UNITED Bermuda Party leader Wayne Furbert is planning to extend an olive branch to the Progressive Labour Party should his party win the next election — by offering a member of the ousted government a seat in his Cabinet. He said the controversial plan would help to unify the country. "My dream is, when we become Government, to show how serious I believe it is that we work together, to include a member of the PLP in my Cabinet — if they will come," Mr. Furbert said. "I do have someone in mind." Even if a PLP MP would not join, he would ask someone who was a known PLP supporter.Scott's approval rating risesJUST over a third of people quizzed in a recent poll are happy with the way Premier Alex Scott is handling his job. A Research Innovations survey, which questioned 402 people in January found that 33.8 per cent approved of his performance, up slightly on his November figure of 31.9 per cent. The poll was carried out before the United Bermuda Party replaced Grant Gibbons as leader with Wayne Furbert. Dr. Gibbons' approval rating was 39.5 per cent. 1.6 per cent higher than he polled in November.

<$b$>Rise in drunk driving<$f$>THE number of drivers arrested last year for drink driving rose by more than a quarter, according to police statistics. The 427 arrests made in 2005 showed a steep rise form the 340 in 2004. Those failing a breath test also went up from 194 in 2004 to 245 last year. Those who failed had, on average, more than double the legal limit of alcohol in their blood. Road Safety Council chairman Christopher Johnson said: "It's worrying that people feel they can drink and get in their car. The number of accidents that involve alcohol is troubling as well." Transport Minister Ewart Brown said the rise in arrests could be down to better police enforcement. "We are reaping the harvest of Bermuda being a place where alcohol is consumed very freely," Dr. Brown added.Hotels under new ownershipA Saudi Prince is one of the new owners of Bermuda's two Fairmont Princess hotels after completing a $3.9 billion dollar deal. The two Bermuda resorts, in Hamilton and Southampton, along with the rest of the Fairmont chain of hotels, will now be incorporated into the global luxury lodgings empire of Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Alsaud, the world's fifth richest man. The prince's company, Kingdom Hotels International, teamed up with a US-based insurance firm to put together the offer. The change of ownership is expected to be completed by the middle of the year subject to shareholder approval.Webb slams sexist remarks<$f$>Government backbencher Renee Webb has condemned male colleagues for making sexually-charged remarks during Parliamentary sessions. The former Tourism and Telecommunications Minister, pictured, told The Royal Gazette: "Male politicians spend every single session in the kitchen talking about sex and making sexual jokes. I would say I have the respect of most of my colleagues from a capability standpoint, but there are sexual comments and innuendoes. They tell you what they would like to do with you sexually and talk about some physical part and what they would like to do with it. Temperatures dip to near record lowLast Thursday saw one of the coldest temperatures ever recorded in Bermuda, with thermometers dropping to just 48.9 degrees Fahrenheit. The winter weather caused power cuts across the island affecting 150 homes while the Mid-Ocean Club golf course was carpeted with hail. "It's usual for us to get temperatures this low once or twice each year," meteorologist Elizabeth Harris said. "This temperature would be momentary, often occurring in a down draft or a thunderstorm."The lowest temperature ever in Bermuda is 44 degrees, recorded in February 1950.