The European Union has grown to 25 diverse states, with five more waiting in the wings and at least another 14 sniffing around the periphery. Should Turkey be allowed to join the European Union? That decision has divided Europeans. But where does Europe end? James Meek finds that cases can be made for many other countries, from Tunisia to Iraq.

Striker Miguel Angel ”Mista” Ferrer scored twice on Wednesday to earn Valencia a 3-0 victory over a nine-man Espanyol and lift the defending champions into second place in the Spanish league. In another 17th-round game, Sevilla’s Brazilian forward Julio Baptista scored in the 19th minute to beat Real Madrid 1-0.

West Indies’ tour of Australia looks set to go ahead next month after the national cricket board and players association accepted the binding decision of an arbiter in their contract dispute on Wednesday. Justice Adrian Saunders ruled on whether individual players are allowed to hold endorsement deals in conflict with the cricket board’s official sponsor.

The -million broadcasting deal that has secured the financial future of southern-hemisphere rugby for the next five years has been welcomed by New Zealand players, but they question the workload that goes with it. ”Like any deal, it has pros and cons,” players’ association chief executive Rob Nichol said on Thursday.

With the log positions already settled, the only talking point of the match between Western Province-Boland (WP-Boland) and the Titans was likely to be the form of Herschelle Gibbs, playing his first match in five weeks. His hopes of proving his form and fitness for the second Test were dashed as he faced just five balls, and looked uncomfortable in the field.

Formula-one champion Michael Schumacher drew sharp criticism by some German athletes on Wednesday after he skipped this past weekend’s German sports awards ceremony. Schumacher, who was chosen the male sportsman of the year for the second time, sent a video instead of appearing in person.