WORLD NEWS - Today's top story in detail

Barclay Knapp, CEO of troubled cable giant ntl, today signed an historic deal with David Splinter-Fould, MD of rival telecommunications provider, TeleCrumb. The ntl: home business, the consumer arm, will transfer to TeleCrumb from July 2002 for the sum of £8bn, and with it £12bn in debts and network assets valued at £2.4bn. TeleCrumb have been a regional provider of telecommunications services within the UK and are certainly an unknown force to be reckoned with. David Splinter-Fould told the media, in a press-conference held at 12:01am this morning, "TeleCrumb needs national coverage to survive, and this is how we will get it. We will start by re-branding under the TeleCrumb name as soon as possible to get the public to recognise us as the saviour of the UK digital age". This news comes at a poignant moment in digital history, following the recent troubles at ITV Digital. No government spokesperson was available to comment.

OTHER NEWS

Skippy Dies

Aged star of 70's cult television programme "Skippy the bush kangaroo" died today aged 38. Skippy was 2 when he joined the show, but in later life suffered from alcohol and soft drug abuse - but despite this lived to a very decent age for a kangaroo, which equates to a human age of 341. Bob Geldolf, number one fan of the show, flew out to Sydney today to attend the funeral. Bob was quoted as saying "I loved that little guy, the way he could convey a complex message in a few 'roo' clicks astounded me as a child". Sir Bob will sing a song at the service which will be beamed by satellite to over 140 countries in a live 'goodbye to skip' programme.