They are among the most popular paintings in the world but for decades they were starved of natural light and displayed in a building likened to an oversized garden shed. Now, after six years of renovation work delayed by archaeological mishaps, Claude Monet’s giant Water Lilies are finally back on display at the Orangerie museum in Paris.
It had all the makings of a classic: the free-flowing football revolutionaries of Hungary against the flamboyant artistes from Brazil. Yet 90 minutes, three sendings off and several mass brawls later, and the 1954 World Cup quarterfinal between the two sides was jostling for top spot in the tournament’s hall of shame.
Three Kuwaitis and an Indian convicted of murder and a Pakistani found guilty of drug trafficking were hanged in Kuwait on Tuesday, the largest number of executions in a single day in 16 years. The five men were hanged inside the interior ministry building in Kuwait City before dozens of spectators were allowed to view their hooded corpses.
Even now, almost five years later, horse trainer Bob Holthus shakes his head about the ordeal. The threat of a quarantine is sometimes just one stall or one mosquito bite away. Of all the dangers on the track, nothing quite compares to the panic a possible outbreak can cause.
Marat Safin admitted he was still struggling with his confidence despite battling to a first-round win over Italian qualifier Fabio Fognini at the Estoril Open on Tuesday. The former world number one suffered a debilitating knee injury last year that kept him out of the game for seven months.
The crash of an Airbus A320 carrying 113 people off Russia’s Black Sea coast on Wednesday was mostly likely a result of poor weather conditions, Russian and Armenian officials said. The crash occurred as the aircraft made a second landing attempt at Sochi’s Adler airport after rain had severely reduced visibility.
United States President George Bush told Sudan’s president in ”very clear” terms that his government must redouble efforts to make a deal with rebels at peace talks, the White House said on Tuesday. In a phone call on Monday with President Omar al-Beshir, Bush urged the Sudanese leader to send his vice-president back to the peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria.
Zimbabwe has failed to learn from its past history of segregation, subjugation, and repression of dissenting and alternative voices with regard to media freedom, the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe said on Wednesday, World Press Freedom Day, as it called for the creation of an independent media council in the country.
Some of the boldest criticism of the government came from black intellectuals sympathetic to the ruling party, Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon said on Tuesday. Speaking to commemorate the public service and parliamentary career of Helen Suzman, he said on the other hand watchdog institutions, including universities and the business community were no longer outspoken.
Described by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists as one of the world’s worst jailers of journalists, Eritrea has at least 13 reporters in prison. Little has been heard of the journalists. The charges against them apparently include avoiding the military draft and threatening national security.