Sudan has edged closer to a final peace deal after the government and rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army signed three protocols on Wednesday night that are crucial to ending Africa’s longest-running civil war. Over two million people have been killed and four million displaced by the war waged by the Islamic government in the north and black Christians and animists in the south.
Jose Mourinho is one cool customer, a man who does things his way. And in Wednesday night’s battle of Europe’s most-wanted young football managers he emerged the decisive winner over Didier Deschamps. If coaches were eligible for the man of the match award, it would have been his for the taking.
Until Frenchman Gérard Houllier walked through the front door of the club he had supported during his days as a student teacher, successive attempts to promote managers from within the family had gradually laid waste the legacy of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley. The Liverpool dressing room had become a sort of pigsty.
Seven years and 242 goals after his debut, Celtic fans prepare to say farewell to Henrik Larsson, their “king of kings”. There were no dissenting voices in a sell-out crowd of 67 000 at Parkhead on Tuesday for the testimonial against Sevilla, Larsson’s final appearance in a Celtic shirt.
In certain parts of London you would be forgiven for thinking that the real cup final is happening this weekend in Cardiff. West Ham’s midfield starlet Nigel Reo-Coker contemplates the first division play-off final, promotion to the Premiership, the significance of a sudden windfall. This in itself is a bizarre twist of fate.
The last time a player with a No 7 on his back so compelled the attention during an FA Cup final, the match came to be known by his name. As a competitive spectacle Saturday’s contest between Manchester United and Millwall was not in the same universe as the Stanley Matthews final of 1953. But it was glorious to watch Cristiano Ronaldo.
Arsenal already had the most wanted manager in European football before they raised his profile even higher by going through a Premiership season undefeated, but eight years ago Arsène Wenger had to prove himself. The guiding hand behind Arsenal explains how the club manages to stay ahead of the rest.
A senior Greek government official on Thursday questioned whether it was right for Athens to be hosting the 2004 Olympics, given the amount of work involved. Addressing a parliamentary committee overseeing the games, Giorgas Souflias, the public works minister, said he wondered if Greece was best suited to organise the mammoth event in light of the major infrastructure projects.
Australia beat Zimbabwe by 139 runs in the second one-day cricket international and clinched the three-match series 2-0 at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday. Australia made 323 for eight in 50 overs, then bowled out Zimbabwe for 184 in 44.3 overs. Darren Lehmann scored 67 and took four wickets for 7 runs.
Basking in her latest victory on Friday, Maria Sharapova grabbed a pinch of red clay at Roland Garros and gave it a rub. She’ll be back for more. A Siberia native who lives in Florida, the 17-year-old Sharapova advanced to the fourth round of the French Open by beating fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 (3).