Kebe joke announcing move from Reading to Newcastle fools Twitter - The Guardian

The Reading winger Jimmy Kébé on Thursday claimed he was about to become Newcastle's latest recruit before admitting he was joking.

The 29-year-old said on his Twitter account: "On my way to Newcastle, having medical then sign a 4 years contract. Thank you all for your support you've been outstanding !!!!"

However, the Magpies denied the claim and, shortly afterwards, Kébé tweeted: "Oups i thought if you're french and play football u just pop in to Newcastle and sign a contract ???? Not a chance of leaving #LoveReadingFc#".

Facebook looks at charging $1 to send messages to strangers - Telegraph.co.uk

"For example, if you want to send a message to someone you heard speak at an event but are not friends with, or if you want to message someone about a job opportunity, you can use this feature to reach their inbox."

The Menlo Park, California-based social network in 2011 introduced "other" folders as repositories for messages of dubious interest to recipients.

The test was introduced along with updates that included "basic" or "strict" filtering settings for inboxes.

The strict setting limits inboxes to little more than messages from friends at the social network, while the basic setting opens the door to friends of friends.

FA Cup third round - The Guardian

Both sides have made a number of changes, as you'd expect: four for Swansea, three for Arsenal. Michu is on the bench – he has a slight back problem – and it appears Theo Walcott has been BANISHED to the right wing.

Swansea (possible 4-2-3-1) Vorm; Tiendalli, Chico, Bartley, Davies; Britton, Ki; Routledge, de Guzman, Dyer; Graham.

Subs: Tremmel, Rangel, Monk, Agustien, Hernandez, Michu, Shechter.

Arsenal (possible 4-2-3-1) Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Arteta, Wilshere; Walcott, Cazorla, Ramsey; Giroud.

Subs: Martinez, Vermaelen, Santos, Coquelin, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Podolski.

Referee Howard Webb (S Yorkshire)

Arsenal's top 7 photos of 2012: the Gunners year in pictures - talkSPORT.co.uk

As we bring down the curtain on another year, we take a look at our Premier League's exploits in 2012. Arsenal have had a topsy-turvy year, with many lows, but just as many highs. Robin van Persie may have departed, but Gooners have certainly been entertained by new buys Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud, and will have been buoyed by Jack Wilshere's return from injury.

What's been your favourite Arsenal moment from 2012? Comment below...

Weather: 70mph gales could hit Britain this weekend - Telegraph.co.uk

A robbery trial was halted at Warwick Crown Court after four glass windows shattered in high winds, forcing security staff to evacuate defendants.

Winds gusting to Force 6 delayed cross-Channel ferry crossings while CrossCountry trains cancelled services between Plymouth and Bristol.

The poor driving conditions led to record call-outs for the AA, with around 900 breakdowns being reported every hour. Yet some hardy beachgoers were seen windsurfing at Gwithian beach in Cornwall.

A Met Office spokesman said: "There is more very unsettled weather to come this weekend which will bring further impact across the UK. People should stay up to date with the weather forecast over the coming days."

Liverpool target Birmingham's Nathan Redmond as Brendan Rodgers plans ... - Telegraph.co.uk

"It will always be the case that I'll be able to bring in the players of my choice. Obviously there'll be money available to do that in January. The scouting team are out there now compiling lists and looking at targets that we can hopefully bring in.

"If they are affordable and available then hopefully we can bring in that support that can help the group.

"I'm confident of that. There will be one or two of our scouting network, along with myself, who will be looking at players.

"Whichever one of those players out of that group I want to go for, then we'll do that."

Gunned down: Barcelona tell Arsenal to forget about signing Villa - Mirror.co.uk

Arsenal have been told to forget about making an audacious loan move for Barcelona striker David Villa.

The Spanish striker, 31, is out-of-favour at the Nou Camp.

Arsene Wenger has made bolstering his strikeforce a priority in January - with Villa among his wish-list.

The Gunners boss was left reeling after top target Klaas-Jan Huntelaar opted to stay with Schalke.

But Villa will not be heading to the Emirates, according to Barcelona director of football Andoni Zubizarreta. He said: "In January we will keep Villa.

"It is important to remember that Barcelona is a club that habitually does not accept offers for star players in January."

Everton v Liverpool: Brendan Rodgers set to axe fit-again Pepe Reina and stick ... - Telegraph.co.uk

Rodgers has appealed for referee Andre Marriner to ensure "it's a football game and not a rugby game" at Goodison Park.

"It's important for the referees to stay calm," Rodgers said. "I've seen it over the years, some of the tackles in these games are incredible."

Meanwhile, Everton manager David Moyes has suggested that if he doesn't sign a new contract before January – his current deal expires next summer – it "might become a bigger issue".

However, he added: "I don't feel any great need to do anything at this time. I'm sure it could be done quickly, (but) I don't want any distractions."

Boeing 787 Dreamliner's first flight to London - Telegraph.co.uk

Qatar eventually expect to have 60 Dreamliners in their fleet. They have firm orders for 30 and options on a further 30, but it was the airline's bad luck to launch their 787 service exactly a month after a serious teething problem came to light. In November Boeing issued an alert about a possible leak from a fuel line caused by "improper assembly". In the US, where so far only United has a 787 in its fleet, the Federal Aviation Authority ordered a mandatory check. The fault, they said, could potentially lead to fire, engine failure or the aircraft running out of fuel. Boeing responded rather huffily that there were "multiple layers of systems to ensure none of those things happen."

Gove GCSE U-turn: teachers react on Twitter - The Guardian (blog)

Scrapping AS-levels will give students time to explore their subjects

Gove's A-level reform is a sweet symphony to the ears of music teacher, Victoria Pearson, who looks forward to her pupils studying Mozart and Mahler, free from interruption by exams

Liverpool youngster Danny Wilson joins Bristol City on loan - Goal.com

Liverpool have confirmed that Danny Wilson has joined Bristol City on an emergency two-month loan.

The 20-year-old Scotland international has made nine first-team appearances since moving to Anfield from Rangers in 2010, but is yet to feature under Brendan Rodgers this season.

He moves to Ashton Gate with Bristol City currently sitting in 23rd place in The Championship, and without a win in 11 matches.

Wilson spent the second half of last season on loan at Blackpool, and was heavily linked with a permanent move to the Seasiders in the summer.

London Midland runs 'full service' - BBC News

28 October 2012 Last updated at 06:59 ET

Rail operator London Midland has said it expects to run all of its 520 services on Sunday.

Staff shortages have led to many cancellations over the past few weeks, with the government warning the company it is "monitoring the situation closely".

London Midland has said it expects to run a full service on Sunday and to have seven cancellations on Monday.

The firm has said it expects to be fully staffed by mid-December.

London Midland mainly operates services across the West Midlands but also runs services to Liverpool and London Euston.

Arsenal expect to have Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Wojciech ... - Telegraph.co.uk

"Now I'm feeling better and better as every game goes on and there's no hiding place when you're playing at the Emirates, at Old Trafford and you're in front of everyone. You have to be at a certain standard so you don't let your team-mates and your fans down.

"Mentally it has been tough because you question yourself all the time. You go to the Emirates, you watch games and you think, 'has it got quicker? I don't remember it being this quick. Can I get back to this level that I was at before?' But I feel good now and hopefully, with a few more games, I can get back to my best."

Arsenal set to sign £25 million shirt deal with Adidas - Telegraph.co.uk

Broadening its association with other big London clubs will assist in deflecting from a particular affinity with Chelsea's brand.

The value of Arsenal's kit-supply deal has lost ground on their rivals after locking in 2005 prices eight years ago in a search for guaranteed future cash to convince banks they could cover the interest on their £400 million stadium-project loans.

Manchester United are hoping for a "major increase" from Nike even on their £23.5 million-a-year deal, which also benefits from an additional profit-sharing agreement, giving clues to Arsenal's worth to a new supplier. Adidas's deal with Real Madrid, its biggest-selling client, is said to have been struck at 40 million euro a year, although no official figures have been revealed.

Swansea v Chelsea and Arsenal v West Ham latest updatesLive - BBC News

The snow has been falling heavily in and around Swansea since mid-afternoon, but there's been no dramas on the pitch, and the game goes ahead as scheduled.

A Swansea statement an hour or so ago said: "Despite the snow, the Liberty pitch is in good condition with referee Chris Foy happy with the surface following an inspection.

"The surrounding areas outside the stadium have been classed as safe but we do ask supporters to be cautious when travelling to the stadium and entering the Liberty due to the current weather conditions.

"Some bus services have been cancelled, so we advise fans to check with their local travel operator."

London Film Festival 2012: Dustin Hoffman's Quartet, review - Telegraph.co.uk

The actual story feels faintly beside the point, except as an excuse for Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly and Pauline Collins to trade barbs and reap their standing ovations, while supplying subtler, more bittersweet notes about the pathos of reaching a career's end. As the four members of a once-celebrated operatic ensemble, they're reunited when Smith joins the other three at an enviably plush retirement home for musicians (played by Hedsor House in Buckinghamshire). There's a lot of blood under the bridge, especially between Smith's Jean and Courtenay's Reg, who were once married for a split second, and persuading these two to let bygones rest for the annual concert is rendered especially hard by the old feelings that rear up.

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere ruled out until April - Telegraph.co.uk

"Jack Wilshere is out of the Munich game," said Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager. "He has an inflamed ankle, the other ankle to the one he injured. He will be out for three weeks and will not be available for Munich, Swansea and not for England. Hopefully for the Premier League he will miss only one game. After is an international break. We can slowly prepare him."

What to do in London this week, from the ATP finals to the Lord Mayor's Show - Telegraph.co.uk

ATP World Tour Finals, Greenwich
The ATP is the Association of Tennis Professionals and its annual world tour concludes again this year at London's O2 Arena. As ever, the ATP World Tour Finals sees the world's top eight players in men's tennis round off the season by battling each other to be crowned the definitive tennis champion of 2012. For their trouble there's the chance to pick up a helping of the multimillion-dollar prize fund. With egos to bolster and serious money to be made, the competition is reliably fierce so expect star turns from Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer, David Ferrer, Tomas Berdych, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Janko Tipsarevic and Mardy Fish.

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere's recovery continues with full 90 minutes in ... - Telegraph.co.uk

However, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will have a day's less recovery time as he started on the bench for England in their delayed World Cup qualifier against Poland in Warsaw.

Forward Theo Walcott, meanwhile, remains doubtful for Saturday's evening kick-off at Carrow Road after he was poleaxed by San Marino goalkeeper Aldo Simoncini at Wembley and continues to receive treatment for what is understood to be a badly-bruised chest.

Vito Mannone looks set to feature again in goal as Wojciech Szczesny recovers from a niggling ankle problem.

Meanwhile, it has been reported fellow Poland international Lukasz Fabianski, who had been troubled with a back problem, is set for another spell on the sidelines with his own ankle injury suffered in training this week.

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger defends team's 'absurd' private jet journey ... - Telegraph.co.uk

She said in the Eastern Daily Press: "It is absolutely absurd. I cannot see any reason why they would have flown, other than it being a rather ostentatious display of the players' and the club's wealth.

"If the flight took 14 minutes, they must have spent more time just getting on and off the plane than in the air."

Arsenal, though, stand by the decision.

A spokesman for the club said: "The club considers all transport options available for the first team when travelling to an away fixture.

"Given the severe disruption to rail services at the weekend the most time efficient option was to fly, hence the first team made the journey by plane from London to Norwich."

Arsenal preparing to break their transfer record to bring in £20million ... - Telegraph.co.uk

Wenger aims is to add proven quality in specifically targeted areas. With Wenger himself out of contract next year, his success in this summer's transfer market and how Arsenal start next season could be pivotal in deciding whether he remains at the club beyond 2014.

Wenger's plan is to continue to rebuild around a British core of players, notably Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey and Kieran Gibbs, but also use the club's greater financial strength to have a better chance of competing for the world's elite players.

Arsenal's wage bill will also be eased this summer when Sebastian Squillaci and Andrei Arshavin are out of contract. Nicklas Bendtner, Marouane Chamakh, Johan Djourou and Park Chu-young will also be available.

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere admits to being less than 100 per cent after ... - Telegraph.co.uk

"I'm getting there. I don't feel 100 per cent yet and everyone can see that. I feel better and better as every game goes on.

"I need to get some games under my belt and properly get back into the swing of things.

"But it's great to be back. Seventeen months on the sidelines is tough for anyone."

Wilshere was happy to put trust in England head coach Roy Hodgson and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in determining how long he should play for England.

He said: "They know what they are doing. I'm sure they spoke before we met up and they reached an agreement. The agreement was the last 30 minutes and Roy gave me the last 30 minutes so I'm grateful for that."

Liverpool v Young Boys: match preview - Telegraph.co.uk

What they say

Brendan Rodgers: "It is an opportunity for us. If the other result goes with us we can navigate our way through the group. We will improve in the second half of the season, this group will get stronger, and it will be easier going forward once we have supplemented the group."

Form guide

Liverpool are currently on a seven-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, largely thanks to Suárez's hot streak.

Young Boys are fifth in the Swiss League, some 12 points off an automatic Europa League berth for next season.

Liverpool (4-2-1-3): Reina; Downing, Skrtel, Carragher, Wisdom; Henderson, Sahin; Suso; Shelvey, Cole, Assaidi.

Chinese New Year: London parade welcomes Year of the Snake - BBC News

10 February 2013 Last updated at 10:20 ET

Thousands of people have turned out in the rain to celebrate the Chinese New Year in central London.

A parade, starting at Trafalgar Square, saw floats and beating drums head through the city towards Chinatown.

About 100 world-renowned acts, including singers, dancers and musicians, performed in the square to welcome in the Year of the Snake.

People were also treated to a Flying Lion Dance in front of the National Gallery.

Chinatown hosted a number of activities with traditional craft stalls and food stands lining the streets.

The day of activities will conclude with a firework display.

Watch London fashion week live on the Guardian - The Guardian (blog)

As the fashion pack jets back from a cold and weather-beaten New York, London fashion week kicks into gear. Over the next five days the Guardian will be running live streams from the catwalks on guardian.co.uk/fashion, including collections from Clements Ribeiro, Julien Macdonald, House of Holland, Margaret Howell, Mulberry and more.

Watch all the shows you fancy for free on guardian.co.uk/fashion right now.

• The London fashion week schedule in full

Bacary Sagna's future at Arsenal in doubt over ongoing contract wrangle - Telegraph.co.uk

Although Arsenal have succeeded in extending the contracts of Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott, Kieran Gibbs, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey and Carl Jenkinson over the past month, the loss of Sagna would still be significant.

It would also further underline the sudden break-up of the Arsenal first team since 2011, with Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Gaël Clichy, Robin van Persie and Alex Song having all departed.

Sagna questioned the club's summer transfer strategy and said that he could not understand why Arsenal had sold Song as well as Van Persie.

He also admitted on Wednesday that Arsenal had been over-reliant last season on Van Persie.

"He carried the team all by himself last season – he's doing it again with Manchester United this season," he said.

England recruit Carl Jenkinson caps memorable week by signing lucrative new ... - Telegraph.co.uk

"Carl is a guy with massive potential and I believe the positive of that is it will improve his belief, and that is very important for him in my opinion."

England's friendly will help mark the official opening of Stockholm's new state-of-the-art Friends Arena.

Wenger will see most of his squad away during next week in what the Arsenal manager sees as somewhat unnecessary fixtures.

He said: "The friendlies in November, you don't know how they can prepare you for a game in February.

"Basically there are a lot of politics behind these games as well because when you see some teams travelling during that period, you think it is more to pay back some corporation rather than preparing a team for the next official game."

Liverpool's José Enrique out for up to six weeks, says Brendan Rodgers - The Guardian

The Liverpool defender José Enrique is likely to be sidelined for six weeks with a hamstring problem, the club's manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed.

The Spaniard was injured in the victory at Queens Park Rangers on Sunday and, after being assessed by the club's medical staff, it seems unlikely he will feature again until late February.

"He will probably be out for up to six weeks with his hamstring," said Rodgers. "It's a shame because in the game he felt nothing. Sometimes you can enter games and be tight and stiff but he felt great.

"It was unfortunate he has done that because he has looked fantastic in the [recent] games."

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and team-mate Luis Suárez could be rested for ... - Telegraph.co.uk

The former Chelsea and England midfielder has also become a target of criticism from the terraces – one fan tweeted that Cole, who has made just 36 appearances in two years for Liverpool, should be replaced in the squad by an "upside-down shopping trolley" – and Cabaye, a former Lille player, insists that Cole would be better served by returning to France.

"It is not easy for him (Cole) because he does not play much," Cabaye said. "It worked well for him at Lille and maybe would be a good idea for him to return there.

"The club, the coach, the fans love him at Lille. I've heard that [coach] Rudi Garcia would be interested to have him back."

Where in London can I have my hair professionally straightened? - Telegraph.co.uk

Vision on Brick Lane offers two leading hair straightening techniques; the Yuko system and the Keratin Brazilian blow dry. Both claim to add shine to you locks as well as straightening, but Keratin's the better choice for curly, frizzy or damaged hair.

For a cheaper, short-term treatment, try Compton Hair's X-Tenso in their Barbican salon. This light chemical smoothing system will give you relaxed, smooth curls for six to eight weeks. So now all you need to do is track down a handsome prince.

Ask our In the Know experts a question about London here

Nuri Sahin's Liverpool loan ends as he makes Dortmund switch - BBC Sport

Liverpool have ended Nuri Sahin's loan, and he will now spend the next 18 months at Borussia Dortmund.

The 23-year-old joined Liverpool in August from Real Madrid and had been due to play out the season at Anfield.

However, after 12 appearances and three goals, Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has decided to end Sahin's loan deal.

The Turkey international started his career at Dortmund, won the 2011 league title with them and was voted Bundesliga player of the year in 2010.

Sahin moved to Real Madrid in 2011, signing a contract until 2017 with the Spanish side. He will now represent his former club on a temporary basis until the end of the 2013-14 season.

D'oh! Arsenal target Yanga-Mbiwa dreams of playing in England.. for Man United - Mirror.co.uk

Arsenal target Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa has revealed he dreams of playing in England - but with Manchester United.

Montpellier's French international defender says joining United is his lifelong ambition ahead of Arsenal and AC Milan who are both keen to sign him next summer.

Yanga-Mbiwa, 23, told France Football: "My dream is to play with the shirt of Manchester United in a match in Old Trafford. My favourite club is United without doubt.

"When I sleep I dream of scoring a decisive goal with my head at a corner. That would be very beautiful."

Meanwhile, Wenger wants Sir Alex Ferguson to return his Robin van Persie "favour" - by agreeing to sell him Nani in the January window.

James McClean Twitter death threats investigated by police after Sunderland ... - Telegraph.co.uk

Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill, speaking after Sunday's match, confirmed McClean had received death threats but said he backed the player to deal with the unsettling abuse, having had to cope with irate fans' reaction when he chose to represent the Republic of Ireland rather than his native Northern Ireland.

O'Neill said: "James will deal with it (the booing). I think it is to do with the issue last week, it's a free choice in this world.

"James has lived with a lot of things - he's getting death threats too now, so that doesn't help."

McClean, an Irish Catholic from Derry, turned down the chance to play for Northern Ireland in favour of the Republic last year, and was criticised by some for turning the poppy appeal into a political statement.

Environment minister Richard Benyon says Britain must plan for 'changing ... - Telegraph.co.uk

"After the horrendous floods of 2007, where 55,000 houses were flooded, around five or six thousand houses have been flooded over this year, 2012," he said. "If any house has been... flooded it's a miserable experience for whoever's involved. But we are better prepared now, we had the largest civil contingency, emergency exercise last year, which put into practice all the things that are being done at the moment and you can never stop flooding happening."

The minister said his "heart goes out to people whose Christmas has been ruined by these extraordinary weather circumstances".

"The sight of people's presents floating around in houses or in shops is just awful but I think heroic work has been done by the Environment Agency, by the emergency services, by local councils and, you know, great community spirit," he said.

Refer to Manuel: Liverpool plot summer move for Malaga midfielder Iturra - Mirror.co.uk

Liverpool boss Brendan Rogers is plotting a summer swoop for Malaga midfielder Manuel Iturra, writes the Sunday People.

The 28-year-old Chilean will be available on a free when his contract runs out in June.

The Spanish outfit have opened negotiations over a new deal with Iturra but would still listen to offers of around £3million for him at the end of the season.

However, the player is aware he will secure better terms at a new club if he becomes a free agent and is set to reject any new terms on offer at Malaga.

Meanwhile, Jose Enrique now understands the method in Brendan Rodgers' madness.

Missing Milnathort teenager found safe in London area - BBC News

28 December 2012 Last updated at 11:13 ET

A teenager from Milnathort, who disappeared while visiting Falkirk, has been found in London.

Tayside Police said they had traced 15-year-old Chantelle Stewart to the London area.

Officers said the girl had been found safe and well on Friday, 28 December.

Police issued an appeal for the teenager after she went missing on Sunday. It was thought she had travelled south with a man she met on the social networking site Facebook.

Chantelle's family, who are travellers, had turned to Tayside Police after trying to seek help from within their own community.

It was believed the man she had been contacting on Facebook was also a traveller.

Cold weather hits Scottish Football League fixtures - BBC Sport

Six Scottish Football League matches scheduled for Saturday have been postponed because of frozen pitches.

Cowdenbeath's First Division game against Fife rivals Dunfermline is off.

The Second Division matches at Brechin City, Stranraer and Ayr United have also fallen victim to the weather.

The Third Division games at Berwick Rangers and Stirling Albion are off but Montrose's Links Park passed a Saturday morning inspection.

Matches postponed

First Division

Cowdenbeath v Dunfermline Athletic

Second Division

Ayr United v Stenhousemuir

Brechin City v Albion Rovers

Stranraer v Arbroath

Third Division

Berwick Rangers v Elgin City

Stirling Albion v Annan Athletic

Sundance London film festival to return in 2013 and 2014 - Telegraph.co.uk

Next year's Sundance London event will be held between 25-28 April, and will show films which were premiered at January's Sundance festival in the US.

Live music performances, panels and other special events – which could included a repeat of this year's opening night event 'An Evening With Robert Redford and T Bone Burnett' – will also form part of the four-day programme.

The Sundance Film Festival takes place each year in Utah, and is a showcase for new work from American and international independent filmmakers. It features competitions for dramatic, documentary, feature-length and short films. This year's Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic winner was Beasts of the Southern Wild.

Facebook in Timeline court battle - Telegraph.co.uk

In the subsequent lawsuit, however, Facebook "has failed to demonstrate, as a matter of law, that the marks are generic," US District Judge John W Darrah in Chicago wrote in a ruling today. "At this stage in the proceedings, it is not unreasonable to conclude that as to this group of users, 'timeline(s)' has acquired a specific meaning associated with plaintiff."

The judge said Timelines had "more than nominal" sales and more than a thousand active users. A jury trial is set for April 22.

Jonathan Thaw, a spokesman for Facebook, didn't immediately reply to phone messages seeking comment on the decision.

"We're happy with the ruling," Douglas Albritton, an attorney for Chicago-based Timelines, said yesterday in a phone interview. His client is seeking damages equivalent to Facebook's timeline-derived ad revenue, he said.

Send for Sanchez! Manchester City join Liverpool in summer hunt for Barcelona ... - Mirror.co.uk

Manchester City have revived their interest in Barcelona winger Alexis Sanchez.

City tried to buy the Chile international in the summer of 2011, before Sanchez eventually joined Barca for £22million.

But with Sanchez no longer a regular starter for the Catalans, City are understood to be weighing up a move for him.

Sanchez has started just nine La Liga games this season and is expected to leave the Nou Camp this summer.

Liverpool have also been linked with the 24-year-old but City's guarantee of Champions League football has put them in pole position.

Here's some of Sanchez's best bits - and make sure your read our scouting report courtesy of Spanish football expert David Cartlidge.

 

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshire poised to sign new deal - Telegraph.co.uk

Arsenal's second-largest shareholder, Alisher Usmanov, is pushing for change in the club's boardroom. However, both the Moscow-based billionaire and the board remain fully behind Wenger, who has 18 months left on his contract.

There are hopes that Wenger might spend heavily in the January transfer window to boost his squad. A experienced goalkeeper and a striker are priorities although no deal is close.

Should Wenger eventually step down, then Carlo Ancelotti is understood to be interested in succeeding him. The Paris St-Germain coach has been also under pressure himself at his club, though that has alleviated in recent weeks with improved results.

Ancelotti is a huge admirer of Arsenal. After being sacked by Chelsea in May 2011, he frequently watched Wenger's side the following season before he joined PSG and would like eventually to move back to London.

Twitter employees mapped: how are they connected? - The Guardian (blog)

How do groups of people who work for one company link up on Twitter? Designer Santiago Ortiz made this visualisation looking - appropriately enough - at employees of Twitter. Using only the public profile of users via the Twitter API and the @Twitterteam list, his visualisation shows in incredible detail the way that people interconnect, just within one organisation. Hover over a node to see which user it is and click 'play' to see those networks change over time. This is also the first public face of his new network visualisation tool. Which other organisations could it show?
Who made this graphic? Santiago Ortiz
Via Fastcode Design

Are you fed up with Facebook? - The Guardian (blog)

Facebook saw its UK user base drop by 1.86% in December, and while it still has over 31 million monthly active British users (around half of our 61.8m population), some have speculated that Facebook has reached its saturation point and will now experience a decline.

On SocialBakers index, the UK ranks as the world's sixth most active Facebook user base, but with users' anger over privacy changes and the ever-increasing popularity of Twitter – which boasts the UK as its fourth largest global user base – this could change. Do you think Facebook has reached its peak? Will it ever go the same way as MySpace? Are you fed up with the social media site?

London Welsh hooker Neil Briggs cited for foul play against Harlequins - The Guardian

Neil Briggs, the London Welsh hooker, has been cited for foul play and the Rugby Football Union has announced that he will face a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday evening.

The 27-year-old Briggs was reported by the independent citing officer John Byett for punching or striking the Harlequins back Sam Smith during last Sunday's Premiership game at the Kassam Stadium.

Harlequins, the Premiership leaders, won the match 31-26.

The case will be heard by a three-man RFU panel under the chairmanship of Jeremy Summers.

FA Women's Cup: Birmingham or Arsenal face Liverpool - BBC Sport

FA Women's Cup holders Birmingham will face Liverpool in this year's semi-finals if they can beat 11-time winners Arsenal in round six on 14 April.

Liverpool and Lincoln, neither of whom have previously won the competition, are already through to the semi-finals which will be held on 28 April.

Bristol Academy host Everton in the sixth round on 14 April after the Toffees beat Oxford 7-0 in round five.

Lincoln await the winners of the Bristol-Everton match.

FA Cup semi-final draw:

Bristol Academy or Everton v Lincoln

Liverpool v Arsenal or Birmingham

Remaining sixth-round ties to be played on Sunday 14 April

Semi-final ties to be played on Sunday 28 April

Facebook shares drop 4pc as employees offload stock - Telegraph.co.uk

Facebook suffered a painful public debut earlier this year, as investors worried about the company's ability to keep up revenue growth and the large pool of additional shares in the lock-up that are now hitting the market.

Wall Street also has cast a gimlet eye on Facebook and its ability to attract mobile revenue as more people turn to smartphones and tablet devices to access the Web.

Last week, Facebook said it increased mobile advertising revenue at a faster than expected pace, totaling $150m in the third quarter. Estimates had pegged mobile revenue at $40m to $50m in the second quarter.

Shares in Facebook are down more than 40pc since the IPO. The stock was down 3.8pc at $21.11 on Wednesday morning, off an earlier low at $20.73.

Instagram cuts off Twitter photo integration - Telegraph.co.uk

Instagram used to work closely with Twitter but the relationship has suffered since Facebook bought the app. Instagram has since offered tighter integration with Facebook and has launched its own web pages for the first time so that users can see their photographs online.

Last month, Facebook proposed changes to its data-sharing rules that would allow the social network to use data collected by Instagram to "tell us information about you" and "improve the quality of ads."

The change will allow Facebook, which has more than a billion registered users, to build more complete profiles of its users - and target advertisements - using people's personal data from its social network and from Instagram.

According to the New York Times, Twitter is working on Instagram-style photo filters for its own app.

Twitter offers complete tweet archives - Telegraph.co.uk

The development delivers on a promise from Twitter chief executive Dick Costolo that members would be able to access old tweets. Facebook already allows its one billion members to download their archive.

Twitter's engineers have met a public deadline set by Mr Costolo of providing the feature by the end of 2012. He said they complained at the complexity of archiving every tweet since the service was introduced in 2006.

"Now, again, once again, I caveat this with the engineers who are actually doing the work don't necessarily agree that they'll be done by the end of the year, but we'll just keep having that argument and we'll see where we end up year-end," Mr Costolo said last month.

The email delivering the archive carries a warning for members to be careful about sharing their archive as it "may contain sensitive content".

Twitter adds e-mail sharing - Washington Post

"Of course, you can retweet any of these to your Twitter followers, but sometimes you want to share with another group, like your college roommates or your parents or a friend who isn't yet on Twitter," wrote Twitter engineer Stefan Flip in the post.

Third-party Twitter programs such as Hootsuite already provide that function; so does the Twitter client the company bought last year, Tweetdeck.

To use the e-mail function on Twitter's site, users can click on the "More" icon next to the familiar reply, retweet and favorite buttons on the site. Users can also add their own comments to tweets they e-mail.

While users could always copy and paste a tweet from the site itself, the in-line tool will make it easier to share a tweet — and could help Twitter expand its user base even further.

Turbine installation complete at London Array wind farm - BBC News

26 December 2012 Last updated at 12:14 ET

One of the world's largest offshore wind farms off the east Kent coast is on target to become fully operational in the spring.

London Array is being built in the Thames Estuary, 10 miles north of Ramsgate, and will produce enough power for an estimated 470,000 homes.

The 175th and last turbine was installed two weeks ago, marking the end of major construction activities.

Fifty-five have been connected and are supplying power to the national grid.

The wind farm has been generating energy since October, when the first turbine began producing power.

London Array said during 2012, 84 foundations, 175 wind turbines, 178 array cables and three export cables had been installed.

A second phase with a further 166 turbines is yet to be approved.

Liverpool forward Fabio Borini expected to miss three months through injury - Telegraph.co.uk

However, his ongoing absence means Liverpool have only Luis Suarez as a senior striker until the transfer window opens in January. Liverpool will not try to plug the gap by pursuing any free agents before then.

Meanwhile, former Everton midfielder Kevin Sheedy has returned to work at the club following a successful fight against bowel cancer.

The 52-year-old, who is now under-18s coach, was diagnosed in August but given the all clear following successful surgery last month.

Sheedy, who won two league titles, the FA Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup during a 10-year playing career at Goodison Park, has been on the club's coaching staff since 2006.

Sheedy told evertontv: "I started back on Monday and I am just easing my way back in to it. It's great to be back, it's like I'm starting again at a new club

London Film Festival 2012: Song for Marion, review - Telegraph.co.uk

By now the direction in which Song for Marion is headed should be clear, although if you are yet to connect the dots, it takes in heartbreak, redemption and reconciliation via a touching on-stage solo from Stamp.

Williams, whose past films include the crime thriller London to Brighton, a couple of grungy horrors and nothing even slightly like Song for Marion, sometimes plays it too broad for his own good. Few emotional moments are allowed to pass without a prod in the ribs from a tinkling piano, a trick that begins to grate as much as Marion's cartoonish fellow singers; and the grand finale is marred by a last-minute setback too engineered even for The X Factor. But the emotional bonds between the three leads are so plausibly knotted (Eccleston, in particular, is unquestionably his screen father's son) that it's tempting to forgive the film the occasional off-key honk.

Arsenal's Marouane Chamakh joins West Ham on loan - The Guardian

West Ham United have signed the striker Marouane Chamakh on loan from Arsenal until the end of the season.

The West Ham manager Sam Allardyce confirmed on Friday afternoon that the Moroccan has completed his move across London but not in time to figure in Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie against Manchester United at Upton Park.

Allardyce told Sky Sports News: "We've signed him for the rest of the season. I think that'll be it in terms of strikers as we need to get Andy Carroll back [to fitness]."

Chamakh, 28, struggled to claim a regular place in the Arsenal first team after initially impressing following a free transfer from Bordeaux in 2010.

Wales rugby fans suffer train disruption in London - BBC News

10 February 2013 Last updated at 12:36 ET

Wales rugby fans coming home by train following the Six Nations win over France in Paris could face long delays.

First Great Western services between London Paddington and south Wales have been disrupted after a person was hit by a train at Ealing Broadway.

Services may be cancelled or delayed by up to 45 minutes at short notice, said the train operator.

Fans returning to west Wales by train on Sunday already faced up to 75 minutes added to journey times.

Engineering work meant First Great Western and Arriva Trains Wales services were suspended between Cardiff and west Wales with buses running instead.

Wales beat France 16-6 on Saturday, their first win in this year's Six Nations.

Nap time for Djourou? Italians are back in for Arsenal defender Johan - Mirror.co.uk

Arsenal defender Johan Djourou is a £6million January target for Napoli.

The Switzerland centre-half is expected to have talks with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger in the next few weeks after fresh interest from the Italians.

It is believed ex-West Ham midfielder Valon Behrami, who's now at the Naples club and is an international team-mate of Djourou's, recommended his pal to them.

Djourou is on a long-term £50,000-a-week contract at Arsenal after he triggered a clause by playing a certain number of games.

But the 25-year-old has barely figured this season - his only appearance so far was in last month's Capital One Cup win over Coventry.

Napoli and Serie A rivals Juventus were also sniffing around Djourou in the summer, and his future may now depend on whether Wenger gives him assurances about first-team appearances.

Liverpool take Vegard Forren on trial as Southampton plot move for player - The Guardian

Liverpool are to take Molde's Vegard Forren on trial as Southampton consider making a firm offer for the 24-year-old central defender.

The Norway international has been monitored by several Premier League clubs this season, including Everton, Fulham and Sunderland, but will train with Liverpool from Tuesday as the manager, Brendan Rodgers, considers whether to offer the defender a long-term contract.

Southampton, however, are in negotiations with Molde over a transfer fee and could rival the Anfield club for Forren's signature should they meet an asking price of around £4m.

Forren, who has made five appearances for Norway, is keen on a move to the Premier League and is expected to remain on trial with Liverpool until the weekend.

Shoulder surgery sidelines Liverpool's Joe Allen for rest of season - The Guardian

Joe Allen is scheduled to have surgery this week on a shoulder injury that will sideline the Liverpool and Wales midfielder for the rest of the season.

The 23-year-old suffered a recurrence of the problem in October but played on for Brendan Rodgers's team to delay an anticipated lay-off of three months.

The injury has deteriorated, however, and Allen was clearly in discomfort during Liverpool's 3-1 Premier League defeat at Southampton on Saturday. He was substituted at half-time and it has been decided to operate this week in order for the £15m signing from Swansea City to be fit for the start of pre-season training.

Allen's condition has also forced him to withdraw from the Wales squad for the World Cup qualifying double-header against Scotland at Hampden Park on Friday and Croatia at Swansea's Liberty Stadium next Tuesday.

Labour conference to return to Liverpool in 2016 and 2018 - BBC News

6 March 2013 Last updated at 11:01 ET

Liverpool is to host the Labour Party conference in both 2016 and 2018, the party has announced.

It is returning to the city, having first used its conference centre for the event in 2011.

Liverpool has become an established conference location in recent years, also having hosted the Liberal Democratss in 2010.

The city is already scheduled to stage both the Lib Dem and Conservative conferences in 2014

The mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said Labour's decision to return twice in the next five years was a "huge vote of confidence".

Competition for autumn conferences, attended by thousands of party workers, lobbyists and the media, is fierce among the UK's largest cities.

Labour is to hold its 2013 conference in Brighton, with the Lib Dems and the Conservatives visiting Glasgow and Manchester respectively.

Arsenal likely to postpone Boxing Day game against West Ham as Tube strike is ... - Telegraph.co.uk

An added issue for Arsenal is that it is not only fans who will face logistical problems but also more than 1,000 match-day staff, covering everything from catering to security.

Arsenal say that their main concern will be a "duty of care" to those attending the match and they are monitoring the situation with all the relevant agencies, including the Metropolitan Police, Transport for London, London Underground, the Premier League, West Ham and Islington Council.

Charlton, Leyton Orient and Dagenham and Redbridge are also at home in Football League fixtures on Boxing Day.

It will be the third successive Boxing Day walkout by Tube drivers, in a dispute which dates back to an agreement in 1992. The move was announced after Aslef members voted by 9-1 in favour of strikes in a row over extra pay for working on bank holidays. "The ballot result shows the strength of feeling that remains on this issue," said an Aslef spokesman.

'The birth of the London club scene': Bowie Nights at Billy's Club – in pictures - The Guardian

Before the new romantics of the 1980s, there were the Blitz kids and before the Blitz kids, there were Bowie nights at Billy's nightclub in Soho, London. The year was 1978 and a grotty subterranean club, beneath a brothel, was about to be commandeered every Tuesday evening by an unruly mob of teenagers – suburban art-school students mainly – who had become disillusioned with punk.

Some of the regulars would go on to become famous – Boy George (then plain George O'Dowd), Marilyn, DJ Jeremy Healy, Siobhan Fahey from Bananarama – and collectively they would hash out a freaky, glamorous aesthetic that would dominate the next decade.

These pictures were taken by Nicola Tyson, an 18-year-old student at the Chelsea School of Art at the time, who has since gone on to find renown as a painter

For more music features, see the Observer New Review this Sunday

London's Liffe the prize as US exchange swoops in $8.2bn deal - Telegraph.co.uk

By combining Liffe with its own London business that helps clear derivatives trades, ICE hopes to provide tougher competition to the CME Group, the owner of the Chicago Board of Trade and America's largest derivatives market. ICE is also betting it can benefit from the increasing regulatory pressure for all derivative trades to be moved onto exchanges.

"It shows that people want access to the European derivatives market and you get that through London," said Peter Lenardos, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets.

ICE founder and chief executive Jeffrey Sprecher said that the company intends to float the various European stock exchanges it acquired as part of the deal. There is speculation the London Stock Exchanges are among the companies that may examine a possible bid for the European bourses. Mr Sprecher will be chief executive of the combined group, while Duncan Niederauer, the chief executive of NYSE, will be president. The deal will need approval from regulators.

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher rates Uruguayan team-mate Luis Suárez as ... - Telegraph.co.uk

Suárez's performances have has been crucial to Liverpool, who despite his goals have won only two of their 11 league matches this season and currently sit in lower mid-table.

As well as scoring eight of Liverpool's 14 league goals this season, he has provided assists for another two. No other player on the team has managed more than a single Premier League strike.

Carragher added: "People say that we are dependent on Suárez, but listen. Look at [Lionel] Messi at Barcelona, [Cristiano] Ronaldo at Real Madrid. Don't get me wrong, Manchester United have had a lot of goalscorers from different positions.

"But every team will have a standout player, and Luis is one of them, not just in the Premier League but in the world."

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez branded a 'tiresome cheat' by Arsenal defender ... - Telegraph.co.uk

"You always want to give him a kick but you have to be careful not to be red-carded. For example, on Sept 2 against Liverpool, it was the case with Luis Suárez.

"He is a player who likes to dive as soon as there is contact. During a challenge we jostled a bit with each other and he fell. He started to talk to me in English, to say it was a penalty."

Liverpool have constantly defended Suárez, despite a string of high-profile incidents, and team-mates Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson both claimed last month that referees were refusing to award penalties because of his reputation.

Suárez is due to face Bolivia on Tuesday in a World Cup 2014 qualifier and will not return to England until later this week.

The Uruguayan Football Association is believed to have contacted Fifa to demand an apology after Boyce's comments, though Suárez said his conscience was clean.

Drills pierce rail tunnel wall on London commuter route - The Guardian

Prompt action by rail staff averted a possible major disaster on Friday when two huge construction drills came through a tunnel wall on a major commuter route.

The incident happened after a driver of the 10.02am First Capital Connect train from Moorgate in London to Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire saw muddy water pouring on to the roof of his train north of Old Street station. He reported the incident and all rail services were stopped.

At 11.05am a Network Rail mobile operations manager joined another driver on board a special empty train from Moorgate to investigate the problem. As the train approached the area at low speed two large piling drills came through the skin of the tunnel. The train stopped in time.

The rail route, used by 2 million City workers a year, will be closed while the incident is investigated.

Kevin Strootman on Arsenal & Man United radar - The Sun

MANCHESTER UNITED and Arsenal are battling to capture PSV Eindhoven's £17million-rated midfielder Kevin Strootman.

The 22-year-old Holland international has emerged as one of the most exciting young prospects in Dutch football over the past two seasons.

He has made no secret of his desire to play at the highest level.

And he could get his wish next month, with a host of top clubs on alert as the January transfer window approaches. AC Milan, Liverpool and Tottenham are also tracking Strootman, but United and Arsenal are leading the chase.

United scout Martin Ferguson and Arsenal's talent spotter Steve Rowley have both given rave reviews on the man being hailed in the Dutch Press as the "new Mark van Bommel".

A top PSV source revealed: "It looks certain that he will leave in January. The only question is where?

"It looks like Manchester United or Arsenal — they are both very keen."

End of the Pierre? Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle set to lose out on ... - Mirror.co.uk

Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle could lose out to big spending Paris St Germain in the chase for St Etienne striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to reports.

The highly rated Gabon international has expressed his desire to 'join a big club', while speaking of his admiration for the Ligue 1 leaders.

'I am ready to join a top club,' Aubameyang said.

'PSG? Of course an eventual offer would be really interesting, but I don't know if they are really tracking me. We will see. In any case it would be nice to play alongside Ibrahimovich.'

The 23-year-old has scored 17 times this season - including eight goals in his last eight games.

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley was reportedly in the stands to see Aubameyang play in St Etiene's 2-2 draw with the Parisians on Sunday night as the Magpies seek a replacement for Demba Ba.

Charge over Arsenal-Spurs banana throwing incident - BBC News

8 March 2013 Last updated at 18:57 ET

A man has been charged after allegedly throwing a banana on to the pitch during the north London derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.

Thomas Flint, 23, a carpenter, of Enfield, north London, will appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on 12 April.

Mr Flint is charged with throwing a missile on to the playing area.

He is also charged with using threatening or abusive words or disorderly behaviour.

Mr Flint, who is understood to be an Arsenal fan, is currently on bail.

During the game at White Hart Lane - which Tottenham won 2-1 - Spurs star Gareth Bale had a banana thrown at him by Arsenal supporters.

Bale scored the opening goal of the match.

Arsenal Football Club says anyone found guilty over the incident will receive a stadium ban.

Amlin Challenge Cup: London Welsh 62-5 Cavalieri Prato - BBC Sport

London Welsh ended a run of five successive defeats with a comfortable bonus-point victory over Cavalieri Prato in the Amlin Challenge Cup.

Lee Beach, Dan George, James Lewis and Tom Arscott all went over in the first period to put the hosts in charge.

Cavalieri pulled a try back in the second half through Alfonso Damiani.

But Welsh responded with further scores from Alex Davies, who also kicked 17 points, Phil MacKenzie, Ashley Smith, Michael Hills and Arscott.

LINE-UPS

London Welsh: Arscott, MacKenzie, Jewell, Lewis, Scott, Davis, Davies, Bristow, George, Bateman, Brown, Corker, Beach, Denbee, Jackson.

Replacements: Evans, Moss, Tideswell, Mills, Williamson, Hills, Smith, Whatling.

I Cavalieri Prato: Borsi, Lupetti, Roan, Rome, Boscolo, Damiani, Del Nevo; Saccardo, Frati, Ragusi, Sepe, McCann, Majstotovic, Tempestini, Ngawini.

Replacements: Cannone, Giovanchelli, Boggiani, Pelizzari, Patelli, Crestini, Lunardi, Pozzi.

Helvellyn Christmas Day climb to check weather - BBC News

24 December 2012 Last updated at 14:24 ET

Christmas Day will be business as usual for one Lake District Ranger - a climb to the summit of one of England's highest mountains.

One of Jon Bennett's daily tasks is to check conditions on top of Helvellyn.

He takes turns with fellow fell-top weather assessor, Jason Taylor, to scale the 3,114ft (950m) peak and post reports on wind speed and temperature.

Details are available through the Weatherline service, either online or via telephone.

The assessors carry about 16lb (8kg) of equipment and expect to make the ascent in two hours.

New technology allows them to post their reports and pictures online as soon as they have returned from the mountain top.

The Weatherline service has operated for 36 years and is used by more than half a million people each year.

Pennant-Rea to join Royal London - Herald Scotland

Mr Pennant-Rea, who famously had to leave the Bank of England in 1995 after a "kiss-and-tell" newspaper story about an extra-marital liaison conducted in the bank governor's dressing-room, will succeed Tim Melville-Ross, who retires after 13 years on the board, the past six as chairman.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists striker Luis Suarez is going ... - Telegraph.co.uk

"He's been a brilliant player to work with and we want to add to our squad, not take people out of it, especially a world-class player."

Suarez only signed a new long-term contract in the summer and while Rodgers knows he needs to strengthen his forward line in January he does not believe he has to do so in order to convince the South American to stay.

"We just continue to work and stay focused on what we try to achieve," added the Liverpool manager.

"Luis has already shown in the summer his commitment to the club, he's signed a new deal.

"I think you've seen up until this point he's in a great moment in his footballing life here at Liverpool: he is scoring goals and working well.

"I'll just continue to communicate with all the players and Luis in particular. Like I say, he's very happy here."

Howard Webb to referee Manchester United v Liverpool - BBC Sport

Howard Webb will referee Sunday's Premier League game between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford.

The 2010 World Cup final official has not taken charge of the fiery fixture since an FA Cup tie two years ago.

In that game, which Liverpool lost 1-0 at Old Trafford, Webb controversially awarded a penalty against the visitors and sent off skipper Steven Gerrard.

Their then winger Ryan Babel was fined after posting a mocked-up picture of Webb wearing a United shirt on Twitter.

Webb made history in 2010 when he became the first man to officiate the final of both the Champions League and the World Cup in the same year.

The 41-year-old has refereed every season in the Premier League since his introduction to the top flight in 2003.

Marouane Chamakh: West Ham move for Arsenal striker - BBC News

Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh is in talks with West Ham about joining the club.

The Moroccan forward, 28, has struggled to establish himself at the Emirates since moving on a free transfer from Bordeaux in 2010.

But West Ham want to give Chamakh a chance to resurrect his career.

Sam Allardyce's side are also poised to complete the signing of Joe Cole from Liverpool, another player who has found himself on the first-team fringes.

Chamakh was prolific in France, scoring 79 goals in 293 appearances for Bordeaux, but has scored just eight Premier League goals for Arsenal since joining the club - and he has yet to appear in this campaign.

Three of his four appearances this season have been in the Capital One Cup, although he did find the net twice when the Gunners won 7-5 at Reading in October.

Facebook row: Police to close case against two Palghar women - NDTV

Palghar: Charges slapped against two young Palghar women, who were arrested for a Facebook post on Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's funeral, will be dropped, Maharashtra police sources said today.

The sources said the police will not file a chargesheet in the case and instead go for a closure report.

The decision brings a huge relief for the two women and their families in Palghar.

The women were arrested on November 19 after a Shiv Sena leader in Palghar near Mumbai filed a police complaint over the Facebook post. A clinic run by the uncle of one of the women was vandalised by Shiv Sena activists.

A national outrage prompted an inquiry and forced the suspension of two police officers, Ravindra Sengaonkar and Shreekant Pingle. They were indicted for having applied wrong charges on the women, including the controversial section 66A of the Information Technology Act.

The women's parents had said they would be relieved only when the charges against them were dropped.
 

 

Liverpool's Stewart Downing a target for Middlesbrough - Telegraph.co.uk

Downing has been unable to hold down a starting place under Rodgers, falling below youngsters Raheem Sterling and Suso in the pecking order.

Rodgers offered to reinvent him as a left-back, but some under-par performances in the League Cup and Europa League have left him among the most vulnerable to being offloaded in the new year.

Liverpool's transfer policy in January will also take into consideration the high earnings of the fringe players.

It makes no economic sense for Rodgers to offer hope to players earning around £70,000 a week when moving them on will allow him to reinvest, or offer new deals to those youngsters who do have a future at the club.

Downing joined Liverpool for £20?million from Aston Villa in 2011, but the Anfield club would be fortunate to command a quarter of that fee now.

Rodgers will urge owners Fenway Sports Group of the merits of cashing in quickly to correct previous transfer mistakes rather than allow unwanted players hang around on Merseyside claiming huge salaries.

Northamptonshire weather: Heavy snow warning - BBC News

20 January 2013 Last updated at 12:10 ET

Road users across the East of England are being advised to check the latest weather forecast and road conditions before they travel.

The Highways Agency said it was expecting weather conditions on Sunday to become increasingly difficult.

Snow is falling in Northamptonshire and is expected to become heavier later.

"Road users are advised to take extra care when travelling due to the increased risk of adverse driving conditions," the agency said.

"Drivers are also advised to plan their journey before they set out, to check the forecast and road conditions."

Where conditions prove to be poor and a journey is unavoidable, drivers are asked to leave extra time or to consider delaying their journey if the weather becomes severe.

The Highways Agency is working closely with the Met Office to monitor weather conditions.

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger criticises Chelsea after going public over Mark ... - Telegraph.co.uk

Wenger said: "Honestly, I didn't follow the whole story completely. My opinion is just that I prefer, when I didn't behave well, that I have an explanation with the referee at the end of the game, or another day, [rather] than going public with little proof.

"I'm not a great believer in making these stories public."

Meanwhile, Wenger revealed that Gervinho will be out of action for around three weeks with an ankle injury. The Ivory Coast international fell awkwardly during the second half of last weekend's 1-0 win over QPR.

Wojciech Szczesny, Abou Diaby and Kieran Gibbs will also miss the trip to Old Trafford, but there are no fresh injury concerns arising from the 7-5 win after extra time in the League Cup against Reading on Tuesday.

What are the best London pubs with a traditional open fire? - Telegraph.co.uk

The Palmerston in East Dulwich, should also be part of your open fire itinerary. This restaurant-come-pub has become something of a local institution with former Bibendum chef Jamie Younger ensuring that the grub is more than up to scratch.

Hampstead's The Holly Bush described itself on its website as "a real country pub", so the fact it has an open fire should come as no surprise. This characterful venue was built by the painter George Romney in the late 18th century and as well as the open fire, there are plenty of nooks, booths and corners to hide away in. It's the very definition of cosy. And Hammersmith's Anglesea Arms has a fire for relishing after a stroll in nearby near Ravenscourt Park.

Ask our In the Know experts a question about London here

London hotels the 'world's worst' - Telegraph.co.uk

Of 20 destinations analysed within Britain, Windermere's hotels were found to have performed best, earning an overall rating of 83.28 per cent.

Torquay and Inverness completed the top three, while Birmingham and Brighton finished alongside London in the bottom three.

The capital's hotels were also rated Britain's worst in a survey by Hotels.info, published last summer. Its study followed criticism about high prices during the Olympic Games.

Ten of the best

1. Dresden
2. Hanoi
3. Portland
4. Tokyo
5. Santiago de Compostela
6. Gdansk
7. Chicago
8. Seattle
9. Krakow
10. Budapest

Ten of the worst

91. Los Angeles
92. Kiev
93. Frankfurt
94. Panama City
95. Brussels
96. Amsterdam
97. Paris
98. Copenhagen
99. Rio de Janeiro
100. London

Source: Trivago.co.uk

Arsene Wenger: Arsenal will fight Tottenham for fourth - The Sun

ARSENE WENGER has warned Tottenham: We'll fight you to the end.

Arsenal remain four points behind their neighbours in the race for Champions League qualification.

But Wenger knows everything can change quickly in the final third of the season after plugging a 10-point gap to finish above Spurs last term.

And the Gunners boss reckons his side showed their character in beating Sunderland on Saturday despite being reduced to 10 men.

Wenger said: "There are many games to go.

"We are in the fight and the game on Saturday showed that we are ready for a fight.

"Our character was questioned many times.

"You saw on Saturday that we have plenty. I liked the last 20 minutes when we were pushed back.

"We headed every single ball. We tried like mad and that's fantastic to see.

"Sometimes you have to just dig in and some players played in uncomfortable positions.

"When we have the desire to win, it helps a lot."

Peter Odemwingie to be dealt with for Twitter rant by West Brom - The Sun

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John Terry targeting Arsenal clash for long-awaited return - The Sun

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Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. The Sun ombudsman will correct significant errors. Please contact her at ombudsman@the-sun.co.uk

Liverpool too reliant on Luis Suarez for goals in the Premier League, warns ... - Telegraph.co.uk

"Every game he does something like this and he's such a key player for us.

"Luis scored a lot of goals in Holland (for Ajax). He had a great record there and we know he will score a lot of goals for us.

"It's a dream to play with someone like him but we can't depend on one player.

"We need more players to score as we can't always look to Luis."

The goal in question was the result of a premeditated move perfected on the training ground. Enrique hit a long pass from inside his own half that picked out Suarez 60 yards away on the edge of the area.

Suarez was all alone but used his class to chest the ball away from Newcastle defender Fabricio Coloccini before nipping the ball past 'keeper and knocking it into the unguarded net.

Enrique insists it was all intentional. "Before the game I told him I would try a pass like that because behind the centre-backs there is always a lot of space," he said.

Tennis-Djokovic into London final after weathering Del Potro storm - Yahoo! Eurosport UK

LONDON, Nov 11 (Reuters) - For a set not even the granite defence of Novak Djokovic could withstand the irresistible brute force of Juan Martin del Potro on Sunday but the Serb then rode out the storm to win the opening semi-final at the ATP World Tour Finals.

The world number one soaked up some wrist-bending blows from the inspired Argentine before turning the match in his favour to romp home to a 4-6 6-3 6-2 victory at the O2 Arena.

Djokovic, the only player in the eight-man event to win all three round-robin matches, will face either defending champion Roger Federer or Britain's Andy Murray in Monday's final.

He struggled to live with Del Potro's weight of shot in the openign set and was in trouble when he went a break down in the second but once again he showed the qualities that have made him such a hard player to beat.

Djokovic broke Del Potro's serve twice im the second and third sets and surged to victory in two hours 11 minutes. (Editing by John Mehaffey)

Where in London can I buy a kilt? - Telegraph.co.uk

If your budget stretches a little further, London Kilt Maker offers an over-the-phone kilt-making service. They will research and send you material samples, then call to run through self-measurement instructions. Expect to pay from £150 to around £600 for an eight-yard kilt, made to fit.

For occasions when only the finest will do, Kilts4All uses traditional techniques and materials sourced from the UK. You'll need an appointment to their showroom near King's Cross and, during a bespoke fitting, be advised on how to choose the right tartan from approximately 2,000 in stock. They recommend allowing between two to three months to complete the process.

Expect to pay about £650 for the kilt only, or £1,500 for an entire outfit. They also rent the full Highland kit through Jake's Direct.

Ask our In the Know experts a question about London here

Arsenal set to honour Dennis Bergkamp with statue at the Emirates - The Guardian

Arsenal are set to immortalise Dennis Bergkamp by placing a statue of the former striker outside their Emirates ground.

The club already have statues of former captains Thierry Henry and Tony Adams, as well as legendary manager Herbert Chapman. Now images of the Bergkamp statue have emerged on Twitter, with the pose taken from him controlling the ball in mid-air against Newcastle in 2003.

Bergkamp, who was part of the Invincibles team of 2003-4, was voted second behind Henry by Arsenal fans in a poll of the club's all-time greatest players.

Bergkamp is currently working as No2 at Ajax alongside the manager Frank de Boer and has been tipped to take over from Liam Brady, who is leaving his role as head of the academy later this year.

"We're pleased that speculation surrounding a future possible statue at Emirates Stadium is generating interest and will obviously communicate details if and when there is confirmation of any new developments," said an Arsenal spokesman.

Facebook stops Twitter users contacting friends with new Vine app - Telegraph.co.uk

It then emerged that Twitter had earlier made a failed $525m bid to buy Instagram. Suggestions that Twitter had "verbally agreed" a deal to buy the app only intensified hostilities with Facebook.

At the end of last year Twitter released Instagram-style photo filters for its own app.

Social networks are growing increasingly protective of their platforms as competition rises for users and for advertising revenue.

Last year, Twitter tightened its rules on what third-party applications are able to do, a move that seen as an attempt to keep users on its platform.

Facebook also proposed changes to its data-sharing rules that would allow the social network to use data collected by Instagram to "tell us information about you" and "improve the quality of ads."

The change allows Facebook, which has more than a billion registered users, to build more complete profiles of its users - and target advertisements - using people's personal data from its social network and from Instagram.

(Picture courtesy of CNet.)

Arsenal enter chase for Liverpool's Raheem Sterling - Telegraph.co.uk

It is also understood that Arsenal are seriously considering a January bid for Asmir Begovic even after Peter Coates, the Stoke City chairman, warned that they would reject all offers for their goalkeeper.

The striker position remains Arsenal's priority in January, with an offer of around £6million expected for Schalke's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. Newcastle United's Demba Ba is also an option.

Arsenal were dealt a significant injury blow yesterday, meanwhile, when Wenger admitted that Abou Diaby will be out indefinitely.

Diaby was out­standing in Arsenal's midfield at the beginning of the season and his ongoing absence, with muscular problems following a long-standing ankle injury, has coincided with the club's dip in form.

"We are a bit in no man's land on that front," Wenger said. "He is working, we are waiting for him to come back but he is not ready."

Arsenal face Reading on Monday night, with Laurent Koscielny, Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud all likely to return after missing the defeat in the Capital One Cup against Bradford on Tuesday.

Liverpool assault: Three deny killing Stuart Smith - BBC News

28 November 2012 Last updated at 08:42 ET

Three men have denied the murder and manslaughter of a man from London who died in an attack in the street.

Stuart Smith, 33, died following the assault in Back Colquitt Street in Liverpool city centre on 2 September.

Mark McEwen, 39; Michael Samuels, 39, and Joseph Walker, 27, were arrested at Anfield Stadium during Liverpool FC's match against Arsenal hours after the incident and charged with murder.

A fourth man, Hervin Kelly, 41, was charged with murder on 20 September.

Mr McEwan, Mr Samuels and Mr Kelly pleaded not guilty to murder and manslaughter at Liverpool Crown Court, while Mr Walker's case was adjourned until 18 December.

Mr Walker, of Pintail Way, Hayes, west London, and Mr Kelly, of Waterfall Road, Enfield, north London, were both granted bail.

Mr McEwen, of Angel Park Gardens, Brixton, south London, and Mr Samuels, of St James's Road, Croydon, south London were further remanded into custody ahead of an expected four-week trial on 25 February.

Father acquitted over Facebook picture of daughter bound to chair - Telegraph.co.uk

His sister, Annastasia Curry, testified she was cooking dinner and could hear Curry and her niece laughing in the living room. She testified she went out to check on them at one point and saw the little girl covered with tape.

"She was laughing; he was laughing," the sister said. "I saw him take the tape off, and I went back in the kitchen."

Cook County prosecutors contend that by placing the tape over the girl's mouth, Curry obstructed her breathing and committed a battery. Prosecutors did not present evidence the child was injured.

Adam told the judge Curry is a good father who was just being playful.

"Was this something stupid to do? No question about it," Adam said. "But they're asking you to find him guilty of some very serious charges."

Source: agencies

Curry, who can have only supervised visits with the child, could face up to seven years in prison if convicted on the aggravated battery charge.

The girl's mother, Yesmin Doss, has said she supports Curry.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger plans to make offer for Crystal Palace forward ... - Telegraph.co.uk

Wenger would also like to sign a striker next month to provide competition and support to Olivier Giroud, with Thierry Henry still expected to return to the club again on loan from the New York Red Bulls.

Henry is now 35 but has enjoyed another profitable season in Major League Soccer, scoring 15 goals and providing another 12 assists in only 25 games.

Wenger's immediate focus is Saturday's Premier League match against West Bromwich Albion.

Arsenal were dealt a further blow on Thursday with confirmation that Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott are unavailable.

Both missed Tuesday's 2-1 defeat against Olympiakos in Athens and have still not sufficiently recovered from respective hamstring and calf injuries.

Arsenal's defence is also weakened by the absence of Bacary Sagna (foot) and Laurent Koscielny (thigh).

Wenger is seeking answers to the team's recent uncharacteristic lack of fluency but, with Podolski and Walcott injured, he is again likely to turn to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gervinho in the wide positions.

Obama wins the US election! (on Twitter) - The Guardian (blog)

Can Twitter predict the outcome of the US election? If our results are anything to go by then Barack Obama will be reelected. The data presented below are the result of some research that Adham Tamer, Ning Wang, Scott Hale and I carried out in order to see how visible both major presidential candidates are on Twitter. You can see the initial results in the interactive map below. Alternatively, you can explore the data using a sliding scale in order to better see how close the margin of victory is in each state, or compare Twitter mentions of Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan. Use the drop-down menu to change between views, and click a state for more details. You can read more about the project here. Unfortunately, we did not collect data for Alaska or Hawaii.
Mark Graham's research focuses on Internet and information geographies at the Oxford Internet Institute, and the overlaps between ICTs and economic development

Do any London pubs have a resident animal or pet? - Telegraph.co.uk

Willow is the longtime resident pooch at Barnes gastropub, The Brown Dog, which is child and pet-friendly plus near the Thames and Richmond Park.

In St John's Wood, you can meet Evie, while enjoying the best of British at The New Inn, which is now serving gastropub fare. Felines are in on the act too.

The Seven Stars near Fleet Street used to be famous for its resident cat Tom Paine, but Tom sadly passed away last year. He has, however, been replaced by Ray Brown, who's made himself right at home.

Other furry friends do get a look in, too. There are rabbits in the garden of the lively Honor Oak in Forest Hill. With music, drink promotions, wine and food tasting evenings, there's plenty going on at this St German's Road bar.

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Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard admits he over stepped the mark with ... - Telegraph.co.uk

"But it wasn't my intention to disrespect Everton or Stoke for that matter and I certainly didn't intend any disrespect to their manager or players.

"I have the utmost respect for David Moyes and Tony Pulis and the job they have done at their respective clubs.

"My main issue was with the goal that wasn't given and that Liverpool did not get the three points I felt we deserved in what was a fantastic derby match."

Earlier, Everton's Phil Jagielka had brushed off the long ball jibes, which were also made by Sir Alex Ferguson in August.

"It does make you chuckle, but Stevie is saying things like that then there must be a reason behind it which must be that we are doing something well," said Jagielka.

"If Stevie says we play long ball then I'm not going to deny it. Do we play them for the full 90 minutes? No. But we play quite direct.

"We don't believe in passing it around for half an hour for the sake of it. We won't change the way we play."