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Wednesday, March 31, 2010
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By Ian Ladyman and Matt Lawton
Hobbling on: Rooney
Wayne Rooney is expected to be fully fit for the World Cup, though he is likely to miss the next tumultuous month of Manchester United’s season.
Rooney arrived home from Germany with his United team-mates on Wednesday afternoon still using crutches and with his right foot in a protective boot after damaging his ankle towards the end of their 2-1 Champions League loss to Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old was whisked out of a side door of Manchester airport and taken to hospital for a scan. Although United refused to release the results of the examination last night, it is understood it was suspected to be a ‘grade one’ ligament tear.
If that is confirmed today, Rooney would be out for between three and four weeks, forcing him to miss pivotal games against Barclays Premier League rivals Chelsea at Old Trafford on Saturday and Bayern again in Europe four days later.
However, enquiries by the FA’s medical staff yesterday morning went some way to allaying England manager Fabio Capello’s fears that Rooney would miss the World Cup in South Africa, and the Italian is hoping to have that confirmed today.
Walking wounded: Wayne Rooney leaves the Allianz Arena on crutches
It is not uncommon for United, at the behest of manager Sir Alex Ferguson, to be unhelpful when it comes to releasing information about their injured players. This is particularly the case if Ferguson suspects the interest is motivated by something other than the outlook for United.
Certainly this was the scenario yesterday as United flew home from a disappointing first leg of their Champions League quarter-final with all eyes and cameras trained on Rooney. Indeed, it is possible that Ferguson will not officially reveal the prognosis until his weekly press conference tomorrow.
Arriving at the steps of United’s plane in a private vehicle yesterday lunchtime, Rooney made light work of boarding as he used his crutches to help him up the stairway.
Once on board, Rooney sat a third of the way down the plane in an aisle seat and did venture to the lavatory, without the use of his walking aids, midway through the two-hour flight.
United, and indeed England, will not be totally satisfied that there is no damage to the bones in his foot until the swelling around his ankle goes down. Chelsea defender Ashley Cole, for example, was thought to have suffered only ligament damage until further investigation revealed an ankle fracture.
Moment of impact: Mario Gomez treads on the foot of Wayne Rooney
Long day: Rooney leaves a south Manchester hospital after having his ankle scanned
Nevertheless, the initial indications when United doctors examined Rooney at the team hotel in Munich yesterday morning were that the injury was restricted to the ligaments and soft tissue around his joint. He was, for example, able to put some weight on his foot once it was encased in a protective boot.
Despite this, Ferguson’s mood was grim as he contemplated the vital month ahead without his star striker. Rooney has scored 34 goals this season, 22 more than Dimitar Berbatov, United’s next-highest scorer.
Berbatov will be expected to lead the line against Chelsea on Saturday and then in games against Bayern, Blackburn, Manchester City and possibly Tottenham. Although the £30million striker has enjoyed some improved form recently, scoring twice last weekend at Bolton, he now faces one of the most critical periods of his up-and-down Old Trafford career.
United defender Nemanja Vidic said: ‘At Bolton on Saturday Berba showed what he could do. He had a great game against Bolton and is a great footballer
‘Also this season we have shown we play as a team. Wayne is unbelievable. He scored again against Bayern and had another chance, he is one of the best in the world. But we can cope. We will have to.’
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By Ian Ladyman and Matt Lawton Hobbling on: Rooney
Wayne Rooney is expected to be fully fit for the World Cup, though he is likely to miss the next tumultuous month of Manchester United’s season.
*** Scroll down to watch Video **
Rooney arrived home from Germany with his United team-mates on Wednesday afternoon still using crutches and with his right foot in a protective boot after damaging his ankle towards the end of their 2-1 Champions League loss to Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old was whisked out of a side door of Manchester airport and taken to hospital for a scan. Although United refused to release the results of the examination last night, it is understood it was suspected to be a ‘grade one’ ligament tear.
If that is confirmed today, Rooney would be out for between three and four weeks, forcing him to miss pivotal games against Barclays Premier League rivals Chelsea at Old Trafford on Saturday and Bayern again in Europe four days later.
However, enquiries by the FA’s medical staff yesterday morning went some way to allaying England manager Fabio Capello’s fears that Rooney would miss the World Cup in South Africa, and the Italian is hoping to have that confirmed today. Walking wounded: Wayne Rooney leaves the Allianz Arena on crutches
It is not uncommon for United, at the behest of manager Sir Alex Ferguson, to be unhelpful when it comes to releasing information about their injured players. This is particularly the case if Ferguson suspects the interest is motivated by something other than the outlook for United.
Certainly this was the scenario yesterday as United flew home from a disappointing first leg of their Champions League quarter-final with all eyes and cameras trained on Rooney. Indeed, it is possible that Ferguson will not officially reveal the prognosis until his weekly press conference tomorrow.
Arriving at the steps of United’s plane in a private vehicle yesterday lunchtime, Rooney made light work of boarding as he used his crutches to help him up the stairway.
Once on board, Rooney sat a third of the way down the plane in an aisle seat and did venture to the lavatory, without the use of his walking aids, midway through the two-hour flight.
United, and indeed England, will not be totally satisfied that there is no damage to the bones in his foot until the swelling around his ankle goes down. Chelsea defender Ashley Cole, for example, was thought to have suffered only ligament damage until further investigation revealed an ankle fracture.
Moment of impact: Mario Gomez treads on the foot of Wayne Rooney
Long day: Rooney leaves a south Manchester hospital after having his ankle scanned
Nevertheless, the initial indications when United doctors examined Rooney at the team hotel in Munich yesterday morning were that the injury was restricted to the ligaments and soft tissue around his joint. He was, for example, able to put some weight on his foot once it was encased in a protective boot.
Despite this, Ferguson’s mood was grim as he contemplated the vital month ahead without his star striker. Rooney has scored 34 goals this season, 22 more than Dimitar Berbatov, United’s next-highest scorer.
Berbatov will be expected to lead the line against Chelsea on Saturday and then in games against Bayern, Blackburn, Manchester City and possibly Tottenham. Although the £30million striker has enjoyed some improved form recently, scoring twice last weekend at Bolton, he now faces one of the most critical periods of his up-and-down Old Trafford career.
United defender Nemanja Vidic said: ‘At Bolton on Saturday Berba showed what he could do. He had a great game against Bolton and is a great footballer
‘Also this season we have shown we play as a team. Wayne is unbelievable. He scored again against Bayern and had another chance, he is one of the best in the world. But we can cope. We will have to.’
source: dailymail
By Matt Barlow
Floored: Arsenal players show their concern as injured Cesc Fabregas goes down in a heap
Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas was in agony last night amid fears he had broken his right leg during the 2-2 draw with Barcelona in the Champions League.
The Arsenal captain, who had been a doubt for the first leg of the quarter final with severe bruising to his knee and leg, suffered the injury when he was fouled by Carles Puyol and awarded a penalty in the 85th minute.
Fabregas scored from the spot to claim a 2-2 draw and hobbled through the closing moments as Arsenal had already used their three substitutes.
But Fabregas admitted he feared the worst as he left Emirates Stadium on crutches.
The Spaniard could miss Arsenal's title run in and the World Cup finals in South Africa.
'I am not good," he said. 'We have to wait for tomorrow, but I hope I can wear the Arsenal shirt again this season.
Sorry sight: Cesc Fabregas hobbles off the pitch to receive treatment
'I fear the worst, which is that I have broken something. I do not think it is going to be good news, but still I hope there will be.
'When I took the penalty, I was quite strong, but after when I went to get the ball, I could not walk any more.
'It is the fibula. I think I put my leg between Puyol's when I was fouled, and kicked it.'
Fabregas added: 'Until the penalty, I was feeling quite good.
'It has been an amazing experience and I will remember it for the rest of my life.'
Spot on: Fabregas smashes his penalty past Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes
Arsenal also fear defender William Gallas, who went off in the first half, will miss the rest of the season after limping off with a calf problem.
The Spaniards had lived up to their billing as favourites following a blistering start and a second-half double from Zlatan Ibrahimovic looked to have all but killed off the tie.
However, Theo Walcott came off the bench to pull a goal back before Fabregas - who will miss the second leg at his old club after being booked - smashed in a late penalty after Puyol was sent off for fouling the midfielder in the box.
source: dailymail
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By Daily Mail Reporter
Starts off tame... Erykah Badu parks her car in Dealey Plaza and begins the video for Window Seat fully clothed
American singer Erykah Badu has caused controversy by stripping off in the street and pretending to be shot near the site of John F Kennedy's assassination.
*** Scroll down to watch Video ****
The Grammy-winner, 39, is fully-clothed at the beginning of the promo for her new single Window Seat and ends up lying completely naked on the pavement at the climax of the video.
The guerilla video was shot in just one take in the famous Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas on March 13 without any filming permits.
As Badu walks through the plaza disrobing, various onlookers are seen gawking at her.
Towards the end of the video a gunshot-like sound is heard, and Badu collapses to the ground.
The beginning of the video features Badu driving a white car with the famous radio commentary of Kennedy's fateful visit to Dallas.
Despite the public outrage, Dallas police confirmed no one had made any official complaints and as no officer witnessed the indecent exposure, the singer wouldn't be charged with any offence.
The disrobing begins: Off come the jacket and the shoes...
A Dallas native herself, Badu's decision to pretend to be shot on the same site as the former U.S. President in 1963 has left many locals offended.
John Crawford, president of the non-profit group Downtown Dallas, said: 'It's in poor taste and poor judgment, in my opinion.'
Explaining the video, Badu said: 'I tied it in a way that compared the assassination to the character assassination one would go through after showing his or her self completely. That's exactly the action I wanted to display.'
When asked what she thought about the young children present in the street who would have seen her naked, she said: 'I tried to telepathically communicate my good intent to them. That's all I could do, and I hoped they wouldn't be traumatised
Fear of arrest: Badu's directors had bail money ready just in case she was arrested for public indecency
Directing duo Chike and Coodie admitted they had bail money ready just in case the singer was arrested for public indecency.
Chike told MTV: 'I just remember hearing a siren, or every minute looking up and seeing some kind of sheriff's car or something. So I was like, "This is gonna be interesting."
'Her contingency plan was get arrested. She was big on doing it. We had bail money and everything. I think she really wanted to get arrested, even make a bigger message.'
Coodie said several people threatened to call the police, but obviously didn't.
Shock factor: Badu stunned onlookers as she removed her bra and knickers in the street
He said: 'It was nothing but two or three people, it was nothing that crazy at all. There was that one lady, though, that was really crazy, she was like, "That was so offensive."'
If Badu had been caught in the act by a police officer, she could have been fined up to $2,000 or be jailed for 180 days.
The single comes from Badu's fifth studio album New Amerykah Part Two (Return Of The Ankh).
Badu leapt to fame in the late Nineties with her debut album Baduizm, which included the worldwide hit song On & On, which clinched the singer a Grammy award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1998.
Controversy: Badu falls to the ground naked amid sounds of a gunshot - near the area where John F Kennedy was shot in 1963
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Wayne Rooney 'out for two-four weeks with sprained ankle' as Manchester United star is tipped to make World Cup
By Sportsmail Reporter
Walking wounded: Wayne Rooney leaves the Allianz Arena on crutches
Wayne Rooney could be back in action in two to four weeks after initial indications suggested he suffered a sprained ankle rather than a break during Manchester United's defeat by Bayern Munich.
The England striker will not know the full extent of damage until undergoing scans on his return to Manchester, but the 24-year-old left Germany with positive reports that his injury might not be as bad as first feared.
Waiting game: Rooney is driven away from the ground last night
Moment of impact: Mario Gomez treads on the foot of Wayne Rooney
Rooney stayed in Munich overnight with the rest of the United side that lost 2-1 in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday and arrived at Munich airport on Wednesday afternoon wearing a protective boot, limping across the tarmac with the aid of crutches.
If reports by Sky Sports News prove to be correct, the Barclays Premier League champions will be without their top scorer for crucial matches at the business end of the season, but at least Rooney should be in shape to make the World Cup finals.
England boss Fabio Capello voiced his concerns after seeing his talisman land awkwardly in a challenge with Mario Gomez at the end of the match in Germany.
Capello intends to speak to the former Everton striker later on Wednesday or on Thursday morning, once a clearer picture has emerged.
Worrying sight: Injured Wayne Rooney is helped off the pitch
United are due to touch down in Manchester at around 3.30pm and he is likely to be whisked straight to hospital for a scan.
If the results show ankle-ligament damage, Rooney could face longer on the sidelines and leave Capello's plans for South Africa 2010 in tatters.
Sir Alex Ferguson is also facing the dilemma of how to face Chelsea in Saturday's pivotal Barclays Premier League title clash.
A statement on the United website read: 'Rooney did not travel back on the team bus from the Allianz Arena, instead departing separately with security staff. His right foot was encased in a protective boot.'
To add to Rooney's woe, he was selected by UEFA for a random drug test after the match, meaning United's medical team were unable to attend to his injury as quickly as they would like.
source: dailymail
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The new commercials of f(x) for Auction are out and they’re quite adorable and hilarious. The five different CFs show off the girls doing a funny dance to show off the products.
Sulli is marketing the jacket, Victoria is selling the hat, Luna is showing off the bag, Amber, the pants, and Krystal, the shoes.
Auction is holding an event where they’re asking fans to point out their favorite moves out of the dances and the contest ends on April 12th.
Auction’s rep said,
“f(x) is rising as an fashion icon which is why the Auction products have been progressing in sales after their endorsement. We wanted to give off a fun vibe.”
The new Auction CF will start airing from April 10th.
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Let us rise and celebrate – two Asian-wide idol groups, Big Bang and TVXQ have been selected as nominees under the honorable categories of Best Newcomer’s Video Award and Best Group Video Award, respectively, for World Stage: Video Music Awards Japan hosted by MTV Japan.
The actual show for this award show, commonly referred to as WS VMAJ, will be held on May 29th at Yoyogi Nation Stadium. Following the format of “global music concert,” WS VMAJ will be featuring various Japanese artists, alongside the two Korean boy groups. Big Bang will also decorate the stage on that day as one of the four performers chosen.
In the meanwhile, take a look at this music video by Big Bang in Japan.
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By Scott Warren
Daredevil: Boole with his state-of-the-art suit
A daredevil father who almost died in a 6,000ft fall a year ago has returned to his death-defying pastime.
James Boole, 32, broke his back when he had parachute problems while using his winged 'bat suit', but has made his return Base Jump, gliding safely to earth after racing through the air.
'I felt ecstatic,' he told The Sun. 'It was great.'
The accident last Easter saw his parachute fail, his life saved by a soft landing on deep snow after jumping from a Russian peak.
He hit the ground at about 100mph, injuring his back, lungs, ribs and teeth, leading to a year-long recovery at his home in Tamworth, Staffordshire, which included wearing a body brace for three months.
For his return jump he chose the 4,000ft Mount Trento in northern Italy, and admitted to being terrified as he prepared to launch himself off the side.
After mustering the courage, he glided safely to 500ft before a successful parachute deployment delivered him softly to the valley floor.
In action: Boole and a fellow jumper speed through the air
'I really thought that I might never be able to jump again,' he said. 'As I stood on the cliff edge I still had some Elvis knee-knocking going on.'
His wife Kristina, 24, and 15-month-old daughter Melissa were waiting for him at the bottom.
He said: 'Obviously my family were very concerned I would want to do something like this again. But they understand what a big part parachuting plays in my life.'
Base Jumping stands for 'building, aerial, span and earth' - the range of four jumps its participants seek to make. It is illegal in most countries.
Above: Boole and his 'bat suit' have starred in an advertisement for US car maker Chevrolet, for which no special effects were used
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Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Tiger Woods: Returning to the fray
One subject appeared to dominate the locker room at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week. It came from the professionals who have homes 20 minutes from Bay Hill at Isleworth and was passed from table to table
Tiger is on the driving range morning, noon and night and he is killing it, they said. Tiger’s been up to Augusta and he loves what he sees. Three to one odds against him winning? That might even be a tad generous, intoned one pro, with awe in his eyes. Paul Casey said Tiger can just roll up, turn the key and off he goes. Best of all was the verdict of John Cook, who can’t see anyone else winning the Masters.
Oh, please. We’re surely not going down this route again, where all the leading players of the day fall at the feet of Tiger Woods and let him walk all over them.
Five months out should be an insurmountable hurdle, but some players are doing their level best to help Woods clamber over it. Amazing isn’t it, how the more he proves himself all too human, the more some players talk him up into being a God.
Colin Montgomerie said Woods wouldn’t be playing the Masters next week if he didn’t think he could win. Well, that might be true. But the real reason he’s playing next week is that it offers him the easiest exit route from all his troubles. He’s going there in shame, not honour.
The facts are that Woods hasn’t won at Augusta since it was toughened up in 2006. He hasn’t played anywhere since last November - and the last time he played in a major, a redoubtable Korean called YE Yang actually stood up to him and beat him.
Every pro in the field at the Masters should be thinking it would be one of the miracles of the age for Woods to win next week - not thinking that he’s overdue a victory at Augusta. His absence from the field of battle shouldn’t be making their hearts grow scared, but race with excitement.
Yes, if Woods were to claim a fifth green jacket and a 15th major championship, it would be testament to his unique qualities. But it wouldn’t say a lot for everyone else.
source :dailymail
Wayne Rooney exits on crutches: United seek to allay fears England striker has broken his foot again
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By Ian Ladyman
Feeling the pain: Wayne Rooney in agony after injuring his ankle
This was the moment a nation held its breath as Wayne Rooney clutched his ankle in agony at the end of Manchester United's 2-1 Champions League defeat against Bayern Munich.
The striker on whom England's World Cup hopes rest was injured in the dying seconds last night after Mario Gomez trod on his right foot. He will be assessed today but looks likely to miss Saturday's pivotal title clash with Chelsea.
The sight of him limping off sparked fears for South Africa, particularly as he suffered a metatarsal injury in the same foot four years ago almost to the day.
United led through a 64-second Rooney goal but an equaliser from Franck Ribery - deflected in off Rooney - and a stoppage-time winner from Ivica Olic gave the German side victory.
Moment of impact: Mario Gomez treads on the foot of Wayne Rooney
Rooney, who was also booked, was injured in the build-up to the winning goal.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: 'Wayne has got a kick on the ankle. We don't know how serious it is.'
United sought to allay fears that Rooney had broken his foot again, though he left the Allianz Arena on crutches and with his right leg in a brace.
Worrying sight: Injured Wayne Rooney is helped off the pitch
Ferguson was in no mood to absolve his team for a defeat that leaves the quarter-final tie delicately balanced going into Wednesday's second leg at Old Trafford.
He said: 'We never played well and gave the ball away all night. That's not like us. The winning goal was a terrible one
Walking wounded: Wayne Rooney leaves the Allianz Arena on crutches
'At least we have an away goal. Bayern have a strong chance but at home we should be confident. Our keeper made saves time and time again and kept us in it.'
Bayern coach Louis van Gaal believes Rooney's absence could be crucial.
The Dutchman said: 'He is their most important player and if you looked at United's statistics you would see their second highest scorer had been their opponents. They had 11 own goals. That's how important Rooney is.'
Quick fire: Wayne Rooney opens the scoring after just 64 seconds
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Wayne Rooney exits on crutches: United seek to allay fears England striker has broken his foot again
By Ian Ladyman Feeling the pain: Wayne Rooney in agony after injuring his ankle
This was the moment a nation held its breath as Wayne Rooney clutched his ankle in agony at the end of Manchester United's 2-1 Champions League defeat against Bayern Munich.
The striker on whom England's World Cup hopes rest was injured in the dying seconds last night after Mario Gomez trod on his right foot. He will be assessed today but looks likely to miss Saturday's pivotal title clash with Chelsea.
The sight of him limping off sparked fears for South Africa, particularly as he suffered a metatarsal injury in the same foot four years ago almost to the day.
United led through a 64-second Rooney goal but an equaliser from Franck Ribery - deflected in off Rooney - and a stoppage-time winner from Ivica Olic gave the German side victory.
Moment of impact: Mario Gomez treads on the foot of Wayne Rooney
Rooney, who was also booked, was injured in the build-up to the winning goal.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: 'Wayne has got a kick on the ankle. We don't know how serious it is.'
United sought to allay fears that Rooney had broken his foot again, though he left the Allianz Arena on crutches and with his right leg in a brace.
Worrying sight: Injured Wayne Rooney is helped off the pitch
Ferguson was in no mood to absolve his team for a defeat that leaves the quarter-final tie delicately balanced going into Wednesday's second leg at Old Trafford.
He said: 'We never played well and gave the ball away all night. That's not like us. The winning goal was a terrible one
Walking wounded: Wayne Rooney leaves the Allianz Arena on crutches
'At least we have an away goal. Bayern have a strong chance but at home we should be confident. Our keeper made saves time and time again and kept us in it.'
Bayern coach Louis van Gaal believes Rooney's absence could be crucial.
The Dutchman said: 'He is their most important player and if you looked at United's statistics you would see their second highest scorer had been their opponents. They had 11 own goals. That's how important Rooney is.'
Quick fire: Wayne Rooney opens the scoring after just 64 seconds
source: dailymail
Boxing-mad Wayne Rooney hits the punchbag as Manchester United star looks to smash Bayern with a knockout blow
By Sportsmail Reporter
Goal hero: Prolific Rooney scores against CSKA Moscow
Wayne Rooney has revealed he gets the punch bag out if he wants to get rid of some excess anger.
The Manchester United star is no longer the firebrand he was in his younger days, too often flying off the handle at any little problem.
But the 24-year-old, who aims to down Bayern Munich in the Champions League, retains an ultra-competitive edge that occasionally requires an outlet.
When those situations occur, Rooney is happy to pull the boxing gloves on, as he learned to do when he was still at school.
'I used to do boxing and football,' he told Champions magazine. 'I was training every night with one of them and when I got to about 15, Everton said I had to stop boxing if I wanted to carry on playing football. I had a good chance of making the first team, so I stopped.
Pride of Manchester: Rooney supports Ricky Hatton (centre), posing with Marco Antonio Barrera in Las Vegas in June 2007
'I still love watching boxing. It is a big thing in my family. I can still do a bit now after training, but obviously not fighting. I enjoy it. It is a good way to get rid of some anger.
Sir Alex Ferguson hopes there will be no reason for Rooney to get angry in the Allianz Arena as the striker returns from a bruised foot for the quarter-final first-leg tie.
Anger management: Rooney clashes with Dermot Gallagher during his Everton days
Rooney has established himself as one of the most feared forwards in Europe thanks to his 33-goal contribution to United's season.
However, Ferguson believes it is the presence of another England man who missed Saturday's four-goal destruction of Bolton that is even more crucial to United's chances of recording a record seventh successive away win in the competition, £29.1million defender Rio Ferdinand.
Ready for action: Rooney trains with United in Munich
'The return of Ferdinand and Vidic to keep our back four solid is significant,' said Ferguson.
'Along with Edwin van der Sar there was a time when all those players were injured. It wasn't easy and we were very fragile.
'But you can see the solidity now. You can see the experience of these players and it is making a massive difference to the performances of the team.
'It is a true saying strong at the back, strong as a team. We are looking very strong now.'
source: dailymail
Concern: Fabregas injured his right knee at Birmingham
Cesc Fabregas missed training with Arsenal today and boss Arsene Wenger admits his captain is a major doubt to face Barcelona tomorrow.
The midfielder suffered severe bruising to his right knee and leg during Saturday's 1-1 draw with Birmingham and is running out of time to prove his fitness before the Champions League quarter-final first leg
Wenger confirmed: 'He did not train this morning and at moment he is not fit to play. We will give him 24 hours more, but I don't know if he will be available.
'If the game were today, he would not play. If he is not capable to play, I would not take a gamble and put him on the bench
In the running: Vela, Vermaelen, Rosicky, Eboue and Denilson train, but Arsenal skipper Fabregas is nowhere to be seen
Fabregas is desperate to play against the team with whom he spent six years before joining the north London club
Although the Spain international might not be available, centre back William Gallas has returned to training after missing eight games with a calf problem and will be in the squad.
Wenger has been short on defensive options, with Kieran Gibbs and Johann Djourou also out. The absences have led to Sol Campbell becoming a regular since his surprise return to the club in the winter.
Comeback trail: Gallas (front) hasn't played since February
Thomas Vermaelen should partner Campbell in the centre of defence against Barcelona after the Belgian served a one-match ban.
Abou Diaby also picked up a slight knock in the Birmingham match. Samir Nasri and Andrey Arshavin, are struggling with groin and knee problems respectively, but both were able to train at London Colney.
source: dailymail
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By Daily Mail Reporter
Threatening: The electronic Taser bullet is fired from a regular shotgun and can incapacitate criminals from 100 feet
A new 'super-Taser' stun gun that fires a 500-volt wireless 'bullet' up to 100ft is being considered for use by UK police forces, the Home Office said today.
The extended Range Electronic Projectile (XREP), already used by police in the U.S., fires a barbed electrode from a modified 12-bore shotgun.
It hooks into the target's skin before administering a 20-second shock which renders the subject totally incapacitated.
Under consideration: Amnesty International claim 334 people in the US died between 2001 and 2008 after being targeted by the stun gun
And if the recipient tries to pull the device off, 'reflex engagement electrodes' complete a circuit that sends the shock through the subject's body through their hand.
Amnesty International has expressed 'serious concern' about the XREP and are worried by news it could be authorised in the UK.
XREP manufacturers Taser International describe the Taser as a 'revolutionary' step towards immobilising dangerous criminals from a greater distance than ever before.
Traditional hand-held Taser stun guns can fire electrified darts up to 25 feet and deliver a five-second shock, which can be re-triggered.
A spokesman for XREP said: 'This is the first wireless projectile that can deliver less-than lethal electro-muscular incapacitation at long range.
The bullet hooks into the target's skin before administering a 20-second shock
'Launched from a 12-gauge shotgun platform, this innovative device is set to revolutionise law enforcement operations and will give military forces an effective, less lethal option up to a range of 20 metres.'
Amnesty International claim 334 people in the U.S. died between 2001 and 2008 after being targeted by the stun gun.
UK's arms programme director, Oliver Sprague, said: 'This is effectively a shotgun that fires electric-shock bullets.
'Because this bullet can be fired wire-free from a standard shotgun there is a heightened risk of causing serious injury to the face and head.
'We're also concerned by the fact that these weapons will deliver an excruciatingly painful shock for 20 seconds.
'Amnesty would be very alarmed if the Home Office were to consider authorising this weapon to police officers in the UK.'
A Home Office Spokesperson said: 'The Home Office Scientific Development Branch is considering the XREP as part of its ongoing remit to evaluate new technologies.
'All new technologies are subjected to the most stringent safety tests and independent medical evaluation before they can be considered for police issue.
'The Government and the police have no current plans to introduce XREP Tasers into service.'
Tasers have been used in around 6,000 incidents in England and Wales since they were introduced in April 2004.
When introduced Tasers were only used by firearms-qualified officers but following successful trials are now issued to officers with specialist training.
MP David Hanson said this week: 'Tasers are a vital police tool which help protect both officers and the public.
'They do not even have to be discharged to help defuse violent or dangerous situations, often just drawing the device can be enough to deter criminals.'
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We reported earlier that the girls of SNSD / Girls’ Generation would participate in a new advertising campaign for the Nintendo DSi. Well, you didn’t have to wait long as the commercials have been released.
The girls were seen playing around with the game system on set and you can see that reflected in the commercials. Nintendo’s Korean representative said, “I hope people look at SNSD and see that this is a game set that is enjoyable for all ages groups for boys and girls.”
Thanks to Melany for the tip and check out the commercials below.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxSE1mEKLdgendofvid
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Remember we reported earlier about the story version for SNSD’s new song, Run Devil Run?
Many of you were kind of disappointed that the Run Devil Run MV did not offer a continuation of the storyline that was teased at the end of the Oh! music video.
Well, SM Entertainment has finally acted and for those who have bought the SNSD iPhone application, you will be able to be one of the first to see this story version MV exclusively before anyone else. The story version MV and many other exclusive stuff not available elsewhere were uploaded on the 30th onto the paid application.
Check out this Tiffany and Jessica exclusive interview.
But for those without iPhones, don’t fret as the MV will be uploaded onto various portal sites tomorrow afternoon on the 31st. Some techie SNSD fan might also try to extract the MV from the iPhone application before SM uploads them tomorrow.
Here you go. Don’t be too disappointed after watching it.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxu393CH-WAendofvid
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The Wonder Girls were recently in Korea to shoot their title track music video for their upcoming U.S album.
To keep their fans updated, the girls uploaded a video message on their official Youtube channel on the 29th, thanking their fans for their support. This video also saw the first appearance of new member, Hye Lim together with the Wonder Girls on their Youtube.
Yenny also said that they read every comments on their videos so hopefully you got the message.
The most important message came from leader Sunye who said, “…we will be come back soon with our really new songs…“, and you can see from their reactions how excited they are to be singing new stuff! I’m sure many us of share the same sentiments with them.
They also released a video with the same message for Korean fans.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeWCb3llsVoendofvid
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We reported earlier that a full-length music video for KBS2TV’s new drama, Cinderella’s Sister was in the works and it would be featuring the vocals of Super Junior’s Yesung.
And just one day away from the actual broadcast, the full-length music video has finally been released and if you thought the teaser photos released in the past few weeks were intense, you ain’t see nothing yet.
Together with the vocals of Yesung (who is a big fan of Moon Geun Young), the drama looks like it’s going to be a smashing hit.
With the exit of the ratings monster Chuno last week, the Wed-Thus timeslot will for the first time in months see all 3 competing dramas from SBS (Personal Taste), KBS (Cinderella’s Sister) and MBC (Prosecutor Princess) start from the same starting point.
With the exception of Cinderella’s Sister which is likely to be a thriller, the other two are romantic comedies. It will thus be interesting to see which drama will rise to the top after their first 2 episodes! What will you be watching on March 31st?
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