Four western countries set the scene on Friday for a showdown with Iran by demanding that it freeze its uranium enrichment activities immediately. The United States, Britain, France and Germany agreed on a form of words at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, which threaten tough action in November if Iran remains defiant.

Two decades ago the men of Pomfret lived in Angola where the apartheid regime enlisted the men into a black foreign legion, 32 Battalion, to fight against liberation movements in Namibia and Angola. Earlier this year, former members of 32 Battalion repeated that folly for a Briton and his backers.

The comprehensive 15-month search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, conducted by the Iraq Survey Group, has concluded that the only chemical or biological agents that Saddam Hussein’s regime was working on before last year’s invasion were small quantities of poisons, most likely for use in assassinations.

It was, perhaps, an unwise thing to say to the great and good of the Spanish language, but when the Colombian Nobel laureate Gabriel García Márquez suggested spelling ought to be scrapped, he did not expect to become a pariah. He has been barred from the International Congress of the Spanish Language.

Jacques Villeneuve will make his dramatic formula-one comeback in China next week, making no secret of his desire to hunt down the BAR team who controversially dumped him 12 months ago. The former world championwill represent Renault in the last three races of the season.

Fireworks exploded, dancers streamed around a giant tree and the crowd roared ”Hellas, Hellas” as the 12th Paralympic Games opened with a party of thudding drums, lights and flowing costumes on Friday. More than 3 800 disabled athletes paraded at the opening ceremony of the Paralympics, the largest in the Games’ 44-year history.

Darkness brought a premature end to the first round at the Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour at Arabella, with only a handful of players managing to complete 18 holes. Fierce afternoon winds forced play to be suspended shortly after noon for three hours, leaving only enough time for six groups to finish their round.