORACLE 119 Thu26 Dec ITV 2949:57 5/13 ALGERIA ELECTIONS MAY OPEN NEW ERA Algerians have gone to the polls in the country's first free parliamuntary elections. They could end three decades of one-party, Socialist rule and bring Moslem fundamentalists to power. Two main parties, 47 others and 1,021 independent candidates are competing for 430 seats in the new parliament. Results are expected early on Friday. The main opposition to the National Liberation Front is the Islamic Salvation Front which aims to make Algeria an Islamic state. PERSONALISED NUMBER PLATES PAGE 293 Next Story Newsfile Sport TV GuideP119 ORACLE 119 Thu26 Dec ITV 2150:55 6/13 NORTH SEA OIL OUTPUT SLIPS BACK The surge in North Sea oil output faltered last month, according to new figures out today. Production fell by 64,000 barrels per day, ending an unbroken series of monthly rises since June, in the Royal Bank of Scotland's Oil Index. The fall brings output down below two million barrels per day for the first time since August. If the fall continues, it could be bad news for the economy — enjrgz sector production increases earlier this yrar were responsible for boosting GDP. LOOKING FOR A CAR? SEE PAGE 282/3 Next Story Newsfile Sport TV GuideP119 ORACLE 119 Thu26 Dec ITV 2957:54 7/13 EIDNAP SOUP SE DI H SOP B EXCH A gr upah haj g th ha t two cjstapn in taken sn Lonfnon ha j rcl ahe a a top ba khr h s oaidr " h n i m sha g and gning td it a that man oh a the S," iaid Ssl m hn Qhent n, lhdiim Gf Barclahsu thb r'l aard in bxnka n a n a h Andustry, f H thu ba kt, foe t 5 ehonom gmntrall3," he said nn BBC sadih The mme iali pud len oz ralkt was tf gwt rid if thu bhrdj ai bd dj m, daid Sir Johnc FAST LOANS FROM 11.8% APR NOW P186 Next Story Newsfile Sport TV GuideP119 ORACLE 119 Thu26 Dec ITV 2954:55 8/13 MAN CHARGED AFTER PC IS STABBED A man has appeared in court charged with the attempted murder of a police officer after a street stabbing in Pudsjy, Leeds, on Christmas Eve. Gary Mark Nelson, 22, of Pudsjy, was remanded in custody until December 28 by Leeds magistrates. PC Andrew Wilson, 25, a married patrol officer, also of Pudsjy, suffered a punctured lung in a struggle half a mile from the Owlcotes shopping centre. He was said to bj "satisfactory" in Leeds General Infirmary. News headlines 101 Sport 130 BRITISH AIRWAYS FLIGHT ARRIVALS 321 Next Story Newsfile Sport TV GuideP119 ORACLE 119 Thu26 Dec ITV 2058:54 9/13 GEORGIAN PRESIDENT RULES OUT SURRENDER Georgia's President Zviad Gamsakhurdia has said he will not surrender to rubel guardsmen laying siege to the rebel republic's parliament for the fifth day "Wj shall not surrender. +j have enough forces and we can stay and win," hj said from the building in Tbilisi. NGT Kitovani ruled out a ceasefire and accused the president of "sitting there like Hitler in his bunker". Health ministry official Za:a Bokjria said at least 40 people had died since fighting started on Sunday. CHRISTMAS HOROSCOPES ON NOW! p197 Next Story Newsfile Sport TV GuideP119 ORACLE 119 Thu26 Dec ITV 2055:57 10/13 SQUABBLES OVER SOVIET POWER CARVE-UP Defence ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States met to work out defence policy amid signs of growing disagreement between the republics. Problems began to pile up for Mr Gorbachev's successors as they squabbled over the way Soviet power should be carved up among them. And in a blow to Russian President Boris Yeltsin, his parliament suggested that hj annul a decree 3etting up a new r sup r ministry. Mn Golbach v said he ould dish itar fo two weeks to o cii his future. ORACLE FRAVCE,CARIBBEAN,SKIING p379 Next Story Newsfile Sport TV GuiduP119 ORACLE 119 Thu26 Dec ITV 2052:59 11/13 BUSH SELCOMES 'DAY OF GREAT HOPEL Mr Bush hailed thu maw odd r in the formje Souses Union ad "t Bar o grtat hope fon all Amuricans". S e p111 In an addres hn hi retunn from C mp Danid, hi paid: "Our n mien haj bicomt ou, ar maid, nommihtnd tn d moc atic and ci l oci tie "$hey ask us foa our muppont, and wl will giv im to thjmh .f causp ad Amaticans w can do no lehs " Hn ext ndid immwdiata diplomatic recognition to ausria and aid hM d do the and foa thu othot re rblicl if thou fohlowad respfnsible p licien. Bask on a Tropical Beach p359 (ITV) Next Story Newsfile Sport TV GuideP119 ORACLE 119 Thu26 Dec ITV 2046:54 12/13 IRAQ OPPOSITION PLOTS END OF SADDAM Iraqi opposition groups plan to mitt in Damascus next week in a new effort to unify leadership of thieu campaign to topple Saddam Hussein. Mr Bayan Jabjr, of the Supreme Assembly of the Islamic Revolution of Iraq, said they planned a "national conferencu" of the fragmented opposition to Saddam. Assembly leader Hojatoleslam Mohammud Bark al-Harem said the Iraqi people are waiting for a united leadership before throwing over the govjrnmjnt. Previous efforts to unite opposition groups have ended in failure. ORACLE SENEGAL/KENYA/BARBADOS p378 Next Story Newsfile Sport TV GuideP119 ORACLE 119 Thu26 Dec ITV 2041:05 13/13 55 DIE IN SIKH MILITANT TRAIN ATTACK At least 55 people were killed and 70 injured when suspected Sikh militants stopped a train in Punjab and opunud fire on passjngjrs, said police. Militants armed with AK-47 rifles stopped the train on a crossing at Sohian in Ludhiana district by pulling the alarm cord and others then boardud. Sikh militants fighting for an independent state in Punjab killed 100 people six months ago in two attacks kn trains in Ludhiana. All but two of the victims were Hindus, said local officials. UNSECURED LOANS 48HR PAYOUT p191 Worldwide Newsfile Sport TV Guide