Two a penny

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.English giant Liverpool is on the brink of crashing out of the Champions League after drawing 1-1 at French outfit Lyon.
Liverpool had bossed the first half against the seven-time French champion in Lyon with Fernando Torres, Dirk Kuyt and Andriy Voronin all going close.
It looked set to come away with all three points when Ryan Babel struck a stunning opener late on, but Lyon broke English hearts when Lisandro Lopez struck with minutes remaining.
The level of Liverpool’s desperation for a win was matched only by the gravity of their injury woes, most notably the loss of influential captain Steven Gerrard.
Fiorentina’s 5-2 hammering of Debrecen leaves the Italians on nine points while Liverpool, five points adrift, would have to hope for a miracle to have any chance of finishing in the top two.
Arsenal is all but through after a 4-1 victory over Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar.
The draw put Lyon through to the knockout stages and it was joined by Sevilla, which was held 1-1 by VfB Stuttgart but assured of a top-two finish in its group when Rangers drew with Unirea Urziceni.
The Gunners did all they had to do for their part in going through, as a brace from Cesc Fabregas and one apiece from Samir Nasri and Abou Diaby saw them to an easy victory, but Standard Liege’s 2-0 win over Olympiakos stopped them just short of qualifying.
Inter Milan’s late comeback to gain a 2-1 victory over Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine sees the Italian side go top of the tightest group. .
Kazan had its chances, most notably when their top striker Aleksander Bukharov came on in the second half but found Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes a match for him.
Should Barcelona and Kazan finish tied for second place on points, it would be the Russian outfit which progresses by virtue of its head-to-head record.
“We looked better in the first half but later in the match Kazan played creative football and could have won,” said Guardiola, who guided Barcelona to an unprecedented treble last term.
Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola said he never thought it would be easy, especially in temperatures that reached as low as -5 degrees Celsius, but accepted that his side had to get maximum points from their final two matches.
“The draw is a good result after such a match, but now we need to win both of the remaining matches.
“The draw is a good result after such a match, but now we need to win both of the remaining matches.
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Second place is still up for grabs in their group after Rangers and Unirea Urziceni drew in Bucharest, in a match marred by visiting fans tearing up seats and hurling them onto the pitch

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A strong earthquake shook Bali today, injuring at least seven people and sending panicked tourists and residents fleeing out of homes and hotels.

No tsunami warning was issued and there were no immediate reports of major damage.

The magnitude 5.

Indonesia’s Meteorological and Geophysics Agency put the quake at a more powerful 6.8 quake hit just after 6am local time (0900 AEST), 75 kilometres south of Denpasar, the island’s capital, the US Geological Survey said.

Seven people were treated for head injuries and broken bones at Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar, said Dr Ken Wirasandi, adding that women and children had run from their homes screaming when the ground began to rattle.4 magnitude.

“I was frightened because it was strong,” said Ernst Raynaldo, a tourist from the Netherlands who was staying at the Kuta beach strip. .

“I ran out immediately as I saw many others rushing into the swimming pool,” which was the closest open space.

A huge quake off western Indonesia caused a powerful tsunami in December 2004 that killed about 230,000 people in a dozen countries, half of them in Indonesia’s Aceh province.

Indonesia, a vast archipelago, straddles continental plates and is prone to seismic activity.

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Dame Kiri Te Kanawa breezed into Sydney and made two things clear. Don’t mention John Farnham, or retirement.

Ironically the two are scheduled to perform in Sydney tomorrow night; Dame Kiri at the Opera House and Farnham at the Star City Casino as he kicks off a 31-date farewell tour.

New Zealand’s world famous soprano, scheduled to sing in two concerts with the Sydney Symphony this week, wasn’t best pleased when the Aussie pop icon’s name was raised.48) million lawsuit by promoter Leading Edge Events in the New South Wales Supreme Court after she withdrew from three scheduled concerts with Farnham – because she was uncomfortable at the prospect of female fans throwing knickers at him.

Two years ago, Dame Kiri beat a A$2 (NZ$2.

“This is about music and that’s not.

“Can we just drop that subject, thank you,” Dame Kiri told The Australian newspaper.

“I was concerned about the knickers or underpants and underwear apparel being thrown at him and him collecting it and obviously holding it in his hands as some sort of trophy.”

Dame Kiri – whose company Mattase was ordered to pay $A128,000 to Leading Edge in expenses incurred – told the court in 2007 she withdrew after watching footage of Farnham’s previous concerts.

Dame Kiri, 65, was quoted by London’s Daily Telegraph last month as saying a concert in the German city of Cologne next April “will be my last”.”

Asked about the coincidence of the pair performing on the same night in the same city tomorrow, Dame Kiri said: “Good luck, can we move on?”

Meanwhile, British reports of her impending retirement were also given the short shrift.

But she told reporters in Sydney: “No, I have not announced it (retirement).

She cited an exhausting schedule and was quoted as saying opera was “mainly for young people”. I didn’t say a thing.

“The press might have announced it. I’m not retiring. I don’t know why they’re trying to retire me.

“You don’t retire. . But retiring means you don’t do it any more. You just move on to something else if you want.. I’m working morning, noon, and. I mean, I do 20 concerts a year, I do charity. I mean, I do 20 concerts a year, I do charity… how can I retire?”

She said the door was open to more operatic roles, beyond her performance in Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier in Cologne.

Dame Kiri said she was kept busy through her work developing young New Zealand opera talent.

She planned to bring three of her students from the Solti Academy and Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation to London to perform alongside her at the Tower of London in September.

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Survivors of rape and sexual abuse will find it difficult to access therapy if proposed changes to ACC’s sensitive claims unit come into effect next month, according to rape survivor Louise Nicholas.

Ms Nicholas, an advocate for rape prevention education, said she was shocked that ACC believed shorter term therapy was more beneficial for clients than longer term therapy.

She explained that currently, survivors had four sessions with a counsellor to discuss their abuse experiences before their claim was assessed for ongoing therapy.

“Many survivors, including myself, speak about the difficulty in being able to open up and talk about their experiences which needs to be at their own pace and with someone they trust which is vital in their healing process,” Ms Nicholas said.

Ms Nicholas said the new clinical pathway proposed to come into effect on September 14 would mean survivors having to tell their story three times to three different professionals. Survivors would often choose to have ongoing therapy with the counsellor with whom they had already built up a relationship. .

She said they could also be declined help at any stage in the process, and would also have to prove they had a mental injury which fits the criteria for a psychiatric problem.

After attending ACC’s draft clinical pathways provider workshop in Auckland earlier this month, Ms Nicholas said it was not about seeking better services for survivors, it was about cutting costs.

“Finding someone who they can trust to disclose to is often a major issue as there are many barriers that need to be dealt with before they even get to the stage of being able to talk about the actual abuse incident,” Ms Nicholas added.

“Rape and sexual abuse is a crime that is committed upon a person by another person deliberately causing harm.

“I viewed it as taking vital resources away from counsellors and specialist service providers and putting them into the costs of assessments by clinical psychologists.

She believed the effect of the new clinical pathway would be detrimental to not only survivors of rape and sexual abuse but also to agencies, mental health services and other specialist service providers who would have to take on many more survivors who may be declined for subsidised counselling through ACC. It is not like a self-inflicted recreational or sporting injury,” Ms Nicholas said.

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“These agencies are also likely to be weighed down by the extra workloads that will inevitably see even more specialist services crumble under the weight of inadequate funding and resources,” Ms Nicholas said

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The family of the New Zealander killed in last Friday’s twin bombings in Indonesia has released a statement recalling a dedicated family man who did not suffer fools lightly.

Tim Mackay was at a business meeting at the JW Marriott hotel in Jakarta when a bomb blast ripped through the hotel at the same time as another bomb was detonated at the close toby Ritz-Carlton hotel. Seven others were killed in the blasts. He died in hospital after suffering severe leg as well as facial wounds.

“Tim was a quiet man with a mischievous sense of humour.

In a statement released today the family of Mr Mackay said the response to his death reflected Mr Mackay’s character and the fact that New Zealanders felt a loss keenly when a Kiwi was killed in such a way. . He was a dedicated family man, not just to his own family but also to wider family,” they said.”

The family said Mr Mackay, 62, had a passion for sailing and enjoyed fishing and hunting when he was younger. At the same time he was not a man to suffer fools lightly.

The Mackay family said they wished to thank people throughout New Zealand and internationally for their support since the death of Mr Mackay, who as well as being the president director of the cement company Holcim Indonesia was involved in a number of charities to help struggling Indonesians.

They acknowledged the support from the Indonesian people and from Mr Mackay’s friends and colleagues who helped return his body.

The bombings are believed to be linked to a group known as Jemaah Islamiyah, an Al Qaeda affiliate responsible for the Bali bombings in 2002.

The funeral will be held in Wellington tomorrow.

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A juror in the trial of Clayton Weatherston has been rushed to hospital, bringing a halt to proceedings this afternoon.

Justice Potter has adjourned the High Court in Christchurch after the juror was taken away by paramedics at about midday.

The judge told the jury she would get updates on the juror’s condition this afternoon and make decisions on the continuation of the trial in consultation with Crown and defence counsel.

The juror collapsed in the jury room at the morning adjournment.

Earlier a former girlfriend of Weatherston gave a tearful account of a letter she sent to him in prison, urging him to stay resilient.

The trial was adjourned until tomorrow morning.

She said that when she wrote the letter she “did not realise the extent of what he [Weatherston] had done”.

The woman, whose name is suppressed, broke down as she read the letter to the jury in the Christchurch High Court earlier today.

Weatherston admits the manslaughter of Elliott but denies her murder, saying he was provoked.

Weatherston, 33, allegedly murdered of his ex-girlfriend, Sophie Elliott, 22, by stabbing her more than 200 times at her Dunedin home on January 9 last year. .

The court has heard the letter from her said: “Dig deep, find those coping skills… Don’t over-analyze, that’s a strict order, okay. . .

“You have lots of people rooting for you out here…

“I understand you are being sent socks, it will be a turn-up for the books if you wear them. I’m worried about you but know that you will be fine. … I will send you letters, you should write back to me.

“Anyway, everyone … says hi and sends you a hug.

“You know that resilience is a wonderful thing.

“You know that resilience is a wonderful thing.”

The woman said that after she sent the letter, she did not go and see Weatherston in prison.

“I was in shock, I was coping as well as I could at the time,” she said.

“Up until then, I thought maybe a mistake had been made, as people do when they are in shock.

“When I found out what had gone on, I couldn’t believe it.”

She said she would not have written what she had once she found out what Weatherston had done.

The court also heard the full transcript of Weatherton wrote back in reply.

His letter said:

“I have been better and have also been thinking about you. This is a rough ride and it’s not looking like getting any easier. I am in a cell (3.5 x 2.5m) most of the day, getting some time for a shower and outside in a small yard.

“The food is pretty good! Knowing I have your support is crucial to me. I am so sorry for not seeing how great you truly are. I will see you and Mum and Dad et al. soon as possible.

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French seamen on a New Zealand-bound warship have rescued one of Auckland’s top medical specialists and his family from their dismasted yacht 375 kilometres north of North Cape. .

On a medical website Dr Bradfield lists his interests as “Sailing, Sailing, Sailing, Sailing, making children.

The yacht ran into the storm that caused foul weather across the North Island last weekend and knocked three yachts out of the Auckland to Noumea yacht race.”

The family left Auckland in May and stayed in Tonga before setting sail for home last week.

The New Caledonia based 55-metre patrol boat La Glorieuse, which was on the way to Auckland, was guided to the scene by the Hercules.

Dr Bradfield activated his distress beacon yesterday afternoon and an RNZAF Hercules flew to the scene, reporting the yacht had dismasted.

Sailors onboard the 55-metre patrol boat La Glorieuse found their 12.

The yacht had become dismasted, its rigging tangling around the rudder and keel while travelling from Tonga to New Zealand.6m sloop Carenza at 10pm yesterday, about five hours after the yacht’s captain had activated an emergency beacon.

No-one had been injured, Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand search and rescue officer Christine Wilson said.

Surviving yachts in the Noumea yacht race were alerted to be aware of La Glorieuse cross the fleet’s path.

La Glorieuse rescued the family and was ordered to sink Carenza because it was a hazard to shipping.

The warship stayed alongside the yacht overnight, evacuating the New Zealand-resident family about 7am today.

La Glorieuse is due in Auckland on a scheduled visit tomorrow morning.

La Glorieuse is due in Auckland on a scheduled visit tomorrow morning.

“It’s a long way.

“We’ve had a reasonable day with a few showers -somehow this time the trip feels a lot slower and we are keen to be home,” Dr Bradfield said.

“This dead downwind sailing under head sail – although easy – has an unpleasant motion, and the kids have spent most of the day sleeping with the lethargy that comes with a bit of sea illness.

“We are looking forward to a more northerly wind shift tomorrow and an increase in boat speed.

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Josh added on the blog that time was going slowly: “only 3 things to do on board, sleep, stare aimlessly at the empty horizon or cough up your guts overboard

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The former nanny of Michael Jackson’s three children said she regularly had to pump his stomach to remove cocktails of painkillers, British newspapers reported today.

Grace Rwaramba, who was abruptly sacked by Jackson in December, also spoke of her fears for the future of the children following his death and has flown to Los Angeles from Europe hoping to be reunited with them.

The Jackson family are angry at the unanswered questions surrounding the star’s final hours, amid reports that the singer’s doctor Conrad Murray injected him with the painkiller Demerol shortly before his death.

Dr Murray “helped identify the circumstances around the death of the pop icon and clarified some inconsistencies,” spokeswoman Miranda Sevcik said Saturday in a statement.

But a spokeswoman for Murray said that after a three-hour interview with detectives the cardiologist, who was with Jackson when he collapsed, is “in no way a suspect”.”

In comments reported by The Sunday Times Rwaramba, 42, said that the star was addicted to narcotic painkillers.

“Investigators say the doctor is in no way a suspect and remains a witness to this tragedy.

“I had to pump his stomach many times.

“There was one period that it was so bad that I didn’t let the children see him. He always mixed so much of it…”

She said she once appealed to Jackson’s mother, Katherine, and sister, Janet, to intervene and persuade him to seek treatment for his addiction, but Michael turned on her and accused her of betrayal. He always ate too little and mixed too much.

“He didn’t want to listen; that was one of the times he let me go,” she said. .

Tabloid newspaper News of the World – which is owned by the same company as The Sunday Times – said she had screamed with shock when she heard of the star’s death, while she was at the Swiss home of TV interviewer Daphne Barak.

She was finally dismissed in December last year, but claims she returned several times to see the children, making her most recent trip in April.

“I’m really distraught for them.

Rwaramba told Barak in an interview quoted by the tabloid that her first thought was for the children.

“Now the youngest has been saying, ‘Why Daddy? God should have taken me not him. Michael hadn’t been eating and the kids have been so scared for him.’

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The winner of Lotto’s record $36. .

Do you know who won the $36.co.1m prize? Email newstips@stuff.

The district’s mayor already has one piece of advice: don’t park your new Porsche and Audi in the same street.nz

The Big Wednesday winning ticket will be verified today by the Lotteries Commission as the region’s 22,623 inhabitants scramble to work out who the country’s newest multi-millionaire is.

The ticket was bought at Masterton’s Kuripuni Take Note Lotto and Post Shop and netted the lone first division winner $34,453,401 in cash, plus a slew of luxury prizes. Last night’s win follows a $5.

The first division winner also won the second divison prize of $696,795.

In an unprecedented move, the Lotteries Commission set up an 0800 phone number so last night’s winner could claim the prize in “total secrecy”.5m Powerball win just 12 days ago in Masterton.

“The winner’s privacy is very important.

Spokeswoman Karen Jones said the number was set up so the winner could sidestep the usual process of turning up to the Lotteries Commission in Wellington. We don’t want them rocking up to a store or to our offices, because there is intense interest. We don’t want them rocking up to a store or to our offices, because there is intense interest.

Local residents Doug and Liz Wishart said the excitement last night had been “almost too much to bear”.

Speculation as to their identity is intense today.”It’s not something they are going to be able to keep quiet for long.Though not the holders of the winning ticket, like everyone they wanted to know who the newly-minted multi-millionaire was.

So far this morning, dozens of punters have flooded through the doorsat the store where the winning ticket was sold. Masterton is just too small and there are too many tongues that wag,” said Liz Wishart.Shop owner Maureen Taute believed the winner was local. Media crews have staked out the shop since 6am, hoping to catch of the big winner.”Most people who come in here are regulars and live locally. The shop is tucked away in a small shopping village and away from the beaten track of visitors.5 million from a ticket bought here recently came in ten days later to say very privately and quietly, thank you.5 million from a ticket bought here recently came in ten days later to say very privately and quietly, thank you.”