With two weeks to go before Vladimir Putin hosts the G8’s first summit in Russia, criticisms are pouring in from Western think tanks and politicians. Some are legitimate, but many are wildly prejudiced. Russophobia is back. In the latter category was a speech by the United States Vice-President, Dick Cheney, in Lithuania.
With a massive golden cross in her outstretched hand and a tear on her cheek, Lady Liberation looms nine storeys over the birthplace of rock’n’roll. She bears a remarkable resemblance to New York’s Statue of Liberty, but this Memphis, Tennessee, replica has a very different message.
Recently Eads, the majority owner of Airbus, put an end to the crisis that has crippled it for more than two weeks by forcing the resignations of Noel Forgeard, its joint chief executive, and Gustav Humbert, the head of the European plane maker.
North Korea’s reckless and provocative firing of missiles over the Sea of Japan has brought a stale, but unmistakable, whiff of Cold War days. The difference between now and a few decades ago is the near universal condemnation of the ”hermit kingdom” by the United States, Japan, Russia and Europe. Only China’s reaction was muted.
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Italy won the World Cup in a penalty shoot-out, beating France 5-3 on Sunday after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes. David Trezeguet hit the crossbar with France’s second spot kick to give Italy its fourth World Cup title, and Fabio Grosso made the deciding kick. ”It’s incredibly emotional, words cannot hardly describe it,” Grosso said after the final whistle.
I don’t want to see folks satisfied when they talk about Nelson Mandela. He constitutes such a challenge to us — an intellectual challenge..
Bands of masked gunmen went on a rampage on Sunday in a predominantly Sunni Baghdad neighbourhood, killing at least 42 Sunni Arabs in a gruesome sectarian attack despite a massive security crackdown, witnesses said. The apparent response to the attacks was swift, with at least 15 people killed and 35 wounded in two powerful car bombs next to a Shi’ite mosque.
Nobody can stop Roger Federer on grass. Number one got even against number two as Federer ended a five-match losing streak to Rafael Nadal on Sunday, winning 6-0, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (2), 6-3 to earn his fourth straight Wimbledon title and eighth Grand Slam championship. Nadal had beaten Federer in four finals this year, including at the French Open last month, but couldn’t match him on the Swiss star’s favourite surface.
Pakistan ended the third day of their four-day match against England A as they started it — in the field — after a first innings collapse on Saturday. In the tourists’ final first-class match before the first Test against England at Lord’s begins on Thursday, they were bowled out for 242 in reply to England A’s 595 for nine declared.
A Russian passenger plane burst into flames after it crashed on landing in the Siberian city of Irkutsk early on Sunday, killing at least 102 people. Russian news agencies said the death toll could be as high as 150. Transport Minister Igor Levitin blamed the crash on wet runway conditions after rain, Russian news agencies reported.