Britain seeks a public takeover of Northern Rock to keep the bank viable and protect taxpayers, officials say. The British government waded into the sub-prime quagmire Sunday with the announcement that it would move to nationalize Northern Rock, the nation's fifth-largest mortgage lender.

LONDON (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs (GS.N), the U.S. investment bank advising the British government on the future of Northern Rock (NRK.L), is seeking to widen the range of options open to the government in its bid to rescue the stricken bank.

Obesity does not result simply from over-eating and a lack of exercise, but is a consequence of modern life, a British government think-tank said.