Wednesday 30 March 2011

India beat rivals Pakistan

Wednesday saw the second semi-final of the 2011 Cricket World Cup take place in Mohali and, with it, the clash of two of the greatest rivals in the game – India and Pakistan. 

India won the toss and batted first. The innings was given the usual explosive start by Virender Sehwag, who powered to 38 inside five overs but was then given out lbw. 

Wickets started to fall cheaply but Sachin Tendulkar made steady progress as he was finally caught on 85. India managed to keep going to the very end, reaching 260 – 9 off 50 overs. 

The target seemed achievable for Pakistan and they started confidently, but then commenced to lose wickets consistently. When captain Shahid Afridi fell for 19 the chase looked beyond them, and no specialist batsmen were left to support Misbah as he was the last man out for 56. 

Pakistan finished on 231 all out, meaning India won by 29 runs and will now face Sri Lanka in the final, who scraped a victory against New Zealand in the first semi-final on Tuesday.


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Tuesday 29 March 2011

Air strikes to continue as Gaddafi fights back

The US pledged to carry on with the air strikes against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in Libya on Tuesday. The leader’s forces have driven back the rebel advance on the ground. 

Hillary Clinton spoke at a meeting of UN delegates in London, confirming that the attacks will continue until Gaddafi meets their terms, claiming that by helping the rebels in the war they were saving civilian lives, although other sources from Libya (and elsewhere) would certainly argue otherwise. 

Another recent story details claims from a rebel spokesperson that one of Gaddafi’s cousins was involved in a rape assault – something that is reported to be a frequent occurrence in Libya, and used as a weapon by the regime. 

With the UN promising the continuation of air strikes but Gaddafi making progress on the ground, it remains very difficult to see how any agreement can be reached between the parties.


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Radiation from Japan reaches UK

Radioactivity from the Fukushima plant in Japan was reported to have reached the UK on Tuesday, specifically Glasgow, in the form of low levels of iodine. Traces were picked up in the city on Friday. 

Back at the nuclear reactor itself, workers are attempting to prevent the water used to cool the buildings from escaping into the sea, thereby contaminating a greater expanse. The discovery of plutonium nearby has caused the government to admit that the situation is “very serious”. 

The employees of the operator, TEPCO, are still striving in great danger to bring conditions back under control, but are seemingly confronted by a new obstacle every day.


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Saturday 26 March 2011

Radiation rises again in Japan

Saturday morning saw reports of radiation rising once again at the nuclear plant at Fukushima. This occurs after workers seemingly gained the upper hand in the preceding week, able to increase the efforts of cooling the reactors.

Very high levels of radiation have been found in the sea near the buildings, with serious damage also apparent to the buildings protecting the fuel rods. There are fears that a breach could lead to more leaks.

In response to the uncertainty, Japanese authorities are looking to evacuate people from a larger area surrounding the facility. The new precautions come as the official death toll from the earthquake and tsunami grows over 10,000, with approximately 17,500 listed as missing.

Friday 25 March 2011

At least 75 dead in Burmese earthquake

An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 was reported along the Burmese borders with Thailand and Laos on Thursday night. So far, 75 are said to have died, with over 100 missing. 

600,000 have been affected as the tremors were felt as far away as the Thai capital of Bangkok, which is 500 miles from the epicentre. It was also sensed in China. 

The town hit hardest was Tarlay, and the fatalities occurred when people were trapped inside some of the dozens of buildings which collapsed. 

This latest earthquake comes less than two weeks after the one which hit Japan. That one, from 11 March, has now claimed more than 10,000 lives.


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Thursday 24 March 2011

India triumph against Australia

Australia faced India in a huge quarter-final clash in the Cricket World Cup on Thursday in Ahmedabad. Both sides were hoping to earn a tie against Pakistan in the semi-finals after the Greens thrashed the West Indies on Wednesday. 

Australia batted first but struggled to make decent progress against India’s supposedly weak bowlers. Ricky Ponting played the starring role, hitting 104 as his side reached a competitive 260 – 6 in the 50 overs. 

The reply was led, inevitably, by Sachin Tendulkar, who started well and made 53 before being caught behind. Gautham Gambhir also reached 50 but then was run out quite bizarrely. 

The fall of those wickets left the game in the balance, but Yuvraj Singh (57 not out) and Suresh Raina hit vital knocks to take India to a five-wicket win, finishing 261 – 5. 

England contest the last of the quarter-finals on Saturday, when they play the tricky Sri Lankans.


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More progress at Fukushima

Workers have been able to re-enter the nuclear power plant at Fukushima after they were evacuated again when smoke was seen. Progress continues to bring the situation under control, but concerns grow over the extent that the radiation has had on the surrounding area. 

At certain points in the last few days, recorded levels have been extremely high, and some workers had to go to hospital because of exposure. However, the radiation now appears to have dropped once more. 

Bans on Japanese food are widening though, after dangerous amounts of radioactive substances were found in vegetables and tap water in Tokyo was declared unfit for infants to drink. 

The IAEA has stated the Fukushima remains a serious concern, but it seems more and more unlikely that the work undertaken has avoided the kind of catastrophic disaster that was suggested following the earthquake and tsunami on 11 March.


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Wednesday 23 March 2011

Osborne’s “pro-growth” Budget

Chancellor George Osborne has claimed that today’s Budget will be “pro-growth” in the face of spending cuts and job losses. A key feature is raising the tax threshold by £600 – this should save low-earners some much-needed cash.

He will present it at 1230 GMT on Wednesday, with much of the population hoping that he can provide some relief from the tough economic conditions of the recession.

Other measures include £250 million to help people trying to buy their first homes, and a scrap of the rise in fuel duty.

The Budget is again likely to be about trying to ease the pressure of the recession, although many will be wondering why the government recently committed to such expenditure by starting the UN assault on Libya, if things are so tough for the people at home.

Gaddafi appears to promise victory

Libya’s Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, target of the UN airstrikes, has appeared to rally his supporters and tell them that “we will be victorious”. 

The US is keen to hand over the lead role within the UN operations, and it is between the UK, France and Turkey to decide how it will be co-ordinated. 

Gaddafi’s statement, late on Tuesday, asked for all Islam to “take party in the battle”, claiming that they will beat the allies. 

More explosions and anti-aircraft fire were reported on Tuesday night – the fourth in a row.


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Tuesday 22 March 2011

Libya airstrikes continue – British public unsupportive

Britain has continued to play its part in the airstrikes against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, despite polls showing that the public are not very happy – only 35% say they support the military action. 

Missiles exploded mainly near the leader’s compound in Tripoli for the third consecutive night. Libyan officials claimed that many civilians were being killed and that hospitals were filling up, but provided no evidence of this. 

Meanwhile, Gaddafi’s men continue to fight with civilians, despite the second ceasefire being called. 

The UN campaign centres on “protecting civilians”, although it is also clear that they want to oust Gaddafi from power.


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Monday 21 March 2011

Still no resolution at Fukushima

Workers were once again evacuated from the nuclear plant in Fukushima while fears grow over levels of radiation contamination in Japanese food. The head of the UN nuclear watchdog stated that the situation remains “very serious”.

Some sources reported that the reactor was stabilising, but smoke started to rise from the buildings on Monday and workers were forced to leave.

The country’s authorities warned that the death toll from the earthquake and tsunami on 11 March could easily top 15,000 after revelations that entire prefectures have been destroyed, leaving little trace of many residents.

The nationwide recovery continues, but the main focus remains on Fukushima and the dangerous effects that the radiation has had on the food nearby.

US draws back but attacks continue

President Obama has announced that the US will look to share the leading role in the UN assault on Libya as the third night of attacks approaches. 

It is thought that NATO will play a co-ordinating role, although France and Turkey are opposed to the change. 

On Monday, there were reports of further explosions near the compound of Colonel Gaddafi, which has already been hit by missiles. The leader’s forces are continuing to fight rebels in the city of Misrata. Many deaths are being reported, although there is no confirmation of figures yet. 

Confusion reigns over who is taking the lead among UN nations, with Russia and China criticising the approach. What progress, if any, the military attack is making remains to be seen.


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Sunday 20 March 2011

England champions despite heavy defeat

Ireland ruined England’s dream of claiming the Grand Slam in this year’s Six Nations tournament by hammering them 24 – 8 on Saturday evening. The Irish triumph included Brian O’Driscoll becoming the leading try-scorer of all time in the competition. 

Wales fell to a similar defeat in France, 28 – 9, meaning that Martin Johnson’s men were crowned champions, although that appeared to barely be relevant as the England manager explained how everyone was “desperately disappointed” by being so outplayed on the final day. 

In the other match, Scotland beat Italy 21 – 8 to give the losers the wooden spoon. 

For England, the title was very much overshadowed by the highly-erratic and unpredictable nature of the performances, with many doubts remaining as the World Cup draws closer.


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Gaddafi defiant after new airstrikes

Libya’s besieged leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, promised a 'long war' in the country after new attacks from UN air forces imposing a no-fly zone took their toll on his military. 

The UN looked to disable air-defences and to fight back Gaddafi’s men who were pushing towards rebel strongholds in the cities of Benghazi and Misrata. 

Libyan television showed footage and claimed that there were 48 deaths and 150 injuries because of the assault. Those figures have been disputed by the UK government. 

Despite the strong action from the UN, Gaddafi has not retracted at all, vowing to arm the whole country in order to rid them of 'traitors'. 

It seems the war is only beginning.


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Friday 18 March 2011

United get the Blues in Europe

Manchester United were drawn against Chelsea in an all-English tie for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League on Friday. The two legs will be played on the 5th or 6th and 12th or 13th of April.

The draw sees the other English club, Tottenham Hotspur, facing Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid, with the winners going on to meet Barcelona or Shakhtar in the semi-finals.

The victor in the Chelsea-United clash will then have to meet either holders Inter or Shalke.

There is a big incentive for all three English clubs, as the final this year is being held at Wembley, in London.

Nuclear alert level raised in Japan

Japan has raised the nuclear alert level from four to five as fears mount over the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. The scale goes up to a maximum of seven – the level reached by the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. 

This comes at a time when thousands of evacuees are struggling for food and water, unknowing if they will ever be able to return to their flooded homes. Their plight was accentuated by heavy snow overnight. 

Recent figures confirm over 6,000 deaths and more than 10,000 still missing as Japan continues to recover from the earthquake and tsunami seven days ago.


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Thursday 17 March 2011

England beat Windies to retain hope

England met the West Indies in their final match of their group in the 2011 cricket world cup, needing to win to have any hope of progressing to the next round. Defeat would have meant an early exit. 

They went in to bat first at Chennai, and Andrew Strauss (making his record-breaking 61st appearance as one-day captain) started in typically-impressive fashion, becoming the leading run-scorer at the tournament in the process, before being caught out on 31. 

The rest of the English batsmen fell rather cheaply, Jonathan Trott hitting 47 as they made 243 all out. 

West Indies opener Chris Gayle started the reply with intent, racing to 43 before being trapped lbw. The team then fell to 118-5, and were struggling to find runs, before the introduction of Kieran Pollard, but the dangerous batsman could only manage a couple of big hits before departing for 24. 

Andre Russell looked to have won the game for the West Indies, rapidly reaching 49, but he fell and the rest of the order were unable to complete the chase, all out for 225. 

That meant England won by 18 runs and can progress to the next round, but must wait to see if other results go in their favour.


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England seeking Grand Slam

On Saturday, Martin Johnson’s English team will travel to Ireland to contest the final match in this year’s Six Nations tournament. A win will see them crowned not only champions, but also as having won every match – the Grand Slam. It will be the first time since 2003 that they have achieved the feat.

If they lose against the Irish, they can only be pipped to the title if Wales win significantly in France – something which appears very unlikely.

Ireland will certainly not make it easy for England, including skipper Brian O’Driscoll, who is now the joint leading try-scorer of all time in the championship. However, the English are once again looking strong in a world cup year.

Japanese increase cooling efforts

The Japanese military have begun to use their full resources in order to contain the radiation at Fukushima, after international concern that the situation could potentially become disastrous. 

Helicopters have been deployed to spray water on reactors three and four, and there are also water cannons being prepared. The radiation levels are still too high for anyone to be in the area for long. 

The government is hoping the measures will enable them to restore the power supply and cooling systems to working order again. 

The official death toll has now topped 5,000, with another 8,000 remaining missing after the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami last Friday. The main focus right now though is on preventing any further damage to the nuclear 


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Wednesday 16 March 2011

Japanese Emperor speaks out over crisis

Akihito, the Emperor of Japan, made a very rare public appearance on Wednesday’s television. He said he was “deeply worried” about his country’s crisis, and asked the people to work together and help each other.

His statement comes after the situation at the nuclear plant at Fukushima seems to be growing worse, with explosions and fires making the likelihood of high amounts of radiation escaping grow considerably.

Technicians were forced to abandon the site when levels reached a dangerous height. They have reportedly decreased again since, but the efforts to contain the damage and radioactivity do not seem to be working effectively, although the wind is currently blowing out to sea.

Inhabitants in Tokyo are struggling on in the aftermath with the added concern of the radiation from Fukushima, and the rest of the country is also having to focus on rescuing and recovering following Friday’s earthquake and tsunami.

Tuesday 15 March 2011

Fire at Fukushima’s reactor four

There were further developments late on Tuesday GMT (5 a.m. in Japan) at the Fukushima power plant when reactor four caught fire following explosions at the other three, Tokyo Electric and Power announced.

Three blasts in four days have left the country in real concern over the possibility of substantial radiation leaks, and even a complete meltdown. Latest reports were that the levels are actually reducing, although the tension remains.

The earthquake and resulting tsunami on Friday mean that the country is struggling to recover. Thousands have died and supplies of food and water are running low due to the difficulty of transportation.

The stock markets suffered too on Tuesday during the uncertainty about the country’s situation, including the massive insurance costs that were incurred as a result of all the damage.

United force another result

Manchester United faced a crucial match in the Champions League on Tuesday night as they hosted Marseille in the return leg of their round-of-16 fixture. The clash was finely-balanced after a 0 – 0 draw in the first leg, in France.

The hosts got off to the perfect start when Chicarito tapped in following excellent work by Wayne Rooney inside five minutes. Despite holding the lead, their French opponents constantly threatened to score the goal which would take them through.

The Mexican bagged a second with about fifteen minutes left, only for Marseille to renew the tension by netting through a Wes Brown own-goal. They could not get the crucial second though, so a relieved United advanced with a 2 – 1 result.

The win completed a satisfying few days for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men after knocking Arsenal out of the FA cup at the weekend. They can also look forward to renewing their rivalry with neighbours Manchester City, as the clubs were drawn together in the semi-finals.

The other Champions League match of the night was in Germany, where Inter scored a late winner in an exciting tie to go through 3 – 3 on aggregate via the away-goals rule.

Monday 14 March 2011

Third Fukushima explosion heightens fears of meltdown

Another explosion at reactor two of the Fukushima power plant, late on Monday, (UK time) increased concerns as authorities admitted that the nuclear rods could melt and that radiation levels might rise further.

The plant started to fail after the earthquake and tsunami on Friday. First, a blast on Saturday on reactor one damaged the buildings. Then, earlier on Monday, another one occurred at reactor three, injuring eleven people. The latest, again on a different reactor, together with the lack of success with cooling the plant, means the situation and danger grows steadily worse and more serious.

The crisis does not seem close to ending, and Japan must also deal with a death toll rapidly rising through the thousands across the country. There are approximately 500,000 without homes following Friday’s events.

Sunday 13 March 2011

Several injured or missing in second Fukushima blast

TEPCO, the Japanese company operating at the stricken nuclear power plant in Fukushima, announced early on Monday that another explosion had left three staff injured and seven missing. Anyone nearby was ordered to go indoors. Journalists from the Associated Press said they felt the blast from 25 miles away.

The chief cabinet secretary stated it was a hydrogen explosion which occurred in unit three of power plant one. The cooling systems in the different reactors have continued to struggle since the earthquake and tsunami on Friday, and one of the other reactors exploded on Saturday, although no serious damage seemed to have happened then.

Now, it appears that efforts to fix the cooling systems have failed. Hopefully there are no fatalities, nor leaks of radioactive material, but the details are still very unclear, and everyone involved will be watching anxiously, hoping that the situation improves quickly.

However, there are still warnings over further tsunami waves and earthquakes which could be hitting the country again soon.

England on brink of six nations

England struggled to victory against Scotland at Twickenham on Sunday afternoon, 22 - 16, to put one hand on the RBS six nations trophy as well as claiming the Calcutta Cup. A win in Ireland next weekend will give them the Grand Slam.

It proved far more difficult than many anticipated as Scotland came out with more determination than their form suggested, whereas England were surprisingly poor. The teams exchanged penalties in the first-half to reach half-time at 9 – 9.

Things did not improve for a while after the break, until England scored again from a controversial penalty. They then stretched their lead through a Tom Croft try, but Scotland came back minutes later with a try of their own by Max Evans, to create a dramatic finale. Johnny Wilkinson kicked another penalty with only a minute to go to finish the visitors’ hopes.

Italy’s historic win yesterday over France means that only Wales can still beat Martin Johnson’s team to the title, although they are unlikely to be able to emerge victorious from their final match, as they must face France in Paris.

Concerns over Fukushima as death count spirals

Japanese officials confirmed anxieties about the possibility of a second explosion at the nuclear reactor at Fukushima on Sunday. The death toll could soon top 10,000 in the aftermath of Friday’s earthquake and tsunami. 

Although there is apparently very little danger of radiation escaping the nuclear plant, many are still very worried about the situation at one of the largest reactors in the world. Technicians are currently working to prevent further damage which could prove serious as people have continued to evacuate from the surrounding areas. 

Meanwhile, the Japanese Prime Minister has described the events as “the biggest crisis since the end of World War 2”. The current confirmed number of deaths is approaching 1,000, but with the total destruction of the port of Minamisanriku and resulting loss of life yet to figure in the calculations, that number is likely to multiply over the coming days.


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Saturday 12 March 2011

Arsenal’s cup definitely half-empty

The biggest clash of the sixth round of the FA cup was at Old Trafford on Saturday, where Manchester United hosted Arsenal. Both teams were looking to recover from disappointing defeats in the last week, but the Gunners had to do without captain Cesc Fabregas, while United lacked Nani, who will be out until April.

An starting line-up which featured seven defenders for the host surprised many, and Arsenal started the better, but were undone after about half an hour when Fabio finished after a flowing move.

It was to be a very familiar story for the Londoners, as they began the second-half better also, only for Wayne Rooney to double United’s lead with a header. Arsenal had much of the play, but their attractive approach went unrewarded once again as they could not find a way to score, leaving Sir Alex Ferguson’s side with a comfortable 2 – 0 win which sees them heading to Wembley for the semi-finals.

This latest high-profile defeat leaves Arsene Wenger’s men having to overhaul United in the Premier League if they are to claim any silverware this season, but their rivals are now free to chase an unlikely treble.

Japan begins recovery

The number of confirmed deaths was expected to rise into the thousands on Saturday, the day after an earthquake and resulting tsunami ravaged much of Japan. The scenes at dawn revealed the full extent of the destruction that had been suffered. 

Search and rescue parties were sent to the devastated cities on the north-east coast, while there were serious concerns over the nuclear reactor at Fukushima, where a huge explosion was reported after its cooling system failed. There were rumours about leaks of radioactive material. 

Strong aftershocks upwards of magnitude 6 were still being felt in Tokyo in the aftermath of the largest-ever earthquake recorded in the country. 

Despite the tragic damage and loss of life to the people and property, many were reflecting on the effectiveness of Japan’s preparations, as countries which do not have such efficient warning and protection systems and infrastructure may have fared far worse.


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Friday 11 March 2011

Tigers claw back English lions

Bangladesh produced another shock defeat for England in the 2011 cricket world cup on Friday as they chased down their target to claim a dramatic win.

England batted first and only managed to reach 225 in Chittagong, with the main contributions coming from Jonathan Trott (67) and Eoin Morgan (63), who replaced the injured Kevin Pietersen.

They looked set to defend it as Bangladesh fell to 169-8, but heroics from tail-enders Mahmudullah and Shafiul Islam saw them home with six balls left on 227-8, thereby winning by two wickets.

This latest disappointment adds to the unpredictability of the English side who memorably tied with India, before being outplayed by Ireland and then bowled out the impressive South Africans. Their progression in the tournament remains uncertain, but they are at least gaining fans for being the most entertaining outfit.


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Japan hit by massive earthquake and tsunami

Much of the Pacific area is in danger of being hit by a huge tsunami after an enormous earthquake measuring 8.9 struck Tokyo on Friday morning. It was the largest recorded in the country for over 140 years. 

The earthquake centred about 250 miles north-east of Tokyo, and the waves from the tsunami devastated the coast. Hundreds are already reported missing or dead, with the toll expected to rise significantly once the chaos subsides. 

The tsunami warning is very serious for many of the Pacific islands, as the waves could be large enough to create severe damage, and the alert has now been extended to North and South America. 

More information is being reported constantly, although new areas are being hit each hour by the waves, with extraordinary live video footage showing coastlines becoming submerged by the incredible volumes of water.


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Wednesday 9 March 2011

Nou disappointment for Arsenal

It was another disappointing night for Arsenal fans as they failed to hold on to their 2 – 1 lead from the first leg and were knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona in the Nou Camp. 

The match started in predictable fashion, with the hosts dominating possession. Arsenal came out very defensively and for much of the first half seemed like they might be able to frustrate the Spaniards, only for Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi to combine just before the break, the latter finishing superbly to score the opener. 

Arsenal began the second half in ideal fashion, when Barcelona defender Sergio Busquets headed into his own goal to give them the lead on aggregate. The main talking point followed shortly after though, as Gunners striker Robin Van Persie was given a second yellow card in extremely harsh fashion when he shot after being ruled offside. 

A man down, Arsenal were unable to keep their opponents at bay. Iniesta was at work again to set up Xavi for their second, and then Lionel Messi converted a penalty which put them out of reach and through to the quarter-finals with a 3 – 1 victory. 

They undoubtedly deserved their win, having shown far more quality and technique, but the referee’s performance will leave Arsenal feeling unfortunate.



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Sunday 6 March 2011

Liverpool hammer rivals United

Two of the greatest rivals in English football met at Anfield on Sunday afternoon as Liverpool hosted Manchester United in the Premier League. The home side, under manager Kenny Dalglish, were confident of hindering the visitors’ championship bid, following an improvement in recent form. 

United were missing central defence pair Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, and Liverpool looked to exploit that with some attacking play. 

Their approach paid off after thirty-four minutes, when Luis Suarez set-up Dirk Kuyt to give them the lead. Kuyt then doubled it a few minutes later after a disastrous header back by Nani. 

Liverpool’s dominance continued for the rest of the match, and Kuyt completed his first hat-trick for the club when he finished after Van der Sar fumbled a free-kick. Javier Hernandez grabbed a late consolation to make the final score 3 – 1. 

The result leaves United top, three points clear of Arsenal having played one match more. Meanwhile, Liverpool have fresh hope of catching the top four, thanks to their memorable win.


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Suspended Toure’s City pass latest test

Man City hosted Wigan in the evening kick-off in the Premier League on Saturday. The team had been hit with the suspension of their captain, Kolo Toure, as he tested positive after a doping test. Apparently the Ivorian accidentally took the discovered substance as a result of using his wife’s slimming pills. 

His side did not start well, with the visitors enjoying the better of the play for most of the first half. However, when David Silva shot before the break, the opposing ‘keeper was unable to complete a simple save, allowing the ball to go through him a trickle over the line. 

That gave City the advantage, but they were unable to take hold of the game in the second period. Despite their wealth of talent and expensive players, there was a lack of quality which allowed Wigan to stay in the game. However, neither side could find another breakthrough before the final whistle, so City took the three points, 1 – 0. 

The afternoon matches resulted in important wins for West Brom, West Ham and Fulham, but Arsenal could only draw as they look to catch Manchester United in the race for the title.


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Deaths reported in battle for Zawiya

A battle for key Libyan city, Zawiya, about fifty Kilometres from Tripoli, has resulted in more deaths and injuries in the current revolution, according to reports on Saturday. Sources suggested that up to fifty people may have died, with hundreds injured. 

The fighting intensified after forces under the country’s besieged leader, Muammar Gadaffi, tried to retake the city from rebels in the afternoon. They seem to have a stronghold in the capital. 

The details remain very unclear as the struggle for power continues unchecked in many different locations spread across Libya. Both sides are desperate to gain an advantage, but the current situation is as confused and unstable as ever, with most Libyans simply hoping for an end to the violence.


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Wednesday 2 March 2011

American intervention in Libya looms

The Libyan crisis was on the break of boiling over on Wednesday as America sent two warships towards the North African country in order to prepare for any necessary action. This comes after further reported bombings were carried out by Colonel Gaddafi on cities held by rebels. He has said that any attempt by the US to enter the country will be met by “a lot of bloodshed”, and also blamed foreign media for creating false stories about the situation. 

Anyone found to have had dealings with the country in the past is now coming under heavy criticism. This includes Tony Blair, the London School of Economics, and singer Nelly Furtado. 

With Libya approaching a state of civil war, many nations are threatening sanctions and action against Gaddafi, but it is still unclear how the conflict can be resolved. The feuding and tension looks set to continue.


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Tuesday 1 March 2011

Chelsea hit the right target

A huge fixture in the English Premier League on Tuesday night saw leaders Manchester United travel to visit champions Chelsea. Wayne Rooney was available after (somehow) escaping punishment for a clear elbow on an opposition player at the weekend. On a similar note, Chelsea were able to select Ashley Cole, despite him having recently shot a work experience student with an air rifle. 

The match started quite sporadically, with a lack of quality in the first half hour. That changed when Wayne Rooney picked the ball up and fired low into the near corner from outside the box to give the visitors the lead at half-time. 

Chelsea’s reply came after the break, when new signing David Luiz hit a composed volley to equalise. The hosts then were awarded a penalty near the end as Chris Smalling was adjudged to have tripped Yuri Zhirkov in the box, and Frank Lampard converted emphatically to give the Blues a 2 – 1 victory. 

The three points might give Chelsea some hope of clawing themselves back into the title race while United stay top, four points ahead of Arsenal having played a game more. Worse for the Red Devils was the sending off of Nemanja Vidic in injury-time, which means he will not be able to play in the next important game - against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.


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Libyan border becomes critical

The situation in conflict-ridden Libya was growing even more troubling throughout Tuesday as approximately 140,000 people gathered near the border to try to find a way into neighbouring Egypt. 

The number is mostly made up of foreigners seeking to escape the unrest. Some have already been evacuated using specially chartered flights, but many still remain. 

The man in the centre of it all is the country’s leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, who has been in charge for 41 years. He still claims all the people love him, despite the clear evidence of protests and fights for democracy. 

America is rumoured to be preparing to take whatever action is necessary to resolve the situation, and those currently looking for a way across the border will hope that a resolution is reached as quickly as possible.


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