Police fly to visit murdered Indian's family - AFP

(AFP) – 3 hours ago 

LONDON — Police officers were flying to India on Sunday to meet with the family of an Indian student shot dead as he walked through Manchester, the local constabulary said.

Anuj Bidve, a 23-year-old postgraduate student, was shot in the head at close range early Monday in Salford as he walked into Manchester city centre with Indian friends.

The murder is being treated by detectives as a "hate crime" which may have been racially motivated.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have offered a £50,000 reward for information.

Subhash Bidve, the student's father, has been critical of the British and Indian authorities as he found out about his son's death by reading a post on a social networking website, before officers were able to contact him.

Chief Superintendent Russ Jackson, plus a specially trained family liaison officer who deals with bereaved families, were flying out to India to meet the Bidve family and representatives from the Indian authorities.

"Our family liaison officers are in regular contact with Anuj's family but passing information and updates over the phone is not the best way to communicate in such difficult and tragic circumstances," said GMP Assistant Chief Constable Dawn Copley.

She said it was important "to have someone from the force meet with Anuj's family at the earliest opportunity and help support them at this time.

"Having conversations face-to-face is absolutely the right thing to do. We will, of course, also provide whatever support we can throughout the family's forthcoming trip to the UK."

Five people have been arrested in connection with the shooting.

On Saturday, a 19-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder was bailed until the end of March.

Three others, a 16-year-old boy and two 17-year-old boys, were earlier released on bail pending further inquiries.

A 20-year-old man remains in police custody for questioning.

Bidve, from the western Indian city of Pune, was studying micro-electronics at Lancaster University in northwest England and had been on a short break in nearby Manchester with eight Indian friends when he was shot.

Police said the students were walking from their hotel towards the city centre when they became aware of two men on the other side of the street.

A white male walked across the road and after a brief conversation with the victim produced a gun and shot him at close range, before running off. Bidve died in hospital a short time later.

Detective Chief Superintendent Mary Doyle, who is leading the investigation, said it was "an extremely unusual, savage and motiveless attack, an absolutely horrific crime".

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

Detoxing in January is futile, says liver charity - BBC News

31 December 2011 Last updated at 19:26 ET

Giving up alcohol or going on a detox for one month is pointless, especially after the excesses of the festive season, says a liver charity.

Instead, the British Liver Trust says drinkers should make a decision to stay off alcohol for a few days every week throughout the whole year.

Experts agree that a short period of complete abstinence will not improve liver health.

A longer-term attitude to alcohol is more desirable, the charity said.

Andrew Langford, chief executive of the British Liver Trust, said that people tend to believe the hype about rejuvenating their liver by detoxing in January.

"People think they're virtuous with their health by embarking on a liver detox each January with the belief that they are cleansing their liver of excess following the festive break.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

Detoxing can lead to a false sense of security and feeds the idea that you can abuse your liver as much as you like."

End Quote Dr Mark Wright Southampton General Hospital

"A one-hit, one-month attempt to achieve long-term liver health is not the way to approach it.

"You're better off making a resolution to take a few days off alcohol a week throughout the entire year than remaining abstinent for January only."

The thinking behind this approach is that total alcohol intake per person is kept down and the liver is given time to recover each week.

Providing the liver has no lasting damage, it can repair itself very quickly, taking as little as 24 hours to go back to normal.

Dr Mark Wright, consultant hepatologist at Southampton General Hospital, said detoxing created its own problems.

"Detoxing for just a month in January is medically futile. It can lead to a false sense of security and feeds the idea that you can abuse your liver as much as you like and then sort everything else with a quick fix.

"It makes about as much sense as maxing out your credit cards and overdraft all year, then thinking you can fix it by just eating toast in January. The figures just don't stack up," said Dr Wright.

The British Liver Trust is launching a campaign called 'Love Your Liver' to encourage people to maintain a healthy liver.

As part of the campaign, it also advises eating well and exercising regularly.

"If you are overweight you increase your risk of liver disease by three times if you drink alcohol too.

"Cutting down on your daily food indulgences and not overloading on sugary drinks will all help to optimise your liver function," the Trust's website says.

UK fireworks and parties welcome in new year - BBC News

1 January 2012 Last updated at 00:18 ET

The spectacular display in London involved around 12,000 fireworks

Thousands of revellers have taken to the streets across the UK to herald the new year.

Hundreds of thousands gathered in London to watch the 11-minute fireworks display under the London Eye, triggered by Big Ben's chimes.

In Cardiff there was free live music at the Civic Centre, but no outdoor concert in Belfast this year.

People attended events across Scotland, including some 80,000 in Edinburgh for the Hogmanay street party celebrations.

Around 3,000 police officers were on duty in London, both at street level and on podiums, to give them a bird's-eye view of any troublemakers.

But Scotland Yard said it had been a "fairly quiet" night with just a handful of arrests, mostly for public order or drunk and disorderly offences.

As midnight struck, it triggered a display of some 12,000 fireworks at the London Eye - producing 50,000 projectiles.

Some were fired from the Houses of Parliament itself, to coincide with each strike of Big Ben.

There was a 2012 Games theme to the spectacle, with many fireworks in the shape and colours of the Olympic rings.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "Our New Year fireworks were a brilliant start to a spectacular year.

"This is just the beginning - as the eyes of the world turn to London for the Olympic and Paralympic Games."

Meanwhile, about 20,000 revellers gathered in the centre of Weymouth, Dorset, for its New Year's Eve fancy dress party. The event has been running for the past 20 years.

Cardiff's annual Calennig celebrations at the Civic Centre also featured a firework display at midnight.

In the absence of an official city council-run event, revellers in Belfast were advised by the council to attend events in local clubs and pubs.

Some 80,000 people gathered in Princes Street, Edinburgh, to see in the new year at the city's world-famous Hogmanay street party.

Around 5.5 tonnes of fireworks lit up the sky above the castle - the most ever for a Hogmanay celebration.

More than 2,800 individual fireworks were used to produce the six-minute display.

And more than 20 acts performed on seven stages ahead of the midnight display.

A huge free party was held in Inverness, while in Aberdeen a free fireworks display was set off from the roof of His Majesty's Theatre in the city centre.

Glasgow hosted a family day, which ended at 22:00 GMT, with traditional music and children's activities.

The city council had previously said it was not holding a street party this year due to the cost.

Worldwide blaze of fireworks greets 2012 - Sky News Australia

Updated: 17:48, Sunday January 1, 2012

Extravagant firework displays lit up the skies from Sydney to New York in a global new year's party that saw hundreds of millions set aside their world of worries to welcome 2012.

Turning the page on a year of financial turmoil in Europe and the US, uprisings across the Arab world, devastation in Japan, and the dramatic killing of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in his Pakistani hideout, revellers danced to pop stars, drank champagne and cheered out the final seconds of 2011.

In New York, pop diva Lady Gaga and Mayor Michael Bloomberg hit the switch sending the city's famous crystal ball on its countdown drop. Confetti poured out over Times Square, where up to a million people had been expected, and multi-coloured, star-burst fireworks erupted over Manhattan's skyscrapers.

Earlier, Sydney and Hong Kong set the standard with glittering extravaganzas. The mood was more sombre in Tokyo but Dubai led the way in the Middle East and, despite financial crisis, Europe spared no expense on the pyrotechnics.

London hosts the 2012 Olympics and its firework display kicked off with a recording of the moment the capital learned it would host the Games.

An estimated 250,000 people lined the banks of the River Thames, watching rings of fireworks in the Olympic colours flash in the sky, while Big Ben lit up with fireworks at every chime of its bell.

Simon Masson, a 47-year-old property developer, spoke for many when he said: "Personally, I'd like good health and happiness for my family, and nationally, I'd like the British economy to pick up a little bit and for things to be a bit better in Great Britain."

There was no avoiding the looming eurozone crisis in some other European capitals.

In a New Year's address, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano delivered a stark message calling on the nation to make sacrifices to "prevent the financial collapse of Italy".

But in Madrid, many wanted to ignore their country's deep financial woes, gathering in the Puerta del Sol - the square that became a focal point for the "indignant" protest movement. "Today is a day to forget the crisis," said Luis Zorrilla, a 46-year-old teacher.

In Berlin another spectacular display lit up the night sky with partying at the Brandenburg Gate, while in Paris, about 360,000 people flocked to the Champs-Elysees.

In the heart of Vienna the new year was rung in by the great bell of St Stephen's Cathedral, followed by the strains of the Blue Danube Waltz.

In Amsterdam, revellers watched the first "kiss" between two giant inflatable puppets representing a Dutch boy and girl, which "walked" towards each other as the seconds ticked down to 2012.

Across the Atlantic in Rio de Janeiro, huge crowds of white-clad party-goers - Brazilians and foreign tourists - rang in the new year on Copacabana beach, watching a spectacular "green" fireworks extravaganza.

New York's party was the biggest in the US, helped by unusually balmy December weather.

A small army of police deployed, including undercover units, anti-terrorism squads and an entire class of newly graduated police academy officers. Backpacks and alcohol were banned and many revellers were forced to wait for hours behind penned-off areas.

"There should be a police officer pretty much within arm's reach," police commissioner Raymond Kelly said.

Pacific islands were the first to welcome in the new year, including Samoa for the first time, having wiped Friday off its calendar by jumping west across the international dateline.

But Sydney really got the party started, its harbour exploding in a blaze of colour and light that drew more than 1.5 million people.

"Every year we make sure our celebrations are bigger and better than the one before," lord mayor Clover Moore said.

Two hours later the excitement moved to Tokyo, where balloons and fireworks filled the sky, with the Tokyo Tower turning blue.

But the celebration was soon marred by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that rocked Tokyo at 0528 GMT (1628 AEDT) on Sunday.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injury and no tsunami warning was issued.

The quake's epicentre was located near Torishima, an island about 560km south of Tokyo.

The mid-afternoon quake swayed buildings in Tokyo but it did not disrupt the final of the Emperor's Cup football tournament under way at the National Stadium.

In Hong Kong, the city's harbour lit up by a barrage of fireworks fired from several of its iconic buildings, delighting partygoers crammed on to the waterfront and in pleasure boats.

Russia's far eastern regions entered 2012 eight hours ahead of Moscow. Then thousands gathered in the capital's Red Square for another huge fireworks display that sent rockets 140m into the midnight sky.

As the clock moved through the time zones, celebrations in Dubai centred on the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, the world's tallest man-made structure, with a pyrotechnics display even more extravagant than 12 months ago.

Hanley pops Fergie's party balloon - The Independent

What he did expect, in keeping with the celebratory mood set by the birthday choir that serenaded him on the way to the dug-out, was a continuation of United's ruthless riposte to their upstart rivals from across town, knocking Manchester City off their perch at the top of the Premier League just in time to see in another new year.

After the 5-0 demolitions of Fulham and Wigan, even with his options still limited by extensive injuries and reports last night that Wayne Rooney had been omitted because of an ill-judged night out, there was no reason to anticipate anything but more of the same. Yet, on a sticky pitch that hampered both passing and ball control, Ferguson's latest patchwork line-up suddenly looked an untidy mess.

Two Yakubu goals down by the 51st minute, they recovered to 2-2 thanks to a double response from Dimitar Berbatov and appeared to have summoned the momentum that customarily carries them home. But Blackburn, buoyed by a 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield, were unwilling to sit back and accept the inevitable. Pouring forward to test United's vulnerabilities again, they were rewarded with 10 minutes left by a goal from the 20-year-old Grant Hanley, one of the defensive pillars of a similarly makeshift Blackburn line-up, to clinch the most unlikely victory of the pilloried Kean's season.

The goal reflected badly on David de Gea, who had regained his place from Anders Lindegaard but must have jeopardised it again after Hanley beat him hands down to Morten Gamst Pedersen's corner, although the Blackburn youngster had to win a second header, this time against Rafael, to force the ball over the line.

Kean, enjoying only his eighth win in 39 League matches as Blackburn manager, felt the performance confirmed the strong spirit in a young team and hoped it might lead the fans who have been calling for his scalp to call a new year truce. "I hope that can happen," Kean said. "I've always respected the fans but what will get them behind us is winning games, particularly at home. We were very disappointing in our last two home games against West Brom and Bolton but with the results at Liverpool and here today I hope we have gone some way towards turning things round.

"I'm delighted with the way we played today. When it got to 2-1 with United's fans getting behind them we feared we would be defending wave after wave of attacks but coming here showed what we are as a young group. Even at 2-2 we were still prepared to go forward in the way that we had talked about before the game because we felt that with the way United play the best way to defend here can be to break quickly on the counter-attack."

Ferguson admitted that the result took him by surprise. "We did not see that coming," he said. "We gave way two terrible goals and you can't do that. Blackburn are fighting for their lives, they were resilient and defended really well, blocking shots near the line all day.

"The pitch did not help us in the first half," he added. "It has been raining heavily all week and it was really boggy. We rallied in the second half and at 2-2 I thought there was only one winner but then we gave away a third goal where we all could have done better."

Blackburn had gone ahead after only 16 minutes when Berbatov, grabbing at his opponent's shirt, hauled down Chris Samba to concede a penalty. Yakubu sent De Gea the wrong way from the spot.

United, with Phil Jones and Michael Carrick teamed in another new partnership in central defence and full back Rafael alongside Park Ji-sung in central midfield, looked disjointed. In the absence of Rooney, the combination of Berbatov with Javier Hernandez, with Danny Welback on the left flank, was ineffective.

Yakubu, charging through a Carrick tackle and gliding past Jones, increased the lead six minutes into the second half with his 13th goal of the season. Berbatov, stooping to head home Rafael's cross, replied from the restart and his sixth in three games levelled the scores 10 minutes later.

With Anderson now in midfield, Rafael back in defence and Welbeck moved to the middle, United looked to have the coherence and the legs to secure the points that would have seen them end the year at the top of the table. Instead they must rally again.

Looking to the future: 'I think I've got threemore years at the club'

Sir Alex Ferguson marked his 70th birthday yesterday by giving himself "another three years" as Manchester United manager before handing the reins to a younger man. However, he has announced his retirement before only to change his mind.

Having dodged questions about his future 24 hours earlier, Ferguson told United's own television channel yesterday that he wanted to win a third European Cup with United's latest crop of young players.

"I think I've got three years at the club," he said. "As long as my health stays up, and as long as I'm still enjoying it and getting the satisfaction of the team doing its best. There are new players that have come in, like [Phil] Jones, [Chris] Smalling, Ashley Young, [Danny] Welbeck... and they haven't won any League medals yet.

"Without question, winning a European Cup is important at this club. You can't be greedy, and having won two in my [25 years here] is an achievement. They were special, it was terrific to win them. I think I'd be very keen to do that [again]."

Ferguson announced he would step down at the end of the 2001-02 season only to rescind the decision the following February. Three years ago, he said he did not intend still tobe a manager when he was 70.

John Culley

Manchester Utd (4-4-2): De Gea; Valencia, Carrick, Jones, Evra; Nani, Rafael (Keane, 85), Park, Welbeck; Berbatov, Hernandez (Anderson, h-t).

Blackburn (4-1-4-1): Bunn; Lowe, Samba, Hanley, Henley; Nzonzi; Formica (Goodwillie, 85), Petrovic, Rochina (Morris, 55), Perdersen; Yakubu (Slew, 89).

Referee: Mike Dean.

Man of the match: Hanley (Blackburn).

Match rating: 7/10.

Breast implants danger: urgent probe ordered by government - Mirror.co.uk

PIP moulds abandoned (Pic:Reuters)

THE Government yesterday ordered an urgent inquiry into the risks of controversial French breast implants.

Confusion over rupture rates in British women has prompted Health Secretary Andrew Lansley to ask for a review of information provided by private clinics.

The cut-price implants, made by French company Poly Implant Prosthesis (PIP), have been fitted in around 40,000 British women. They contain low-grade silicone, made as mattress filler, and were never approved by health authorities.

Many women have complained of ­shooting pains, lumps and lethargy after the ­implants ruptured and leaked silicone into their bodies. The French Government last month recommended that, as a precaution, 30,000 women should have them removed. It has pledged to pay the estimated ­£60million bill.

However British women, who each paid between £2,500 and £6,000 for ­implants, were advised against having them removed after experts ­reported that rupture rates of one per cent here were much lower than the five per cent recorded in France.

But on Friday a large British provider of the implants put forward information suggesting that rupture rates could be much higher than previously thought.

Andrew Lansley

Mr Lansley said: "We have received data from an organisation that was not ­previously acknowledged or communicated to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

"The validity of this data still requires full evaluation, so I have asked Professor Sir Bruce Keogh to lead an urgent investigation so that we can establish whether we need to improve the regulatory regime. I want to reassure women that if any new data comes to light which calls into question the ­safety of these implants we will act swiftly to help them."

The MHRA, which advised against removing the implants, yesterday said there were "doubts" about the information it had received from cosmetic surgeons.

MHRA clinical director Dr Susanne Ludgate said: "It's clear there is conflicting data coming from the cosmetic surgery sector." Mark Harvey, a solicitor acting for more than 350 women who had PIP implants fitted in the UK, said the development added to fears that the health risks could be worse than first thought.

He added: "I've said all along that there was under reporting to the MHRA by some clinics of where their products were going wrong. I've spoken to very reputable surgeons who have said they would repair ­implants and just not bother doing the ­paperwork. Some of the clinics have shown a disgraceful attitude from the start."

Consultant plastic surgeon Nigel Mercer said last night: "I would urge women not to panic... but my personal view would be that they should all be removed. PIP implants contain material which has not been approved for humans so it should not be in the body."

The implants were originally approved for sale in Europe by German company TUV Rheinland, which is now suing PIP. When it discovered the irregularities in 2010 it cancelled the company's EU-wide licence, effectively banning the implants from sale.

Jean-Claude Mas

PIP's founder, multi-millionaire Jean-Claude Mas, 72, is facing criminal charges over a series of offences including ­manslaughter after the death of a woman with implants.

What patients need to know

How many British women have PIP implants?
Forty thousand Britons are thought to have had them in the past 10 years. PIP ­implants ­accounted for half of all ­implants at their peak.

What should women do if they believe they have had PIP implants?
Contact the clinic that did the ­operation as a record of the brand used should have been kept.

What are the main risks?
Rupture or leakage. The industrial silicone gel can be irritative, increasing the risk of inflammation. ­Women whose implants have ­ruptured have ­complained of pain, lumps and nausea. Rupture rates were ­believed to be lower in the UK than France (one per cent compared to five). New ­information has cast doubt on this hence the inquiry.

Is cancer a risk?
In France eight cases of cancer in women with the implants were reported – including five of breast cancer. But the country's National Cancer Institute said there was no evidence that women with the ­implants were more likely to develop cancer.

What is the latest ­Government advice?
Women with no ill-effects have been advised against removal as it involves ­major surgery. But that advice could change if evidence is found to back up claims of higher rupture rates.

Should women have them taken out?
Some private clinics are still resisting requests to ­remove PIP implants ­despite the British ­Association of ­Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons saying they have a "moral ­obligation" to do so.
Breast implants cost around £5,000 – even if clinics do the surgery at cost price the bill is still around £2,000. Implant company Nagor is offering free ­replacements for women whose PIP ­implants have ruptured, but surgery would still have to be paid for.

Can women sue?
PIP has gone into ­liquidation so boss Jean-Claude Mas and other directors cannot be pursued in court. Some UK law firms have launched group actions against private clinics.

We need more help

MUM-of-three Susan Cranley was one of the first British woman to have PIP implants – and has regretted it ever since.

She went under the knife in 2002, paying £3,500 to boost her chest from a 36B to a 36D. But a year later she started suffering severe health problems and found her implants were leaking. She forked out another £2,500 to have them removed.

The 55-year-old, from Liverpool, has since set up PIP Implant Support, representing 235 women affected by the problems.

Sue said: "The French women are getting lots of help now, but it feels like it will take a British woman to die from these faulty implants before we are listened to. Not enough is being done to help us. But we will keep fighting."

Review of the year - Sportsmail looks back at an action-packed 2011: December - Daily Mail

By Sportsmail Reporter

Last updated at 11:53 PM on 31st December 2011

As the year draws to a close, Sportsmail takes a look back at 2011 to remind you what happened over the last action-packed 12 months.

Liverpool's Luis Suarez was banned for eight games for racially abusing Patrice Evra while John Terry will face court after his altercation with Anton Ferdinand.

Catch up on what you missed with our superb guide.

DECEMBER

1st The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed Scotland Yard had passed a file on John Terry's alleged racial slur towards Anton Ferdinand to prosecutors.

Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva was ruled out for the remainder of the season by a knee ligament injury.

Stoke qualified for the last 32 of the Europa League after a 1-1 draw against Dynamo Kiev in their Group E match at the Britannia Stadium, while Fulham were beaten 1-0 by a late FC Twente goal in Holland.

2nd England were drawn against France, Sweden and co-hosts Ukraine in Group D of next summer's European Championships. The Republic of Ireland were placed in Group C alongside reigning champions Spain, Italy and Croatia.

Euro: Fabio Capello's England were drawn to face France, Ukraine and Sweden

Newcastle postponed their planned tribute to their former midfielder Gary Speed until December 17 at the request of his widow Louise.
England Martin Murray drew with WBA super middleweight champion Felix Sturm as the German retained his title in Mannheim.

3rd England hooker Steve Thompson announced his retirement with immediate effect after falling foul of another neck injury.

Martin O`Neill signed a three-year deal to become Sunderland`s new manager.

Record tryscorer Shane Williams scored a try with the final touch of the game - his final international match - as Wales were beaten by 24-18 Australia in Cardiff.

4th

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew revealed defender Steven Taylor would be out for the season with an Achilles injury which required surgery.
Manchester City and rivals United were drawn to meet in the third round of the FA Cup.

Brazil legend Socrates died aged 57 after suffering severe septicaemia.

5th Fulham beat 10-man Liverpool 1-0 in the Barclays Premier League, with Clint Dempsey scoring the late goal after Jay Spearing had been sent off.

Northampton's England wing Chris Ashton was cited by the Rugby Football Union for an act contrary to good sportsmanship after dragging Leicester's Alesana Tuilagi out of play by his hair during December 3's Aviva Premiership clash, sparking a brawl which saw Tuilagi and Northampton's Tom Wood sent off.

Barcelona duo Lionel Messi and Xavi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo were shortlisted for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award.

6th Didier Drogba scored twice as Chelsea beat Valencia 3-0 at Stamford Bridge in their final Champions League Group E match to qualify for the last 16.

Northampton wing Chris Ashton received a four-week ban from the Rugby Football Union after being found guilty of dragging Leicester's Alesana Tuilagi off the pitch by his hair.

Mark Allen was referred to the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association's disciplinary committee for comments he made about World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn.

7th Manchester United and Manchester City both crashed out of the Champions League in the final round of group matches. United were shocked 2-1 by unfancied Basle, while City's 2-0 win over Bayern Munich was not enough for them after Napoli's win over Villarreal.

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was charged with improper conduct following the Barclays Premier League match against Fulham, the Football Association confirmed.

Mark Allen attended a World Snooker press conference with tape over his mouth, having been reprimanded for swearing in a rant against chairman Barry Hearn.

8th UEFA reduced Wayne Rooney's three-match ban to two matches at Euro 2012 following an appeal attended by the Manchester United striker.

Result: England striker Wayne Rooney's ban was reduced to two matches

India batsman Virender Sehwag broke Sachin Tendulkar's record one-day international innings with a score of 219 against the West Indies in Indore.

Stuart Lancaster was named as England's interim rugby union coach until the end of the RBS 6 Nations, with Graham Rowntree and Andy Farrell as his assistants.

9th Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury.

Racing great Denman was retired after suffering a setback in his preparation for the Lexus Chase at Cheltenham.

England recalled spinner Monty Panesar to their squad for their tour of the United Arab Emirates to face Pakistan.

10th Barcelona took the spoils in the first Clasico of the season, beating Real Madrid 3-1, recovering from conceding the opening goal after 23 seconds.

Manchester United returned to winning ways, beating Wolves 4-1 in the Premier League, while Robin van Persie scored a stunning volley as Arsenal beat Everton 1-0 to celebrate the club's 125th anniversary.

Amir Khan lost his IBF and WBA light-welterweight titles to Lamont Peterson by split decision in Washington.

11th Luke Donald became the first player to top the money list on both sides of the Atlantic in the same season after winning the European Tour's 'Race to Dubai' when Rory McIlroy failed to achieve the win he needed in the Dubai World Championship.

Sebastian Larsson ensured Martin O'Neill's reign as Sunderland boss started with a victory as the Black Cats came from behind to see off Blackburn, while Stoke ended Tottenham's six-game winning run in the Barclays Premier League with a 2-1 triumph at the Britannia Stadium.

Judd Trump beat Mark Allen 10-8 in the final of the williamhill.com UK Championship in York.

12th England's World Cup-winning fly-half Jonny Wilkinson announced his retirement from international rugby.

Bowing out: Jonny Wilkinson retired from international rugby

Manchester City lost their first Premier League match of the season, going down 2-1 at Chelsea after Gael Clichy was sent off.

Bernard Lapasset was been re-elected as International Rugby Board chairman, defeating England's Bill Beaumont by 14 votes to 12 at an IRB meeting in Los Angeles. Beaumont subsequently lost a vote to remain as vice-chairman.

13th Manchester United announced midfielder Darren Fletcher was to take 'an extended break from football' owing to a chronic inflammatory bowel condition.

Celtic confirmed they would appeal against the 12,700 fine imposed by UEFA for 'illicit chanting' by their fans during the Europa League match against Rennes in November.

The British Olympic Association confirmed they had filed a formal appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport challenging the decision to declare their lifetime ban for drug cheats non-compliant with WADA's world anti-doping code.

14th Fulham were eliminated from the Europa League after conceding an injury time equaliser to draw 2-2 in their Group K match against Odense at Craven Cottage. Stoke, who had already qualified, lost 3-1 at Besiktas.

The Rugby Football Union confirmed the appointment of Ian Ritchie as their new chief executive.

Jockeys Greg Fairley and Paul Doe were handed bans of 12 years following a British Horseracing Authority hearing into alleged corruption.

Kirsty Milczarek was banned for two years and Jimmy Quinn was given a six-month ban.

15th The Ministry of Defence announced up to 13,500 military personnel would be detailed to help provide security during the Olympics.

Tottenham were knocked out of the Europa League despite beating Shamrock Rovers 4-0 in their Group A match in Dublin. Birmingham also crashed out despite a 1-0 win over Maribor, while Celtic made it a trio of British exits following a 1-1 draw at Udinese.

United States international Landon Donovan agreed to join Everton on a two-month loan from MLS side Los Angeles Galaxy, the Barclays Premier League club confirmed.

16th Arsenal were drawn with AC Milan and Chelsea with Napoli in the last 16 of the Champions League. Manchester United drew Ajax, Manchester City were paired with Porto and Stoke with Valencia in the last 32 of the Europa League.

The FA announced players who appear at Euro 2012 will not be in contention for Team GB at the Olympics.

UEFA confirmed they would not be charging Harry Redknapp after his gesture towards the Shamrock Rovers fans during Tottenham's Europa League victory.

17th Jordi Gomez scored a late equaliser as Wigan earned a shock 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the Barclays Premier League.

Blackburn and Bolton's woes were deepened as they suffered defeats to West Brom and Fulham respectively.

Peter Crouch earned Stoke a fourth win in succession, 2-1 at Wolves, Leon Osman earned Everton a point against Norwich and Newcastle and Swansea drew 0-0.

18th Manchester City maintained their lead at the Barclays Premier League summit with a 1-0 victory over Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium, David Silva scoring the winning goal. The win kept Roberto Mancini's men two points clear of city rivals Manchester United, who were 2-0 winners over QPR.

In the dock: Luis Suarez (left) was banned for eight games

Celtic closed the gap behind Rangers at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League to four points thanks to a 2-0 win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.

Raymond van Barneveld was beaten in straight sets by James Richardson in the first round of the PDC World Championship.

19th Blackburn defender Scott Dann was ruled out for six weeks with a groin injury.

UEFA charged Celtic with 'the displaying of an offensive banner and setting off of fireworks by fans' at their Europa League game with Udinese in Italy the previous week.

The Scottish Premier League announced they would consider applications to pilot safe-standing areas.

20th Liverpool`s Luis Suarez was banned for eight matches and fined 40,000 by the Football Association for racially abusing Patrice Evra.

Steve Kean came under even more pressure from the Blackburn fans after his side lost to Bolton in the battle at the bottom of the table.

Asmir Begovic signed a new four-and-a-half-year deal with Stoke.

21st The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed England and Chelsea captain John Terry would be charged with racially abusing Queens Park Rangers player Anton Ferdinand.

Chris Paterson announced his retirement from international rugby following a distinguished 12-year career with Scotland.

Liverpool's players offered their support to Luis Suarez, issuing a joint statement ahead of, and then wearing T-shirts with the image of a celebrating Suarez on the front and the player's name and number seven on the back before, the game against Wigan.

22nd Cyclist Mark Cavendish was named as the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Golfer Darren Clarke came second, with athlete Mo Farah in third place.

Tottenham and Chelsea drew 1-1 at White Hart Lane in the final Barclays Premier League clash before Christmas. Emmanuel Adebayor's opener was cancelled out by Daniel Sturridge.

Gong: Mark Cavendish won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award

Arsenal confirmed their game against Wolves, scheduled for Boxing Day, had been put back to December 27 due to proposed industrial action on London Underground.

23rd Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs was ruled out for a month after undergoing surgery on his left groin.

Atletico Madrid appointed Diego Simeone as coach on an 18-month contract.

Bolton confirmed they had begun talks with Chelsea about the possible sale of Gary Cahill.

24th West Brom's Steven Reid was ruled out for a month following a knee operation.

Rangers had two players sent off as they lost 2-1 at St Mirren in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

A Georgios Samaras double earned Celtic a 2-1 win over Kilmarnock which took them to within a point of league leaders Rangers.

25th Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini ruled out a January move for Italy midfielder Daniele de Rossi.

Steve Southern was appointed as the Wakefield Wildcats' new captain.
The delayed NBA season finally got under way got under way after the summer-long labour dispute.

26th Dimitar Berbatov netted a hat-trick as Manchester United joined cross-town rivals City at the top of the Premier League table by thrashing Wigan 5-0. City drew 0-0 at West Brom.

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas admitted his team's title challenge was almost over before the new year after they were held to a 1-1 home draw by Fulham.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees broke the NFL record for yards passing in a season, beating Dan Marino's 27-year record of 5,084 yards.

27th Gareth Bale scored twice as third-placed Tottenham moved seven points behind leaders Manchester City with a 2-0 win at Norwich.
Harlequins set a new world record for a regular-season club fixture after attracting an official attendance of 82,000 to Twickenham for their 19-11 Aviva Premiership defeat to Saracens.

Thirteen-time winner Phil Taylor suffered a shock 4-1 defeat to Dave Chisnall to crash out of the World Championship in just the second round.

Shock: Dave Chisnall caused a massive upset and knocked out Phil Taylor

28th Former Shamrock Rovers boss Michael O'Neill was appointed as the new manager of Northern Ireland on a two-year contract starting in February, the Irish Football Association confirmed.

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, already facing an eight-game ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra was suspended for one match and fined 20,000 after making inappropriate gestures to Fulham fans.

Synchronised, trained by Jonjo O'Neill and ridden by Tony McCoy, won the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown.

29th Former Hull player Martin Gleeson, former Hull chief executive James Rule and former Hull conditioning coach Ben Cooper were banned for doping offences, UK Anti-Doping confirmed.

Wigan striker Conor Sammon's red card against Manchester United was rescinded by the Football Association.

Wolves Nenad Milijas` red card against Arsenal would stand, the FA also confirmed.

30th Arsene Wenger confirmed Thierry Henry would return to Arsenal on a two-month loan from the New York Red Bulls, providing insurance agreements could be arranged.

Bolton announced the club had agreed a fee with Chelsea for defender Gary Cahill.

Swansea announced they had signed Cliftonville striker Rory Donnelly for an undisclosed fee.

31st Blackburn claimed a shock 3-2 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford meaning Manchester City went into 2012 on top of the league. Tottenham drew 1-1 at Swansea, Chelsea lost 3-1 at home to Aston Villa.

Arsenal beat QPR 1-0 thanks to a Robin van Persie goal as he fell one short of matching Alan Shearer's record for the most number of goals scored in a calendar year, finishing with 35.

The FA released the full written reasons of the independent regulatory commission investigating the Luis Suarez racism charge which said the Liverpool player's evidence was 'unreliable' and 'inconsistent'. It also revealed he had racially abused Patrice Evra seven times in a two-minute period during the game with Manchester United in October.

World No 4 Andy Murray appointed former world number one Ivan Lendl as his full-time coach.

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