Former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira believes the London club must splash out on some big name players if they want to prevent Thierry Henry from being lured to a major club in Europe. Henry has been consistently linked with a move to Barcelona, despite insisting he wants to remain at the Emirates Stadium.
London’s version of the Lord of the Rings musical, touted as the most expensive show ever staged, has divided critics whose reviews on Wednesday both praised and panned the production. The Lord of the Rings closed early in Toronto, where it was launched in 2006, after opening to mixed reviews.
England beat the West Indies by seven wickets in the fourth and final Test at Riverside Stadium on Tuesday, a result that saw them win the series 3-0. England, set 110 for victory on the last day, finished on 111-3 with captain Michael Vaughan 48 not out and Paul Collingwood five not out.
Michael Vaughan resigned as England’s one-day captain with immediate effect on Monday. But Vaughan, in a statement issued by the England and Wales Cricket Board after close of play on the fourth day of the fourth Test against the West Indies, said he would continue as a one-day international cricketer.
Paul Collingwood’s hundred on his Durham home ground left England with the advantage in the fourth and final Test against the West Indies on Monday. At stumps on the fourth day, the West Indies — after Matthew Hoggard had reduced them to 15-2 — were 83-3 in their second innings, a deficit of 30 runs.
South Africa flanker Joe Van Niekerk signed a three-year contract with English rugby club Northampton on Monday. Van Niekerk, capped 46 times by the Springboks since 2001, will start with Northampton depending on next month’s announcement of South Africa’s World Cup squad.
Tony Blair on Monday strongly defended intervening in Iraq for the final time as British prime minister before Parliament’s top scrutiny body. In a robust farewell performance, Blair insisted ordinary Muslims craved democracy, saying that Islamist terrorists rather than the West were their worst enemy.
Fidel Edwards stunned England as the West Indies took charge of the fourth and final Test at the Riverside Stadium on Sunday with three late wickets. At stumps on the third day England were 121-4 in reply to the tourists’ first innings 287, a deficit of 166, after danger man Kevin Pietersen was out for nought to the last ball of the day, caught behind off Edwards after under-edging a pull.
Britain’s leaders, war veterans and bereaved relatives on Thursday marked the 25th anniversary of victory in the Falklands War amid a mixture of celebration and sombre reflection. Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Minister Tony Blair and Baroness Margaret Thatcher, who was prime minister at the time, participated in a service marking the end of the conflict.
McLaren boss Ron Dennis has denied suggestions that British newcomer Lewis Hamilton is being favoured over world champion Fernando Alonso in the British-based Formula One team. The Spanish driver told Spanish radio on Tuesday that ”we knew all the support and help would go his way”.
Nigeria’s Chinua Achebe, hailed as the father of modern African writing, was awarded the £60 000 Man Booker International Prize on Wednesday. His award capped a triumphant month for Nigerian authors as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie last week landed the Orange Prize, one of the literary world’s top awards for women writers.
Inflation in Zimbabwe is soaring, and its citizens abroad are pitching in to help relatives at home — giving part of their earnings in South Africa, for example, to Zimbabwean businessmen there, who then truck food, cooking oil and other scarcities across the border. Now a high-tech solution has arrived, with internet-based companies allowing Zimbabweans across the globe to go online to buy their loved ones everything from fuel to food.
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.
England beat the West Indies by 60 runs to win the third Test at Old Trafford on Monday and go an unbeatable 2-0 up in the four-match series. West Indies, set what would have been a record fourth-innings victory total of 455 to win, were bowled out for 394. Left-arm spinner Monty Panesar took 6-137 for a match haul of 10-187 in total.
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.
Ian Bell held firm for England against a revived West Indies on the first day of the third Test on Thursday. At stumps, England were 296-7, having started the final session on 167-5 at Old Trafford after West Indies, 1-0 down in the four-Test series, had enjoyed a rare spell of dominance.
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.
England coach Peter Moores is facing the first major test of his man-management skills just days before the third Test against the West Indies at Old Trafford. Despite him scoring a century during England’s record-breaking innings and 283 run win last time out, the host camp is reeling following captain Michael Vaughan’s public criticism of popular all-rounder Andrew Flintoff.
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.
England midfielder Owen Hargreaves will join Manchester United from Bayern Munich on July 1, the English Premiership champions said on Thursday. The Old Trafford club confirmed a deal has been reached with the German giants for the 25-year-old, who United have been chasing since last year’s World Cup in Germany.