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Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Philippine counterpart Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday agreed to strengthen economic and trade cooperation while minimizing the impact of disputes in the South China Sea. Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) shakes hands with his Philippine counterpart Benigno Aquino III during a welcome ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 31, 2011. [Rao Aimin/Xinhua] Putting South China Sea disputes aside Before the disputes are resolved, the countries concerned may put aside the disputes and actively explore forms of common development in the relevant sea areas, Hu told Aquino during their one-hour talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. China's stance and proposition on the South China Sea issue has been consistent and explicit, Hu said after a red-carpet welcoming ceremony for Aquino, who is on his first state visit to China since taking office in June 2010. "The South China Sea disputes should be resolved peacefully through consultation a

Guardian denies allegation in WikiLeaks statement that journalist disclosed passwords to archive A security breach has led to the WikiLeaks archive of 251,000 secret US diplomatic cables being made available online, without redaction to protect sources. WikiLeaks has been releasing the cables over nine months by partnering with mainstream media organisations. Selected cables have been published without sensitive information that could lead to the identification of informants or other at-risk individuals. The US government warned last year that such a release could lead to US informants, human rights activists and others being placed at risk of harm or detention. A Twitter user has now published a link to the full, unredacted database of embassy cables. The user is believed to have found the information after acting on hints published in several media outlets and on the WikiLeaks Twitter feed, all of which cited a member of rival whistleblowing website OpenLeaks as the original source o

Muammar Gaddafi was staying in a town on the Libyan-Algerian border waiting for permission to enter Algeria, the French-language newspaper El Watan reported Wednesday in its online edition, quoting sources from the Algerian president's office. The report said Gaddafi was in Ghadames, an oasis town in west Libya, accompanied by the rest of his family. Gaddafi had tried to negotiate with the Algerian authorities on his entry into Algeria, the report said, adding that Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika refused to answer Gaddafi's phone calls. Instead, a presidential aide apologized to Gaddafi and told him Bouteflika was busy, the report said. The report can not be immediately confirmed.

Search for members of Gaddafi family focuses on town of Bani Walid, near the borders with Chad and Niger Libyan officials believe that prominent members of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's family and perhaps the fugitive leader himself have sought refuge in the town of Bani Walid, 100 miles south-east of Tripoli, which rebel forces have surrounded. The hunt for Gaddafi is now focused on the town and the stretch of road which leads south towards the desert city of Sabha, near Libya's borders with Chad and Niger. The southern road is blocked, as is the exit north to Sirte. Military leaders and western officials are now certain that Gaddafi is still in Libya and does not intend to try to join his wife Safia, daughter Aisha and sons Mohammed and Hannibal in exile in Algeria. They also believe he held a brief family get-together last Friday afternoon with two of his sons, Khamis and Saadi, as well as Safia and Aisha, before leaving the capital in a convoy of civilian cars. The growing co

Check out part one and part two of our deadline day coverage Keep up to date with the Guardian Sport Twitter account Email paolo.bandini@guardian.co.uk or Tweet @Paolo_Bandini Joe Cole joins Lille on season-long loan Tottenham seal 6m deal for West Ham's Scott Parker All today's completed deadline day deals 8.55pm: "Never mind Arsenal's policy, what's Chelsea's game today," demands Oliver Pattenden. "Loaning out a number of young, exciting players, and not actually bringing anyone in despite the fact they need to inject some pace and creativity. If they send Lukaku straight back out after spending half the summer courting him, what's the point?" 8.53pm: Wow, quite the rumour being mongered on Sky right now. Sky have heard "unconfirmed reports" that Tottenham are trying to swing a deal for Real Madrid's Kak. Which, let's face it, could very well be reports that somebody in the back room made up in a bid to make tod

Security police block access to houses rented by Sunni minority for worship Sunni Muslims in Tehran have been banned from congregating at prayers marking the end of Ramadan. Iran, a Shia country, ordered its Sunni minority not to hold separate prayers in Tehran for Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim festival that brings the month of fasting to an end. They were instead asked to have a Shia imam leading their prayers something that is against their religious beliefs. Hundreds of security police were deployed in the capital to prevent Sunni worshippers from entering houses they rent for religious ceremonies. In recent decades, Iranian authorities have refused Sunnis permission to build their own mosques in Tehran. There is currently no Sunni mosque in the capital, despite there being several churches and synagogues for much smaller Christian and Jewish populations. . "Tehran's security police prevented Sunni worshippers from performing Eid prayers in various parts of the capital," th

U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday offered his personal congratulations to Japan's new Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, saying the United States will work with him and the Japanese people "on initiatives that benefit our two countries, the region and the world." "For the last half-century the U.S.-Japan Alliance has served as the linchpin of peace and security in the Asia Pacific region and, together, we can ensure that the next half-century enjoys the same stability and prosperity," Obama said in a statement. Describing U.S.-Japan relationship as one based on common interests and values, the U.S. president pledged to work with Noda to tackle "the broad range of economic and security issues that require our attention." A former finance minister, Noda was voted Tuesday by Japan's parliament to be the country's sixth prime minister in five years following his election as new leader of the governing Democratic Party of Japan on Monday.

Listen to all the albums on the Mercury prize shortlist 2011 and when you're done, why not post a review? Have you tried your hand at writing an album review for us yet? If not, here's the perfect excuse to get started, and if you have, well, why not do another? With the Mercury Music Prize ceremony less than a week away, we'd like to hear your thoughts on the contenders. Using the players below you can listen to each of the ten shortlisted albums, and, should you fancy it, submit a review on the album page simply click on the album's link and you'll be taken to a dedicated album page where you can post a review. We'll be keeping an eye on submissions, and the best reviews will be rounded up on the blog in the next few days. And what's more, we'll be awarding a Mercury-related prize for the very best review we see. Mobile users please see the desktop version of the site to access the music players. Metronomy - The English Riviera Joe Mount and co'

Follow the latest transfer news on deadline day here Keep up to date with the Guardian Sport Twitter account Email simon.burnton@guardian.co.uk with your thoughts Joe Cole joins Lille on season-long loan 1.50pm: If Jermaine Beckford does move to Leicester, do you think he might actually update his website ? Thanks to Ed Sutcliffe for pointing it out to me, by the way. 1.48pm: This just in from Andy Hunter in Liverpool: "Everton have not broken the mould by signing Denis Stracqualuisi just yet. They have received a 2.5m bid for Jermaine Beckford from Leicester but whether the suddenly coveted striker wants to drop down a division is another matter. They still need some money in, and several clubs are interested in Yakubu, before Everton's club secretary can blow the dust off a transfer form and invite Stracqualuisi to sign. With his own pen." 1.46pm: Joe Cole is in France and he looks right chuffed! 1.41pm: Various Twitter sources who aren't totally random b

Follow the latest transfer news on deadline day here Keep up to date with the Guardian Sport Twitter account Email john.ashdown@guardian.co.uk with your thoughts 12.44pm: "Time for another "deal done" icon," writes Mike Griffiths. "Macclesfield Town's Emile Sinclair has signed a three-year deal with Peterborough United . Undisclosed fee." 12.39pm: Sky Sports reporting that Sunderland and QPR have agreed a fee for Anton Ferdinand . Which gives me a chance to use my "Fee agreed" icon. 12.32pm: For the second time today I get to use my "deal done" handshake icon: Joe Cole has joined Lille on loan . Here's the official word from Liverpool . 12.22pm: Sky Sports News reporting that Stoke have agreed a fee with Birmingham for Cameron Jerome , but have fallen behind Sunderland and QPR in the chase for Peter Crouch, and aren't keen on Nicklas Bendtner. 12.14pm: Here's our Midlands man Stuart James with more on Aston Vill