Botswana’s Kalahari Bushmen are seeking the support of Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie in their fight to reclaim their ancestral lands, a London-based organisation supporting them said on Thursday. Jolie — a United Nations Children’s Fund ambassador — is currently in neighbouring Namibia.
The debut album by Oasis, the band that best spread the Britpop craze of the 1990s, has been voted the greatest album of all time in a major music poll published on Thursday. <i>Definitely Maybe</i> beat <i>Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band</i> by the much-loved Beatles into second place.
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England striker Peter Crouch says he wants to be more than a super-sub at the World Cup and is desperate to force his way into Sven-Goran Eriksson’s plans. The towering Liverpool forward appeared as a goal-scoring substitute during Tuesday’s 3-1 victory over Hungary, but admitted he was disappointed to be left out of the starting XI in the absence of Wayne Rooney.
He looked a bit like an unoiled crane trying to manoeuvre in high winds, but Peter Crouch’s unusual goal celebration in England’s World Cup warm-up game has apparently sparked a dance craze. The 2,04m Liverpool striker embarked on the jerky blend of body-popping, robotic dancing and moonwalking after scoring England’s second in the 3-1 win against Hungary on Tuesday.
The father of Princess Diana’s dead lover welcomed the news on Wednesday that fresh witnesses and evidence have been found as part of a probe into the car crash that killed the couple in Paris in 1997. Mohammed al-Fayed also said he hoped Sir John Stevens, a former top police officer who is leading the investigation, would continue his work until he found "the truth".
Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf said on Wednesday she was optimistic that a European Union country would offer to jail her predecessor if he is convicted of war crimes. Former Liberian President Charles Taylor is awaiting trial before a United Nations-backed war-crimes tribunal in Sierra Leone.
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A disappointing campaign at Euro 2004 and the emergence of Wayne Rooney as England’s new golden boy has eroded David Beckham’s position as Sven-Goran Eriksson’s main man. But Beckham’s match-winning display against Hungary at Old Trafford on Tuesday proved he still has the ability to guide England to glory in Germany.
Desmond Dekker, who brought the sound of Jamaican ska music to the world with hits such as Israelites, has died, his manager said on Friday. He was 64. Dekker, who lived in England, collapsed from an apparent heart attack at his home on Thursday, manager Delroy Williams said.
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Striker Michael Owen has been given the all-clear to play in the friendly against Hungary at Old Trafford on Tuesday after a new injury scare. Owen has only just fully recovered from breaking a bone in his foot on New Year’s Eve, but it was a ”tight thigh” after training on Monday that caused manager Sven Goran Eriksson to send him to hospital for a scan.
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England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson fears his World Cup squad will be distracted over the media obsession with Wayne Rooney’s broken foot. Eriksson is still confident the Manchester United striker will play some part in the World Cup, but he has requested his next CT scan be brought forward seven days to June 7.
Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka told Western newspaper editors on Monday to stop generalising about Africa and concentrate more on the continent’s success stories. Issues of real concern, such as Western poaching of Africa’s best and brightest talent, were being overlooked as the world’s media focused on wars and poverty, she told the annual world congress of the International Press Institute.
South Africa’s Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on Monday told Western newspaper editors to stop generalising about Africa and concentrate more on the continent’s success stories. Issues of real concern, such as Western poaching of Africa’s best and brightest talent, were being overlooked as the world’s media focused on wars and poverty.
England beat Sri Lanka by six wickets on Sunday after a career-best performance from paceman Liam Plunkett gave his team an easily attainable victory target on day four of the second Test at Edgbaston. England, led by Kevin Pietersen’s 142 off 157 balls, reached 295 in reply to Sri Lanka’s first-innings 141.
A British lawmaker renowned for his firebrand rhetoric drew a storm of criticism on Friday by saying a suicide bomber would be ”morally justified” in killing Prime Minister Tony Blair over the Iraq war. George Galloway was asked in a magazine interview if he thought such an attack was justifiable provided there were no other casualties.
Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai called on the United Nations on Friday to intervene in his homeland’s political and economic crises. The Zimbabwean government has rejected UN involvement, saying Secretary General Kofi Annan need not make a long-planned visit.
Killing British Prime Minister Tony Blair in a suicide bombing would be morally justified as revenge for the war in Iraq, firebrand lawmaker George Galloway has said. In a magazine interview that was widely reported on Friday, the MP for the anti-war party, Respect, was asked if it would be justifiable for a suicide bomber to blow up Blair, provided there were no other casualties.
A cat stowed away in a crate of crockery on a container ship and travelled 9 600km from China to Britain, living on cardboard and condensation, a newspaper said on Friday. Nicknamed Chairman Miaow, the white tabby cat crawled into the crate before it was loaded onto the container ship bound for Britain, the Daily Telegraph said.
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Wayne Rooney will travel with England to the World Cup despite being told that he will be unable to resume full training before June 14 at the earliest, four days after his country’s opening match. A scan on the Manchester United forward’s broken foot confirmed the initial prognosis that he would need about six weeks to recover.
Rupert Murdoch’s newspaper The Times announced on Friday it will launch a United States edition next month as part of a push to make the paper an international brand. The US edition will go on sale on 6 June via subscription and at more than 2 000 retail outlets across New York and New Jersey.
Kumar Sangakkara insisted Sri Lanka’s batsmen ”had to do much better” after the tourists were skittled out for just 141 on the opening day of the second Test against England at Edgbaston. At stumps, England were closing in on a first-innings lead at 138-3 after pace-man Liam Plunkett had taken 3-43, including a double-wicket maiden in his first over.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? According to a scientist, a philosopher and a chicken farmer, it was the egg, British newspapers reported on Friday. he key to the age-old question apparently lies in the fact that genetic material does not change throughout an animal’s life.
A sex theme park designed to enhance its visitors’ lovemaking skills will open in the heart of London within months, the academy’s director announced on Wednesday. "Amora: The Academy of Sex and Relationships" is hoping to seduce up to 600 000 visitors through the doors in its first year.
Newcastle midfielder Kieron Dyer was arrested after a woman complained that he had indecently exposed himself, Press Association, citing police sources, said on Thursday. Dyer (27) had been released on police bail without charge pending further investigation, sources said.
Robert Pires is leaving Champions League finalists Arsenal for a two-year deal with Spanish side Villarreal, the French winger confirmed on Thursday. ”After six wonderful years at Arsenal, full of fantastic moments, I have decided to accept a new challenge at Villarreal for the next two years of my career,” the 32-year-old said on the English Premiership side’s website.
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David Beckham is no longer England’s main man. The 31-year-old midfielder — known as much for his glamorous lifestyle, fashion sense and tattoos as for his bending free kicks — has been eclipsed as England’s key player. Wayne Rooney, still recovering from a broken foot, is the player England’s opponents fear most.
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If the soccer gets boring at the World Cup, watch out for the secret signals between the match officials running the game. Over the years referees have developed discreet ways of passing or receiving messages, often involving the assistants helping out the man in the middle when he or she may not have seen an incident.
World powers gathered in London on Wednesday to try to break a deadlock over how to stop Iran enriching uranium, as Tehran again warned against military intervention. Senior officials from the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Russia and China will discuss a European proposal at the closed-door talks.
The United Nations holds the key to solving an economic and political crisis in Zimbabwe, President Thabo Mbeki told a British newspaper in an interview published on Wednesday. South Africa’s leader threw his weight behind a planned visit to Zimbabwe by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
The African Union on Tuesday suggested that United Nations peacekeeping troops should be sent to Sudan’s Darfur region within two months to bolster a peace accord and prevent the humanitarian crisis from worsening. AU commission chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare said the accord sealed in Abuja, Nigeria ”will be credible if we can ensure the commitment becomes a reality”.
At least 2 148 people were executed in 2005 despite the majority of the world’s countries having abolished the death penalty in law or in practice, Amnesty International said on Tuesday. Among those put to death were children and people with mental disabilities.
English clubs are threatening to scuttle England’s new rugby Test with the All Blacks in November because they say they’re not obliged to make their players available. England’s Rugby Football Union confirmed the November 5 Test on Monday along with live TV and ticket packages to help christen the new £100-million (-million) South Stand at Twickenham.
Africa saw a reduction in conflicts last year but gross human rights violations including killings and rape continued in volatile areas, Amnesty International said its annual report. ”The signing of several peace agreements in 2005 resulted in a decline in armed conflict across the region,” the London-based body’s 2006 International Report said.