Bulk of MF Global London fuel oil team quit -industry sources

July 22 (Reuters) – Futures broker MF Global Holdings (MF.N) has lost eight brokers from their nine-man London fuel oil swaps broking desk, two industry sources said on Thursday.

The eight brokers resigned earlier this month, and are currently serving out their “garden leave”, an industry source told Reuters.

The remaining member of the team will be leaving soon, the sources added. A spokeswoman for the company in London declined comment on the departures.

“We can only confirm that the London fuel oil desk is still operating,” she said when asked if MF Global will close its fuel oil desk in London. (Editing by Ramthan Hussain)

European shares turn negative; miners slip

July 12 (Reuters) – European shares turned negative on Monday as miners lost ground, tracking weaker metals prices, after weekend data showed China’s June copper imports fell short of expectations, though overall data surprised on the upside.

At 0719 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European shares was down 0.2 percent at 1,020.16 points after opening slightly higher.

Miners were among the biggest decliners, with BHP Billiton (BLT.L), Anglo American (AAL.L) and Eurasian Natural Resources (ENRC.L) falling 0.5 to 1 percent.

(Reporting by Atul Prakash)

European shares turn negative; miners slip

July 12 (Reuters) – European shares turned negative on Monday as miners lost ground, tracking weaker metals prices, after weekend data showed China’s June copper imports fell short of expectations, though overall data surprised on the upside.

At 0719 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European shares was down 0.2 percent at 1,020.16 points after opening slightly higher.

Miners were among the biggest decliners, with BHP Billiton (BLT.L), Anglo American (AAL.L) and Eurasian Natural Resources (ENRC.L) falling 0.5 to 1 percent.

(Reporting by Atul Prakash)

Nikkei falls to 3-week low as yen climbs

June 29 (Reuters) – Japan’s Nikkei average slipped to a three-week closing low on Tuesday as exporters fell on a stronger yen and charts remained grim, with the benchmark poised for its worst quarter since Lehman Brothers failed in 2008.

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Canon Inc (7751.T) shed 2.7 percent to 3,395 yen, Tokyo Electron (8035.T) lost 1.6 percent to 5,010 yen and Honda Motor Corp (7267.T) fell 1.3 percent to 2,647 yen.

The benchmark Nikkei .N225 shed 1.3 percent to 9,570.67, its lowest close since June 10. The broader Topix lost 1 percent to 852.19.

American Mediate gains U.S. Open spot at Pebble Beach

California (Reuters) – American veteran Rocco Mediate earned a late entry to the U.S. Open on Sunday when he was awarded the spot reserved for the winner of the St. Jude Classic in Memphis.

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British world number three Lee Westwood, who clinched the St. Jude title in a three-way playoff, had already gained a place in the field for the year’s second major and Mediate benefited as the first alternate.

A five-times PGA Tour winner and a popular figure with the fans, Mediate lost a 19-hole playoff to world number one Tiger Woods for the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in California.

The 47-year-old American, who has struggled with back injuries over the years, has competed in 14 U.S. Opens since turning professional in 1985.

The U.S. Open, being held at Pebble Beach Golf Links for a fifth time, starts Thursday. American Lucas Glover won the title last year at Bethpage Black in New York.

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

Bus crashes in Philippines, 18 dead

June 13 (Reuters) – At least 16 Iranian students and two Filipinos were killed when a commuter bus fell in a ravine on a Philippines central island on Sunday, police said.

About 30 Iranians were injured when the bus lost its brakes and plunged 30 metres into a ravine in Balanban on Cebu island, police officer Arden Trocio told reporters.

“We’re trying to piece together what had happened,” Trocio said, adding that the bus had nearly 50 passengers, all Iranian medical and nursing students.

Almost all the fatalities were killed on the spot, Trocio said. One died at the hospital where the injured were taken.

Police said the passengers were on their way to a beach resort when the accident happened around 11:00 a.m. [0300 GMT].

(Reporting by Manuel Mogato)

Man forces son to eat school report

London, May 27 (IANS) Furious at his son’s poor school report, a father in France forced the boy to chew and swallow the sheets of paper and later admitted that he had ‘lost his temper’ and had ‘over-reacted’.

The angry father stuffed the school report into his 12-year-old son’s mouth and ordered him to eat it earlier this month.

The boy found it difficult to eat the three sheets of paper. His father then attempted to force it down his throat with his finger, a court in Poitiers, western France, was told.

The next day, a teacher at his school noticed the boy’s bruised lips and black eye, leading to the father’s arrest. He was charged with assault, Daily Mail reported Thursday.

‘It was a poor report and I lost my temper. I sent him up to his room, then followed him up there with the report. I over-reacted. I have apologised to my son for what I did and things have been much better since,’ the man was quoted as telling the court.

The man was handed a two months suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay his son a symbolic one euro in damages.

Lanka defeat NZ in second US T20 clash

Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the second of two Twenty20 matches, part of international cricket’s historic attempt to break into the US market.

Sri Lanka triumphed in the low-scoring affair with more than four overs to spare to earn a 1-1 draw in the series on Sunday.

Nuwan Kulasekara tore through New Zealand’s top order, taking three wickets in the second over as he removed openers Brendon McCullum and Aaron Redmond along with Rob Nicol.

New Zealand were an embarrassing 13-5 at one stage.

Daniel Vettori and Nathan McCullum were the only New Zealanders to reach double figures, but the 81 runs amassed by New Zealand was no challenge for Sri Lanka even on the slow, lifeless pitch.

Vettori’s 27 gave New Zealand a glimmer of hope, and Nathan McCullum’s 36 took their total to 81 before they were bowled out in the 18th over.

Mahela Jayawardene got Sri Lanka going with a 12-ball 17.

Thissara Parera added 24 and Tillakaratne Dilshan overcame his struggles to find his timing for an unbeaten 33.

Sri Lanka had lost Saturday’s opening game of the series, which marked the first cricket games on US soil between two ICC full members.

Somdev crashes out of French Open in first round

Paris, May 23 (IANS) A fighting Somdev Devvarman crashed out of the French Open 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 3-6 in a marathon first round match against Switzerland’s 65th-ranked Marco Chiudinelli here Sunday.

The 109th-ranked Indian and Chiudinelli were locked in a three-hour long battle before the Swiss evened his head-to-head meetings with Somdev. The Indian had beaten Chiudinelli in their only previous meeting in Dubai earlier this year.

Somdev Friday had become the first Indian in 13 years to qualify for the main draw at Roland Garros. Leander Paes was the last Indian to play in the men’s singles here in 1997 and he lost in the second round to Magnus Norman.

Somdev’s only previous Grand Slam entry was in the US Open last year where he lost to Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Thailand’s tourism sector loss put at 120 billion baht

Bangkok, May 20(ANI): Thailand’s tourism industry experts have claimed that the Red-Shirts’ anti-government rally could cause the sector about 120 billion baht in lost revenue.

“The political turmoil will drive away foreign tourists. The number of foreign arrivals this year is expected to drop by 10 per cent to between 12.7 million and 14.1 million,” The Bangkok Post quoted Kongkrish Hiranyakij, Chairman Federation of Thai Tourism Industries, as saying.

He further said the number of foreign tourists was expected take a 20 percent dip in the second and third quarters of the year, bringing projected revenue down from 600 billion baht to only 480 billion baht this year.

The industry, which supports six percent of Thailand’s economy and employs 15 percent of the country’s workforce, has been hammered by the nine-week political turmoil and rioting.

Nearly 1,800 people have been wounded in the period as the government, backed by Thailand’s royalist establishment, and the protesters with their support from the rural masses and ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, failed to find common ground. (ANI)

J G Farrell wins another Booker prize – 30 years after death

London, May 20 (ANI): Renowned litterateur J G Farrell has won another Booker prize, this time for 1970, three decades after his death.

Farrell has been posthumously conferred with the Lost Man Booker Prize for his book Troubles.

The award was instituted to acknowledge novels published in 1970 that did not get recognition because of a change in the award”s rules.

In 1971 a decision was taken to judge books from the current rather than the previous year.

Farrell, who bagged the Booker in 1973 for The Siege of Krishnapur, has now joined the league of J. M. Coetzee and Peter Carey who have won twice.

Richard Farrell, the late author”s younger brother, collected the prize at an event in Central London.

“This is a bitter-sweet moment for me…Sweet because he has won the prize, but bitter because he can”t be here to collect it himself. To his family it is proof-positive that he had overcome his disease, in childhood, of polio,” the Times quoted Richard, as saying.

He added: “To me, the book is a time machine. It takes me back to our childhood – growing up in Ireland, the smell of peat smoke in the air.”

Talking about how his brother would have felt about after winning the Booker again, Richard said: “I don”t think he would have been very surprised. He said that he expected his books to be read in 30 to 40 years” time, and he said that he thought Troubles was his best work.” (ANI)

Kim Cattrall loses cover shot over ‘cougar’ protest

London, May 19 (ANI): ‘Sex And The City’ star Kim Cattrall lost the opportunity to appear on a major magazine front cover spread after she refused to pose with a cougar.

However, the actress claimed that she has nothing against the concept of older women dating much younger men, but doesn’t like the term ”cougar” to describe such a lady.

“I was asked recently by a significant magazine for women over 40 to pose with a cougar and I refused to do it because I felt it was insulting and they took away the cover,” the Daily Express quoted her as telling U.S. news show Extra.

“I think that ”cougar” has a negative connotation and I don”t see anything negative about… sexuality,” she added. (ANI)

Miranda Kerr feels sorry for Aussie banker caught ogling at her naked pics

Melbourne, May 19 (ANI): The last time Victoria’s Secret angel Miranda Kerr shot for a racy GQ photoshoot, a misfortunate Australian banker almost lost his job. Now, the model has posed for yet another racy shoot for GQ magazine’s June issue.

The Macquarie Banker, David Kiely, was caught on live TV looking at naked pics of Miranda Kerr. Images of Kiely gazing at Miranda were broadcast around the world after he was inadvertently filmed during an interview on Channel 7 news at Macquarie Bank in Sydney.

“It was a big deal,” The Herald Sun quoted Miranda as telling GQ. “I wasn’t offended. I just felt sorry for the poor guy.

“I wonder if he’ll get into trouble if we send him this cover.”

And she said that this time she hoped Kiely would not be caught out.

“We should send him a signed cover!” she said.

“He can read the magazine at home instead of at work on the Internet.”

Miranda told the Herald Sun”s Confidential: “I am told there is a petition to save his job and of course I would sign it.”

Commenting on the ideal man she would want, Miranda said, “Personally, I believe that women need to be stimulated mentally by the man.

“t”s not necessarily about his looks.

“It’s more about being stimulated mentally, like when a man is funny or he is witty or charming, I think that’s attractive. It’s all about personality, really,” she added. (ANI)

Sensational Hussey takes Australia to World Twenty20 final

Gros Islet (St Lucia), May 15 (IANS) Sensational last-over hitting from Michael Hussey saw Australia snatch a dramatic

three-wicket victory over Pakistan and stormed into the World Twenty20 final.

Chasing a tough target of 192 runs, Australia lost wickets at the top before Hussey (60 off 24 balls) and Cameron White

(43) brought them back into the match smashing an unbeaten 53 runs off just 16 balls.

They needed 18 from the last six balls. Hussey struck three sixes off off-spinner Saeed Ajmal to finish the match with a ball to spare even as the Pakistan camp watched in disbelief.

Australia will take on England in the final Sunday.

Russell Crowe drops F-bomb during interview over Irish accent comment

London, May 14 (ANI): Russell Crowe lost his cool during a BBC interview when the host pointed out that he had an Irish accent in new film ‘Robin Hood’.

The ‘Gladiator’ star yelled: “B****cks!”, when Radio 4 interviewer Mark Lawson suggested he had “hints” of Irish in his portrayal of the Nottingham legend.

“You”ve got dead ears mate – seriously dead ears if you think that”s an Irish accent,” the Sun quoted Crowe, as saying.

Lawson further irked him by asking if the accent was meant to be northern.

The actor replied: “No I was going for an Italian… missed it? F*** me.”

Then he stormed off the studio. (ANI)

Queen ‘to quit longtime label EMI’

London, May 12 (ANI): Rockers Queen are set to part ways from their longtime record label EMI, it has emerged.

Queen, which has been with EMI for almost four decades and sold an estimated 300 million albums through the label, are said to be in talks with rival company Universal to sign a multi-million pound deal when their contract with EMI expires at the end of this year.

“EMI just decided they couldn”t compete. It was too much to pay and they want to spend that money on developing new talent,” the Daily Express quoted a source as telling The Times.

After private equity firm Terra Firma took over EMI in 2007, the label has lost many top artists including bands such as The Rolling Stones, Supergrass and Radiohead. (ANI)

Man U still in hunt for Karim Benzema

London, May 11 (ANI): Manchester United has still not given up hope of getting French striker Karim Benzema.

United boss Alex Ferguson lost out in his first attempt to sign the 22-year-old last summer, when he was outbid by Real Madrid.

Benzema made a 31 million pounds switch from Lyon. But he has been a flop for the Spanish giants, who are now ready to sell for around 25 million pounds.

The French striker has started only in 14 La Liga games this season and scored just eight league goals, The Sun reports.

United’s owners, the Glazers, are desperate to make a big-name signing to silence some of the opposition to their reign.

Nemanja Vidic could be used as a 10 million pounds makeweight in a Benzema deal. (ANI)

Daniel Radcliffe wants Cristiano Ronaldo’s six-pack!

London, May 11 (ANI): Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe wants a body just like soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo’s, it has emerged.

The actor, who has few shirtless scenes in musical ‘How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying,’ is apparently inspired by the Portugese footballer.

“Daniel wants to completely re-sculpt his body and has taken Ronaldo as his inspiration,” the Sun quoted a pal, as saying.

The friend added: “He envies his muscle definition and is hoping to get a similar six-pack for himself.

“Daniel is taking his fitness regime really seriously. He”s stopped drinking, knocked the fags on the head and is watching every mouthful.

“He put on a little timber last year and is keen to get down to a more svelte shape.

“He”s already lost nearly a stone in the past month.” (ANI)

Gayle 98 drives Windies to 169 v India

West Indies captain Chris Gayle struck a powerful 98 off 66 balls against India to lead his team to 169 for six in the Twenty20 World Cup on Sunday.

Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul batted with caution in the early stages on a dampish wicket that was turning but they went on to make an opening partnership of 80 before the latter went in the 12th over for 23.

Darren Sammy (19) and Kieron Pollard (17) made useful contributions in support of Gayle, who struck seven sixes and was run out in the final over, two short of what would have been his second century in a Twenty20 international.

West Indies and India both lost their opening games in Group F and need to win to keep alive realistic hopes of reaching the last four.

(Editing by Kevin Fylan. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Sharapova suffers setback on return from injury

Former world number one Maria Sharapova suffered a setback on her return from injury when she lost 6-4 6-3 to Lucie Safarova in the first round of the Madrid Open on Sunday.

Russian Sharapova, the 11th seed, was playing her first tournament since pulling out of the Sony Ericsson Open in March with an elbow injury.

Safarova, who beat world number two Caroline Wozniacki in Stuttgart last month, broke Sharapova’s serve four times on the clay and the Czech is on course for a possible last-16 clash with sixth-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva.

“If you win against these top players, as I have the last couple of months, then you get your confidence and you realise you can be up there,” the world number 35 told a news conference.

“My dream is to be top 10 and it’s a lot about believing in yourself.”

(Reporting by Iain Rogers, editing by Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)