| Hungary Battles Toxic Flood as Sludge Enters Danube As chemical sludge seeps into the Danube, Hungary fights to contain the worst environmental disaster in its history feedproxy.google.com |
Two million US PCs hijacked The US leads the world in numbers of Windows PCs that are part of networks of hijacked home computers, reveals a report. bbc.co.uk |
Fifa officials 'offered to sell their votes over 2018 World Cup' Committee member caught on camera allegedly asking for £500,000 in return for supporting England rivalTwo Fifa officials have been accused of offering to sell their votes in the contest to host the 2018 football World Cup, it emerged last night.Amos Adamu, a Fifa executive committee member from Nigeria, was caught on camera asking for £500,000 for a "personal project" in return for supporting one of England's rivals for the 2018 contest, according to an investigation by the Sunday Times. Reynald Temarii, a Fifa vice-president and president of the Oceania Football Confederation, was also said to have been recorded asking for £1.5m for a sports academy in exchange for his support.The newspaper reportedly has footage showing Adamu pledging his vote after requesting cash from undercover reporters posing as lobbyists. The money would be used to build football pitches in his home country.In the video, Adamu said he wanted the money paid to him personally, half of it in advance, adding: "Certainly if you are to invest that, that means you also want the vote."Reporters spoke to six senior Fifa officials, past and present, who offered to work as fixers for the World Cup bid. They all suggested paying huge bribes to Fifa executive committee members, according to the newspaper. Bidding countries, officials and national football associations are strictly forbidden from even the "beginning of a collaboration" to influence voting.The investigation has also uncovered allegations that supporters of two countries competing to host the World Cup have offered up to £750,000 a vote for other "personal projects".One former member of the Fifa committee warned that the failure of the England bid to offer such deals could lead to its rejection. "England have got all the good reasons why they should host it but they don't strike the deals," he said.Fifa has yet to comment.FifaWorld Cup 2018Football politicsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Unplugged: How long can you last? Students at Bournemouth University are taking part in a global experiment called Unplugged. bbc.co.uk |
French Pension Bill Clears Final Hurdle France's National Assembly voted President Nicolas Sarkozy's contentious pension reform into law by the government's strong majority. online.wsj.com |