Hundreds of Chinese football supporters clashed with riot police outside a Beijing stadium on Saturday after their national team was beaten 3-1 by rival Japan in the final of the Asia Cup. Supporters threw bottles, shouted obscenities, burnt Japanese flags and surrounded the Japanese team bus, which was pelted with missiles and forced to return to the stadium.

All Blacks captain Tana Umaga will rejoin his side in time for the Tri-Nations Test against South Africa next weekend after his wife gave birth to their third child late on Sunday. The All Blacks arrived in South Africa on Monday with coach Graham Henry saying they never had any intention of cancelling the trip despite media reports it was in jeopardy because of a possible terrorist attack.

An unabashed racist who runs a website claiming the genetic superiority of the white race will contest a congressional seat in Tennessee for the Republican party. The party had urged voters to support a late contender for the nomination to keep James Hart off the ballot.

John Kerry, buffeted by a new assault on his wartime credentials, has scoured Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 for memorable lines to deploy against President Bush. Kerry drew on a scene from Fahrenheit 9/11, attacking Bush for his seven-minute delay in reacting to news on September 11 2001.

Human rights groups warned on Friday that racism was becoming increasingly tolerated in Italy after the country’s biggest-selling newspaper published a book by a veteran journalist which warns of an Arab invasion of Europe. The 126-page tract appeared on newsstands with a major newspaper.

Increasing numbers of unprovoked shark attacks on swimmers could be linked to the formation of immense oxygen-starved dead zones in the world’s oceans, according to American scientists. The zones are caused by the runoff of sewage and nitrate-based fertilisers from intensive farming.

Vice-chairperson of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) Ahmed Ebrahim has criticised ”devious, undercover activities” designed to ”undermine the very fabric and structure” of Test cricket” in Zimbabwe. He said the ZCU was able to make sure that Test cricket will still be played in Zimbabwe next year.

With a week to go before the official opening of the Olympics, the games’ organisers and the Greek government were yesterday praying for an improvement in ticket sales, as figures showed that more than half of the 5,3-million total have yet to be sold.