London

Making a last-ditch bid to win a parliamentary vote on holding terror suspects for up to three months without charge, British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Wednesday said two terrorist plots had been foiled since July’s attacks in London. A rejection of the plan would be Blair’s first legislative defeat since he came to power in 1997.

So much cocaine is being used in London that traces of the white powerded narcotic can be detected in the River Thames, the Sunday Telegraph newspaper said. It said an estimated 2kg of cocaine, or 80 000 lines, spill into the river every day after passing through users’ bodies and sewage treatment plants.

Under-fire Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said the 1-0 weekend win over Premiership leaders Chelsea has put a stop to the criticism that has bedevilled the club in recent weeks. With a vicious slating from skipper Roy Keane thrown in, the Red Devils could hardly have gone into Sunday’s encounter in a worse frame on mind.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho insisted on Monday that the Blues will not suffer the same fate as London rivals Arsenal did last season following their Old Trafford defeat. Chelsea’s 40-game unbeaten Premiership run came to a dramatic end with a 1-0 defeat at Manchester United on Sunday.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair reluctantly accepted on Monday that he would have to back down on proposed anti-terror laws that would enable police to hold people for up to 90 days without charging them. Blair faced a showdown with rebel lawmakers from his own Labour Party later on Monday.

A former South African police officer who moved to Britain for a career change has won the dubious distinction of becoming Britain’s ”most arresting” police officer, The Times reported on Thursday. Police Constable Diederik Coetzee has been acclaimed for making 309 arrests so far this year in the British county of Nottinghamshire.

A tooth said to have belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte is up for auction in Britain later this month and expected to sell for up to £8 000 (R94 900). It is believed to have been extracted in 1817 during the French general’s exile on the British island of Saint Helena, in the south Atlantic Ocean.

George Best’s condition improved further on Monday, with doctors reporting that the ailing British football legend could be out of intensive care this week. Doctors said Best is slowly getting better — but friends warned the ex-Northern Ireland midfielder is in terrible pain.

More Britons believe in ghosts than in God, according to an informal survey published on Monday. Of 2 012 people who completed a questionnaire, 68% said they believed in the existence of ghosts and spirits, while 55% said they believed in the existence of a god.

New Zealand clinched their second Tri-Nations win in three matches when they beat Great Britain 42-26 at Loftus Road in London on Saturday. The Kiwis stormed into a 24-8 lead at the interval before the home side launched a thrilling second-half fightback — but it was too little, too late.

Thieves have spirited away the "flying" Ford Anglia car used in the Harry Potter films, British police said on Friday. The blue 1960s-style car’s disappearing act took place from under a tarpaulin at South West Film Studios in St Agnes, Cornwall, southwest England.

Britain play New Zealand in the Tri-Nations Series this Saturday confident they have the ability to win the tournament despite missing a raft of big-name players. Vice-captain Brian Carney said the loss of the likes of Paul Sculthorpe, Kris Radlinski, Sean Long and last year’s captain Andy Farrell was ”definitely a loss because they are outstanding players and immensely talented”.

A British woman faces court over a small-change rail fare mix-up — despite offering time and again to hand over the required coin, newspapers reported Friday. Shocked commuter Jennifer Burton (23) is being hauled before the judge by rail bosses because of a 10 pence mix-up over her ticket.

Doctors treating soccer star George Best said on Thursday he is stable as he fights for his life. The former Manchester United star, who had a life-saving liver transplant three years ago but went back to hard drinking, has been in a hospital’s intensive-care unit for a month. His condition deteriorated dramatically on Wednesday.