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A team of territorial soldiers, usually charged with building army bases in Afghanistan, is making a home for the UK's only polar bear.

The 75 Engineer Regiment are working on a four-acre enclosure for Mercedes at the Highland Wildlife Park, Kingussie.

Mercedes is moving from her current home at Edinburgh Zoo later this year.

The regiment, which has centres in Warrington, Stoke-on-Trent, Birkenhead and Failsworth, is involved through Military Aid to the Civil Community.

Costs cut

Lt Col Henry Ricketts, Commanding Officer of 75 Engineer Regiment, said: "As Royal Engineers, it is vital for us to keep on top of our construction skills.

"Moving from north-west England to Scotland gives us chance to complete some challenging tasks in an unfamiliar environment.

"We can also make a real contribution to the community by providing worthwhile causes with some new infrastructure."

Costs for building Mercedes' home will be a quarter of the £300,000 originally estimated, thanks to the team of 80 soldiers.

Canada rescue

Gary Wilson, director of business operations for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which owns Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park, said: "As we are a charity, assistance such as this is of great benefit to us and we are extremely grateful for their support."

The park claims the polar bear enclosure will be the largest in Europe, with a large pool and a natural tundra.

Mercedes has lived at Edinburgh since 1984 after she was rescued from her native Canada.

In addition to the bear home, the soldiers will be building a new cattle grid and help develop a woodland walk.

They will also go to the RSPB's Fairy Glen nature reserve near Rosemarkie to build a new footbridge.

South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim and Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango will play Brecon jazz this summer, say organisers.

In a reduced programme there will be 25 concerts between 7 and 9 August, which will also feature free family events, fireworks and a jazz carnival parade.

The festival was in jeopardy four months ago when the company behind it went into liquidation.

Officials behind Hay Festival were chosen to run Brecon jazz in March.

There had been plans to postpone the festival in 2009 after the Arts Council of Wales, which was overseeing its future earlier this year, said to organise a successful event in just six months was "too big a hurdle to leap".

But it was eventually decided to hold a smaller, scaled down event.

'Supportive'

Among other performers appearing this year is Tunisian oud player Anouar Brahem, and British saxophonist and clarinettist Courtney Pine.

The festival will be held in three central venues - Theatre Brycheiniog, an 800-seater concert venue and a 500-seater café venue - and Brecon Cathedral.

Jazz festival organiser Peter Florence said: "Brecon (will) be different this year, and very different next year.

"It's a huge adventure, and we're deeply grateful to everyone who's been so supportive and encouraging."

A full festival programme will be launched in mid-June.

Meanwhile, a Brecon Jazz Academy will be launched in August.

The festival celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2008.

But it ran into financial difficulties after poor weather hit ticket sales.

The architect Lord Rogers has said he believes Prince Charles has broken the "constitutional understanding" governing the role of the monarchy.

Last week, Lord Rogers' plan to transform Chelsea Barracks in west London was dropped after the prince told developers it was "unsympathetic".

The architect told the BBC there could be "a dangerous political clash" unless the power of the royals is re-examined.

Clarence House declined to comment on Lord Rogers' remarks.

The 12.8 acre Chelsea Barracks site in west London is owned by Qatari Diar, the state of Qatar's property investment arm, which is headed by the country's prime minister.

'Dangerous precedent'

The developer had planned to spend £1bn building a complex of 552 flats in 17 blocks.

It had favoured Lord Rogers' modernist glass and steel design, but in March, the Prince of Wales told Qatar's royal family it was "unsuitable".

He said he preferred an alternative classical design for the site by architect Quinlan Terry.

Last week, just days before it was due to be considered by local planning officers, the developers announced that the application had been withdrawn.

Now, in an interview with the BBC's Today programme, Lord Rogers has claimed that Prince Charles overstepped his remit.

"I think there's a dangerous precedent that the Prince has entered into, which is very much about how he sees style," he said.

"And the Prince is not willing to debate. If the Prince does not debate there must be a question over why he can participate in political situations.

"I think that anyone who uses his power due to birth [like this] breaks a constitutional understanding - it's not a law, it's a constitutional understanding - and a trust we have within our society about the role of people who have received power in that manner."

Lord Rogers said a committee of constitutional experts should be set up to examine "the powers of the Prince and his ability to change the political direction".

"If we are to avoid a dangerous political clash then we need someone to solve the problem at a level which is not about this site, but at the level of royalty and their say in political matters," he said.

FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME

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Lord Rogers said he doubted the Chelsea Barracks site would be developed for many years.

He also warned that other foreign companies could be put off investing in the UK for fear the prince would take a dislike to their building schemes.

Lord Rogers has designed some of the most influential buildings in the world, including the Lloyd's building in the City of London.

Controversy

Prince Charles's views on architecture have caused controversy in the past.

Just last month architects threatened to boycott his speech to the Royal Institute of British Architects after the Prince sent a letter to the Chelsea Barracks developers asking them to reconsider their decision.

In the speech the Prince attacked "modernist" architecture and called on the industry to design buildings built to last and which put the needs of the people first.

The speech came 25 years after the Princes' now infamous remarks on the proposed extension of the National Gallery which he described as "a monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend."

The Prince's love of traditional architecture and passion for the environment can be seen in the development of the village of Poundbury.

An urban development project based on the Prince's book 'A Vision of Britain', the site in Dorchester now houses 5,000 people and is complete with eco-housing built to traditional design.

His interest in traditional architecture has also resulted in the establishment of the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment.

But his commitment to architecture will not help pacify his critics, many of whom see the Prince as out of date.

Martin Scorsese will direct an "unconventional" biopic of crooner Frank Sinatra, it has been confirmed.

The movie, which will be made by Universal Pictures and Mandalay Pictures, will be the first feature film about Sinatra's life.

The star's daughter, Tina, said it was "personally pleasing" the film would be made by Oscar-winner Scorsese.

The singer, also known as Ol' Blue Eyes, died in 1998. His hits included My Way and New York, New York.

Singing waiter

"My father had great admiration for the talent of the people he chose to work with, and the talented people who worked with my father had great admiration for him," said Tina Sinatra, who will work as an executive producer on the film.

"It's a collection of various moments and impressions in his life and together we hope they'll tell the full story and present full themes"
Producer Cathy Shulman

"It is personally pleasing to me that this paradigm continues with Marty Scorsese at the helm of the Sinatra film."

The film's co-producer Cathy Shulman said the film would not be "a cradle-to-the-grave traditional portrait of the consecutive events in a man's life".

"Instead, it's more of a collage and, in many ways, it will feel like an album itself.

"It's a collection of various moments and impressions in his life and together we hope they'll tell the full story and present full themes."

Phil Alden Robinson, who has previously scripted films like 1989's Field of Dreams starring Kevin Costner, is writing the screenplay.

Decisions on casting have yet to be taken.

Sinatra was the son of Italian immigrants who rose from working as a singing waiter to become one of the world's most-loved singers.

He also appeared in a series of films including From Here to Eternity, for which he won the best supporting actor Oscar in 1954.