Poaching in South African nature reserves has reached epidemic levels, driven by soaring demand for their horns The vultures are startled and take flight as our pickup truck arrives at the giant carcass lying in the lowveld. They have had a week to pick its bones. All that remains of “Izzy”, a six-year-old white rhino, are the curved spears of her ribcage, dismembered feet and a head infested with flies and maggots. “She was a beautiful cow, a magnificent specimen,” says Barry Bezuidenhout, the estate manager of a sprawling game ranch near South Africa’s Kruger Park. “When I think of her, I get a lump in the throat.” We are at the frontline of a conflict that is threatening to turn some of South Africa’s most beautiful nature reserves, a draw for tourists around the world, into lawless battlegrounds – and drive a magnificent animal towards the brink of extinction . Some 265 rhinos have been poached so far this year, according to government figures, an average of more than one per day. This puts 2011 on course to surpass last year’s record death toll of 333. In 2007, it was just 13. Why? There is no mystery about it. Experts agree the carnage results from a false belief, widespread in the far east, that rhino horn can cure cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. There is now soaring demand from the newly moneyed consumers of China and Vietnam. Poaching gangs here are increasingly sophisticated, using helicopters, silent tranquillisers, body armour, night vision equipment and mercenaries experienced in rhino tracking. Once a rhino’s horn has been hacked off, they leave the animal to bleed to death. The horn is then smuggled out of the country by an international syndicate. The price of rhino horn is £35,000 per kilogram, making it more expensive than gold, according to the International Rhino Foundation. The lucrative black market was the subject of intense debate at a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) in Geneva last week. Calls to action have come too late for “Izzy”, who was about to reach breeding age and was expected to produce 10 calves over the next 30 years. As a deterrent to poachers, her horn had been surgically removed under anaesthetic two years ago, but regrew to about 2.5kg – enough to sign her death warrant. Three poachers came at dead of night, it is believed, shooting her with a .375 rifle and removing the horn with apparently clinical expertise (some rhinos are crudely hacked and disfigured). The animal appears to have walked for about 80 metres before collapsing and dying. A policeman who visited the scene 36 hours later estimated that the horn would already be in Singapore. The killing was all the more shocking to Bezuidenhout and his staff at the Mauricedale Game Ranch in Malelane because it has seen no poaching incidents since 2007. The estate tries to de-horn all its rhino and employs rangers to patrol its 6,500-hectare grounds and alert the local police if they see anything suspicious. By day, the grassy top of “warthog hill” offers the kind of vista that has brought generations of travellers to the African bush: a wide sweep of acacia trees, lakes and hills that go on undulating to the far horizon, bathed in a clear golden light. It is a seemingly peaceful haven for aardvarks, bushbucks, crocodiles, elands, giraffes, hippos, impalas, kudus, ostriches, sables, warthogs, waterbucks, zebras and other creatures – none of which prey on rhinos. But by night, this is the observation point from which rangers such as Khululani Sibuyi work from 6pm to 6am, staring intently for the faintest sign of intruders. “Sometimes it’s boring, but I think it’s good to protect the rhinos,” said the 25-year-old. “It’s dangerous because they’ve got guns and, if you meet them on the ground, they could shoot you. I would like a weapon.” Armed confrontations have been increasingly common in South Africa’s low-level rhino war . Seventeen poachers have been killed in Kruger Park alone this year by rangers acting in self-defence, South African National Parks (SANParks) says, up from 15 in the whole of last year. This followed an official pledge to “fight fire with fire” and the return of army soldiers to patrol the park’s borders. Some rhino owners have turned to hiring ex-military security guards. Tom Milliken, director of the wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic’s east and southern Africa programme, said: “Heavily armed people are moving into protected areas to kill rhino. Those charged with their protection face great challenges and gun fights are part of the equation. There is a rhino war going on out there and it continues to get ugly.” SANParks believes its tough approach has resulted in a significant drop in poaching over the past two months . Police have made 131 arrests so far this year, ranging from poachers to couriers to kingpins. Earlier this month two Vietnamese men were handed prison sentences of 10 and eight years after horns were found in their luggage at Johannesburg’s airport. But under such pressure, there are fears that gangs will be displaced to private game reserves such as Mauricedale, where a three-metre electric fence and razor wire may not be enough. Mauricedale’s owner, John Hume, says he is the biggest rhino farmer in the world with six estates in South Africa, although he is reluctant to give numbers. Hume works from an office inside his personal aviary. Exotic birds fly across the room, and have left their mark on his chair. Today, one knocked water over his computer, which he is attempting to remedy with a hair dryer. On the main table, carved from a variety of trees, is a dish full of live worms. Fish trophies adorn the walls and feisty dogs scamper around the room. The recent rhino death was a bitter blow. “You’re devastated because it makes you realise how vulnerable you and your rhinos are,” Hume said. “Poachers are becoming more sophisticated and that’s worrying. An investigator told us they had identified 27 gangs operating here and have arrested three – and they are probably out on bail.” The 69-year-old believes the true depth of the crisis is hidden. “I think the escalation in poaching is much worse than they officially know, and that’s a problem for rhinos. How are we going to stop this? The market is growing, the Chinese are growing affluent, the demand for horn is escalating at a horrific rate.” Hume has proposed a bold solution. “I am of the very firm opinion that the only way to save the rhinos from extinction is by legalising the trade in their horns. I am against the futility and stupidity of the current system. It is so illogical, I believe the world will see the light. I only hope they see it in time.” Hume and other rhino farmers argue that legalising the trade would bring it under control, driving prices down and squeezing the black market. South Africa is studying the idea. Opponents contend there is no control system along the trade chain, supplying horn might stimulate further demand and it would be immoral to feed a false belief in the horn’s medicinal value. There are an estimated 25,000 rhinos left in Africa. Some 20,800 are in South Africa, of which 19,000 are white rhinos and 1,800 black rhinos. This represents a major triumph for conservation given that white rhinos numbered fewer than a hundred when they were hunted to near extinction in the late 19th century. The population is still growing, but experts fear that poachers could undo all the good work. Dr Joseph Okori, Africa rhino programme manager at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) , said: “There is no room for complacency on this issue. We believe the situation is still very alarming and we see it escalating. We do recognise there may have been an apparent slowdown of late but poaching pressure is still up. The demand is still strong across the world and the value of rhino horn is still rising.” Okori said Cites’ meeting last week saw a strong commitment from African countries and a working group was set up, but warned that China had failed to come up with specific proposals. He added: “We believe that if the current escalation in poaching continues, rhinos will be faced with the threat of extinction down the line. We know this from history.” Endangered species South Africa Africa Animals David Smith guardian.co.uk
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Released footage backs up eyewitness reports of gunshots and has convinced officers looters’ chief aim was to start a fire West Midlands police have taken the unusual decision of releasing video footage showing hooded looters firing shots at officers and a force helicopter during this month’s riots. It is believed to be the first evidence that police came under fire during the riots and has heightened concerns that some of the seemingly random violence and looting was conducted by organised criminal gangs. The CCTV images show a group of between 30 and 40 young men breaking into the Barton Arms pub in the Newtown area of Birmingham on the night of Tuesday 9 August. The group, all masked and wearing black clothing, caused extensive damage to the pub and the surrounding area, which has been plagued by shootings in recent years. As officers arrived at the scene shortly before midnight, petrol bombs were thrown at a marked police car. It is believed as many as 11 shots were fired at the officers and a helicopter. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a series of flashes and hearing the sound of gunshots as police approached the looters, forcing officers to take cover behind vehicles. The force said it hoped the footage would encourage members of the public to come forward. “Releasing footage that is so disturbing in nature is an unusual step for us as a force. However, the potential for serious harm, or worse, in this incident has led us to this decision,” said chief constable Chris Sims. “Eleven shots were fired at unarmed officers to enable disorder to continue, while petrol bombs were also thrown at officers who initially attended the scene. “This footage shows seemingly co-ordinated criminal behaviour with no regard for people’s lives, whether it be through the setting of a fire, shooting at unarmed officers or shooting at the police helicopter.” It appears that at least two weapons were used in the incident which police believe was co-ordinated by criminal gangs and involved looters, some of whom may have been as young as 13. Four spent bullet casings were found by forensic teams outside the pub. Four cartridges were also recovered at the scene. A small amount of money was stolen from the pub, but evidence of the use of alcohol and petrol has convinced police that the looters’ chief intention was to start a fire. A major investigation into arson with intent to endanger life and attempted murder has now been launched. Detectives, forensic and ballistic experts, along with local officers, have spent the past week trawling through the CCTV footage and making house-to-house inquiries. So far two people have been arrested for violent disorder in connection with the incident. Siriporn Thumajaroen, who runs the Barton Arms with her husband, Wichai, was upstairs when the gang broke in. She told reporters that she could smell petrol and feared for her life. “We could have died,” she told the Birmingham Mail . “Wichai put the fire out with water but we are lucky to be alive.” She added: “I have lived in this country for five years and I didn’t think this kind of thing would happen here.” The shooting has revived memories of one of the most notorious incidents to blight Britain’s second city in recent years. In 2005, a police officer was shot in the leg and two young men died during the race riots in the Lozells area of Birmingham, which were believed to have involved drug gangs. “This investigation is being treated as attempted murder and arson, and I am only thankful that this is not a murder inquiry,” Sims said. “This was not only police officers’ lives that were put at risk, but also members of the public who may have been passing by.” Sims said the public reaction to the appeal for information had been overwhelming. “However, I must ask once again for anyone who can help our investigation to come forward.” UK riots Birmingham Gun crime Police Crime Jamie Doward guardian.co.uk
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Vice-chancellor attacks ‘poorly timed’ government closure of scheme as steep rise in tuition fees looms Critics have condemned the closure of a higher education outreach programme amid evidence that poorer students are likely to be put off by the trebling of tuition fees next year. Professor Les Ebdon, vice-chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire, said the coalition government’s closure in July of Aimhigher, a body that spent £78m last year on visiting schools in the poorest areas to promote higher education, was “poor timing”. Universities now have complete responsibility for outreach to families in which no member has previously continued their education beyond school. But the additional money universities need to fund such work will not be available until 2012-2013, when students start paying up to £9,000 in fees. It is the latest row over higher education in a week in which record numbers of successful A-level candidates applied for university places in a scramble to avoid higher tuition fees. The website of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) crashed on Friday amid a surge of interest for places. Speaking to the Observer , Ebdon, who is also the chairman of the higher education thinktank Million+, said there appeared to be a lack of joined-up thinking within government, “particularly at a time when the new fee structure is likely to dissuade a lot of youngsters from aiming to go to university”. “We have drawn ministers’ attention to this. What is happening is that they have abolished Aimhigher in the year before the additional money from access arrangements becomes available to universities. It is crucially important in this year to speak to students and to explain the situation to them around tuition fees, to provide that vital guidance. And it is not just those soon to go to university: Aimhigher worked with younger schoolchildren too, which is very important. “In these tough times, when budgets have been cut, universities will have a choice of whether to dig deep and continue to spend on outreach or wait until next year to rehire people when they have the money.” The social class gap at university has widened since the mid-1990s, with students from the richest 20% of families seven times more likely to go to elite universities than the most disadvantaged 40%. It is feared that next year students from less affluent backgrounds will be put off by potentially huge debts, despite the generous payback scheme for student loans. Studies show students starting in 2012 will face an average of £56,000 of debt on graduation. An analysis of universities’ spending plans from the Commons library shows that there will be a 60% cut in spending on outreach over the next 12 months compared with last year. Then, Sir Martin Harris, director of the Office for Fair Access, the government body monitoring universities’ efforts to widen participation, said there was “mounting evidence” that “targeted outreach which boosts achievement and aspirations among disadvantaged young people at a much earlier stage” was the most effective way to encourage the poorest students into higher education. Bursaries and fee waivers only helped students choose between universities rather than providing them with the initial motivation to apply. Gareth Thomas, Labour’s shadow universities minister, said: “This is yet another example of the government saying one thing but not being willing to commit the resources, effort and money to make things really happen. Such a significant drop in outreach funding could mean too many potential students from less privileged backgrounds, who have the ability, don’t get encouraged to go to
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President Bashar al-Assad increases military patrols along frontier to dissuade Turkey from intervening in domestic unrest Syrian officials have ordered military units to increase patrols near the restive Turkish border in what amounts to a warning to its increasingly irate northern neighbour not to establish a buffer zone inside Syria. Diplomats in Beirut and Ankara believe that the Syrian advance on the border village of Khirbet al-Jouz Thursday – initially portrayed by Damascus as a sweep to rout dissidents – was instead a veiled threat to Turkey, which is steadily turning on President Bashar al-Assad as his regime’s fierce crackdown on dissent continues. Following a speech last week by the besieged Syrian leader, Turkish officials gave Assad a week to begin reforms and stop the violent suppression of protests, in which more than 1,400 people are believed to have been killed in less than four months. At least another 18 died and dozens were wounded in fresh nationwide protests on Friday – a relatively low toll compared to the last few Fridays, which have been a weekly flashpoint in the uprising. However, the pattern of anti-government activists being attacked by armed members of the security forces remains the same, and is unlikely to convince Ankara that its former ally is committed to reform. British government officials travelled during the week to the southern Turkish border region to interview Syrians who have crossed the frontier to safety and are now living in refugee camps. A Foreign Office official told the Observer that diplomats were compiling accounts of what happened in the now abandoned border town of Jisr al-Shughour and the villages surrounding it during the first two weeks of June, when the Syrian army mounted a series of raids, followed by a full assault that led almost all of its 41,000 residents to flee, first for the nearby hills and then across to Turkey. Among the claims being investigated are persistent reports that Iranian soldiers had been operating with the Syrian forces. The European Union last week adopted sanctions against three key officers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, among them the highly secretive Major General Qassem Suleimani, the leader of its elite al-Quds force, who is widely regarded as the head of all Iran’s clandestine military missions abroad. A senior diplomat in Beirut on Friday said that intelligence agencies had established evidence that Iran had sent weapons and logistical support to Syria, but were yet to determine whether there had been Iranian troops on the ground taking part in the Syrian repression. In a further sign of Turkish unease with Damascus, officials from the country’s Red Crescent, which runs the five refugee camps along the border, no longer seem to be banned from talking to reporters. Concern that describing the accounts of refugees who have fled from violent assaults on northern Syrian villages may embarrass Syrian officials are clearly now less of a factor in Turkey’s estimation. Refugee accounts are being used to compile a referral to the international criminal court, which will be asked to prosecute Assad and key regime officials for crimes against humanity. The referral is being prepared by several rights groups, including Insan, an international organisation that is also compiling testimonies from a growing number of defecting Syrian soldiers. Turkey’s increasing diplomatic anger has made Istanbul an attractive hub for the Syrian opposition movement, which has received scores of defectors in recent weeks. Beirut, which is less than three hours’ drive from Damascus and offers easy access to Syrian citizens, is now considered too dangerous for anti-regime dissidents. “It is a clearing house only,” said one Syrian activist, who directs a network of dissidents across the border. “There are many ways that the regime can get to people here — they don’t even have to be here themselves. They just use their proxies.” At least 1,000 refugees crossed into Lebanon at the Wadi Khaled border point on Friday after an assault on the Syrian city of Homs, Lebanese officials reported. Among those were five men with gunshot wounds. A resident of the border village told the Observer that Syrian army units patrolling near by had opened fire towards the wounded as they tried to enter Lebanon. Syria Bashar Al-Assad Turkey Arab and Middle East unrest Martin Chulov guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Things are looking ever more grim for Moammar Gadhafi: Libyan rebels today said they’ve gained total control of the oft-captured oil port of Brega, reports the AP , after sealing their grip on its industrial section. This follows Thursday’s capture of Zawiyah, and puts rebels just 30 miles from Gadhafi’s stronghold…
Continue reading …North Korean leader Kim Jong Il arrived in Russia’s Far East today and will meet with President Dmitry Medvedev during a visit expected to last a week, the Kremlin said. It is Kim’s first trip to the country in nine years and a further sign of Pyongyang’s increasing efforts to…
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• Hammer F5 or click on auto-refresh for all the latest action • Ping your emails towards scott.murray@guardian.co.uk • Keep up to date with our Live Scores service Welcome to what, if recent history is any guide, should be a shoo-in for Chelsea. They’ve won all ten of their Premier League games against today’s opponents West Bromwich Albion, scoring 29 goals and conceding only three in the process. Albion’s last league victory at Stamford Bridge was a 3-1 triumph in September 1978 , Tony Brown, Cyrille Regis and John Wile getting the goals. The old First Division. That’s a long time waiting. West Brom lost 6-0 here last season on the opening day of the season. But they’re much improved since then, thanks to manager/coach Roy Hodgson, who has shored up that rickety old defence. Not only that, he’s sharpened them up at the front with the purchase of Shane Long, who already has 0.5 of a goal to his name for the Baggies after that joint effort with David De Gea last weekend. They’ll go into this match with a little hope, if not much in the way of expectation. Thank you, my Premier League! Kick off: 5.30pm. Early team news, whipped straight from the wires, and there’s no shame in that: Hilario was given the nod in goal and there was a recall for Nicolas Anelka for Andre Villas-Boas’ first home game as Chelsea boss. Portuguese veteran Hilario replaced the injured Petr Cech and Anelka came in for Florent Malouda, with Fernando Torres once again preferred to Didier Drogba in attack. The Baggies named an unchanged side from last week’s defeat to Manchester United, with Peter Odemwingie fit enough to be named on the substitutes’ bench. Chelsea: Hilario, Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Mikel, Lampard, Anelka, Torres, Kalou. Subs: Turnbull, Ivanovic, Benayoun, Drogba, Malouda, Ferreira, McEachran. West Brom: Foster, Reid, Tamas, Olsson, Shorey, Scharner, Mulumbu, Brunt, Morrison, Long, Tchoyi. Subs: Fulop, Cech, Dorrans, Jara Reyes, McAuley, Odemwingie, Cox. Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire) Premier League 2011-12 Premier League Chelsea West Brom Scott Murray guardian.co.uk
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• Turn on our auto-refresh tool for the latest updates • Email jacob.steinberg.casual@guardian.co.uk for a chat • Follow Jacob on Twitter if that’s your thing • All today’s scores and scorers in one handy place Back in 15 minutes. “I predict a very, very bad season for Everton this campaign,” says Sean Moore. “No money, no investment, the banks holding us to ransom, no new players, no new ground, or, indeed, grounds for optimism. Somebody, somewhere – please put some capital in the club, and fast, before it’s too late. Once it’s gone, it’s gone, and the premier league will be the poorer for it.” If it’s any consolation, Liverpool aren’t winning. Half time: Swansea 0-0 Wigan. Swansea have been brilliant but they don’t lead. Half time: Aston Villa 2-0 Blackburn. It’s not Steve Kean’s week. Half time: Everton 0-1 QPR. Well. 3.45pm: “I don’t think any discussion on Goldfinger is complete without this piece of genuis from Peter Serafinowicz,” says Terry Cooper. “As one of the commenters on Youtube said I don’t think i can take Ringo seriously anymore of viewing that!” When did they take him 3.43pm: Port Vale are 4-0 up against Accrington. Dear me. “She’s on a roll today,” says Andrew Dean. “My girlfriend asks, ‘What’s so funny about a Clockwatch reader having a girlfriend? Nerds have sex too’” Really ? GOAL! Burnley 1-1 Cardiff (Earnshaw, 40 min): We’re on an ad break, so no details of the goal. But what’s important is that Cardiff are level and Robert Earnshaw’s done a somersault. 3.40pm: Everton appeal for a penalty as Cahill goes down in the area, but the referee says no. The attack continues, the ball’s flung back into the area and Cahill somehow heads wide from six yards out. Remarkably he hasn’t scored a goal for Everton in 2011. 3.39pm: Which one was the gold finger? 3.37pm: “Maybe it’s just Malcolm In the Middle because it always him at the center of every episode trying to sort his family out, he’s the problem solver, therefore in the middle of everything,” says Joseph Ward. 3.36pm: Over on ITV, James Bond is wearing a dinner jacket. And something’s just gone BANG. 3.34pm: “In response to Niall Mullen’s false advertising claim, my girlfriend says, ‘not in people’s hearts it didn’t’,” parps Andrew Dean. STOP PRESS! ANDREW DEAN’S GOT A GIRLFRIEND! A CLOCKWATCH READER HAS A GIRLFRIEND! 3.33pm: Swansea sound like Arsenal Lite. Plenty of dominance, possession and chances but nothing to show for it yet. GOAL! Everton 0-1 QPR (Smith, 31 min): Tommy Smith curls the ball past Tim Howard from the edge of the area and QPR have their first goal in the Premier League since 1996! Who saw this one coming? 3.30pm: This may be an Oldie but is Goldfinger the greatest Bond Theme of all time?” asks Billy Murphy. I beg to differ . GOAL! Brighton 1-0 Blackpool (Mackail-Smith, 29 min): A header from Mackail-Smith gives the hosts the lead. Brighton in the Premier League? They couldn’t, could they? GOAL! Reading 0-1 Barnsley (Foster, 28 min): “Well done Barnsley!” says Sky Commentating Man, because that’s not at all patronising. GOAL! Aston Villa 2-0 Blackburn (Heskey, 25 min): You know you’re in trouble when dep’t. Apparently a fantastic goal. This time Agbonlahor is the provider, holding off Salgado, before rolling it across to Heskey, who beats Robinson in clincal fashion. I know! 3.24pm: An ad break on Soccer Saturday. Goldfinger’s nearly on though. “Malcolm was the 3rd of 5 children (Francis, Reese, Malcolm, Dewey, Jamie) and many of his problems stemmed from being the overlooked middle child,” says Niall Mullen. “Of more concern is the flagrant false advertising of the film “The Never Ending Story”. Running time 102 minutes.” But Jamie wasn’t around at the start of the series. GOAL! Nottingham Forest 0-2 Leicester (Fernandes, 21 min): Oh Schteve! Forest’s defending is a hot disgrace. 3.22pm: Fantasy Football’s Leighton Baines hits the underside of the bar with a free-kick! QPR are hanging on. GOAL! Southampton 1-0 Millwall (Guly do Prado, 18 min): This Southampton lot aren’t half bad, are they? It’s like the days of Marian Parhars never ended. GOAL! Nottingham Forest 0-1 Leicester (Nugent, 18 min): David Nugent scores against the team managed by the genius who gave him his England bow . There’s gratitude for you. GOAL! Hull 0-1 Crystal Palace (Jermaine Easter, 15 min): At Deepdale, Phil Brown chuckles. 3.16pm: “Don’t want to point out the obvious but Malcolm was the main character, so while Reese was also ‘in the middle’ he wasn’t the main character so naming it ‘Reese in the middle’ wouldn’t be appropriate unless it was about Reese,” says Etienne Michelet. Yes, but then what’s so significant about him being in the middle? At Villa Park, David Dunn has aimed a sly kick at Luke Young, who was presumably casting aspersions about his acting skills. 3.15pm: “Nice and smooth football,” says Charlie Nicholas, who’s watching Swansea v Wigan. No goals though. No goals. 3.13pm: “Every Saturday it is the same,” says a melancholy Richard Woods. “I settle down to listen to the game (Macclesfleld vs the Mighty Gas, since you ask) on the club page, while following the bigger clubs on Clockwatch and every Saturday the commentary “isn’t available”, presumably because worldwide hordes of other football famms who can’t get to the game regulalrly have subscribed to their team’s live commentary and got there first. Through dogged perseverance, I usuallly get some of the game, but it’s really annoying having to go through this lot every single week. Am I the only one or are there others out there suffering? And if you are reading, Bristol Rovers FC, sort it out!” GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 Blackburn (Agbonlahor, 12 min): Steve Kean pours himself a stiff drink as Agbonlahor holds off several weak Blackburn challenges, cuts in from the left and scores his first goal since April. Blackburn are so going down. 3.09pm: Goldfinger’s on ITV in 20 minutes! Will he win? Find out soon. 3.08pm: At Goodison Park, Everton feel they should have a penalty after Connolly barged into Rodwell in the area. No dice. GOAL! Derby 1-0 Doncaster (Zinedine Kilbane, 6 min): Doncaster’s terrible start to the season continues as Kilbane heads in from a corner. “Maybe ‘Malcolm, Along With the Other Members of His Family, Gets in the Middle of Several Unfortunate but Predictable Scenarios’ was deemed a bit long,” says Eamonn Maloney. GOAL! Burnley 1-0 Cardiff (Austin, 2 min): Charlie Austin bullets a header in to give Burnley the lead and Cardiff’s early momentum has rather disappeared. 3.02pm: To my left, Barry Glendenning is leaning back, both feet plonked on his desk. It’s that sort of day in here. At the Liberty Stadium, Swansea have started very well, but Graham has missed a very presentable chance to put them ahead, snatching at a cross from Routledge. 3.01pm: Not that we’d know on Sky Sports News. They’re still on an ad break. Does football happen when they’re showing an advert? “Apparently QPR’s squad was decimated by a virus,” says Andrew Kelly. “Campbell & Bothroyd out, Connolly & Taarabt start but are ill. Expect Everton to get a cricket score.” Is Kieron Dyer ok? 3pm: Peep! Peep Peep Peep! We’re off. “Is Malcolm not at least the middle child of those that still live at home?” asks Ade Cooper. “Or perhaps it’s a metaphorical middle, where Malcolm acts as the ego, caught between the id of the other children and the super-ego of the parents?” Well yes, but that doesn’t make him the middle child. I’m not having it. Your other explanation is more plausible though. Bob Mortimer’s being interviewed on Soccer Saturday. Nah. “Toon went and won, Arsenal are having their implosion early this year (cunning plan so they can be safe in knowledge it won’t happen as a title challenge is mounting perhaps?) and now the rest of the games…are less interesting, oh dear, might switch over to goldfinger at half past,” says Oliver Lewis. Goldfinger, you say… So Liverpool are about to win at Arsenal for the first time since 2000. Do you remember who got the goal? Malcolm in the Middle chat here. “To the point,” says Tom Jenkins, getting straight to it. Malcolm in the Middle. He’s not the youngest kid. He’s not the oldest kid. He’s in the middle.” Yes, but that applies to Reese as well. Today’s team news. All for you. Aston Villa v Blackburn Aston Villa (4-4-2): Given; Young, Dunne, Collins, Warnock; N’Zogbia, Delph, Petrov, Agbonlahor; Bent, Heskey. Subs: Guzan, Ireland, Albrighton, Delfouneso, Makoun, Clark, Bannan. Blackburn (4-4-2): Robinson; Salgado, Nelsen, Hanley, Olsson; Hoilett, Dunn, Nzonzi, Pedersen; Goodwillie, Roberts. Subs: Bunn, Formica, Petrovic, Rochina, Blackman, Ribeiro, Lowe. Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire) Everton v QPR Everton (4-4-1-1): Howard; Neville, Jagielka, Distin, Baines;, Barkley, Heitinga, Rodwell, Osman; Cahill; Beckford. Subs: Mucha, Hibbert, Saha, Arteta, Fellaini, Vellios, Anichebe. QPR (4-4-1-1): Kenny; Orr, Hall, Gabbidon, Connolly; Buzsaky, Derry, Faurlin, Smith; Taarabt; Agyemang. Subs: Murphy, Bothroyd, Gorkss, Perone, Moen, Ephraim, Andrade. Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire) Swansea v Wigan Swansea (4-2-3-1): Vorm; Rangel, Caulker, Williams, Taylor; Agustien, Britton; Routledge, Dyer, Sinclair; Graham. Subs: Moreira, Tate, Dobbie, Lita, Moore, Allen, Gower. Wigan (4-5-1): Al Habsi; Boyce, Caldwell, Alcaraz; Figueroa, Diame, Watson, Gomez, McCarthy, Moses; Di Santo. Subs: Pollitt, Thomas, McArthur, Sammon, Jones, Rodallega, Stam. Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire) Take what we can get dep’t: “Newcastle are top of the league,” says a rather desperate Ben Monk. “Can we follow the Fiver’s lead and STOP FOOTBALL now please, and give us the trophy?” An email! “My commiserations on the wasps, I’m sure this tale of my childhood will cheer you up/fill you with horror,” offers Andrew Booth. “I was about 10 and staying in a small country hotel in the south of England with my family. I awoke to a wasps sting on my hand about 6 in the morning, and another as I tried to move my hand from under the blankets. I pulled back the blanket a bit to see what was happening to find the sheets filled with wasps. There was a nest under the bed and they’d joined me in the night. I nearly went mad, but managed to get my hand out without any further stings and ring my parents room. In the end the hotel’s housekeeper had to hoover the wasps out from the sheets before I could get out of bed. I think I was stung about 10 times. I still wake up sometimes in the night with phantom stings. On the football front, I’m watching the arse/pool game in Spanish on the internets. Every time the ball comes to Frimpong the commentator sings his name. It’s quite joyous to listen to.” Well that’s my sleep ruined tonight. We’ve got a big bumper set of games today for you. Oh yes. Three whole matches start in the Premier League at 3pm! Why, Richard Scudamore, you spoil us. So welcome to the Premier League, QPR and Swansea. This is your future Is it all you hoped and dreamed it would be? Maybe not. Both of them lost 4-0 in their opening games last week, although Swansea had more of an excuse, seeing as they were Sergio Agueroed, while QPR were Muambad. It doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, does it? I mentioned last week that QPR are my local team – though not my team – so I had a quick look at tickets for a game in the near future. £50 (Fifty pounds!)! To watch Shaun Derry. And DJ Campbell. And Jay Bothroyd. £50! But things are starting to look up for QPR, what with Tony Fernandes having become their new owner. The preposterous pair of Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore are out. Neil Warnock’s backed. Kieron Dyer’s still injured though. Fernandes is rich, he isn’t a miracle worker. What Everton would give for one of those though. Or just a new signing really. Bring your boots to Goodison Park, you may get a game. So QPR lost 4-0 at home to Bolton, and Swansea suffered the same fate at Manchester City. Perhaps it’s merely an echo of Sunderland’s 4-0 defeat at Chelsea on the opening day in 1999, and they went on to finish 7th, Kevin Phillips helping himself to 30 goals. Swansea won’t be emulating Peter Reid’s side and Danny Graham won’t be emulating Phillips, but there was enough in their opening 30 minutes at City to suggest they have enough to stay up. Which will become an achievable target if they win games like Wigan at home. This should be an attractive one, featuring two sides who want to get the ball down and play. Roberto Martinez returns to the Liberty Stadium as well, having initially laid the foundations for Brendan Rodgers to succeed. At Villa Park, it’s meh v meh Aston Villa v Blackburn. Let’s hope no one spikes Steve Kean’s water bottle before he names his team. We’ll also be keeping an eye on the Championship. At the City Ground, Steve McClaren and Sven-Goran Eriksson can debate who’s more unpopular in this country while Nottingham Forest and Leicester, who have both had underwhelming starts, take each other on, while Southampton and Brighton are both looking to maintain their 100% starts. It’s Millwall and Blackpool for them respectively. I’ve had a terrible week by the way. A wasps nest outside my room, you see. Stung on the leg at 5am. Stung on the foot at 8am. It’s been a little bit like this. Why did they call it Malcolm in the Middle? It could just as easily have been Reese in the Middle. Maybe it should have been called Malcolm’s Musings. There, that’s the burning issues of the day all covered in full for you. My headphones today have a microphone in them as well, which means I look a bit like PB . Not that there’s anything wrong with looking like that perma-tanned Mourinho tribute act. Premier League Championship League One League Two Jacob Steinberg guardian.co.uk
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Both men were arrested in July 2009 after they crossed into Iran from Iraq An Iranian court has sentenced two Americans accused of spying to eight years in jail, Iran’s state-run television has reported. Sources from Iran’s judiciary told the news channel IRINN that Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, both 29, have each received three years for illegally entering Iran and further five years each for espionage for the US intelligence services. The channel said they have 20 days to appeal the verdict. Fattal and Shane Bauer were arrested in July 2009 after they crossed into Iran from Iraq. Sarah Shourd, who was detained with them but returned to the US after being freed on bail last year, has said the trio were innocent hikers who traversed an unmarked border into Iran by mistake. The case has further aggravated tensions between Iran and the US already strained over Iran’s nuclear programme. The US accuses Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons. Iran says it is enriching uranium for electricity only. United States Iran Middle East Saeed Kamali Dehghan guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Both men were arrested in July 2009 after they crossed into Iran from Iraq An Iranian court has sentenced two Americans accused of spying to eight years in jail, Iran’s state-run television has reported. Sources from Iran’s judiciary told the news channel IRINN that Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, both 29, have each received three years for illegally entering Iran and further five years each for espionage for the US intelligence services. The channel said they have 20 days to appeal the verdict. Fattal and Shane Bauer were arrested in July 2009 after they crossed into Iran from Iraq. Sarah Shourd, who was detained with them but returned to the US after being freed on bail last year, has said the trio were innocent hikers who traversed an unmarked border into Iran by mistake. The case has further aggravated tensions between Iran and the US already strained over Iran’s nuclear programme. The US accuses Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons. Iran says it is enriching uranium for electricity only. United States Iran Middle East Saeed Kamali Dehghan guardian.co.uk
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