George Orwell, who would have been 100 this week, knew what it was like to be poor. ”It’s fatal to look hungry,” he wrote in Down and Out in Paris and London. ”It makes people want to kick you.”

The government and the ANC have both dismissed new allegations of irregularities around the multi-billion rand arms deal, including claims that the ruling party was bankrolled by a British arms company tendering in the deal.

Andre Agassi has not finished with Wimbledon yet. This year’s campaign ended with him being shot down in five sets by Australia’s Mark Philippoussis in the fourth round. But the oldest man ever to hold the world number one ranking immediately dismissed suggestions that the emotionally draining defeat was one which would automatically bring a decision on when he hangs up his racquet any closer.

Greece’s powerful Orthodox Church on Monday accused city authorities of seeking to increase the number of prostitution licenses in Athens before the 2004 Games.

It has been customary since Roman times for wealthy individuals to promote talented artists. Florentino Pérez is perpetuating the tradition. Lavish patron of the football arts, the Real Madrid president is building a collection at the Bernabéu to rival Spain’s most extravagant museum, the Prado’s: Raúl, Roberto Carlos, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and – the freshest acquisition – David ”el Inglés” Beckham.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has been exposed as a
dressing room bully who rules Old Trafford by fear.

Darren Gough said ”just to be playing” for England again felt great after being out of international action for nearly a year.

Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak won the toss and elected to field in the rain-delayed triangular series one-day international against England here at Headingley on Tuesday.