Some diplomatic links were restored in 2004 and the US eased restrictions on travelling to Libya.

BBC: NEWS | Africa | A history of Libya's ties with the US

Apple's stylish iPod is the most popular digital player, with more than 4.5m sold in the last quarter of 2004 alone, and it links seamlessly with Apple's music-download service, iTunes, which sells more than 1m songs every day.

ECONOMIST: Not a dog, but a mobile phone

Ms Medina, a disreputable character who is also being investigated for alleged links to the ELN, another guerrilla group, had given a videotaped interview in 2004 in which she said that three of her followers were given government jobs in exchange for her vote on the re-election amendment.

ECONOMIST: Colombia

The inclusion of Casey, Jimenez and Westwood means that eight of Europe's victorious 2004 Ryder Cup team will be in action on "The Montgomerie" inland links course in Co Kildare.

BBC: SPORT | Golf | McDowell in field for Irish Open

When British intelligence broke up a plot in 2004 to use fertilizer in a series of attacks, it discounted the plotters' links to two men - Mohammed Sidique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer.

CNN: France asks: Were warnings missed on Toulouse killer?

But Ms Chappell points out that those countries have strong links with Italy and Spain, and other western European countries have more open labour markets than they did in 2004.

ECONOMIST: Immigration trends