The International Cricket Council has defended its decision to suspend the three players embroiled in the 'spot-fixing' scandal, insisting that there is no conspiracy against Pakistani cricket.

Three Pakistan cricketers at the centre of match-fixing allegations are being questioned by police as the sport's governing body insisted corruption in the game was not widespread.

Pete Bennett spoke to the 'Big Brother' house today - and made Nikki his personal assistant.

All but one of 12 rioting football hooligans who took part in the worst destruction Manchester has suffered "since the blitz" will be going to jail, a judge said today.

Gerard Houllier could work alongside current Aston Villa caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald in a director-of-football-type role if he links up with the midlands club.

An investigation has been launched after a man arrested for begging was found collapsed in a police cell and later died, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has said.

Gerard Houllier could work alongside current Aston Villa caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald in a director-of-football-type role if he links up with the midlands club.

Andrey Arshavin believes he has become "more effective" since joining Arsenal - even if the Russian playmaker feels he is now "less sparkling".

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has been inspired by Manchester United's old-timers and aims to carry on playing for another three seasons.

Corruption in cricket is not widespread, it has been claimed as three Pakistan stars banned from playing over match-fixing allegations were questioned by police.

Corruption in cricket is not widespread, it was claimed today as three Pakistan stars banned from playing over match-fixing allegations were questioned by police.

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres' return to full fitness is ahead of schedule but the club's medical staff do not expect him to reach his physical peak for another month.

Former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier has emerged as a leading candidate to replace Martin O'Neill as Aston Villa manager, it is understood.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned Friday from the resumption of Mideast negotiations in Washington to confront internal opposition to his peace moves, just as his Palestinian counterpart faced harsh criticism for agreeing to the talks at all.

Former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier has emerged as a leading candidate to replace Martin O'Neill as Aston Villa manager, Press Association Sport understands.

Poverty has a far greater influence on the performance of white British pupils at school than any other ethnic group, according to research published today.

The real-life romance behind the film could not have better advertised its subject matter: a Jewish American film director and son of a Zionist mother meets a Palestinian woman at an art exhibition, falls in love, reads about her traumatic childhood under Israeli occupation and brings her moving story to the screen.

A four-year-old boy who disappeared with a couple who were fostering him has been found, police said today.

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, yesterday opened the first face-to-face Middle East peace talks in two years by demanding an end to Jewish settlements in the West Bank. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that any agreement must assure Israel's security as a Jewish state.

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, yesterday opened the first face-to-face Middle East peace talks in two years by demanding an end to Jewish settlements in the West Bank. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that any agreement must assure Israel's security as a Jewish state.

Survivors of a 1972 plane crash featured in the movie Alive will travel to Chile to comfort the families of 33 trapped miners as a way of repaying the country for help in their rescue.

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, yesterday opened the first face-to-face Middle East peace talks in two years by demanding an end to Jewish settlements in the West Bank. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that any agreement must assure Israel's security as a Jewish state.

Democrats are heading towards an even heavier defeat than previously forecast in November's midterm elections for Congress, political analysts say. Such an outcome promises big trouble not just for President Obama, but also for Republican leaders as they struggle to run what is likely to be an unruly majority on Capitol Hill.

For a second day, the takeover talk was going gangbusters, with rumours in at least four major UK-listed companies doing the rounds. Top of the blue chips at the end of the session was the world's largest listed hedge fund, Man Group. The group rose 12.5p to 229p predominantly after broker Numis raised its recommendation from "reduce" to "buy" a day after it shareholders approved the acquisition of rival GLG. Some gossips in the market were also reheating talk Man itself could be a target. Two months ago, the chat was of potential suitors including Goldman Sachs, although there has been little evidence to support it.

Carluccio's, the Italian-themed restaurant operator, has agreed to a £90.3m takeover by a Middle Eastern retail group that could net Richard Caring, its biggest shareholder and owner of the Ivy restaurant in London, a huge payout.

A Beefeater at the Tower of London who was sacked for allegedly harassing the first female Yeoman Warder has been offered an apology and a financial payout.

Talks aimed at averting a series of strikes by London Underground (LU) workers from next week have broken down and the industrial action will go ahead as planned, union leaders said yesterday.

More than 350,000 journeys have been made on hire bikes in London since the launch of a new scheme a month ago, new figures showed today.

Talks aimed at averting a series of strikes by London Underground workers from next week have broken down and the industrial action will go ahead as planned, union leaders said today.

More than 2,000 police officers had at least three complaints made against them by members of the public over the past year, according to figures released today.

Salam Fayyad yesterday joined the widespread outrage at Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of the ultra-orthodox Israeli party Shas, who at the weekend denounced the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and others, suggesting they should "perish".

The Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad yesterday unveiled a detailed blueprint for completing the independent state he insisted would be ready in 2011 if Israel lived up to its "moment of reckoning" in the coming weeks of negotiations.

Five leading Israeli theatres were facing a mounting political row yesterday after a pledge by 60 of the country's most prominent actors, writers and directors to boycott the companies' planned performances in a Jewish West Bank settlement.

Baroness Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief, yesterday issued an unusually sharp rebuke to Israel over a military court's conviction of a Palestinian activist prominent in unarmed protests against the West Bank separation barrier.

Israel's hardline foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman yesterday urged an end to the partial halt to Jewish West Bank settlement building next month and cast doubt on the success of imminent direct peace negotiations.

Vladimir Putin fired darts from a crossbow at a grey whale off Russia's Far East coast yesterday in the latest in a series of man-versus-nature stunts designed to cultivate the image of a macho leader.

The world is now beginning to respond in a significant way to the almost bottomless pit of need in Pakistan. Whether – with some 20 million affected and the nation's ability to feed itself ruined for years to come – it will be enough is very doubtful.