Hillary Clinton: China crackdown 'a fool's errand'

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has criticised China's crackdown on dissent as "a fool's errand", saying Beijing is trying to halt history. In an interview with The Atlantic, Mrs Clinton also called the nation's human rights record "deplorable". She defended US dealings with Beijing, saying: "We live in the real world." The BBC's Kim Ghattas...

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Japan 'to review energy policy' over nuclear crisis

Japan is to reconsider plans to increase its reliance on nuclear power in the wake of the crisis at the Fukushima plant. Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Japan had to start from scratch with its energy plans following the disaster. The plant has been leaking radiation since the 11 March earthquake and subsequent tsunami damaged cooling systems to the...

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Microsoft confirms takeover of Skype

Microsoft has confirmed that it has agreed to buy internet phone service Skype. The deal will see Microsoft pay $8.5bn (£5.2bn) for Skype, making it Microsoft's largest acquisition. Luxembourg-based Skype has 663 million global users. In August last year it announced plans for a share flotation, but this was subsequently put on hold. Internet auction...

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Triesman claims four Fifa members sought 2018 bribes

Former Football Association chairman Lord Triesman claims four Fifa members sought "bribes" in return for backing England's failed 2018 World Cup bid. Triesman - who was initially chairman of England's bid - made the allegations about Jack Warner, Nicolas Leoz, Ricardo Teixeira and Worawi Makudi. He said their behaviour was "below what would be ethically...

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Punjab thrash Mumbai by 76 runs to cause big upset

Mohali: After a glut of one-sided snooze-fests, the IPL produced the kind of upset the Twenty20 format is made for, with the tenth-placed Kings XI Punjab producing a strong performance to trounce the table-toppers, Mumbai Indians. Punjab came out determined against Mumbai's gun bowlers - Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh - and scrapped their way towards...

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Beckham ponders return for Neville testimonial

Manchester: David Beckham could return to Old Trafford to play in his friend Gary Neville's testimonial when Manchester United face Juventus on May 24. Nicky Butt and Phil Neville are set to play in the match, a repeat of the 1999 Champions League semi-final, as are Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs. They, like Beckham and Gary Neville, were all members...

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Federer focussed on return to the top

Rome: Record 16-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer insists he still has his sights set on a return to the number one world ranking. Federer has been in the shadow not only of long-time rival Rafael Nadal in recent times but now also man of the moment Novak Djokovic. But the Swiss 29-year-old believes he can still return to the top of the tree,...

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