Latest Articles
- 18th February 2010
- Jowell plays down West Ham's Olympic Stadium hopes
- West Ham's hopes of moving to the Olympic Stadium after the London Games in 2012 have been dealt a blow by Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell. The club's new owners have targeted a move from Upton Park to the 80,000 capacity stadium as they try to improve Wes...
- 18th February 2010
- Eurostar to Brussels services suspended for a week
- Eurostar services between the UK and Brussels will remain suspended until Monday following the fatal train crash in Belgium, the company has announced. Investigators remain at the scene of the head-on collision on Monday, which killed 18 and injured about...
- 18th February 2010
- Elena Dementieva clinches Paris Indoors title
- Top seed Elena Dementieva recovered from losing the first set to beat Lucie Safarova and win the Paris Indoors for the first time in nine attemptsDementieva lost the first set tie-break 7-5 but held her nerve after that to seal a 6-7 (5-7) 6-1 6-4 victory...
- 18th February 2010
- Portsmouth chairman Al Fahim denies debt arrest reports
- Portsmouth's non-executive chairman Sulaiman al-Fahim has dismissed as "nonsense" reports that a warrant for his arrest has been issued in Dubai. It was reported that Pompey's former Portsmouth owner was wanted in connection with a £1. 4m ...
- 18th February 2010
- London unemployment numbers rise
- Unemployment in London has risen, bucking the national trend. In the three months to December, total unemployment for the capital stood at 373,000 - a rise of 3,000 from the previous quarter.It means London has one of the highest rates of unemployment in ...
- 18th February 2010
- Manchester United secured a historic win at the San Siro
- Manchester United secured a historic win at the San Siro as they drew first blood in an enthralling Champions League last-16 tie with AC Milan. Wayne Rooney was the match-winner with a brace of second-half headers to earn United a precious first-leg advan...
- 11th February 2010
- Dubai closes viewing deck on world's tallest building
- The observation deck on the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world, has been closed for repairs only a month after it opened. Emaar Properties, the builder of the tower, said there had been an unexpectedly high number of visitors and pro...
- 11th February 2010
- Dubai court annuls marriage to 'bearded lady'
- An Arab country's ambassador to Dubai has had his marriage contract annulled after discovering the bride was cross-eyed and had facial hair. The woman had worn an Islamic veil, known as the niqab, on the few occasions the couple had met.The envoy, who has...
- 11th February 2010
- Is streaming the future of music?
- With free, legal access to almost any music at any time, streaming services like Spotify and We7 are a dream for many music fans.Some believe streaming will overtake downloading to become the most popular form of digital music.But there are still big ques...
- 11th February 2010
- Tim Burton to head Cannes film jury
- US filmmaker Tim Burton has been asked to head the nine-member jury at this year's Cannes Film Festival. The Edward Scissorhands director said he was looking forward to the role, calling it a "great honour"."When you think of Cannes, you th...
- 11th February 2010
- Banksy film to screen at Berlin Film Festival
- Banksy documentary Exit Through The Gift Shop is to screen out of competition at the Berlin Film Festival later this month. The film, which features the elusive artist hidden in shadow, chronicles Banksy's friendship with French videographer Thierry Guett...
- 11th February 2010
- Barcelona's Keita calls for Togo ban to be lifted
- Mali and Barcelona midfielder Seydou Keita has called on the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to reconsider their sanctions against Togo. Caf banned Togo from the next two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and fined them $50,000 for withdrawing fro...
- 11th February 2010
- Van Rompuy moves EU summit to Belgian library
- The new EU president, Herman van Rompuy, will host an EU summit in an old library in Brussels next week - a first for the 107-year-old building. Mr Van Rompuy's deputy spokesman, Jesus Carmona, told the BBC the wood-panelled library in Leopold Park would ...
- 01st February 2010
- Fina to retest blood samples from world championships
- World governing body Fina will retest blood samples taken from swimmers at last year's Rome world championships for evidence of doping. It is looking for traces of plastic left in the blood from blood bags.Fina took the decision at a meeting in Bangkok fo...
- 01st February 2010
- Europe's competition watchdog investigates Rio-BHP deal
- Europe's competition regulator is starting a formal probe into an iron ore venture between mining heavyweights Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton. Rio, the world's second largest miner, and BHP, the number three, plan to share their vast ore assets in remote west...
- 01st February 2010
- 'Young Persons Guarantee' launched to help unemployed
- An initiative designed to tackle youth unemployment has been launched by the Department of Work and Pensions. The 'Young Person's Guarantee' pledges to provide a job, training or work experience to every 16 to 24 year old unemployed person.The £1bn ...
- 01st February 2010
- Shahid Afridi is replaced by Malik after biting ball
- Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has been banned for two Twenty20 games and replaced by Shoaib Malik after biting the ball in a one-day match in Perth. Afridi was caught on camera as he found a novel way to alter the state of the ball, and the umpires chang...
- 01st February 2010
- Kris Meeke lies second at the IRC Monte Carlo Rally
- Dungannon driver Kris Meeke is 41. 9 seconds off the pace after the opening day of the IRC Monte Carlo Rally. Meeke was starting his defence of the IRC title in his Peugeot UK machine and despite a late puncture he was sitting in second place.Mikko Hirvon...
- 01st February 2010
- Tottenham complete Eidur Gudjohnsen loan capture
- Tottenham have completed the signing of former Chelsea and Barcelona forward Eidur Gudjohnsen on a loan deal from Monaco for the end of the season. The 31-year-old Icelander, who also attracted interest from London rivals West Ham, underwent a medical and...
- 22nd January 2010
- Pep Guardiola to sign one-year Barcelona contract deal
- Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola has agreed a one-year extension which will keep him at the Nou Camp until the end of next season. The 39-year-old is set to sign his contract on 1 July after elections for a new club president have concluded.Guardiola led B...
- 22nd January 2010
- Tottenham want to sign Ruud Van Nistelrooy on loan
- Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed he would be interested in signing Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy on loan. The Dutchman, 33, who has also been linked with Liverpool and Stoke, has featured only four times for the Spanish side this s...
- 18th January 2010
- World's 'most expensive' ham leg on sale in London
- "The world's most expensive ham" has gone on sale in London, according to retailer Selfridges. The leg of Iberico ham, which costs £1,800, went on sale at the food hall in the retailer's flagship store in Oxford Street, central London.The ...
- 16th January 2010
- Liverpool sign Argentina winger Maxi Rodriguez
- Liverpool have signed Argentina winger Maxi Rodriguez on a free transfer from Spanish side Atletico Madrid. The 29-year-old, a close friend of Reds midfielder Javier Mascherano, passed a medical on Wednesday and has signed a three-and-a-half year deal at ...
- 16th January 2010
- Pacult gets taste for Euro nights
- Peter Pacult, the Rapid Vienna coach, insists he will look back fondly on his team's Europa League campaign, despite finishing bottom of Group C. Rapid raced to a three-goal lead against Celtic in the final match in the section, only to be pegged back to ...
- 16th January 2010
- Barcelona set to bid for 2022 Winter Olympics
- Barcelona mayor Jordi Hereu has revealed that the Catalan capital will bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. Should the bid succeed, Barcelona, which staged the 1992 summer Olympics, will become the first city to host the summer and winter Games.Events wi...
- 16th January 2010
- Burj Dubai sets records and makes profits
- In recent years Dubai has grabbed the headlines with audacious offshore islands, rotating buildings and a seven star hotel. On Monday it opened the world's tallest building, Burj Dubai.At more than 800m, Burj Dubai smashed the previous world record, whic...
- 16th January 2010
- Call for reform after hospital drops Albany Midwives
- A former health minister has called for a radical shake-up of maternity care after a group of south London midwives had its contract terminated. King's College Hospital terminated the contract with Albany Midwives after a report found babies they delivere...
- 10th January 2010
- Middlesbrough's Didier Digard completes Nice loan move
- Middlesbrough have allowed midfielder Didier Digard to join French Ligue 1 side Nice on a six-month loan with a view to a permanent move. Digard, 23, joined the Teessiders from Paris Saint Germain in July 2008, but a string of injuries have limited him to...
- 10th January 2010
- David Beckham makes winning return for AC Milan
- David Beckham enjoyed a winning return to the AC Milan side as they outclassed Genoa 5-2 at the San Siro. Watched by England coach Fabio Capello, Beckham impressed on the right side of a three-man attack in his first game since beginning a second loan spe...
- 10th January 2010
- Stoke City enquire about Ruud van Nistelrooy
- Stoke City have enquired about the availability of striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, according to the club's chairman Peter Coates. The 33-year-old Real Madrid and Netherlands front man has been linked with a move back to the Premier League during the January ...
- 10th January 2010
- Eurostar still affected by snow
- Eurostar services between London and Paris have continued to be affected by fresh snowfall and freezing temperatures. Passengers are being urged to cancel or postpone their trips if possible because of the weather conditions.The firm said it was restricti...
- 10th January 2010
- Dubai set for England-Pakistan Twenty20 internationals
- England are set to face Pakistan in two Twenty20 internationals in Dubai ahead of their winter tour to Bangladesh. The matches will take place at Dubai Sports City and provide an extra chance for England to gel before the ICC World Twenty20 in West Indies...
- 06th January 2010
- Q&A: Security checks to expect at UK airports
- Following the failed bomb attack on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day, the UK government has said it will do everything in its power to tighten security at its airports.What new checks will passengers face?The most significant developmen...
- 06th January 2010
- Roberto Mancini targets Patrick Vieira for Man City
- Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini wants to sign Patrick Vieira and the Inter Milan midfielder is interested in making the move, BBC Sport understands. Vieira, 33, is believed to be intrigued by the possibility of returning to England, where he has n...
- 06th January 2010
- Transport for London 'wasted' £20m on Tube access
- Transport for London (TfL) has written off £20m invested in projects that were later cancelled due to its financial difficulties, BBC London has learned. TfL began installing step-free access at six underground stations in 2009.It later cancelled th...
- 06th January 2010
- London poised for heavy snowfall
- Transport for London (TfL) has said it has "well prepared cold weather plans" which it is putting into place following warnings of heavy snowfall. The Met office has warned of heavy snow falling over large parts of London overnight on Tuesday an...
- 03rd January 2010
- Indian migrants face bleak future in Dubai
- The impact of the global financial downturn has been felt keenly in the Middle Eastern emirate of Dubai - and that in turn is affecting the remote Indian village of Akhopur in the state of Bihar, from where Amarnath Tewary reports.In August 2008, Bharat B...
- 03rd January 2010
- Lionel Messi wins Fifa World Player of the Year award
- Barcelona star Lionel Messi has been named Fifa World Footballer of the Year to complete a stunning 2009 for the Argentine forward. The 22-year-old, who helped Barca win the Club World Cup on Saturday - their sixth trophy of the year - also won the Ballon...
- 03rd January 2010
- Body scanners to be used at Dutch airport
- Body scanners are to be used on all passengers flying from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport to the US, the Dutch government has announced. Some machines will be used straight away and others within weeks, the Dutch interior minister said, four days after a ma...
- 03rd January 2010
- Sergio Aguero commits future to Atletico Madrid
- Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero has played down reports that he is set to leave the Spanish club in January. The Argentine has been linked with a move to Chelsea as well as attracting interest from several other top clubs."I have always made my...
- 03rd January 2010
- Tube and bus fares rise in London
- Tube and bus passengers across London have been hit with above-inflation price rises after increased fares came into effect. Average Tube fares have gone up by 3. 9% and bus passengers face a 12. 7% rise.Commuters using Oyster pay-as-you-go cards also fac...
- 29th December 2009
- Indian migrants face bleak future in Dubai
- The impact of the global financial downturn has been felt keenly in the Middle Eastern emirate of Dubai - and that in turn is affecting the remote Indian village of Akhopur in the state of Bihar, from where Amarnath Tewary reports.In August 2008, Bharat B...
- 29th December 2009
- High-speed rail plans to be submitted to government
- A major new station in the heart of London will be part of plans for a north-south high-speed rail line to be submitted to the government this week. The first stage of the 250mph new line - from the capital to the West Midlands - could open by 2025.The st...
- 29th December 2009
- Eurostar travel chaos leads to marathon Brussels trip
- At St Pancras International station weary strings of travellers stood and sat forlornly at lunchtime on Saturday.Eurostar workers stood in little knots, or clustered around police officers, looking for safety either in numbers or in a firm truncheon and a...
- 22nd December 2009
- LSE reveals takeover of Turquoise
- The London Stock Exchange (LSE), the company which runs the London stock market, has announced a deal to take over its loss-making rival Turquoise. The deal will create a new pan-European trading platform.The venture will be 60%-owned by the LSE and 40%-o...
- 22nd December 2009
- Quentin Tarantino receives London film critics' honour
- US film-maker Quentin Tarantino has been awarded the London Film Critics' Circle's highest honour. The Kill Bill director will receive the Dilys Powell award for excellence in cinema at the Circle's awards ceremony on 18 February in London."This is s...
- 22nd December 2009
- Eurostar travel chaos leads to marathon Brussels trip
- At St Pancras International station weary strings of travellers stood and sat forlornly at lunchtime on Saturday.Eurostar workers stood in little knots, or clustered around police officers, looking for safety either in numbers or in a firm truncheon and a...
- 22nd December 2009
- Mark Hughes sacked as Man City appoint Mancini manager
- Manchester City have sacked Mark Hughes after 18 months in charge and named Roberto Mancini as his successor, with Brian Kidd appointed his assistant. News of Hughes' departure came via a statement, issued just two hours after the 4-3 home win over Sunder...
- 22nd December 2009
- Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho unmoved by Chelsea draw
- Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho has played down his return to former club Chelsea, after his side were drawn against them in the Champions League. Mourinho, who helped Chelsea to back-to-back Premier League titles, will take his Inter side to Stamford Bri...
- 15th December 2009
- Abu Dhabi gives Dubai $10bn to help pay debts
- Dubai's government has announced it has been given a $10bn (£6. 13bn) handout from United Arab Emirates neighbour Abu Dhabi to help it pay off its debts. It will use $4. 1bn (£2. 5bn) of the money to bail out the government-owned investment co...
- 15th December 2009
- Tube contract falls into 'chaos'
- London Underground (LU) could see major delays after a maintenance contract descended into "chaos", a union said. The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union called for contractor Tube Lines to be stripped of their contract and for the work to ...
- 15th December 2009
- Italy's PM Silvio Berlusconi is bloodied by attack
- Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy is recovering in hospital after an assault left his face covered in blood following a rally in Milan. He suffered two broken teeth, a minor nose fracture and cuts to his lip after being struck by a man wielding a ...
- 30th November 2009
- Trust says poor rating 'unclear'
- One of 12 NHS trusts rated as "significantly underperforming" by monitoring body Dr Foster has described the methodology used as "unclear". Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust was rated as England's third worst trust for patient safety measure...
- 30th November 2009
- Bid to make London tartan begins
- A competition has begun to give members of the public the chance to design London's first official tartan. The contest is being started at arts venue Kings Place in Kings Cross, north London, later to mark St Andrew's Day.The Scottish Tartans Authority (S...
- 30th November 2009
- Dubai World debt 'not guaranteed' by government
- The Dubai government has said it will not guarantee the debt of Dubai World, which caused global panic because it cannot pay back creditors immediately. The statement came after stock markets in Dubai and Abu Dhabi saw sharp falls."[Creditors] think ...
- 29th November 2009
- US shares slide over Dubai fears
- US shares have fallen on worries about Dubai's debt problems, with the Dow Jones ending down 154 points, or 1. 5%, at 10,309. 92, in a shorter trading day. It was the first chance for markets in the US to react to news that state-owned Dubai World had ask...
- 29th November 2009
- What is Dubai and who runs it?
- From the pinnacle of the world economic boom to the brink of bankruptcy, Christopher Davidson of Durham University explains some of the background to the glittering city in the desert.The inability of the government of Dubai to refinance the massive debts...
- 29th November 2009
- The dawn of El Derbi
- Barcelona v Real Madrid, La LigaVenue: Camp Nou, Spain Date: Sunday 29 November Kick-off: 1800 GMTCoverage: Live on Sky Sports One, live text commentary on BBC Sport website with Chris Bevan ...
- 26th November 2009
- Dubai's main investment fund seeks debt payment delay
- The government-owned investment company behind Dubai's rapid development drive has asked its creditors for a six-month delay on repaying its debts. Dubai World, which has total debts of $59bn (£35bn), is asking creditors if it can postpone its forth...
- 24th November 2009
- Lee Westwood wins Race to Dubai title
- Lee Westwood claimed an emphatic victory in the Dubai World Championship on Sunday to end the season as Europe's number one for the second time. Westwood shot a course record 64 to finish on 23 under par and win by six shots from Ross McGowan.The winner's...
- 24th November 2009
- Tube faces more industrial action
- Engineering and electrical workers on London's Underground network have voted for industrial action in a pay dispute. The Unite union, which represents the 500 workers, wants further discussions over a London Underground pay offer of 1. 5% for 2009-10.Uni...
- 23rd November 2009
- Murray revels in London spotlight
- When Andy Murray was asked how it felt to play a world championship match on home ground in front of 17,000 fans, the bashful smile said it all.The 22-year-old might have taken a while to win over the British public but the level of expectation at London'...
- 22nd November 2009
- Westwood closes in on Dubai win
- Lee Westwood put himself in pole position to become European number one after Rory McIlroy ended poorly on day three of the Dubai World Championship. England's Westwood shot 66 to reach 15 under, two clear of countryman Ross McGowan, as McIlroy bogeyed th...
- 22nd November 2009
- Barcelona duo contract swine flu
- Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure and defender Eric Abidal have contracted swine flu. Both players have been isolated and will miss the Primera Liga clash with Athletic Bilbao on Saturday night.The news will come as a huge blow for the Spanish champions who...
- 21st November 2009
- Werner Herzog is to head the Berlin Film Festival jury
- German director Werner Herzog will head the jury at the Berlin Film Festival next year, organisers have announced. Herzog, 67, will head the international panel that selects the winners of the coveted Golden and Silver Bear prizes.Best known for films lik...
- 21st November 2009
- UN chief urges unity over hunger
- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for a "single global vision" from world leaders to address the problems of world hunger and pollution. Mr Ban's comments came at the start of a UN conference in Rome aimed at stabilising world food pri...
- 21st November 2009
- Ronaldo ready for training return
- Cristiano Ronaldo could resume full training with Real Madrid on Friday as he recovers from an ankle injury. The former Manchester United winger sustained the injury against Marseille on 30 September and has missed nine games for the Spanish giants.He was...
- 20th November 2009
- Bets off - bookies in goal refund
- Two bookmaking chains are refunding bets backing Ireland to qualify for the World Cup. Thierry Henry clearly handled the ball before playing it for William Gallas to score the equaliser which saw France win 2-1 on aggregate.William Hill and Paddy Power ar...
- 20th November 2009
- Phelps struggles again in Berlin
- Michael Phelps has continued his struggles at the short-course World Cup after he finished second in one race and missed out on another final. Phelps, who won eight golds at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, finished second behind South Africa's Darian Townsend ...
- 19th November 2009
- AC Milan's Nottingham-born hero
- Italian football giants AC Milan rightly lay claim to being one of the biggest and most famous clubs in world football.But few people realise the debt of gratitude they owe Nottingham.Seven-times European Cup winners AC Milan are a team who have been domi...
- 19th November 2009
- 'Ain't singin' for Coke'
- "Ain't singin' for Pepsi, ain't singin' for Coke. I don't sing for nobody, makes me look like a joke. "So sang Neil Young on the title track of his 1988 album This Note's For You.There used to be a time when no self-respecting musician would ev...
- 19th November 2009
- YSL auction to raise Aids funds
- More than 1,200 items from the homes of late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge are being auctioned in Paris. The Christie's auction of items ranging from chandeliers to paperweights is being held in the Marigny theatre near ...
- 19th November 2009
- Tokyo 'world's best place to eat'
- Tokyo has leaped ahead of Paris as the city with the most Michelin three-star restaurants, confirming its status as the "world capital of gastronomy". Tokyo now has 11 three-star restaurants compared with 10 for Paris, according to the latest ed...
- 17th November 2009
- EU leaders asked to pick a woman
- There are growing calls on EU leaders to appoint a woman as the bloc's president or foreign affairs chief at a special summit in Brussels on Thursday. Both jobs were created by the Lisbon Treaty, which was ratified this month, in a bid to give the EU a st...
- 17th November 2009
- Summit disappoints UN food chief
- The head of the UN food agency, Jacques Diouf, says he is not satisfied with the final declaration of the UN world food summit in Rome. Mr Diouf criticised the declaration - which vowed "urgent action" to boost food security - for not including ...
- 16th November 2009
- Minnows knock Madrid out of cup
- Real Madrid were knocked out of the Copa del Rey in humiliating fashion after crashing to a 4-1 aggregate defeat at the hands of Alcorcon. For the second year in a row, Madrid have been put out of Spain's domestic cup competition by a third-tier side.Kaka...
- 16th November 2009
- Celebrating the fall of the Wall
- Monday marked the 20th anniversary of Berliners freely being allowed to cross the Wall, built in 1961 to divide their city.BBC Radio Scotland's reporter Huw Williams was in Berlin to see the celebrations and reflect on the consequences.Now he's moving on ...