A round-up of today's other stories in brief...

Digital marketing diploma courses

Two courses leading to a diploma in digital marketing, delivered by Irish Times Training in association with the Irish Internet Association and Prosperity Recruitment, will get under way on next Monday, February 21st, and on March 24th.

The course covers topics such as search engine optimisation; Google AdWords and pay per click; online advertising; e-mail marketing; social media for brands; web analytics; online video; and the mobile web. Joan Mulvihill of the Irish Internet Association said digital marketing skills are complementary to offline “traditional” marketing. “This is not about out with the old and in with the new,” she added.

Attack won’t delay Canadian budget

A cyber attack on key Canadian economic ministries last month was serious but will not affect the timing of next month’s federal budget, a top cabinet minister said yesterday.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp said hackers using China-based servers had broken into computer systems at the Finance Department and Treasury Board. - (Reuters)

Jobs moves to halt fatal illness report

Apple chief executive Steve Jobs was due to attend a meeting in California last night with President Barack Obama, a source said. The meeting coincides with a National Enquirer report with pictures purporting to be of a frail Jobs arriving at the Stanford Cancer Center.

The unverified report cites doctors not treating Mr Jobs as saying he looks like he has six weeks to live. - (Reuters)