What has been billed as the biggest exhibition by British graffiti artist Banksy will open to the public on Saturday in a railway tunnel near Waterloo train station in central London. Called The Cans Festival, the show features works by artists from around the world, and visitors are invited to join in.
The Pentagon is considering sending up to 7 000 more United States troops to Afghanistan next year to make up for a shortfall in contributions from Nato allies, the New York Times reported on Saturday. The paper said the push could drive US forces in Afghanistan to about 40 000.
A top cleric on Friday vowed that Iran would deal a knock-out blow to what he called maniacs in the United States and Israel if they ever attacked the Islamic republic. ”If maniacs in Washington or Tel Aviv seek to take action, the Iranian nation will slap them so hard they will not get off the floor,” hard-line cleric Ahmad Khatami said.
Manchester United face a test of nerves against West Ham United in their penultimate Premier League match on Saturday at 11.45am GMT, knowing Chelsea are ready to pounce if they slip up. United’s 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge last weekend means the two Champions League finalists are level on 81 points.
United States employers cut 20 000 jobs in April in a relatively stable showing for the US labour market as the jobless rate fell a tenth of a percentage point to 5%, the Labour Department said Friday. Despite the negative figure on payrolls, the report was better than expected by private economists, who on average had called a loss of 75 000 jobs.
The Canterbury Crusaders extended their lead at the top of the Super 14 table to virtually assure themselves of a home semifinal after a hard-fought 18-10 win over the Coastal Sharks on Friday. With two rounds remaining, the chances of a semifinal spot for the Sharks — who were in third place going into the match — are waning after three straight losses.
President Thabo Mbeki was to brief a group of African religious leaders on the situation in Zimbabwe on Friday, his spokesperson said. The briefing would focus on his mediation efforts, but it ”may touch on current issues”, said Mukoni Ratshitanga.
Disk jockey Heinrich Van Rooyen was found guilty of double murder in the Circuit High Court in Knysna in the Southern Cape, South African Broadcasting Corporation radio news reported on Friday. The 25-year-old van Rooyen murdered 19-year-old Jessica Wheeler and 20-year-old Victoria Stadler three years ago.
Cristiano Ronaldo been voted footballer of the year by the English Football Writers’ Association, completing a double after receiving the same accolade from his professional peers last week. It is the second season in succession that the 23-year-old Portugal winger has received both of English football’s most prestigious individual awards.
A Sudanese cameraman with the al-Jazeera on Friday accused United States authorities of insulting Islamic symbols on his return home after six years of detention at Guantánamo Bay. There were ”many violations — [we were] deprived from praying and there were … deliberate insults to God’s holy book” said Sami al-Haj.