Obama and Bill Clinton end chill

White House hopeful Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have had their first talks since Hillary Clinton pulled out of the race to be the US Democratic candidate.

An Obama spokesman said the two had had a "terrific" conversation during a 20-minute telephone call. A spokesman for the ex-president, who strongly criticised his wife's rival during the primaries, said he was keen to campaign for Mr Obama. Mrs Clinton and Mr Obama held a joint rally on Friday. Mr Clinton, who was in Europe and so missed the symbolic rally in the town of Unity, New Hampshire, the first since the fierce primary contest ended. He had earlier that week issued a short statement endorsing Mr Obama's campaign. During the primary battle he was often his wife's most fervent campaigner and one of the most outspoken Democratic critics of Mr Obama. Mr Obama will face Republican John McCain in November's US presidential election.

Patriotism

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said the senator for Illinois had telephoned Mr Clinton on Monday morning and was honoured to have his support.

"He has always believed that Bill Clinton is one of this nation's great leaders and most brilliant minds and looks forward to seeing him on the campaign trail and receiving his counsel," Mr Burton said.

Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna said: "President Clinton continues to be impressed by Senator Obama and the campaign he has run, and looks forward to campaigning for and with him in the months to come."

Later, Mr Obama used a speech in Missouri to stress his patriotism and love of his country.

His patriotism has been questioned by critics who point to his failure to always wear a US flag pin on his lapel.

Mr Obama also rejected a suggestion by one of his supporters, retired Gen Wesley Clark, that Mr McCain - who spent five years as a Vietnamese prisoner of war - had overstated the importance of his military service while campaigning.

Mr Obama said "no-one should ever devalue that service, especially for the sake of a political campaign".

Euro 2008: Spain crowned champions of Europe after defeating Germany in Vienna

Fernando Torres' clinical finish gave Spain their first trophy win for 44 years.

The Liverpool striker did superbly to latch on to a Xavi pass, skip past the challenge of Philipp Lahm and dink the ball over Jens Lehmann to give Spain a 33rd minute lead.

The impressive Torres had also earlier hit the post with a header as Spain recovered from a slow start to take control of the match.

Spanish coach Luis Aragones opted for a 4-1-4-1 formation this evening with Cesc Fabregas the closest line of support to Fernando Torres up front. Germany named Michael Ballack and Torsten Frings as fit and manager Joachim Low once again fielded the 4-5-1 formation.

Miroslav Klose led the Germans up front and it was him that opened the attacking opportunities following a defensive mistake by Sergio Ramos. Spain's Carles Puyol did just enough to put the German's strike off target. For the opening ten minutes the game was all Germany, they looked a far more assured side to that which faced Turkey last week. Before Spain even got a look in their goalkeeper Carles Puyol had seen most of the action.

Spain then found their forma dominated the rest of the first half. The German's did not learn from their mistakes and time after time Spain were getting in their fast runs down the wings and getting in behind their defenders around goal. A superb pass by Xavi put Andres Iniesta in behind full-back Arne Friedrich and the Barcelona man's subsequent low cross was deflected goalwards by Metzelder, and it needed a finger-tip save from Jens Lehmann to keep the ball out. Torres had the next chance which to Jens Lehmann's relief hit the outside of his post after the Liverpool player headed Ramos' cross in the German's direction.

Together Fans Germany and Turkey

Mandela condemns Mugabe 'failure'

Former South African leader Nelson Mandela has added his voice to the growing international condemnation of the political violence in Zimbabwe.

In his first public comments about the crisis, he noted "the tragic failure of leadership" of President Robert Mugabe.

Southern African leaders earlier called for Friday's run-off presidential vote to be postponed because conditions did not permit a free and fair election.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has urged foreign help to end the crisis.

Speaking at a dinner in London to mark his 90th birthday, Mr Mandela said:

"We watch with sadness the continuing tragedy in Darfur. Nearer to home we have seen the outbreak of violence against fellow Africans in our own country and the tragic failure of leadership in our neighbouring Zimbabwe."

Mr Mandela had held his silence until now, says the BBC's diplomatic correspondent James Robbins, to avoid undermining South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki's efforts as chief mediator on Zimbabwe.

Mr Mbeki's policy of "quiet diplomacy" has been criticised for its failure to resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe.

Nelson Mandela spoke few words but they will carry immense weight simply because of who he is, says our correspondent.

Earlier on Wednesday, southern African leaders holding an emergency summit in Swaziland called for the run-off vote to be postponed.

The governments of Swaziland, Tanzania and Angola said conditions would not permit a free and fair election.

The three countries from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) are responsible for overseeing peace and security in the region.

The leaders said they were concerned and disappointed by Morgan Tsvangirai's withdrawal on Sunday from the vote.

But they said that holding the election under the present circumstances might undermine the credibility and legitimacy of its outcome.

They also said the people of Zimbabwe deserved a "cooling-off period".

Knighthood stripped

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), says some 86 of its supporters have been killed and 200,000 forced from their homes by militias loyal to the ruling Zanu-PF party. The government blames the MDC for the violence.

Mr Tsvangirai said he withdrew from the election over fears for the lives of his supporters.

The government and Zimbabwe's election authority insist Friday's vote will go ahead because Mr Tsvangirai's withdrawal came too late to prevent his name appearing on the ballot paper and was therefore invalid.

Mr Mugabe officially came second to Mr Tsvangirai in the first round in March.

The governing Zanu-PF party, led by Mr Mugabe, also lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since independence in 1980.

'Sham vote'

The crisis has drawn growing international condemnation of Mr Mugabe and his government.

Britain has said it will withdraw an honorary knighthood granted to President Robert Mugabe.

Mr Mugabe is the first foreigner to be stripped of the award since Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989, the day before his execution.

Morgan Tsvangirai speaking at a news conference at his home in Harare

US President George W Bush said Friday's vote appeared "to be a sham" because the opposition had not been able to campaign without fear of intimidation.

The US has said it will not recognise the results of the vote.

Mr Tsvangirai has appealed for the African Union and Zimbabwe's neighbouring states to intervene to resolve the situation.

"I am asking the AU [African Union] and Sadc to lead an expanded initiative supported by the UN to manage what I will call a transitional process," he said at a news conference in Harare.

Dismissing Friday's planned election as pointless, he said Zimbabwe should work out a political settlement based on genuine and honest dialogue.

Mr Mugabe has said his government was open to negotiations with "anyone" but only after the elections.

Green energy plans to be outlined

Proposals on renewable energy aimed at meeting EU climate change targets and securing the UK's future supply are to be unveiled by the government later.

More wind turbines and solar panels are expected to be signalled as ministers aim for 15% renewable power by 2020.

Less than 5% of Britain's electricity currently comes from green sources.

Environmental groups have hailed the strategy but say past promises have not been met and some industry groups have expressed caution over its timetable.

Philip Wolfe, director of the Renewable Energy Association, said: "The key missing factor is a greater sense of urgency.

"We have only 12 years left and government still wants to use two of those talking about it. The industry has a very short space of time in which to meet challenging targets.

"There are still gaps and anomalies that need to be addressed with fresh polices."

Meanwhile, a recent report from the Centre for Policy Studies suggested the wind power the plans would rely on is unreliable, intermittent and twice as expensive as coal or nuclear.

The number of onshore turbines could be increased from 2,000 to 6,000 by 2020 under the plans.

BBC environment correspondent Sarah Mukherjee said the Britain suggested by the strategy "would buzz with millions of hybrid electric cars and would be shaded by thousands of acres of trees grown to replace coal and oil as a source of energy".

The measures are also expected to include loans and grants for firms to increase green energy and compulsory measures on households.

But no major increase in government funding is expected and investment by power firms could be passed on to consumers through higher bills in the next decade.

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NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander Delivers Soil Sample To Microscope

NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander Saturday beamed back images showing that Phoenix's Robotic Arm successfully sprinkled soil onto the delivery port of the lander's Optical Microscope.

Mission scientists said enough of the fine-grained soil sample remains in the scoop of the lander's Robotic Arm for delivery to either the Wet Chemistry Lab or Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer. Both the Wet Chemistry Lab and the Optical Microscope are part of the Microscopy, Electrochemistry and Conductivity Analyzer, or MECA, instrument.

"We want to deliver similar soil samples to all three instruments," said Ray Arvidson, the mission's lead scientist for digging activities, from Washington University in St. Louis.

The lander's Robotic Arm has been commanded to remain in an "up" position to hold the collected soil in the scoop until it can be delivered to the other instruments.