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Huwebes, Mayo 31, 2012

Dai Greene hopes to have last laugh over rivals in London 2012 Games

? Bershawn Jackson mocks Welshman's world title time
? London 2012 gold is what matters now, says 400m hurdler

Whoever arranged the press conferences before Thursday's Diamond League meeting has a mischievous sense of humour. Dai Greene was put up alongside Bershawn Jackson, the United States hurdler who had recently said the Welsh world champion had been "writing cheques that his body can't cash".

The International Association of Athletics Federations did not take a lead from David Haye's press conference with Dereck Chisora and separate the two men with a metal fence but they did sit a pole vaulter and a steeplechaser between them on the top table. The two human buffers spent most of the 20 minutes swapping perplexed looks while Greene and Jackson exchanged platitudinous pleasantries about one another. Now they were face to face their appetite for trash-talk seemed sated.

Jackson is nicknamed Batman ? "because I have big ears and I fly when I run" ? so Greene has come to be known as The Riddler by his own training group, while their coach, Malcolm Arnold, has become the Penguin. Greene's nickname does,not quite fit. He is a straight-talker, as blunt as a pair of plastic scissors. "Whether he wants to speak to me or not it doesn't really bother me," he said of Jackson. "I don't come here to make friends."

Greene was at pains to point out that he would never be so stupid as to call his US rivals in the 400m hurdles "overrated", which is what some reported. But otherwise he was unrepentant. "I guess it doesn't bother me if people find me nice or not nice. I'm always courteous to them." Both Jackson and Angelo Taylor have said that Greene's winning time in Daegu of 48.26sec was so slow that he was lucky to get the gold with it. Greene swatted that jibe away as well. "If I hadn't have won, it would have been even slower. That's the way I see it."

At the same time Greene must know there is a germ of truth in what they say. The chances are he will need to go a lot faster to win the Olympic title and he and Arnold have tailored his training programme to help him do that. "I opened up last year with a 48.2sec and I didn't really get any faster. I don't want that to happen this year. So I'm a little bit slower than I was at the same time in 2011, but hopefully I'll be able to build on it. The way my training has been scheduled I should improve, should get faster." That should lead, he reckons, "to a greater peak at the start of August, when I need to be at my best."

That strategy means he may not win here in Rome, or in his other pre-Olympic races. But Greene is happy to give up the bragging rights to the likes of Jackson if he has to. It is a different approach from 2011, when he felt he needed to impose himself on the event early in the season, so that he could get inside the other runners' heads.

He seems to be doing that already this year and he has not even won a major race yet. "They know who I am already. I know if I don't win in Rome, people will say, 'Why hasn't he won, he's the world champion', but for me that doesn't really matter. Everyone will remember what happens in London."

"No one can tell you who won this race last year," Greene says. "When you imagine yourself training in the winter, you don't think, 'Oh, I can't wait to win in Rome or wherever.' You think, 'I want to win in London at the Olympics.' That's your main aim. Everything else is just a stepping stone on the way."

Jackson has told Greene that he has "a target on his back" and, given that he has been handed a special black-and-gold kit to run in now he is the world No1, there is a kind of truth in that. He has brought the kit with him to Rome but has he packed his chequebook alongside it? "We'll see whether that materialises in London," he says with a chuckle.

Andy Bull

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/may/30/dai-green-london-2012-games

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Miyerkules, Mayo 30, 2012

Leicester Mercury published Fresh plea after death of man injured in street

Article

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Frankie Dettori happy to share rides with other Godolphin jockeys

? Two younger jockeys to be given equal opportunities
? No Oaks or Derby ride at Epsom for the Italian

Frankie Dettori is no longer Godolphin's principal jockey. It has taken the racing world some time to digest this but the message has finally got home with the booking of Micka�l Barzalona to ride the team's sole runner in this weekend's Epsom Classics and it was confirmed on Wednesday by Godolphin's spokesman, Simon Crisford.

"Rides will be split across the board," he said in reference to the team's three jockeys, Dettori, Barzalona and Silvestre de Sousa. "They will all get equal opportunities. Frankie has to share the cake and he understands that."

Crisford discussed the signing of Barzalona and De Sousa in Dubai in March, when he said: "It's not like there's going to be a pecking order." He was understood to mean that the others would compete for second-string rides behind the Italian but his true meaning now becomes clear.

"We brought in two new, young jockeys and it is obviously important to give them opportunities," he said on Wednesday. "For years Frankie was our only retained jockey. We had other people who would regularly ride for us but it was an informal arrangement. These two jockeys are formally retained.

"I thought we made it reasonably clear at the time that, if any one of them struck up a winning combination with a certain horse, the chances are they are going to stay on that horse. Certainly that's Frankie's understanding of the situation."

And so it is that Dettori will watch Friday's Oaks from the Epsom weighing room while Barzalona sports the famous royal blue colours on Kailani. Dettori won on her last year but, when she reappeared this month, he rode another Godolphin horse that was marginally shorter in the betting.

Barzalona won on Kailani "and we decided to let him keep the ride," Crisford says. Dettori's involvement at Epsom will be confined to three handicaps. On Saturday, since Godolphin have no Derby runner, he will be at Haydock. It will be the first time since 1991 that he has not ridden in the premier Classic when healthy.

Few would suggest that, even at the age of 41, Dettori is not capable of riding as well as ever, though his strike-rate of 14% this year is six points below last year's. Crisford says the main reason for bringing in the two younger men was an increase in the number of Godolphin runners.

"I think we're having more runners than ever before. We've certainly got more horses. We've got two trainers approaching maximum numbers, 350 horses between them, much more than when it was just Saeed [bin Suroor] on his own."

It is not the case that Dettori is being prepared for imminent retirement. "He's got plenty of years left in him," Crisford says. "I know he's said publicly that he wants to keep going for at least another five years. So long as he's healthy and fit, I don't see why he wouldn't continue riding for us. And in five or 10 years' time these other jockeys will have gained some of the experience that Frankie's got.

"It's working out well at the moment and I don't think we've had any complaints. We are a big stable, a little short on quality just now but quantity is not an issue."

Ray Cochrane, who is agent to both Dettori and Barzalona, says the Italian has made no hint to him about being unhappy with the new regime and reports that the two are "pals". He explains another dynamic behind who gets which rides.

"Frankie goes where Frankie wants," Cochrane says. "You take Monday, a horse we run at Redcar is possibly a lot better than what we'll run at Leicester but there's no point asking Frankie to go to Redcar.

"He'll tell me, 'I'm not driving up and back again to ride something that's probably going to be fourth.' He'd rather stay closer to home and his family. So Micka�l will ride at Redcar, Frankie will ride at Leicester and people may think, 'Oh, Micka�l's on the better horses. But that's not what's happening.'"

Chris Cook

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/may/30/frankie-dettori-mickael-barzalona-godolphin

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Spain 4-1 South Korea | Euro 2012 friendly match report

The Spain manager, Vicente del Bosque, was delighted to see Fernando Torres on target in a 4-1 win over South Korea on Wednesday night.

The Chelsea striker headed the world champions in front early on and, after Kim Do-heon had equalised for the Koreans just before the break, second-half goals from Xabi Alonso, Santi Cazorla and Alvaro Negredo ensured a highly satisfactory Euro 2012 warm-up.

The match in Bern, Switzerland, was Spain's penultimate outing before they defend their European Championship title. They play China in Seville on Sunday before heading to the tournament.

Del Bosque said: "We leave happy because we have had a few fantastic days' training, no injuries, we've played two games and there has been a magnificent relationship among the group."

Torres's goal means he is now the fourth highest Spanish goalscorer of all-time and Del Bosque was particularly pleased with his contribution.

"He is one of those players that offers speed, movement and combination play with his team-mates," Del Bosque said. "He seemed delighted with the goal and this is good for everyone."

Del Bosque was still without the nine Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao players who will join the squad in preparation for the European Championship on Friday, having been allowed time to rest after the Copa del Rey final, so six players who had missed out on the 23-man squad were included.

"Everyone has been great," Del Bosque said, "even though they know come Friday they will not be here. This hasn't just been a preparation but they have put in place the roots for the future of the national team.

"The Barcelona and Athletic players return to activity when we get back for the friendly against China. I hope we have a great atmosphere there and it will be a good send-off before the Euros."

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/may/30/fernando-torres-spain-euro-2012

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Miyerkules, Mayo 9, 2012

Russian plane wreckage spotted in Indonesia

Wreckage of the Sukhoi Superjet-100 found on the side of a mountain in Indonesia after it disappeared on Wednesday

Search and rescue teams have found the wreckage a Russian-made passenger plane on a mountain after it disappeared during a demonstration flight in western Indonesia. The conditions of the 48 people on board are not known.

Helicopters had resumed a search halted earlier because of bad weather. They saw the wreckage along a cliff on the mist-shrouded mountain, Major Ali Umri Lubis, of Atang Sanjaya Air base, told Metro TV.

"The helicopter just informed us that they spotted the wreckage about 10 minutes ago," Lubis said. "It was at about 5,000 feet. The condition of the wreckage is still unclear."

The Sukhoi Superjet-100, Russia's first new passenger jet since the fall of the Soviet Union two decades ago, left Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon for what was supposed to be the second demonstration flight of the day. Potential buyers and journalists were on board.

The jet dropped off the radar 21 minutes later, immediately after the crew asked air traffic control for permission to drop from 10,000 feet to 6,000 feet (3,000 metres to 1,800 metres), said Daryatmo, chief of the national search and rescue agency.

They didn't explain the change of course, he said. Drizzle was falling at the time, but it was not stormy and there was no obvious signs of trouble.
More than 800 people, including soldiers and police, were taking part in the search and rescue operation.

Though weather was clear on Thursday, they were battling rugged and often steep terrain.

Russia's aerospace industry was badly undermined in the economic turmoil following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

The Superjet developed by the civil aircraft division of Sukhoi with the co-operation with Western partners was widely considered the country's chance to regain a foothold in the international passenger plane market.

It's "Welcome Asia!" tour, which also included stops in Pakistan, Burma and Kazakhstan, was intended to drum up support.

Sunaryo from PT Trimarga Rekatama, the company that helped organise Wednesday's event, said 48 people were on board.

Among them were eight Russians, all from Sukhoi companies, none of them diplomats, he said, correcting reports earlier by search and rescue officials.

The passengers included one American, a consultant with P. Sriwijaya Airline, and a Frenchman with aircraft engine-maker Snecma, he said.

The Superjet a 75- to 95-seat plane was being touted as a challenger to similar-sized jets from Canada's Bombardier Inc and Brazil's Embraer SA.
It made its inaugural commercial flight last year.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/10/russian-plane-wreckage-indonesia

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Coach rejects offer from Samoa rugby

Reported by:
Niccola Hazelman-Siona

If you?re wondering what is happening with the recently ?appointed? Manu Samoa coach, Australian Adrian Thompson (pictured left), here it is from the horse?s mouth.?No I didn?t accept,? he said.

The Samoa Observer sent him an e-mail message yesterday to see if he had accepted the appointment and that was his reply.
Asked why, he said;.?We just didn?t agree on a contract. "I?m not sure when they (SRU) will tell anyone.?

Last week Radio New Zealand International reported that Thompson was still in negotiations with the Samoa Rugby Union. ?At this stage Mr Thompson has got back to us on that offer. He has raised a few issues which we need to consider and get back to him on that.

Source: http://www.samoaobserver.ws/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=38997:coach-rejects-offer&catid=34:sports&Itemid=54

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Ed Miliband: Queen's speech offers 'no change, no hope'

Labour leader accuses coalition of delivering nothing for unemployed people and families hit by double-dip recession

The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, has rounded on the government's legislative programme for the next 12 months, saying it offers "no change, no hope" for the unemployed and families hit by the recession.

"For a young person looking for work, the speech offers nothing," Miliband told MPs. "For a family whose living standards are being squeezed, this speech offers nothing. For the millions of people who think the government isn't on their side, this speech offers nothing."

The Labour leader delivered a hard-hitting attack on the prime minister, whom he accused of turning into "David Brent" within two years of taking power, after the government laid out its plans for the year ahead, including reform of the House of Lords.

Miliband told a packed Commons chamber that the government had created "the worst unemployment for 16 years, a million young people out of work and the first double-dip recession for 37 years".

Commenting on the Queen's speech, in which 19 bills had been unveiled, he said: "They promised recovery but they delivered recession ? a recession made in Downing Street. They have failed."

He added: "No change, no hope ? that is the real message of this Queen's speech."

The prime minister later stood up to defend the government's programme for the next 12 months, saying: "This is a government that is taking the tough decisions to help families who work hard and do the right thing, acting for the long term, governing in the national interest. This is a Queen's speech to rebuild Britain."

But Miliband said the package failed to offer proposals to boost growth, "relieve the squeeze on ordinary families", or tackle excessive boardroom pay.

Referring to the local elections last week, which delivered grim results for both the Tories and the Lib Dems, Miliband said the coalition had taken no notice of the voters' message: "They still don't get it."

He said voters deserted the coalition parties at last week's poll because they understood ministers' economic policy "only too well".

Miliband said that if Cameron's really "gets it", he would have dropped the plan to cut the 50p tax rate.

"They believe, they really believe, that their problems are not to do with policy, their problems are to do with public relations. They just don't get it. It's not the presentation of tax cuts for millionaires, it's the reality ? �40,000 for every millionaire in Britain.

"It's not the presentation of cuts in tax credits, it's the reality. The granny tax, the churches tax, the charities tax, the whole budget 'omnishambles'. It's not the presentation, it's the reality.

"Yes, they do have a communication problem, as the prime minister said this morning. The electorate have spoken but they're not listening."

Miliband also criticised Cameron for referring to cuts as "efficiency" savings. The Labour leader told MPs: "So here it is from the prime minister, Cameron Direct, to the hundreds of thousands of people being made redundant: 'The bad news is: you've lost your job. The good news is: you're a key part of our efficiency drive.' In two years, you have gone from David Cameron to David Brent. That's the reality."

The prime minister defended a programme that he said would reward "the do-ers, the strivers, those who work hard and play by the rules", and would help rebalance the economy.

He told MPs: "Let me say exactly what this Queen's speech is about. It is about a government taking the tough, long-term decisions to restore our country to strength. Dealing with the deficit, rebalancing the economy and building a society that rewards people who work hard and do the right thing."

Turning on Labour, Cameron said Miliband had almost nothing to suggest in terms of a costed, credible alternative.

"They have now had two years to work out what their alternative is and we heard absolutely nothing apart from a string of press releases. All across Europe, the countries being hit are the ones that don't have proper plans in place. In the last session, we cut the nation's overdraft ? the gap between what we tax and what we spend ? by �30bn. With this Queen's speech we continue that work."

On the controversial topic of Lords reform, Cameron told MPs it was included in the Queen's speech because while it was not the government's first priority, he believed parliament was capable of doing more than one thing at once.

But he said reforms would need support from across the house to proceed.

"At the last election, all political parties put forward in their manifestos proposals for a partly or mainly elected House of Lords. But let me say this: this is only going to proceed if the political parties will agree to work together and take a responsible attitude towards this reform. I think it is possible, it would be a good reform if we can achieve it, it would be better if we had a smaller House of Lords and it had an elected element in it. So I would ask people to work together across party lines to try and make that happen."

Labour's Jack Straw, who served as both home secretary and justice secretary and attempted his own reforms of the Lords when in government, urged the prime minister to consider calling a pre-legislative referendum to avoid a "trainwreck" to Commons business in light of the fact that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats were "divided on this issue".

Cameron replied: "All parties are divided over this and we should be frank about that. We will only achieve reform if we work together."

H�l�ne Mulholland

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/may/09/ed-miliband-queens-speech-labour-tories

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