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Officials in Manchester bidding to hold the 2000 Olympic Games have been told their chances are "very, very high".

The President of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch, was speaking after a series of presentations in the city's Town Hall.

He has been touring the north-west on the day after the IOC published its report on the technical suitability of the cities competing to host the 2000 Games.

The report puts Sydney as clear favourite, but gives credit to the British bid and raises doubts over Beijing. Brasilia fell well below the standard and many expect it to be dismissed from the contest.

Chairman of the Manchester 2000 Olympic team Bob Scott said: "We've been striving for technical excellence and the report shows this has been delivered. The report shows that Manchester has a very strong bid."

Mr Samaranch and his entourage were shown the new facilities built and construction underway since their visit three years ago when Manchester was trying for the 1996 Games.

They travelled on the Metrolink tram system, went by helicopter to the equestrian centre at Haydock Park and saw the north Manchestervelodrome, due for completion next year.

Earlier in the day the IOC visitors soaked up the community support at Sandilands Infant School in Sale and the Captain of Manchester United, Steve Bruce, showed off the club's silverware to remind them of the city's rich sporting traditions.

Even the rain did not dampen Mr Samaranch's familiar diplomacy: "When I find rain in a country I think always that is a very lucky country," he said.

The President and his team meet the British Prime Minister tomorrow.

The final decision about who will host the millennium Olympic Games will be made by the 90 members of the IOC in Monte Carlo on 23 September.

72,000 people crammed into Wembley

Described as the Woodstock of the eighties, the world's biggest rock festival was organised by Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof to raise money for famine relief in Africa.

Wembley was packed with a crowd of 72,000, but TV pictures, co-ordinated at BBC Television Centre, have been beamed to over 1.5 bn people in 160 countries in the biggest broadcast ever known.

The transatlantic concert began in London's midday sunshine with a fanfare for Prince Charles and Princess Diana and Status Quo performing Rocking All over the World.

Stars were helicoptered into the arena in a line-up that included David Bowie, Wham and royal favourites Dire Straits.

Frequent appeals by Bob Geldof reminded viewers of the motive for the occasion: "Don't go to the pub tonight. Please stay in and give us your money. There are people dying now."

He took the call from the ruling family in Dubai who made the biggest single donation of ?m.

Across the UK eight appeal centres were set up with 200 phone lines to handle - mainly credit card - donations of up to ?,000.

In the US 22,000 pledges were received within five minutes of the Beach Boys taking to the stage in the simultaneous concert at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia. The 16-hour music marathon is being completed there tonight with acts including Bob Dylan, Duran Duran and Paul Simon.

Nine months after the droughts, disease and famine in north eastern Africa were brought to the media's attention the UN has warned that 160m people are still affected.

Governments have begun a global relief operation but there are still problems of distribution in the worst hit areas - mainly Sudan and Ethiopia.

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