D Friday, October 2, 2009 METRO HILFIGERDENIM.COM AT SELECTED HILFIGER DENIM STORES, TOMMY HILFIGER STORES & SELECTED STOCKISTS NATIONWIDE Wages row as figures find 20% public pay gap A NEW row erupted yesterday over public and private sector pay, as officials released figures showing state employees were paid almost a fifth more than their counterparts. Data showed an average gap in wages of 19 per cent between the sectors after qualifica- tions, service and age are considered. Private sector staff also worked an average 35 hours a week, compared with public work- ers 32.7, the Central Statistics Office said. But trade union Impact said the data was flawed as the CSO could not compare real jobs in each sector and ignored pension, health and income levies. It maintained the CSO and the ESRI think tank had published four different wage-gap figures since July ranging from 19 per cent to 47 per cent with same data. Obviously they cant all be right, but the fact is that none of them are right because none of them are based on a comparison of jobs in the public and private sector, said Impacts Shay Cody. By Sarah Stack PETE FACES FESTIVE COURT APPEARANCE Latest sat nav to help blind people A NEW satellite navigation system five times more accurate than current models will benefit everyone from the blind to the aviation sector, the European Commission has said. The technology, known as the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) is available now, free, to both businesses and individuals, EU Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani revealed. EGNOS improves the accuracy of current GPS signals across Europe from about ten metres to two metres, allowing for more intricate and accurate use of the technology. Russia Scientology ban is ruled illegal RUSSIAS ban on the Church of Scientology is illegal, the European Court of Human Rights said yesterday, in a binding ruling. The court said Russia cannot ban the organisation just because it has not been in the country for long, and awarded two Scientology branches 5,000 each in damages and 10,000 for costs. They brought the case after being refused status as religious organisations as they had not existed for at least 15 years as required by Russias Religions Act. The LA-based organisation was founded by a sci-fi writer in 1954. Singer Pete Doherty faces a tense run-up to christmas after his dangerous driving trial was yesterday set for December 21. the 30-year-olds hearing is expected to last three days. kate Mosss ex-lover denies driving his Mercedes dangerously after a show at Gloucesters Guildhall in June. he is pictured dancing with a mystery woman outside court yesterday Picture: PA New Primeval series to be set in Ireland CULT ITV sci-fi series Primeval is to make a comeback, and its creator has revealed the new episodes will be filmed in Ireland. We were dismayed to leave the storylines unfinished at the end of series three and doing the new series is a chance both to put that right and move Primeval on into the future, Adrian Hodges said. Although the show has been shot in and around London up to now, its never been specifically a London show... and we already know that Dublin will enable us to keep the modern, urban look of the show intact, he added. Sci-fi: Fourth series coming soon index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html