United Kingdom

About 10 000 African women are to take part in a major British study into a gel that could help prevent the spread of HIV, scientists said on Tuesday. The women are to participate in the three- to four-year trial of the microbicide to find out its effectiveness at protecting against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

England football star Frank Lampard, who saved Chelsea with an equaliser against Everton at the weekend, said winning every match this season was never a realistic goal. Lampard, on current form perhaps the best attacking midfielder in the world, added it is trophies, not statistics, that count.

A man stunned shoppers in a British high street by handing out his savings to "make people happy", a newspaper said on Friday. Chris Aljaradat withdrew £10 000 (about R117 000) from his bank on Wednesday before dishing out the cash to gobsmacked passers-by in Worcester, central England.

Former England and Arsenal star Ian Wright was furious on Monday after being wrongly prosecuted for throwing a paper cup from his Bentley. The 41-year-old and his wife, Deborah, had been due to appear in court this week to deny the charges but both were cleared when a mystery person owned up to littering and was fined £50.

Don’t expect a helping hand in the central English city of Birmingham — residents there are the rudest people in Britain, a survey claimed on Friday. "Brummies", as they are locally known, are the least likely to pass a series of courtesy tests such as holding the door for someone behind them.

The Church of England’s first African archbishop has received letters containing racist abuse since being appointed to the position, he said in an interview broadcast on Friday. Archbishop of York John Sentamu, who is due to be enthroned at York Minster next month, said some of the letters also contained human excrement.

Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo was arrested on Wednesday and questioned on suspicion of rape, reports said. Scotland Yard said two men were questioned in connection with an allegation of a serious sexual assault at a central London hotel, and one was arrested. Media reports said the man arrested was Ronaldo.

Lyon defeated Olympiakos 2-1 on Wednesday, leaving the four-time defending French champions as one of only three teams with perfect records in the Champions League. Inter Milan saw their perfect record blemished with a 2-0 loss at 2004 champions FC Porto. Two other teams won big — Chelsea and Real Madrid.

Thierry Henry insists his record-breaking double strike that helped Arsenal to a 2-0 Champions League win at Sparta Prague has underlined his commitment to the Gunners. But the France star again side-stepped questions over his long-term future.

Bayern Munich edged Juventus 2-1, while Thierry Henry returned after a six-week absence with two goals on Tuesday to push Arsenal closer to the second round of the Champions League with a 2-0 victory at Sparta Prague. Two more leading contenders failed to hit the target, however.

Noam Chomsky, the American linguistics expert and United States foreign policy critic, was named the world’s top public intellectual, according to a new British magazine poll released on Tuesday. Best known for his loud and consistent criticism of US foreign policy over the last 40 years, Chomsky (76) decisively beat novelist and academic Umberto Eco to top the poll.

This year has seen an explosion of new pampering products for man’s furry friends, among the more unusual of which is a fragrance designed to neutralise the sexual scent of female dogs, a study said on Tuesday. The products also include weight loss supplements, sun screen and stress relief sprays, alongside cosmetics like nail polish and hair colour highlights.

Garcon! Clicking one’s fingers to grab the waiter’s attention is by far the worst restaurant etiquette blunder, a British survey revealed on Monday. In a poll of 8 683 people for the British food magazine <i>Olive</i>, 38% thought snapping fingers at a waiter was the most embarrassing gaffe possible while dining out.

Jose Mourinho claimed Chelsea had provided the perfect riposte to the critics who have labelled them boring by blasting five second-half goals past Bolton. ”We are not boring,” Mourinho insisted after a 5-1 win that extended his side’s perfect start to the season to nine matches. Arsenal, however, were beaten 2-1 at West Brom.

Daniel Craig, a 37-year-old blond-haired, blue-eyed Englishman, was unveiled on Friday as the new James Bond, ending months of mystery over who would play the role of the British playboy spy 007. Production on the 21st Bond film, Casino Royale, is scheduled to begin in Britain in January.

October 13 is being declared Peel Day to celebrate the life and legacy of trail-blazing BBC disc jockey John Peel, who died suddenly last year at the age of 65, the public broadcaster announced. Gigs will take place across Britain in as many venues as possible, and organisers hope Peel Day will become an annual event.

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club have formally abandoned their ban on women competing in the Open Championship. Their decision came on the day teenage sensation Michelle Wie made her professional debut. Next year’s entry form will no longer restrict the event to ”any male professional golfer” or ”male amateur golfer whose playing handicap does not exceed scratch”.

Ever mindful of its image, British luxury goods firm Burberry has threatened legal action against a company making garments in its trademark check pattern — for ferrets. Burberry’s lawyers have sent letters to Ferret World, the country’s only outlet for clothes made especially for the rodents, a popular pet.

German police and authorities are preparing for an influx of more than 100 000 English soccer fans next summer after England qualified for the 2006 World Cup. Plans include issuing banning orders against potential troublemakers and the deployment of British police officers in Germany.

Irish author John Banville beat higher-profile favourites Julian Barnes, Kazuo Ishiguro and Zadie Smith to become the surprise winner of Britain’s prestigious Booker Prize for fiction late on Monday. Banville’s The Sea was described by the judges as ”a masterly study of grief, memory and love recollected”.