A bankruptcy court judge has postponed Monday’s scheduled auction of Brazil’s debt-ridden flagship airline Viacao Aerea Rio-Grandense (Varig), the company said on Friday. The auction was rescheduled at the request of potential buyers, Varig said in a statement.
Yahoo! says chairperson Terry Semel’s annual salary will be reduced to until 2008 in exchange for millions of company stock options that will give its chief executive an opportunity to build on the -million windfall that he has reaped during the past three years.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal struck the first psychological blow in his French Open title duel against Roger Federer on Friday. While Nadal cruised into the third round with his 55th consecutive clay-court victory, Federer endured a lengthy struggle to put down the resistance of Chile’s Olympic champion Nicolas Massu.
All-rounder Dwayne Bravo continued his golden run in taking four for 37 as the West Indies reduced India to 235 for nine on the opening day on Friday of the cricket Test at Antigua Recreation Ground. The 22-year-old Bravo was one of the stars of the West Indies’ 4-1 success in the one-day series.
Chelsea signed teenage Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel from Norwegian club Lyn Oslo on Friday, although most of the reported £16-million transfer fee will go to Manchester United. The Blues and United have been in a long legal battle over the future of the 19-year-old star.
When David Beckham went shopping during a break in England training this week, he was ”kidnapped” in a prank by a teammate and then mobbed by hundreds of fans when he got to the store — just another day in the fishbowl life of one of the world’s most recognisable soccer players.
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Brazil is so loaded with talent that it could probably field the best two teams in the World Cup. Lucky for hosts Germany and a handful of other upset hopefuls, the rules for the world’s most popular sporting event allow only one team per country. And who might be best prepared to upset the Brazilians?
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer held crisis talks on Saturday with the leaders of East Timor, trying to end the worst violence here since the tiny nation split from Indonesia seven years ago. Downer met President Xanana Gusmao, Foreign and Defence Minister Jose Ramos Horta and Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri.
American soldiers have been cleared of deliberately killing Iraqi civilians in one of several incidents that have raised questions about the conduct of the occupying force, it emerged on Friday. But United States marines still face murder charges for two other incidents.
Idaho, to borrow a term gaining popularity on left-wing blogs, is part of ”Bushlandia”: the three remaining American states, clustered in the mountainous west, where the president still enjoys approval ratings of 50% or more. According to the latest polls, Idaho tops the league at 52%, with neighbours Utah and Wyoming on 51% and 50%.