Seen & Heard

Bankers spill the beans

The Independent eavesdropped yesterday on a confidential global video conference held for a Swiss bank's directors in London, New York and Hong Kong to discuss their acquisition of BZW's investment banking activities from Barclays Bank. The directors of Credit Suisse First Boston could hardly surpress their glee at bagging the British business for what the City viewed as a knock-down price of pounds 100m. They discussed mass sackings and why they didn't buy BZW's business in Japan - because it was "a loser." Page 20

Breast cancer risk

A woman's risk of undergoing a mastectomy for breast cancer ranges from zero to 80 per cent, depending on the surgeon treating her, according to a new study. It adds to exisitng fears about the variable quality of breast cancer screening in Britain. Page 9

In his time he has been wrongly accused of murder, kidnapped, and almost assassinated by Bill Clinton's cadillac. Now he has decided to retire from the front-line. Humphrey the Downing Street cat is leaving politics and moving to the country. It was rumoured that the venerable feline had fallen out with Cherie Blair although both strenuously denied it and agreed to pose for photographs. In fact the ageing mouser has been suffering from a kidney complaint and has been advised to take things easy. Downing Street insisted he will be sorely missed and welcome to visit at any time.