Saturday's amateur fixtures

Soccer World LEAGUE

Premier

Glentanar Reflex v MS United, at Inverdee - M Boyes

Gt Western Un v Westdyke, at Woodside Sports Complex - N Watt

Nicoll's Ams v Beacon Rangers, at Denmore Park - R Nicolson

Stoneywood SC v Cove Thistle, at Lochside Park - K Law

Sunnybank Ams v Burghmuir, at Heathryfold - B D'Arcy

West End v Echt, at Hazlehead Academy - G Catto

BON ACCORD TROPHIES LEAGUE

Division 1 (North)

Alford v Cowie Thistle, at Alford - D Mitchell

Blackburn v Old Aberdonians, at Strathburn Park Inverurie - AJMathers

Bucksburn United v Bridge Of Don, at Bankhead Academy - BCawthorne

Dyce v Torry …

Layla wakes up from her coma.

Byline: Laura Bashraheel

JEDDAH: Layla, a 13-year-old girl who was in King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital in Taif in an unconscious state after allegedly abused by her father, woke from her coma two days ago.

An official spokesman for the Health Department in Taif, Siraj Al-Humaidan, said that she was in a stable condition now and that she was getting better day by day. "Layla is talking to those around her and she recognizes people," he told Arab News.

Layla's kidneys were not functioning earlier and she underwent surgery. "Her kidneys are now functioning properly," the spokesman added. He also said that her body is responding to treatment quickly. …

$3,500 GRANT TO HELP BOOST SPA CITY'S HISTORIC DISTRICT.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: KENNETH C. CROWE II Staff writer

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- The city has received a $3,500 state grant to write guidelines for development in the downtown Broadway Historic District.

The grant was awarded by the state Office for Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for the Downtown Historic District Building Guidelines program.

``There will be a consultant hired, who in turn with various development agencies will write a series of proposed guidelines for architectural design for the Broadway Historic District,'' Mayor J. Michael O'Connell said Monday.

The guidelines will give developers an outline of what is expected for buildings …

Spanish reform talks fail, borrowing costs rise

Spanish unions and employers failed to agree on labor market reforms deemed crucial for resurrecting the economy and allaying jitters over its public finances, the government said Thursday as wary investors again sent its borrowing costs soaring.

The failure of the 11-hour negotiation that broke up just before dawn means the government will now propose its own plan for changing the rules that govern Spain's labor market.

The negotiations were aimed at creating consensus on reforms to encourage companies to hire, resurrect an economy saddled with a 20 percent jobless rate and reassure markets that Spain can trim its heavy deficit and debt loads.

…

Dr. Robert Atkins, 1930-2003

A physician-turned-author whose books helped millions of people lose weight, Robert Atkins, MD, died last April in New York City of complications from a fall. He was 72.

Atkins wrote more than a dozen health and nutrition books. In 1972, he published Dr. Aktins' New Diet Revolution, one of the 50 bestselling books of all time. Even so, the low-carbohydrate, high-protein Atkins' diet was controversial from the start and was dismissed by the medical establishment.

Some recent mainstream studies, however, have …

Tata chairman aims to raise quality for European market.

AS INDIA'S first independent automaker, Tata is trying to break out of the domestic market and find new areas in which to grow. Its first big step: Europe. While Tata's Indica hatchback and sedan are standard supermini-size vehicles, the company is also hoping to develop its Indiva minivan from concept into reality. Tata Chairman Ratan Tata talked to Automotive News Europe's Mark Rechtin.

To cope with the slump in the Indian market, you have restructured operations. How is that progressing?

Reasonably well. The problems arose because of a major downturn in the home market, rather than non-acceptance of our products or our costs being out of line. Commercial …