London 2012: Lesotho’s athletes hope Olympics will put kingdom on the map They’re unlikely to win any medals but Lesotho’s tiny team are happy just to compete – and maybe make their country proud
At this time of year a chill wind chases through the snow-crowned mountains of Lesotho. The plains below are a medley of browns and yellows where the setting sun casts long shadows. Wrapped against the winter cold in traditional Basotho blankets, some workers still journey by donkey and toil the land by hand. This is an […]
Read More →Transfers special: Manchester City facing up to tough squad decisions Stuart Brennan
The good, the bad, and the ‘could turn ugly’ – that is the story of Manchester City’s squad as the transfer carousel finally lurches into action. The Blues have roughly split their current squad into three groups in assessing where they stand this summer – those who simply cannot be sold, those who must go, […]
Read More →Bitter African Union leadership contest casts shadow on Ethiopia summit Debate on trade, human rights, Mali and Sudan-South Sudan conflicts on backburner during AU commission chair election ,Elissa Jobson in Addis Ababa
As African heads of state head to Addis Ababa for the 19th African Unionassembly, the political showdown over who will be the next chair of the AU commission threatens to overshadow urgent discussions at the summit over the coup in Mali, civil conflict in Somalia, hostilities between Sudan and South Sudan, and the resurgence of rebel fighters in the Democratic […]
Read More →Christie cancer drug ruled ‘too expensive’ to give to patients Alice McKeegan
Campaigners have slammed a decision to deny patients access to a drug trialled at The Christie because it was deemed ‘too expensive’. The drugs regulator, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, refused to approve vemurafenib for use on the NHS, ruling it would not to be cost-effective. The potentially life-extending drug had been […]
Read More →Islamists’ hold over Mali threatens Europe, diplomat warns Al-Qaida-linked insurgents using their control over north of country to recruit, arm and train growing numbers of fighters
Ansar Dine rebels near Timbuktu: an alliance of insurgents broke down with fighting breaking out between different factions. Photograph: Romaric Ollo Hien/AFP/Getty Images Islamist groups are using their hold over key urban areas of Mali to recruit, arm and train growing numbers of fighters and could pose a threat to Europe within two years, government and security […]
Read More →Father tells court Shafilea Ahmed was lying over violence and forced marriage
Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed A father accused of murdering his ‘Westernised’ daughter told a jury today she was lying when she complained of violence and being forced into marriage. Iftikhar Ahmed, 52, was giving evidence for a third day at Chester Crown Court where he is accused with his wife Farzana, 49, of killing their […]
Read More →Syria working to secure chemical weapons, say Israeli officials Move is in response to international concern that chemical arsenal could fall into terrorist hands or be damaged in fighting
Messages of western and Israeli concern about weapons proliferation have been passed to Syria via Russia. Photograph: Sipa/Rex Features Syria‘s armed forces have taken steps to secure deadly chemical weapons in response to mounting international concern that they could fall into rebel or terrorist hands or be accidentally damaged in fighting, according to Israeli […]
Read More →England footballer John Terry cleared over racist abuse of Anton Ferdinand .
John Terry Footballer John Terry was today cleared of hurling a racist obscenity at Anton Ferdinand. The England and Chelsea defender was acquitted of calling Ferdinand a ‘******* black ****’ during a Premier League Game on October 23 last year. Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle cleared the 31-year-old of a racially aggravated public order offence at […]
Read More →JP Morgan more than doubles reported trading loss from $2bn to $4.4bn ‘London Whale’ trader is understood to have left bank’s London office, and compensation has been collected from bankers
The financial hit JP Morgan Chase incurred at the hands of the trader known as the “London Whale” was more than double that previously reported, with losses from the UK operation totalling $4.4bn, the bank admitted on Friday The bank also revealed it had clawed back two years of annual compensation from those involved as it released […]
Read More →Ethiopian blogger Eskinder Nega jailed for 18 years
BBC Â Eskinder Nega was arrested after publishing a column questioning the arrests of some journalists Continue reading the main story Related Stories Ethiopia profile Donor darling: What Ethiopian poll can teach Africa ‘Why I took up arms against Ethiopia’ A prominent Ethiopian journalist and blogger has been sentenced to 18 years in jail for […]
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