function loadXMLDoc(dname) 
{
	var xmlDoc;
	if (window.XMLHttpRequest)
	{
  		xmlDoc=new window.XMLHttpRequest();
		xmlDoc.open("GET",dname,false);
  		xmlDoc.send("");
  		return xmlDoc.responseXML;
  	}
	// IE 5 and IE 6
	else if (ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM"))
	{
  		xmlDoc=new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM");
  		xmlDoc.async=false;
  		xmlDoc.load(dname);
  		return xmlDoc;
	}
	
	alert("Error loading document");
	return null;
}

function updateNews(maxNbMessages) 
{
	// Do not display more than MAX_NB_MESSAGES in the news area
	xmlDoc = loadXMLDoc("news.xml");
	
	messages = xmlDoc.getElementsByTagName("message");
	newsBlock = document.getElementById("bpnewsitem");
	
	for (i=0; i < Math.min(maxNbMessages, messages.length); i++) {
		divStr = "<div class=\"bpnewsitem\">\n\t<div class=\"bpnewsdate\">" +
					messages[i].getAttribute("date") + 
				  	"</div>\n\t<div class=\"bpnewsdesc\">" + 
				  	messages[i].childNodes[0].nodeValue + 
				  	"<br/>\n"
		if (messages[i].getAttribute("url")) {
			divStr = divStr + "\t<a href=\"" + 
				messages[i].getAttribute("url") + 
				"\" class=\"bpnewslink\">More...</a>\n</div>\n";
		}
		newsBlock.innerHTML = newsBlock.innerHTML + divStr;
	}
}