diff --git a/blocks/rss_client/block_rss_client.php b/blocks/rss_client/block_rss_client.php
index a590ea17d44d5..1a1f9453159c3 100644
--- a/blocks/rss_client/block_rss_client.php
+++ b/blocks/rss_client/block_rss_client.php
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ function get_rss_by_id($rssid, $display_description, $shownumentries, $showtitle
             }
             
             if ($showtitle) {
-                $returnstring .= '<p><div align="center" class="rssclienttitle">'. $rss_record->title .'</div></p>';
+                $returnstring .= '<div class="rssclienttitle">'. $rss_record->title .'</div>';
             }
             if ($shownumentries > 0 && $shownumentries < count($rss->items) ) {
                 $rss->items = array_slice($rss->items, 0, $shownumentries);
@@ -167,6 +167,8 @@ function get_rss_by_id($rssid, $display_description, $shownumentries, $showtitle
                     $item['link'] = $item['guid'];
                 }
 
+                $item['link'] = str_replace('&', '&amp;', $item['link']);
+
                 $returnstring .= '<div class="rssclientlink"><a href="'. $item['link'] .'" target="_new">'. $item['title'] . '</a></div>' ."\n";
                 
                 if ($display_description && !empty($item['description'])){
@@ -174,12 +176,12 @@ function get_rss_by_id($rssid, $display_description, $shownumentries, $showtitle
                 }
             }
 
-            if ( isset($rss->channel['link']) && isset($rss->channel['title']) ) {
+            if (!empty($rss->channel['link']) && !empty($rss->channel['title']) ) {
                 $feedtitle = '<a href="'. $rss->channel['link'] .'">'. $rss->channel['title'] .'</a>';
             }
         }
 
-        if (isset($feedtitle) && $feedtitle != '' && $feedtitle != '<a href="'. $rss->channel['link'] .'"></a>') {
+        if (!empty($feedtitle) and ($feedtitle != '<a href="'. $rss->channel['link'] .'"></a>')) {
             $this->title = $feedtitle;
         }
         $returnstring .= '<br />';
diff --git a/blocks/rss_client/config_global.html b/blocks/rss_client/config_global.html
index 90c9f45daa131..262897acde33f 100644
--- a/blocks/rss_client/config_global.html
+++ b/blocks/rss_client/config_global.html
@@ -18,7 +18,21 @@
     </td>
 </tr>
 <tr valign="top">
-    <td align="right"><p>block_rss_client_submitters:</td>
+    <td align="right">block_rss_timeout:</td>
+    <td>
+    <input name="block_rss_timeout" type="text" size="5" value="<?php 
+        if(isset($CFG->block_rss_timeout)) {
+            p($CFG->block_rss_timeout);
+        } else {
+            p(10);
+        } ?>" />
+    </td>
+    <td>
+        <?php print_string('block_rss_timeout', 'block_rss_client') ?>
+    </td>
+</tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+    <td align="right">block_rss_client_submitters:</td>
     <td>
         <?php if (!empty($CFG->block_rss_client_submitters)) {
                         $selected = $CFG->block_rss_client_submitters;