Into Tech

Two police officers who set up a detective agency are convicted of hacking into e-mails on behalf of clients.

A painting by LS Lowry, which was bought for £300 in 1959, sells for £602,400 at auction.

The Golden Age, the highly anticipated sequel to Elizabeth, will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival.

The world’s fastest commercial supercomputer is launched by the computer giant IBM.

Tracey, Billi and Carole are nominated for the third eviction from this year’s Big Brother.

Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer keeps a firm hold at the top of the UK box office.

Actor Tom Sizemore has his 16-month prison sentence for violating probation in a drugs case reduced by half.

Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson lead the winners at the US BET Awards, taking two prizes each.

A computer game poster is criticised as “irresponsible” by the advertising watchdog.

The Turkish leg of the Live Earth concerts is shelved due to insufficient sponsors and a lack of time.

A rare first edition of a Harry Potter book sells for £9,000 at an auction in London.

Channel Five is fined a record £300,000 by media watchdog Ofcom for faking winners on its Brainteaser quiz show.

Hundreds of mourners, including fellow comedians, attend the funeral of Bernard Manning in Manchester.

Regular columnist Bill Thompson asks how technology is changing the way we think about books and film.

Veteran broadcaster Michael Parkinson calls time on his career as a TV chat show host.

British rock group The Verve say they are reforming, eight years on from their acrimonious split.

Louis Theroux is to undergo cosmetic surgery in a new show as part of BBC Two’s autumn season.

Actor Tom Sizemore is sent to jail for 16 months for violating his probation in connection with a drugs charge.

Ex-Neighbours star Jason Donovan is to appear with actress Martine McCutcheon in ITV1’s Echo Beach.

Web radio broadcasters go off air in protest at plans to hike royalty payments when music is played online.