A row has broken out about the scientific evidence purporting to show that

A row has broken out about the scientific evidence purporting to show that a species of “hobbits” lived on a remote Indonesian island about 18,000 years ago. A team of scientists believes that the skull at the centre of the discovery is not from a metre-high member of another human species but belonged to someone with microcephaly – a congenitally small brained person.
Allegations have been made before but this time the doubters over the hobbit – formally called Homo floresiensis – accuse other scientists of poor science and the media of hype.The latest criticism has emerged in the American journal Science, whereas the original study was published in the British journal Nature. It is not the first time that the two publications have apparently tried to rubbish each other’s articles.When the study about a new species of dwarfed human being was published in Nature in 2004 it was heralded as one of the most important discoveries in anthropology for a century.The partial skeleton of a female was found on the island of Flores. “It looks like some local kids took them, because today he’s suffered numerous incidents in which they’ve been using the shouters to scream obscenities through his letter box.”Alan Partridge wouldn’t put up with this, and neither should Mike.pandora independent.co.uk.

“A box of the shouters was delivered to Mike’s home yesterday, and went missing off his driveway,” reads a statement from Read’s spokesman. “He claimed that distinction belongs to William Petty, who lasted six days in 1782.”Unfortunately, like many a Home Office statistician, Reid got his facts wrong: Petty lasted more than three months, from 27 March to 10 July.* Mike Read – DJ, West End impresario, and former Saturday Superstore anchorman – is the latest pop genius to attempt a World Cup anthem.Sadly, the marketing campaign for his single, “England, My England”, has met with disaster, after Read purchased a lorry-load of cardboard megaphones, known as “shouters”, customised with his song title.He planned to distribute them to fans in Germany, but a crucial shipment has just been nicked. I’m just not sure yet.”* After all these years, concrete evidence as to how Harold Pinter spends those hard-earned millions.The new edition of the Register of Members’ Interests reveals that George Galloway has received financial support from Holland Park’s best-known socialist.One H Pinter, above, of London W11, made a £2,000 donation to the George Galloway Legal Fund, which was “set up to support my legal actions against the Telegraph Group Limited”.It’s very generous of the old leftie, but Pandora wonders if Pinter’s wife, Lady Antonia Fraser, below, approved of the bung.She is, after all, an occasional book-reviewer for (and therefore recipient of pocket money from) the literary pages of the Sunday Telegraph.* Every day’s a victory for John Reid, who’s now had almost as many Cabinet jobs as he’s had hot dinners.At this week’s Police Federation conference, the Home Secretary revealed that officials are running a book on his survival.”Reid told delegates that his staff have done a league table for home secretaries’ survival rates,” I’m told. Now David Cameron is getting ready to perform the third great PR stunt of his reign. In a bid to publicise his new brand of caring Conservatism, the Tory leader has instructed all of his 197 MPs to spend their spring break working for local “good causes”.
A confidential letter sent by the leader’s office on Tuesday commands his MPs to spend the second half of their forthcoming parliamentary recess helping out with national Volunteers’ Week.”What I would like you to do is either visit, or volunteer to work with, an appropriate local organisation as close to that week as you can,” it reads.”If you could let your whip know what you are planning to do, we will compile the information to make clear how we are supporting the week.”The letter, seen by Pandora yesterday, has met with a mixed response from the Tory rank and file.Although Cameron’s stock is high following the local elections, MPs on the right of his party are upset at being told how to spend their free time.”We’ve got a two-week recess, which starts next Friday,” says one.”Most of us have booked family holidays and aren’t about to cancel them to work in the local Oxfam or whatever left-wing charities Dave wants us to support so he can get a few cheap headlines.”* What, I wonder, will now become of Heather Mills McCartney’s efforts to “rebrand” as a self-help guru?In a cruel twist of fate, Lady Macca is next week due to publish a book on techniques for happier living.It has already been printed, under the (now) faintly ludicrous title Life Balance: The essential keys to a lifetime of well- being.Unfortunately, Wednesday’s news of her sad split from hubby Paul threw the publishers, Penguin, into something of a panic.A spokesman says that their author has already decided not to make a public appearance for the launch.Although shelves of bookstores have already been cleared for its arrival, the tome may now be delayed, or even scrapped.”At the moment, the book is still scheduled to be released,” I’m told “But it could well be pulled.

* First he hopped on his bike and bought a “green” car, then a team of huskies dragged him across the Arctic circle. It might fanciful, but with broadband, mobility, IT services and other new services growing rapidly, investors might yet be wooed.. Rather than focusing on one part of the business, he said BT should be viewed as a whole. Mr Verwaayen described BT as “a bouquet” when addressing investors yesterday. BT also has 30,000 subscribers to its innovative Fusion service which combines fixed-line and mobile technology.With revenue, earnings and dividends set to rise in the current year, it appears the transformation of BT is paying off.

BT’s television service will allow customers to watch programmes when they want but will also enable interactive services and self-generated content.Even plain-old voice is set to be transformed. BT is testing a high-definition voice product that uses its new network capability. It plans to launch the technology this year, meaning the quality of voice calls will improve massively. It has been busy signing up content partners such as DreamWorks. Importantly, some of BT’s major customers, including Unilever, have started contracting BT for additional services on top of the original agreements.BT is also preparing to launch internet-based television in the autumn.

Unlike traditional IT services companies, BT focuses on delivering services that corporate customers require through the network. In the fourth quarter, the Global Services division grew revenue 10 per cent to £2.4bn as it continued to win business across Europe and North America. That means it can start bundling fixed-line, mobile, television and broadband products as it sees fit. BT will be more able to withstand the threat posed by big-name players. It expects to hit that landmark this year and has already opened talks with Ofcom about deregulation.BT’s success is also the result of its investment in IT services. There were 356,000 such lines at the end of March.Once BT’s competitors have invested in opening up 1.5 million lines, BT’s retail arm will be freed from regulation.