The top floors of an office building under refurbishment next to Metropolitan Police headquarters in central London collapsed on Tuesday. ”We have one patient with minor injuries,” an ambulance service spokesperson said. Fire and ambulances services rushed to the brick building and cordoned off the area.
The publisher who first signed up JK Rowling believes he may have found another Harry Potter — but this time it is a boy archaeologist. In an industry that revels in hype and is always on the lookout for the next blockbuster, two unknown authors have amassed advances of over £500 000.
Thierry Henry’s agent on Tuesday categorically denied reports that the Arsenal striker has agreed terms with Spanish giants Barcelona. France Football magazine claimed that Henry’s agent, Jerome Anderson, met with Barca sporting director Txiki Beguiristain last week regarding a three-year deal with an option of a fourth year.
South Africa’s Graham Ford has turned down the post of India’s new national cricket coach and decided to stay with Kent, his county club said on Monday. Ford was selected for the job by India’s coaching committee after an interview in Chennai on Saturday, pipping fellow candidate and former England spinner John Emburey.
South African Ray Mali was named as acting president of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday following the death of Percy Sonn last month. Mali, president of Cricket South Africa since 2003, will take on the role for 13 months until the ICC’s 2008 annual conference, the world governing body said in a statement.
South Africa are serious contenders to win this year’s tournament, according to 1995 Rugby World Cup-winning skipper Francois Pienaar. ”We have the best chance to win a World Cup since 1995,” Pienaar told BBC Sport. ”There is tremendous talent in South Africa, the squad is really impressive and there is a real sense of optimism.”
A contestant on the latest series of Big Brother was thrown off the show on Thursday for racially abusing another housemate, just days after bosses were forced to apologise for a racist row on the show’s celebrity version. Student Emily Parr was removed from the house after she was heard to say ”Are you pushing it out you nigger?” to black contestant Charley Uchea.
Newcastle United on Thursday backed a takeover from British entrepreneur Mike Ashley, which valued the English Premiership club at £134-million pounds. The board recommendation came after Ashley’s takeover vehicle, St James Holdings Limited, lifted its bid from 100 pence to 101 pence per share for the club.
David Beckham returned to international competition on Wednesday and led England to a 3-0 win over Estonia in European Championship qualifying. World Cup finalists Italy and France also won. Beckham, returning after 10 months away, set up two goals at Estonia.
Two Merseyside detectives have lost their jobs for taking a prolific offender out of jail and buying him drinks in an attempt to clear up unsolved crimes, police said on Wednesday. The prisoner was also taken out to visit his girlfriend. The unnamed officers had 45 years’ service between them.
A British police force is to put more officers on the streets during full moons because they believe the lunar cycle may be linked to violent behaviour, a spokesperson said on Tuesday. Sussex Police have found that drinkers in the seaside city of Brighton and Hove are particularly aggressive during full moons.
Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa challenged the West to match Chinese investment in his country on Tuesday, saying Western countries had let Zambia down. Mwanawasa said Zambia would carry on welcoming Chinese investment, credit and loans despite domestic political opposition and unease in the West.
Organisers of the 2012 London Olympics on Tuesday defended its newly unveiled logo following widespread public criticism that it was ”hideous” and a waste of money. The jagged emblem, based on the date 2012, was unveiled on Monday by Seb Coe, chairperson of the London 2012 organising committee.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe risks the same fate as former Liberian President Charles Taylor, who is on trial for crimes against humanity, a British Foreign Office minister said on Monday. Taylor is the first ousted African president to stand trial at a United Nations-backed court for war crimes.
Richard Sterne’s second European Tour victory at the Wales Open has earned the South African a place in next month’s British Open at Carnoustie. Sterne also climbed to fourth in the order of merit after scooping the first prize of 000 at Celtic Manor on Sunday.
British artist who last week ate a meal of meatballs made from a dead corgi dog in a protest against animal cruelty said on Sunday his next project involved being buried in a box under a mountain of mashed potato. Performance artist Mark McGowan (37) said the corgi, which died from natural causes, tasted terrible.
A former top South African defence official resigned after suspecting corruption over an arms deal involving BAE Systems, Thales and others, a report said on Thursday. Pierre Steyn said he left office in 1998 because he was not content proper safeguards were in place which would allow him to prevent or expose corruption in the bidding process.
England’s Premiership soccer players will earn more than £1-billion for the first time next season thanks to television, sponsorship and merchandising deals, a top accountancy firm said on Thursday. Leading players could command as much as £200 000 per week — or a record £10-million a year.
JK Rowling, who became the world’s first billion dollar author on the back of Harry Potter’s success, has given the go-ahead for the creation of a Florida theme park dedicated to the schoolboy wizard. ”The plans I have seen look incredibly exciting and I don’t think fans of the books or films will be disappointed,” Rowling said.
Formula One’s governing body cleared McLaren on Wednesday of using illegal ”team orders” in their one-two victory in Monaco last weekend. ”It is clear McLaren’s actions during the 2007 Monaco Grand Prix were entirely legitimate and no further action is necessary,” the International Automobile Federation said in a statement.
Health professionals should routinely offer to test people for HIV, instead of waiting for patients to request it, according to new advice from the United Nations on Wednesday. In making the recommendations, it is underlining the need to identify the millions of HIV-positive people worldwide who need treatment.
Norway is the most peaceful country in the world and Iraq the least, according to a study launched on Wednesday, which notably puts Japan near the top and Russia and Israel close to the bottom. The Global Peace Index, published a week before a Group of Eight summit in Germany, rates 121 countries from Algeria to Zimbabwe.
England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is to undergo a third operation on his troublesome left ankle, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Wednesday. Flintoff, who missed the first two Tests of England’s current four-Test series against the West Indies because of the problem, will have investigative surgery over the weekend.
Royal Dutch Shell said on Wednesday 150 000 barrels per day of production at a key Nigerian oil terminal were cut after villagers sabotaged pipelines. A Shell spokesperson said community members attacked some oil pipelines connected to the Bonny Light crude terminal on Tuesday.
Shane Warne has been punished for disputing an umpire’s decision during an English county championship match in a move that has pushed the Australia leg-spin great nearer a match suspension. Warne initially stood his ground after being given out leg before by umpire Tim Robinson off the bowling of Ryan McLaren.
Outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived in Libya for talks with President Moammar Gadaffi Tuesday as it was revealed that oil giant British Petroleum (BP) will soon resume oil and gas exploitation in the North African state after an absence of 30 years. Blair’s ”farewell trip” to Africa will also take him to Sierra Leone and South Africa.
Britain’s largest organic group may refuse to certify produce which has been imported by air amid concern about environmental impact. The Soil Association launched a consultation on Tuesday which will look at several options for air-freighted organic produce including a halt to certification, a selective ban, labelling and carbon off-setting.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair wants to use a farewell trip to Africa this week to build momentum for a rich nation summit that will focus on Africa and to push for a world trade deal, a spokesperson said on Tuesday. Blair flies to Libya, Sierra Leone and South Africa on one of his last trips abroad before stepping down on June 27 after a decade in power.
A mainstream British broadcaster was under fire on Monday for vowing to screen graphic images of the car crash that killed Diana, princess of Wales. Channel 4 television is to show photographs that include Diana receiving oxygen from a doctor and a passing student trying to help her seriously injured bodyguard.
New Zealand accounted for Fiji 29-7 in a rainy London Sevens rugby final at Twickenham on Sunday. By winning their second tournament in the eight-leg world series, New Zealand closed the gap on series leader Fiji to 10 points going into the final leg at Murrayfield next weekend.
The swearing-in of Nicolas Sarkozy as French president on May 18 may mark, as he claims, a dramatic break with France’s political past; but less heralded was the equally stark break with the conventions of Catholic France as his family arrived on the red carpet. The five offspring in France’s first family make a fascinating line-up.
Tony Blair will head to Africa this week for his last visit as British Prime Minister after a decade in power, during which he made helping the continent a key priority. But while widely praised for tackling poverty and debt, experts say he leaves behind a mixed legacy. Blair is expected in Sierra Leone and South Africa.