Heather Smith of Rock the Vote, which aims to get young people to the polls, says that her organisation, having persuaded over 1m young people to register in 2008, should be able to get many of them to vote again this year.

ECONOMIST: And not about to rush to the polls in November, either

Veteran rock singer Patti Smith has won a prestigious US book award for her memoir, Just Kids.

BBC: Patti Smith memoir wins US book award

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted is the latest in the Madagascar animated series, featuring the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock and Jada Pinkett Smith.

BBC: Madagascar 3 steals UK box office

Founded in Little Rock, Arkansas by Fred Smith in 1971, Federal Express made a smart move in 1973, just as jet fuel prices were spiraling out of control.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Mr. Smith says the company's balance sheet is rock solid, most of its sales are outside Italy, and the stock trades at less than nine times forecast per-share earnings.

WSJ: Why Italy Looks Cheap

Perthshire-based Colin Andrew Smith Architect also won an award in the private dwelling category for its Rock House.

BBC: Entries sought for Scotland's oldest design awards

"The economy still faces powerful contractionary forces in the shape of widespread recession abroad, and at home falling house prices and stock markets, blunted monetary policy as banks constrain lending and rock-bottom business and consumer confidence, " says Andrew Smith, chief economist at KPMG.

BBC: Economic slowdown hits borrowing

He's made two CDs of piano arrangements of songs by the British rock band Radiohead, and one each of songs by Nick Drake and Elliott Smith.

NPR: Christopher O'Riley: Transcribing the Pop World

Smith is best known for her 1975 debut album Horses, considered one of the most influential rock albums of all time, and the hit single Because the Night that she co-wrote with Bruce Springsteen.

BBC: NEWS | Entertainment | REM gain rock Hall of Fame place